Setting the Stage for Success in 2024: Business trends of the past and future [Ep. 212]

Michelle (: 00:00

Hello, hello, good morning, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, depending on the time of day, good day. I guess I should just say welcome back. I cannot believe that we are already at week four of this mini-series that we have been doing all about setting yourself up for success, setting the stage for success in 2024. And to wrap up a bit of this mini-series. Now.

We are diving into trends today, all right? So just some looking at trends in your business, but also like trends in the market and doing some market research and understanding all of that. But before I dive into that, I wanna really talk about the fact that even though this was a mini series, this is about setting the stage, right? And so I'm sure many of you are probably like, okay, we're doing all this other work, but like, how do we actually create the plan, right?

k about setting the stage for: 2024

Right? And you have no idea if it's working, not working, what's going right, what's not going right. And so although you're always in forward motion, when you are in the state of creation, it doesn't mean that you're always making progress, right? It doesn't mean that you're actually gaining traction on anything. And so that's why I am so, so just such a stickler about this actual

work in the beginning of doing some of this reflection and whatnot. However, if you really, really want, if you're diving in and you're like, okay, I'm ready to put the plan in place, right? That's what the focus visionary is, right? It's that step-by-step creating the plan. And if you miss the announcement, there is now an option to just partake if you want. I get it. Like, what I am seeing, what I am hearing, what I am experiencing is that

Michelle (: 02:23

There is some decision fatigue happening. There is commitment issues. There is just like this overall like stress and feeling of like, I have no idea what I want to invest in 2024. And I want to honor and respect that and let you know like, I hear you, I am hearing you. And I am right there with you. So if you've been thinking about the Focus Visionary and you're like, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, join the kickoff week.

Okay, the kickoff week is $197. It's five days, super intensive, fun, fun. And we are going to get into the goals, the objectives, the action plans, creating the plan, the strategy and all of that. So you will get that in the five days. And then obviously, the more you continue, there'll be an option there. If you wanna dive into the Focus Visionary, we've got some other options like six months options versus 12 month.

I've got guest experts, I've got a hypnotherapist coming in to really help to cast your vision and really just create those, get rid of those limiting beliefs. So super exciting, tons of fun stuff. I promise we're diving into it, but this back work is a non-negotiable. You have to do this work in order to actually move ahead. But today let's talk all things trends.

trends in: 2023

in knowing like when are your busier seasons, what worked, like what trends do you see your clients or your ideal buyers like actually resonating with, which ones are they no longer resonating with. So when I talk about seasons in your business is many business owners have seasons where people buy more often than not. So like for me, trend wise, Q4 is always a busier season.

Michelle (: 04:47

Right? Like Q4, people definitely buy more. And then I would say Q2 is also one of my busier seasons. So I can look at and see and analyze, like there's trends and why is that? Some of it's my own energy, right? January, we're just ramping up. By then February, people are starting to buy. February, March, April, May, like high energy. I'm usually home. I don't have a lot of events going on, right? June, July, August.

September or August is usually like summer, we're busy, we're traveling, we're doing different things. Most of my clients are also summer. They have young children, they're home with the kids. So, and then September comes back around, October, November, December, people start buying again. Right. And so looking at those trends in your business, can you see any, is there trends in your content? Is there trends in your engagement? Do you find that like you can see where

people engage more on your content or is there a certain type of content that they engage more with, right? Like what trends are you seeing in your business? Okay, so that's number one. Then I really wanna talk today about trends I'm seeing overall in the industry, right? Just overall industry trends. And maybe these are in the online business space, right? So if you have, if you're in like the med spa space or more in the health and wellness space or maybe in the fitness space, something of that sort,

Maybe your trends are a little bit different, but I'm gonna speak to the online business trends because most of you listening are online business owners, right? So let's look at and see the trends. I've got my list right here. If you, I've been making a list because I've been, we've been having this conversation a lot, especially in the 100 Coffee Chance Club, just what we're seeing in different things. And so a couple trends that I am seeing that are going away is this live launching model.

So launching was very popular for a long time, right? It was like, do these conversion style events. So webinar and a master class, which opens up a big launch period and then open car, closed car, et cetera. And I personally am seeing where a lot of people are no longer wanting to do that. I'm not saying it doesn't work. I'm not saying it hasn't worked. I'm not saying there's not data around it. What I'm saying is that like, A, I think

Michelle (: 07:06

buyers are so used to this whole join my five day challenge and then they know they're going to get upsold and so they're joining the five day challenge. They're maybe only showing for day one, day two. It's just gotten so overused and it's not changing. It's like the same old, same old. Everybody does the same thing. We're doing the same exact event. It's over.

