Skills You Need to Thrive in a 21st Century Business
The nature of business has changed fundamentally over the past 30 years. Skills which were less important or didn’t exist in the past are now vital to your success. It isn’t enough to don your superwoman tights and work hard if you want to rise to the top – you need to develop special powers.
Here are some skill sets which will give the boost you’ll need to rise above the rest.
Social media literacy
Trust is a valuable commodity – those who earn it find it easier to achieve consistent business success.
The rise of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube have given consumers a platform to assess the trustworthiness of brands – approach them intelligently, and you can cultivate a positive reputation for your business.
Superwoman entrepreneurs don’t just know how to position their business on social media – they use these sites to have an ongoing conversation with their customers. They are aware of the wants of their tribe because they listen to their comments and private messages.
Because they are well-versed in social media, they can also respond to a controversy before it blows up into a public relations fiasco. By keeping lines of communication open (e.g. responding to affected parties, posting regular updates, etc), they can show their business cares.
Empathy for everyday people
Folks have gotten wise to companies out to make a quick buck. This is wonderful news for superwomen, as their ability to emphasise with the needs of others has allowed them to attract growing numbers of loyal customers.
Superwomen entrepreneurs take the time to really listen to these folks, making it easy to imagine themselves in their shoes. This permits them to create products or services which actually solve the problems faced by those in their niche.
They don’t just treat customers gently, though – they act the same way towards their employees and contractors as well. Superwomen realise these folks are the backbone of their business, so they act in a respectful manner towards them.
Rather than lash out at those behind in their work, they work with them to get to the root of the problem (e.g. struggling to juggle work with the responsibilities of being a new parent). Because of this approach, they find it easier to retain the ‘A’ level talent needed to push their company to the next level.
Videography skills
In case you’re just joining us, everybody is moving to video. By 2021, 82% of bandwidth transmitted over the internet will be visual content.
Superwomen understand this, as they have been busy building and honing their videography skills recently. They know people flock to video because it provides the human connection which is sorely lacking in text and sound-based media.
How do these platforms accomplish this? Videos provide non-verbal cues, allowing their creators to be understood more readily and make points with greater enthusiasm.
It is also the only medium where all forms of communication (i.e. text, sound, and video) can be present at the same time. Given the flexibility video provides, it is any wonder so many smart businesswomen have been starting channels lately?
If you are looking to do the same but lack the confidence to press play on your camera, you need to learn how to be authentic on video, write compelling scripts, edit clips professionally, then you will nail it.
About the author
Tracy Walsh
Tracy is a dedicated to helping women with a message to succeed.
Tracy is here to encourage women in business to dream big and then put the steps in place to achieve these dreams through making smart choices that suit your budget and circumstances.
