If you’re planning to start a business in 2022, you need to cleverly invest in technology without impacting the bottom line. However, with so many tech stacks built around myriads of business challenges, it might be difficult to pick the ones that are absolutely essential to your business growth. Here are five technologies that will help you create a market presence and stay ahead of the curve:
1. Conversational intelligence
Startups need to acquire customers fast. However, finding leads, chasing prospects, and closing the deals is not easy. When you have little brand presence and practically no case studies or testimonials, banking on conversational intelligence can be a good idea. Conversational intelligence software finds patterns in customer communications that unlock new selling opportunities and prevent customers from leaving by offering them tailored solutions. For instance, Gong is a popular conversational-turned-revenue intelligence software that helps startups close deals.
2. AR/VR
Augmented reality and virtual reality have really taken off in the post-pandemic business world. If you’re working on a shoestring budget, you can improve customer experience by engineering a product-led journey with AR and conducting cohorts and seminars for stakeholders with VR. However, knowing the difference between them is important as you’d want to optimize your expenditure to realize the maximum ROI. AR works best as a learning medium while VR is ideal for developing consumer-centric experiences.
3. Internet of Things
More than investing in different technologies, it’s important to make all of the diverse elements work together in an environment. The Internet of Things (IoT) allows that. When you use IoT applications in your business, you open up new possibilities. For example, retail businesses can use IoT to improve supply chain and inventory management. Tech and medical startups are already using wearables to improve productivity and boost revenue. The transition of IoT from cloud-based to Edge computing means that the processing power will improve. If you’re planning to make the most of future innovations, invest in IoT now.
4. Low-code or no-code platforms
Low-code and no-code platforms have sprung up to address pertinent issues faced by startups — tech dependency and shortage of talent. Companies like Bubble and Webflow are making it possible for non-tech founders to create and deploy complex but essential tools, apps, and brand assets without spending a fortune. Over time, we’ll see more and more low-code and no-code platforms democratizing asset creation so you need to adopt these tools today to save money.
5. Web3
Web3 is the most popular trend in the corporate world today. But it’s important to see beyond the gimmicks and leverage it to strengthen your brand. Start by understanding the viability of metaverse marketing, including buying virtual lands and setting up NFTs. Next, build blockchain-enabled business infrastructure to facilitate secure transactions. If you’re an early-stage startup, you cannot ignore the importance of NFTs as marketing assets.
Finding the right technologies to focus on has a lot to do with understanding your customer preferences and where you want to see your business in the near future. These five technologies should not only help you create brand differentiators today but also set up your business for success in the coming days.
