New trends are changing behaviors and reshaping how businesses connect with employees, partners and customers.

Business leaders who acknowledge these trends and align their strategy accordingly … will win.

Those who do not — will be left behind.

What are these trends? Well, there are six, and a few industry experts have weighed in on their influence on marketing, the customer experience and overall business performance:

Engaging Constantly Connected Buyers
“The ‘always on’ nature of consumerism has bled over to B2B. Unleashing a new powerful element in the ongoing buyer revolution. We are about to enter an era of the self-qualified B2B buyer.”
— Forrester

Elevating Purpose in Brand Positioning
“The company has to determine what it stands for and how it separates itself in the marketplace. That positioning informs the company’s interactions with customers and suppliers, and without it, the rest of the model falls apart.”
— Gallup

Connecting the Customer Experience and Corporate Culture
“B2B entities absolutely must understand how their customers feel about them and use that knowledge to shape their culture and the way they do business.” — Gallup

Leveraging Employees and Partners to Improve Brand Perception
“When it comes to building buyer interest and trust, employees are often the best brand ambassadors.”
— Forrester

“For the sake of their customers and their own business, companies need to rethink how they engage and interact with their partners.”
— Gallup

Activating Real-Time Insights to Improve the Customer Journey
“Companies must evolve from simply capturing the voice of the customer (VoC) to connecting employees with real-time customer insights and using this information to direct their daily activities — this is the next big competitive opportunity.” — Forrester

Delivering a Clear, Consistent Story to Build Trust
“A critical trait of companies that succeed in delivering a superior customer experience is the ability to develop and deliver a clear, consistent corporate message.”
— McKinsey

How is your business adapting to and proactively addressing these trends?

The answer to that question will determine the degree of success your company experiences in the year ahead.

That’s Your OnMessage Minute.