“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
Winston Churchhill
In early spring, many business owners approached the topic of COVID-19 with optimism and naivety: Just to be on the safe side, we’ll close down for a couple weeks and then go back to normal...
Unfortunately, “normal” never returned, and with it, many businesses went MIA as well.
As I’ve worked with entrepreneurs and small business owners to navigate these challenging times, we’ve begun the conversation with a bit of a “reality check.” It goes a little something like this:
COVID-19 Reality Check:
- PAST: Recognize life will never be the same as it was before COVID-19.
- PRESENT: Remind yourself that the current state of life is also not permanent.
- FUTURE: Rethink your approach. Look for the shift in trends and pivot with it.
As a strategist and marketer, I help clients identify and adapt to shifts in the marketing industry specifically, but in doing so, I’ve also noticed one overarching pivot I believe every business owner should make.…
MAKE A MENTALITY PIVOT
In times of crisis, we often kick into survival mode. Our full attention is on the short-term situation: How can we get through the next 24 hours? There is no long-term plan or even medium-term plan. We adopt a fear-based mentality that is laser-focused on the present. And while this can be beneficial in stressful situations, it can also lead to short-sightedness. Notice the stagnant terms used in the definition of the word:
“Survive” /sərˈvīv/ (verb)
- Techniques that a person may use in order to sustain life in any time of natural environment
- An object or practice that has continued to exist from an earlier time.
For most business owners and entrepreneurs, the idea of “existing” isn’t very inspirational. In fact, it’s down-right depressing. No one goes into business with the dream to merely “exist.” Companies are created to innovate, inspire, or spread powerful ideas, products or services. So why allow a crisis to derail that goal? Instead, we must make a mentality pivot and shift our focus from surviving (short-term) to thriving (long-term).
Albeit a cute cliche, “surviving to thriving” offers a powerful contrast in attitude. Notice the active, future-focused terms used to describe the word:
“Thrive” /THrīv/ (verb)
- Growing or developing well or vigorously.
- To prosper or flourish.
When a business owner or entrepreneur resets their focus on the future, they no longer see present circumstances as a challenge to endure, but an opportunity to grow. It’s a small but powerful shift that recognizes the change in present circumstances is real, but it doesn’t have to be debilitating.
MOVE FROM PEP-TALKS TO PLAYBOOKS
So what does this “mentality pivot” look like in real world business decisions? Moving from pep-talks to practical playbooks, let’s explore how this mentality pivot could impact your marketing strategy. Then you can more easily recognize applications in other areas of business.
Marketing to Survive
As cash reserves dry up and sales grind to a halt during COVID-19, a survival mentality would prompt you to:
- Cut back on marketing resources: Reduce the ad budget, furlough the department, or limit the amount of personal time and attention you devote to marketing.
- Maintain your current marketing efforts: Avoid making any changes to website content, ad copy, and campaigns until “things settle down.”
- Pause communication: Hold off on providing any internal or public updates until there’s “clear direction” about the future.
Notice how the stagnant nature of these phrases mirrors the stagnation shown in the definition of “survive”. While these actions (or lack of actions) may seem prudent in the short-term, a lethargic approach to marketing and communications in the midst of a crisis can be lethal to your business in the long-term.
Marketing to Thrive
In contrast, you can position your business for growth during COVID-19 with a small mentality pivot. A thriving mentality would prompt you to:
- Reallocate marketing resources: Increase cash flow by diverting ad dollars and attention to the products or services that are relevant and in high demand during the crisis.
- Rethink your marketing efforts: Make small adjustments to existing web content, ad copy and campaigns to be more timely and relevant to current customer issues.
- Retain top-of-mind-awareness: Establish consistent communication with internal and public stakeholders. Even if you’re not able to offer certainty, you can offer clarity.
In times of crisis, we tend to overcomplicate things. However, a mentality pivot may be all we need to get us moving and headed in the right direction.
While there is no silver bullet or one-size-fits-all approach to navigating the ever-changing landscape of business and marketing, I believe any leader who pivots from an attitude of “surviving” to one of “thriving” is a leader worth following through the COVID-19 crisis.
For more insights and inspiration on this topic, check out my upcoming webinar schedule or subscribe to my email list.
