If you’ve read my previous blog post you know how to survive the “post-crisis” phase and the gradual recovery of the economy in Canada. The key is to base your marketing and communication strategies on 4 essential angles that I call the 4 Rs: Recognize, Reassure, Reinforce, Reinvent.
In this post, I will dissect these 4 angles even further and segment the “post-crisis” phase into 2 stages, for a more targeted, more effective communication strategy. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, see the diagram below:
Post-Crisis
If we analyze the illustration, we can see that the first stage of the post-crisis phase is based on action. There it’s time to: Recognize, Reassure, Reinforce and Reinvent. By doing so, companies prepare for the next stage, the relaunch. Reinventing your business will not only save it, a new omnipresent strategy also allow it to differentiate itself and survive.
Let’s look at it more in detail…
Is reinvention an art?
When an unexpected event, like a pandemic, disrupts the status quo, our first instinct is to find a quick solution, or even to invent one. To assess the situation, analyze it and adapt their ideas, businesses and entrepreneurs must demonstrate imagination, flexibility, confidence, and courage.
We’ve already seen several companies and entrepreneurs temporarily modify their service offers and modus operandi to meet the current demands and serve the population/their community; in turn surviving these difficult times.
Reinvention is an art—it requires a certain finesse to perform several condensed steps quickly—identifying the opportunities that will allow a company to turn on a dime and overcome challenges.
After you’ve achieved them, it’s vital to communicate your new ideas with your customers and your community.
- A Montreal textile company has started making masks to meet demands and help the community. An email with the subject line “Changing the world one mask at a time”
- A restaurant owner who did not offer a home delivery service before the crisis sent an email with the message: Your meal delivered to your home with one click
- Let’s cook 5 family dinners together (Zoom session – online cooking class)
- Gyms are closed? Let’s meet in your living room every day at 5 p.m. – free online class
- The caterer Buddha-Station has developed Buddha-Solidaire to support the community (for each 5-meal order, they deliver 5 meals to the community) a nice gesture of kindness… I hope they will keep doing it.
Food for thought: If an idea, born out of an urgent need, proves to be a success and your customers appreciate it, then why not make it permanent and adapt it as you go? A great way to diversify yourself on the market and enrich your communication strategy.
An email with a catchy subject line guarantees success:
- Meeting confirmed! Every Wednesday at 5 p.m. Zumba on Zoom
Is it the right time to reinvent yourself?
The lockdown imposed by the health crisis has led to questions concerning the operation of certain companies. However, a new foundation doesn’t mean erasing a legacy, but simply adapting it.
Take advantage of this moment to ask the right questions and communicate your “Eureka”.
1- Why not take advantage of the lower volume of work to rethink your business model, innovate it and improve it?
For example, some companies have changed their ways and are now offering online training.
Improve your skills in the comfort of your own home? It’s now possible thanks to…. “
2- Shouldn’t you review your service offer? What worked before may not work now. It’s a good time to send satisfaction surveys, review processes and plan for a transformation.
Your opinion matters and your satisfaction is important to us.
3- For those who are not online yet, this crisis is a perfect time to accelerate the process. According to a study by the consulting firm Absolunet, there has been a dramatic increase in online shopping for several sectors; 105% for sporting goods, 106% for furniture and household goods, 160% for food and catering, 161% for household appliances, electronics as well as building and renovation materials. Isn’t this a great time to take advantage of demands, adjust your supply and share your transformation with your community?
Our online store is now open. Tax is on us.
There is never a “right time” to reinvent yourself, because it depends on what each company brings to the market. Creativity involves asking questions that inspire the exploration of new ideas and approaches. The pandemic has created new needs and some are taking advantage of this situation. The secret is to offer the right solutions and above all to promote them.
Is this the ideal time to talk about your ideas and achievements?
In this troubled period, many things have changed or will change. One thing remains certain: companies have never had to react so quickly, roll up their sleeves to succeed and reinvent themselves.
My LinkedIn feed is full of new announcements, new associations, new ideas, discounts on online purchases, and the same is true for my inbox. It seems that although everything around us is moving slower, ideas are jostling around in our heads.
We have lots of ideas … Everyone has them, but the difficulty lies in having a concept that responds to an immediate problem. This is what entrepreneur Nicolas Duvernois has shown us by recently launching his hand sanitizer. From Vodka to Disinfectant, it became the talk of the town within a few days. What a stroke of genius and what a great way to promote it!
Cyberimpact supports you and helps you reinvent yourself
“The biggest failure is not having the courage to try.” – Abbé Pierre
Pandemics, wars and other social crises often generate new attitudes, needs and behaviours. In this whirlwind lies tremendous opportunities to seize and new paths to take. Our role is to detect them, dare to find a solution and communicate it.
But how are you going to position your communication and marketing strategy? Are you going to mention your plans for post-Covid or what’s currently happening now, with Covid?
Whatever you decide, Cyberimpact is your best ally for successful email communication. It offers you a multitude of functionalities to personalize your campaigns, so you can fully take advantage of your strategy. A great way to communicate your beautiful innovative ideas to your community.