And also I think people are just exhausted with the amount of work that launching is. Like I personally, I did an episode about this, about my launch with, um, gosh, I don't even remember what the hell was I launching. I don't even remember. Doesn't matter. There's an episode about it, like my live launch results. Um, but like, I just don't see that. And I'm seeing so many people. I have another client who's done it for a couple of years. I just talked to another woman in the coffee chats club.

e that as a trend moving into: 2024

Another one is IG, like static posts in general. Static posts, I don't think are going to get as much, they're not gonna have as much clout or as much engagement. They're not gonna get as much viewing and all of that in the algorithms. I think the algorithms are definitely gonna start prioritizing carousel posts, videos, all of that. Like I think the days of just your general static feed posts are, are

coming to an end, especially depending on the platform. Now granted, even LinkedIn, like LinkedIn is big on static posts, but even that, like they really want shorter. They've done a lot more with just shorter posts. They really like video posts and well, I don't know if they like video posts as well. If you're a LinkedIn expert, I'm sure you're gonna tell me no, but carousel posts, right? Like people are very visual and our attention spans are very short.

Michelle (: 09:24

So a static post with like a big long caption, I think is going away. Like shorter is better, less than one minute little reels and videos, stories, anything that really allows you to connect with your audience, but quickly, right? Like you've got to grab attention very, very quickly. So I don't think a lot of people are spending as much time on that scroll, that static post feed.

scroll, right? They have certain people they follow, they like their content, they go, they get on, they get off. I will say even my own behaviors, like I am feeling overstimulated by social media. I don't, I get on, I look at a few things, I get off. I would say on my IG stories, I maybe make it eight to 10 people in and that's it. Like, and then I get off, right? So, and I really can't even tell you like the last time I've scrolled the feed. So.

I think in general, that would be worth pulling your audience. Are you seeing that? Look at it. Are they more likely to engage on your stories? Are they engaging on your static posts? Are they engaging on your reels? Look at the trends in your own business. But I personally think in what I'm seeing and what I'm having the conversation, a lot of people are just like, they're scrolling, but their time scrolling is so much more limited. And so...

That's why video and all of that is catching people's attention a little bit quicker. All right, so that's one. I also personally think, and I'm sure there's going to be a lot of people that disagree with me on this one, I think the days of high, high ticket coaching are gone. I really do. Like I think those big high 10, five, $10,000 where everybody needs to have a $5,000 offer or a $10,000 offer. Like I think the days of that.

are gone. And I think some of it is because so many people got freaking burned. Like they just got their ass handed to them and just take him for an absolute ride by these big high level, high ticket coaches that literally have nothing to stand for and have zero integrity. And it freaking sucks. Like it sucks for everybody because there are some really, really good high level coaches out there. But I will even tell you like,

Michelle (: 11:45

I follow a couple of them and I am seeing where a good majority of them are offering lower ticket. They are really seeing that like they need to meet people where they're at. And so I'm going to talk a little bit about lower ticket when I talk about 2024 trends, but I think the days of this big high ticket, $5,000, $10,000 offer, I got to be honest, I think those days are really going to come to an end. Again, it's all an audience and it's all in who you are.

target, right? Like it's all in who you want to talk to. And I'm not saying that there aren't still buyers out there, right? Because there's people that are investing into big like, like you've got your Jasmine stars and your Amy Porter fields and all that who are investing in hundred thousand dollar masterminds and whatnot. And I'm not saying that there's not a time and a place for that. But I mean, I follow quite a few. I follow a guy, a young kid. I call him a kid because he's young. He's like 25, I think 26. I don't know.

