31 Small Business Sale Trends for 2025

small business sales trends statistics

If you own a small business, it’s never too early to think about what it would look like to sell it.

Here are some small business trends to be on the lookout for as we head into 2025!

Key Small Business Sale Trends

The top 5 most important trends to be aware of heading into 2025.

  1. Small business acquisitions are projected to rise, building on the multi-year high observed in 2024 (5).
  2. Sale prices for small businesses are expected to increase by approximately 25%, compared to previous years (5).
  3. 94% of small businesses will use at least one cloud-based service, up from 88% in 2023 (1).
  4. E-commerce sales are projected to reach $9 trillion globally, highlighting the growing importance of online sales for small businesses (3).
  5. Over 80% of small businesses will implement or plan to implement sustainability practices, reflecting the increasing focus on sustainability (1).

Market Dynamics

What will buyers be looking for in terms of dynamics as we head into 2025?

  1. Buyers will increasingly focus on business performance and stability when making acquisition decisions (5).

Technology and Digital Transformation

In 2025, technology and digital transformation will significantly influence small business sales trends, with growing AI adoption, 72% of businesses increasing video marketing, over 70% embracing mobile payments, and chatbot use for customer service potentially reaching 60%.

  1. Artificial Intelligence adoption will continue to grow, with more small businesses leveraging AI for various operations (1).
  2. 72% of small businesses plan to increase their video marketing efforts (1).
  3. Mobile payment adoption will rise, with over 70% of small businesses accepting mobile payments (1).
  4. Chatbot implementation for customer service will increase, potentially reaching 60% adoption rate (1).

Marketing and Customer Engagement

In the next year, marketing and customer engagement trends will shape small business sales, with social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok playing key roles, while influencer and micro-influencer marketing will become more widespread, and over 80% of businesses will leverage personalization to boost customer engagement.

  1. Social media will remain vital, with Facebook continuing as the most popular platform for small business promotion (1).
  2. Instagram usage for business promotion is expected to surpass 60%1.
  3. LinkedIn will maintain its importance for B2B small businesses, with usage potentially exceeding 50% (1).
  4. TikTok’s popularity for small business marketing will continue to grow, potentially reaching 40% usage (1).
  5. Influencer marketing adoption will increase, with over 50% of small businesses planning to use it (1).
  6. Micro-influencer partnerships will become more prevalent, with adoption rates potentially exceeding 55% (1).
  7. Personalization in marketing will be very important, with over 80% of small businesses reporting improved customer engagement through personalized efforts (1).

Financial and Economic Factors

Economic uncertainty will likely drive small businesses to prioritize financial resilience in the new year, with a growing focus on diversifying revenue streams and adopting subscription-based models, expected to surpass 35% adoption.

  1. Economic uncertainty will persist, requiring small businesses to focus on financial resilience (2).
  2. Diversification of revenue streams will become increasingly important for small businesses (2).
  3. Subscription-based models will gain popularity, with adoption rates potentially exceeding 35% (1).

Sustainability and Social Responsibility

Sustainability and social responsibility are more important in small business sales than ever this year. 

  1. Green energy adoption will increase, with potentially 60% of small businesses investing in renewable energy sources or energy-efficient technologies (1).

Workforce and Talent Management

The workforce is another driving factor affecting small business sales, with workers finally seeing more power over the industry than ever.

  1. Flexible work arrangements will become more common to attract and retain talent (2).
  2. Remote work options will continue to be a significant factor in small business operations (2).

Customer Experience and Service

Customer expectations are on the rise, making engagement more vital to small business sales than ever before.

  1. Omnichannel engagement strategies will be crucial for small businesses to meet customer expectations (2).
  2. Social media customer service will become more prevalent, with potentially 70% of small businesses offering customer service through social platforms (1).

E-commerce and Retail

Online shopping is still on the rise in 2025.

  1. Social commerce will grow significantly, potentially reaching $100 billion in the US (3).

Emerging Technologies

Emerging technologies like 5G and IoT will drive small business sales trends, with faster internet enabling seamless AI integration and cloud computing startups expected to grow by 7-8% annually.

  1. 5G technology adoption will accelerate, enabling faster internet and seamless AI integration (3).
  2. IoT and cloud computing startups will continue to grow, potentially by 7-8% annually (3).

Business Models and Operations

As we look to the future, small business sales trends will be shaped by evolving business models, with urban warehousing, micro-fulfillment centers, and last-mile delivery innovations improving logistics, while direct-to-consumer (D2C) models will gain popularity, leveraging social media for sales growth.

  1. Urban warehousing and micro-fulfillment centers will become more common for e-commerce businesses (3).
  2. Last-mile delivery innovations will drive efficiency in small business logistics3.
  3. Direct-to-consumer (D2C) models will gain popularity among small businesses, leveraging social media platforms for sales (3).

These trends reflect the ongoing digital transformation, changing consumer behaviors, and the increasing importance of sustainability and personalization in the small business landscape for 2025.

Sources:

  1. https://capsulecrm.com/blog/small-business-stats/
  2. https://succeedasyourownboss.com/top-5-concerns-for-small-businesses-in-2025/
  3. https://www.bizstim.com/news/article/top-business-trends-for-2024-and-2025-insights
  4. https://www.usatoday.com/money/blueprint/business/business-formation/small-business-statistics/
  5. https://www.bizbuysell.com/insight-report/
  6. https://www.webfx.com/blog/marketing/small-business-statistics/
  7. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2024/09/30/the-5-biggest-business-trends-for-2025-everyone-must-be-ready-for-now/
  8. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/small-business-2025-navigating-change-seizing-corey-rockafeler-lgyff

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