Where We Are Now – And What Comes Next
Listen or read.
There’s no getting away from it. In this part of the election and economic cycle, things just aren’t working like they used to. If you’re running a small business, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
We’re seeing more and more artificial intelligence appearing everywhere. That’s only going to speed up the pace of change. In fact, we’re not talking years anymore – real shifts are happening in the next few months. Businesses are being forced to change whether they like it or not.
You and I both know – big changes are coming. And I don’t just mean government changes. I mean deep, structural changes caused by economic and digital trends.
For years, small businesses focused on customer attention and search engine optimisation. But that’s changing fast. AI is taking over search results and reshaping how customers find and choose businesses.
And yet, here we are – businesses still open, staff still showing up, stock still sitting on shelves. We’re still trying to keep cash flowing like we always have. But there’s a shift happening – something you can feel in the air. Some businesses can’t quite put their finger on it. I’ve felt it too. And I’ve been running online businesses for over 30 years – back when “downloadable order forms” were the big innovation.
So the real question is: what’s your plan?
Because if you don’t have one, you’re going to get left behind. Small businesses are being squeezed, pushed in directions they never asked for.
I won’t claim to have all the answers – but I do have a few questions that can help:
How do we protect our businesses?We build a moat around them. We do things differently to what others are doing. High street firms have one big advantage: location. Use that. Build solid systems and processes – if you’re still trading, you’ve already got a few in place.
Next: nail customer service.That means fast replies to emails, going the extra mile, even handling deliveries locally if needed. Think of it like farming – every day you check your crops. You remove slugs, check for blight. You care for your customers in the same way – consistent attention leads to long-term growth.
And yes, start using automation.Not to become a robot, but to handle simple queries and free you up for the work that matters. A decent social media presence, clear product info, and helpful content – this is how you attract and keep customers.
Of course, Google and Facebook will gladly take half your ad budget if you let them. But the better approach is farming, not hunting. Getting more from your current customers will always be cheaper than chasing new ones.
I’ve written a white paper on that, if you’re interested.