Things have changed. What worked yesterday might not work today. If your business still looks like it did five years ago, you're already behind. Here's why the old way of doing things doesn’t cut it anymore.
Shirin Niasati
Author
Shirin Niasati is a Product Owner and Website Developer at Persisca Technologies, specializing in digital solutions.
The World Has Changed. Your Business Should Too.
A lot of businesses are stuck. They're doing things the same way they’ve always done them. Maybe it worked in the past. Maybe it even made them a lot of money. But here’s the thing—people have changed.
Customers now scroll, swipe, tap, and think differently. They buy from their phones. They trust strangers on TikTok more than your billboard. They want things fast, easy, and on their own time.
So if your business is still chasing what worked in 2015, or even 2020, you're basically building for a world that doesn’t exist anymore.
Let’s talk about why the old way doesn’t work anymore—and what businesses are doing to keep up.
Why the Old Way Is Failing
Here’s a short list of stuff that’s broken:
1. Long, boring websites
People don’t read walls of text. They skim. If they land on your website and it looks like a college paper, they’re out.
2. Generic ads
“Best prices in town!” doesn’t hit like it used to. People want ads that speak to them like a real person, not a robot.
3. Big promises, slow delivery
In the past, people waited weeks. Now, they expect next-day shipping. Or at least clear info about when it’s coming. If you can’t keep up, they’ll go somewhere else.
4. Making people work to buy
If you make someone click through five pages to buy something, they’ll bounce. Nobody has time for that.
People Shop with Feelings, Not Just Facts
This part is key: decisions are emotional.
Yes, people care about price and quality. But they also care about how it feels to buy from you. Is it easy? Is it fun? Does it feel like them?
They also want to buy from brands that “get” them. This is why old-school branding doesn’t cut it. The fancy logo doesn’t matter if your message feels cold or out of touch.
So What Are Smart Brands Doing Instead?
Let’s look at what businesses that are not stuck in the past are doing:
1. They act fast
If a trend shows up online today, they respond today—not three months later. They’re quick, even if it’s messy.
2. They speak like humans
Their marketing feels like a friend talking to you. It’s clear, simple, and not full of buzzwords.
3. They test stuff
They don’t launch huge campaigns and hope it works. They test small things, see what people like, and do more of that.
4. They make buying easy
One click. One scroll. One clean page. These brands make sure people don’t have to think too hard.
What This Means for Your Business
Let’s say you sell something online. Could be shoes, home decor, digital tools, whatever. If you're still doing it the same way you did five years ago, there’s a problem.
Your customers are not the same. Their habits changed. Their screen time went up. Their attention span went down. They look at their phone while walking, while eating, even while talking to their partner.
If your business doesn’t match that behavior, you’re losing them.
And no, this doesn’t mean you need to dance on TikTok. But it does mean you need to stop thinking like it’s 2012.
Real Examples of Outdated Stuff That Needs to Go
Example 1: “Click here to download our brochure”
Nobody wants a brochure. They want quick info that’s made for their screen, not a printer.
Example 2: Big sliders on your homepage
They slow down your site. People scroll past them. Just give them what they came for.
Example 3: Too many choices
More isn’t always better. Don’t make people think. Guide them clearly.
What to Do Instead
Here are a few smart moves that work better today:
✅ Keep your message short and sharp
Use fewer words. Say what it is, why it matters, and what to do next.
✅ Show real people using your stuff
Not stock photos. Not polished models. Show people like your customers.
✅ Make your site work on mobile first
Most people are coming from phones. If your site is slow, ugly, or hard to use on mobile—you’re done.
✅ Use clear buttons
Say things like “Buy Now” or “Book a Call.” Not “Explore Our Services.” People are not on a treasure hunt.
✅ Keep updating your stuff
Don’t set it and forget it. Keep refreshing based on what people are actually doing.
Some Good Questions to Ask Yourself
- If I was my customer, would I want to shop from my own site?
- Is this easy, or am I making people do too much?
- Do I sound like a person or like a brochure?
- Does this match how people behave today—or how they used to behave?
Here’s the Point
Things move fast. What worked last year might not work next week. If you’re serious about growing your business, stop building for the way things used to be. Start thinking about how people actually behave now.
The truth is, most businesses don’t need more money—they need better thinking. They need to notice what’s changing. And then they need to change, too.
This isn’t about being trendy. It’s about being real.
And being real is what wins now.