Um, on Instagram and he has built this like massive business, multi, multimillion dollar business. And he's doing a lot of coaching now. And even his coaching, he's really dropped down the price on it. Um, another coach that I highly follow and highly respect, drop their price down on their coaching, just offering, like just different offers. And, and actually she's been talking a lot about that as like, you need to have different offers at different levels.

which I've always said to meet people where they're at. It's no different than why I am now offering the Focus Visionary Program with just the five day kickoff, right? When, I'll be honest, like when we started the Biz Planning Program, that's all it was, is that initial five day kickoff and you could buy it and we sat, we did the five day, it was Biz Planning intensive and it was all in and you got same amount of value, right?

be. I committed to things in: 2023

Michelle (: 14:09

I was still committed to these things, which you know, if life shoe, I will never hold anybody into a program. Like I am the first one. I am so lenient with my contracts, which I should not admit out loud. And I know that my client who is an attorney would be screaming at me right now. But the reality is, is I'm just lenient. Like I have no desire to hold somebody into a contract that they don't.

want to be in or that they don't need to be in or that is going to hinder their life and their quality of life in any way. So again, just meeting people where they're at, but that high, high ticket coaching, even with the Focus Visionary, it's what, $3,000 for the whole year? I've had so many people like, oh my God, raise the price, raise the price. You need to be charging more, blah, blah. Why? I don't want to. Keep your freaking opinions to yourself. I feel good about it. I don't want to raise the price.

this is who I am and this is what I do and this is what I feel strongly about. Right. So I personally just think the days of these big, big high ticket coaching programs has kind of come to an end. Um, but it doesn't mean that you can't have a high ticket offer. All right. So understand that there's a difference with that. Like there's still, what I am still seeing as a trend is the VIP day model.

And I think the VIP day model can be a high ticket offer because it's instant gratification, it's instant results. It, it serves like people walk away with tangible, actionable strategies, right? Like I am still a huge fan of the VIP day model. I love it. I do it once a month with a client here locally. I love it. We've done it now probably four or five months in a row. It is definitely something I'm going to offer to.

like my online community, not just my in-person community, like because I do love it. So that is a high ticket item. But again, it's a tangible, like quick, easy, I love it. Like there's so many takeaways in that moment. Like it's right there, it's that immediate gratification. Like I really do still love that model a lot. And so if that's something you've been thinking about or you're seeing the trend.

Michelle (: 16:26

That to me is a trend that is not going anywhere. And if you can implement it in your business in some way, I just saw somebody who's doing like a VIP day weekend. So it doesn't even have to be like a one day event. But that I do believe is high ticket because people are paying for speed, okay? So that's the difference, right? I'm not saying that I don't think there's not a space for high ticket offers, but I think this whole high ticket.

everybody is a coach and they're worth $10,000. I think that's all a bunch of horse shit. All right, I think that's run its course. The other, a couple of other things is the, like vanity metrics and mass marketing, right? Like for a while there it was like, get your list as big as possible. How many likes can you have? Get your IG to 10,000 people as fast as possible. Like I cannot tell you every single day I remove people. Like,

This sounds absolutely horrible to say, but you know how Facebook shows you every day whose birthday it is? That is like my unfriend meter. Like I look at people's birthdays and I'm like, hmm, I don't know this person, I don't know this person, I've never interacted with this person. And I literally just keep unfriending, unfriending. I go into my IG every day, which you know I'm just getting back into IG and so I'm trying to clean it up. But I go into my IG every day and I'm like.

click on the thing where it says like accounts least interacted with and I unfollow, I remove followers. Like I think because all these years ago, right, when I started all these platforms, it was like a game of numbers. You needed big numbers to get the algorithm to recognize you, to get the algorithm to show you all these things. Oh my God, I'm so happy this is gone because or that this trend is leaving because it's such a

bullshit. Like what difference does it make to have 10,000 followers if 1% of them engage, right? So I am a huge fan of that. I think the whole vanity metrics thing is leaving. I think you're going to have to start really sharing like actual tangible results. Like people want to see realness, not like, Oh, I helped my client get to six figures. Like even that's a vanity metric. Like what the hell does that even mean? Like six figures is so overused or Oh my God, my client gets a hundred.

Michelle (: 18:44

Like the biggest vanity metrics I see are with Pinterest. And no offense to any of you that are Pinterest strategists that are listening, but like, I see this all the time where people are like, oh my gosh, I'm getting, I don't know, a thousand clicks to my website. Well, great, but if your bounce rate is 80%, then that means people are clicking on your website, they see nothing that they like and they're getting right back off, which literally does you no good. So what is the point? I actually saw another person commenting saying,

She challenged somebody in a Facebook group about this. She challenged their metrics or their results, and they got all pissed off. But no, I think we're here for real. People want real. So many people have gotten burned. These big vanity metrics mean nothing, right? Even right now, my email list is this small but mighty, tiny little email list, but it's got like a 50, most every email that I get has a 50% open rate on it.

