Things are constantly changing, and that’s no different as we head into 2022. Today, I’m going to share the first in a five-part series around the business trends you MUST know going into next year. I gave some similar predictions at the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020 and as we headed into 2021, and they were remarkably accurate, so I’m going to flex my futurist muscles and help you stay ahead of the curve.

My first prediction for 2022: it’s going to become significantly more difficult to find customers in the online services space. There’s going to be some opportunity here, but, first, let’s look at why it’s going to be so hard.

We’re more crowded than ever. COVID accelerated the number of businesses moving online by ten years – and these businesses that are new to the online game don’t necessarily know the best way to market online, so they’re creating a lot of noise which is hard to cut through. The second reason is that big names have become commoditized. This actually evens out the playing field to you because it waters down the biggest names and shifts the focus back to quality and intimacy. And the third reason is because of how divided everyone is. All of this back and forth and being unable to find your people creates customer paralyzation. It isn’t going to help your bottom line.

So what can you do about it? First: focus on content. Those who put out consistent, quality content will cut through to an audience. Second: if the online space is crowded, bring things back in person. Go to where your customers are, and, if you can’t see them, go where their ears are – take a podcast tour and get in front of as many people as you can where they’re already listening.

It’s going to get significantly harder to get a customer next year, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It means you’re going to have to show up differently. You have to stand out against the noise. You have to go to where your customers are. And when you do that, you’re going to be the one people do business with.