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In the last decade, we’ve seen a shift to a more conscious consumer base. People are more cognizant about what brands stand for and the causes that they support, than ever before. The global COVID-19 pandemic has only confirmed that companies won’t succeed out of pure profit mongering; they have to align their business actions with more meaningful values.

During the pandemic, we have seen the best and worst of people; hoarding of toilet paper and necessities on one hand and selfless individuals giving out food to those without work on the other. The same can be said about businesses. We have seen some companies refuse to give paid leave to workers that test positive for COVID-19, but we have also seen CEO’s refuse the rest of their 2020 pay checks and bonuses in order to keep their staff salaries ticking over.

The thing is, times of great difficulty give us as individuals, and as brands, the opportunity to realign how we serve others. Your consumers won’t forget how you acted during the pandemic and whether you lead with a higher value and conscience, or the bottom line in mind.

Whether or not you needed to pivot your brand before the pandemic, or it is out of necessity to keep your business alive during difficult times, you’ve seen the opportunity to do so now. And, there is a way to evolve while staying true to, and even amplifying, your brand values and essence.

IMMERSE IN REFLECTION

Before diving into the deep end, ensure that you do some in-depth research. Pivoting your business now is about more than making money, it’s about finding out how you can serve your customers better over the longer term. Ask yourself these questions:

• How has your audience been impacted and is there anything you can do to help?
• Has the pandemic changed consumer habits, and can you adapt to appeal to them?
• Can your current product or services be leveraged to help your customers more, or do you need to develop something new?
• How are your competitors and industry heavyweights adjusting and responding?

ASSESS YOUR BRAND PURPOSE

Reflecting on and reassessing the ‘why’ of your business, is essential during a crisis. Re-evaluate why your product/service exists, what problem it solves, your future goals, and how you can align these to cut through market noise.

Evolve and improve your service offering to elevate your brand and make it more accessible and meaningful to consumers at a time of great uncertainty. This could simply mean that you offer more in-depth online services and customer support than before — to support consumers that can’t physically come into the store.

THINK OF YOUR COMMUNITY

Keep a community-conscious mindset and see how you, and your brand, can help. By doing this, you promote your brand values and show your consumers that you are compassionate about your community. It doesn’t have to be in the form of life-changing assistance but could simply be a way to help mitigate boredom, loneliness, inactivity or just helping your community access essential products.

TRANSPARENT MESSAGING, COMMUNICATION AND CONTENT

Always be transparent with your consumers about your brand’s pivot. Evolve and align your communication, messaging and content to reflect what you are doing and how you are doing it. This isn’t just a great way to show your customers your products and services, but it also fosters a sense of trust and loyalty. 

Not all brands are able to pivot successfully, but if you do so with your core values and your community in mind, you can take your brand further while also serving your customers in a more meaningful way. Get in touch with us at Tiny Hunter to transform and grow your brand with your customers’ well-being in mind.

Written by: Phoebe Carden
Published: September 1, 2020