50%. Do you know the average is somewhere like 10 to 20? So like I am celebrating the hell out of that. Like that to me is such a great metric. That's real data that says 50% of the people on my list know me, like me, trust me and want to keep reading what I am sending them. So that whole mass marketing thing of just sending every email to everybody and all the things like no.

Target your list, target your audience, the close friends list, there's broadcast channels. Why do you think these social channels are creating this? Because they wanna help you curate your marketing to make sure that you're speaking to the people that wanna hear from you. You're speaking to the people that are buyers. They're giving you the ability to say, hey, I wanna be in your world, I'm interested in what you have to say, please add me to your close friends list, or whatever it is. So.

I think that whole mass marketing, you know, everybody and their brother, like literally just sending out and trying to grow these huge massive lists. I think you're really going to see that trend like small and mighty is here to stay. Figure out what you need to do a mass exodus, clean out your groups, clean out your list. Like if somebody hasn't opened up your emails in, you know, a year, get them off your list, right? Like get rid of them. You don't need them anymore.

Michelle (: 21:06

This is like one of my biggest, it's so freeing to do these things. It's so freeing to do these things, all right? The whole hustle culture burnout, I mean, I think we've talked about that. I think that's a trend that's leaving for sure. I think people are really just craving simplicity. They're craving ease. They're craving more time in their schedule. They're just craving real.

And if you think about it, every trend that I told you that I felt like was leaving, what I'm feeling and trends that are staying, all center around a couple things. Community, relationships, real, right? Like really connecting with people as humans, human beings, that real intimate connection, that true no-like trust factor, not just talking about no-like trust factor, like actual no-like trust, like they know you, they know...

who you are. Like I love it when people talk to me about Piper, right? Like that, if you know about Piper, Piper's hard not to know about, especially if you were listening, like she makes herself very known, but like you know how important she is to me. So like when people say things or bring up Piper in conversation, like it makes me feel like they're really, like they really see me because they know that that's important to me. Somebody sent me something, gosh, the other day.

I can't remember what it is. Oh my God, my memory is just horrible. I guess I should have looked these things up first. I can't remember what the hell it was. Somebody who I hadn't talked to in a long time sent me something was like, oh my God, oh, I know what it was. Somebody I haven't talked to in a long time was at a retreat on Virginia Beach and they were doing a Jeep run, like a Jeep event, like a beach run.

And so she sent me a picture of all the jeeps lined up because she knows I have a jeep. She knows how much my jeep means to me, right? And I haven't talked to her in a long time. So again, like that is what makes somebody feel like, wow, she really knows me. They're hearing me even when I feel like my content's falling on deaf ears. Like when somebody sends you something like that, you know that they're actually like, they're listening. They're hearing you, right? So that whole relationship marketing trend, 100%, it's why I put the coffee club on hold because I-

Michelle (: 23:23

really want to hone in on relationship marketing in 2024 because I think more than ever, community is going to be so, so important. So however you can create a community inside of your business, however you can cultivate this safe space, this pond for people to be in your world, and create a sense of community and like-mindedness.

our list of your strategy for: 2024

munity is going to be huge in: 2024

howing me my old content from: 2018

speaking my language and I'm speaking to what I know is coming back and I'm so thankful for it. I'm thankful that this madness is kind of is coming to an end and we're getting back to legit business. But I think you need to have an offer suite, right? Like I think you need to have more than one offer at this point. I've always been a big fan of it. I think you need to have a three tiered offer. I've taught this forever. I've always been a fan of this. I have frameworks around this of like,

Michelle (: 25:32

creating your three tiered offer suite. I think you have to have offers that meet people where they're at. You have to be able to build your audience and like say, hey, maybe this isn't a good fit for you right now, but let's try this, right? No different exactly than what I'm just doing with the Focus Visionary. I get it, I hear you. The 12 month commitment can be scary, especially if you and I have never worked together. So try this, show up for five days. It's a minimal investment. See if you like it.

gain the value out of it, you're going to definitely get value out of it. I'm going to pour into you and see what happens, right? Like meet people where they're at. And then from there, it's like, what else can I do? What else do I need? I think you're going to have to stay in this state of fluidity, right? It's about being fluid with people to say like, what do you need? How can I help you? And then figuring out whether or not you can serve them in a way that

works for you, right? And I think this level of offer, I think there is a time and a place for saying like, here's who I am, here's what I do, and here's how you work with me, right? Like in having your set offers. I am a firm believer in that. You can work with me in the Focus Visionary, you can work with me one-on-one, or you can join the Hunter Coffee Chats Club, right? Like those are my three offers. But inside the one-to-one is multiple different options. Inside the Focus Visionary, there's a couple different options, right? As far as commitment.

