Houston is the largest city in Texas, and the fourth most populous city in the US. Business trends arrive in Houston well before they show signs in smaller cities. Business is fast-paced and non-stop. In the US, and in Houston in particular, companies advocate for all-access, all-consuming information media and marketing streams to be constantly available to everyone.
Here are some of the trends we are seeing in Houston and are likely to see increasingly in small cities over time.
Try Before You Buy
Companies are realizing that not everyone wants to commit long-term. Offering a membership or a trial to entice customers into a longer standing order is a popular move.
Customer Data Collection
Big data is making an impact on Houston, just as it is all around the world. When a company knows a customer’s preferences for food, clothing, family, whether or not they have pets, daily habits, and so on, they can offer a higher quality of service. Data is business gold.
Keep it Short and Simple
People are inundated with thousands of marketing messages each day. Television and radio remain popular, alongside social media outlets.
In this environment, a short slogan or quote with an image is more likely to be remembered than a longer advertisement or video lasting over a minute. An image is worth a thousand words. Companies are using this to their advantage.
Automation
More and more parts of our daily life will become automated. There are now chatbots in place of customer service agents to help customers with their questions and concerns.
Voice-based technologies and robots will continue to be utilized by companies. Drones and automatic delivery systems are close to becoming a daily reality for consumers.
Virtual Reality
VR, which used to be a thing of science fiction, is now available to the public, although it has yet to become commonplace. This may happen in the near future, however, with the development of a program for potential home buyers to virtually step into a home and feel what it is like without leaving the agent’s office. A luxury apartment company in Houston, Streetlights Residential, is using this virtual reality experience with their clients.
What is continuing to be the biggest business trend – not only in Houston but around the US – is the need for speed, technology, and information.
Anticipating your customers’ wants and needs remains the way to stay ahead of the competition. If you can predict your customers’ desires before they are even aware of them, so much the better.