In recent months we have had a steep learning curve in how to act within marketing and communications. Frankly, it is a unique situation, a global crisis due to a virus. Who could have thought that a year ago?
At first, the world was in shock. There were all kinds of lockdowns. And this is where the first teaching point arises. We treated this unique crisis like any other crisis, however, this crisis is unique. We began to communicate how to adapt your message and proposition to keep companies from stalling.
That didn’t always sound good. We ignored the point that this crisis was about people’s health. People got sick, very sick, and the virus quickly took hold and made us as individuals feel unsafe. In the beginning, it was a people crisis. So not everyone appreciated it when you communicated about keeping businesses from shutting down. We had to look for other values to reach people.
Lesson 1
The first lesson here was not to forget the sentiment in society. Commerce is about people, people who know how to find each other, and people had a hard time. It’s not just about business, and about your values. But to the true meaning. Do you want to know how? Schedule a meeting
We help IT, service providers, with their commercial growth. At the beginning of the lockdown and in the months that followed, they had no problem growing. Companies needed support for remote IT solutions and working from home. Clients’ budgets seemed limitless. They had to keep their organization running.
However, after these initial necessary investments, growth stalled. Businesses still need IT support, but differently. It is not about flying in new solutions at this time. It’s more about, how can everyone work best from home with the existing systems. Budgets are getting tighter because all IT investment budgets are already occupied.
Lesson 2
The 2nd lesson here is that while you are successful, don’t forget the next step with your client. What is the impact of a sudden change in IT and work environment? The worst example is to start communicating about how Microsoft Teams works, for example….
And now we must look forward. What will the crisis bring to your customers in the coming year or years? Will their budgets freeze? Or will they invest more in technology to become more efficient and effective? Will they invest to be better prepared for another crisis? A lesson we learn every day is that you need to be aware of the impact of the crisis. What are the future trends of your customers and target market? Do you know what the impact will be? No? Well, find out! Get under the skin of your customers.
And if you know this, how do you position yourself? We see too many Service Providers sharing the same message. Whether it’s the modern workplace, remote working support or Cloud that is fast and flexible, with most messaging you’re not going to stand out that is, after all, not unique. Let alone its value to your target audience.
So, one of the final lessons or suggestions is, Stand out. . By adapting your positioning and proposition to the effects of the crisis. Remember, communicate what technology can solve, don’t try to explain. Technology is a means, not an end in itself.
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