payment, payment plans, pay in full, right? That's what I mean by fluidity. So I think really looking at your offer suite and seeing like, do you, how many people, who are you serving? What trends are you seeing? Maybe poll your audience. This is a great opportunity to do some market research with your audience, right? Even if it's just trying to sell them a new offer or going back to them and getting some feedback. I'm doing this right now in the 100 Coffee Chats Club. I'm getting amazing feedback.

of my favorite exercises for: 2000

Michelle (: 27:58

Right. And every year you should have things that you keep. Right. Like one of the things that I really wanted to focus on in 2023 to try it and test it was email marketing. 100% without a doubt, keeping it, keeping it, keeping it, keeping it. I love it. It's, I, I just, I can't even believe how much I love it. I think I've talked about this a couple of times, right? What am I letting go? There is a level of content marketing that I am letting go.

Like I am, I know what works in my business. I know how I best serve. I know how I best show up, right? And so there's just these different trends, right? Like what do you wanna keep? What do you wanna let go? Podcasts, keeping. Hunter Coffee Chats Club, keeping. What am I letting go? Some of these, all of these different like million different mini courses, right? I'm gonna really simplify.

all the different courses that I have, right? I don't wanna have to be selling 8 million offers. What else am I letting go? The Accelerated Business Alliance, right? Like the mastermind that's being combined into the focused visionary, right? So there's just some things. There's things that you keep, there's things that you let go. And this is a powerful, powerful exercise moving into the new year of like, what do I wanna let go? What do I need to let go of, right? That's a bigger question. It's need.

and want. All right. And that can look different for everybody. And so if you want more like a deeper dive into the keep and let go list, I did that on the IG live. So just go check out my IG and you'll see it there. But this is what is so great about trends is it doesn't mean and they're just trends, right? Like this is the thing. Like look at trends, look at the outfits. Like it's no different than in the fashion industry.

said about all my content in: 2018

Michelle (: 30:15

It went through a cyclical period of trends and different things were trending, and now it's coming back around. And that's the beautiful part about continuing to be in Biz Planning every single year. You're gonna see these trends very easily. The more you do it, the more you'll see the trends. And understanding your market trends. This is just about being observant. Just really being observant in what you're seeing. And it just takes a few minutes of your time. Every couple months, just see, like, hmm, you know what I don't?

ing about XYZ. So like for in: 2019

You know what I mean? They're the same thing. They're just trends. So is there something there that you want to keep? And what do you want to let go of? What trends do you want to hang on to? And which ones do you want to let go of? That's the beautiful thing about it is you get to pick and choose because they're all trends. They all come back around eventually. So there's people that have stuck with their little $27 offers and that's all they sell and they love their passive income. I love the newest trend is master reseller rights.

It's AKA affiliate marketing. You buy somebody else's course, you sell it, you make a commission. I don't really, I haven't looked into the master sellers, but I've seen it in Facebook groups and on TikTok and whatnot. Like I look at it and go, how is this different than affiliate marketing, right? It used to be called affiliate marketing. It's just trends. Although I do see like affiliate marketing, that trend has run its course. And now it's being resold as something else. It's no different, you know?

going to keep seeing them in: 2024

Michelle (: 32:40

It's so interesting to see what other people see, what other people are seeing, what other people are observing, what other people's audiences are saying. So open up the conversation. Like I would love, use this, use this as content. Share on your stories, ask your audience, what are you seeing for trends? Share the trends you're seeing. Tag me in it though, please tag me because I wanna see it. Let's create more awareness around this. Let's share about it because everybody's planning right now. Everybody wants to see this.

. This is a massive trend for: 2024

If you don't want to share it, I'll share it for you, right? Like, but let's keep this conversation going. All right. And don't forget grab your worksheets, the keep let go list, some trends that I'm seeing, how to analyze them, look at them, whatever, grab your worksheets. And again, if you want to be in the Focus Vision area and you want to participate in the kickoff, like just participate in the kickoff for now, right? Like that's the only decision you have to make. If you're part of my Sunday morning brew,

t want to make a decision for: 2024

be a part of the kickoff. It's going to be so much fun. I've got it all laid out. I can't wait. I'm so excited. It actually kicks off again, December 4th. So you've got a little bit of time, but not too much time. Get on there, send me a DM if you have any questions and I will see you soon. All right, take care, bye.