Business Unusual

Business as usual doesn’t exist right now. That phrase is officially banned from our vocabulary for the foreseeable future.

How will your brand be remembered when we reach the other side of the COVID-19 crisis? Please don’t tell us you’re one of those companies that has let your automated sales emails continue to send. Those are getting deleted faster than ever now. Please don’t tell us you’re taking risks with your advertising that could come across as tone deaf. That will cause damage to your brand that will last for years if not decades.

During a crisis, brands must be careful not to look insensitive or opportunistic. The time is now to look inward — and then show the world what’s most important to you right now: your people and the people they serve.

Our advice? First, take care of your employees and their families. Then, look at your brand’s assets. Figure out what content, programs, workshops, or products can genuinely help society get through the crisis and come out stronger on the other side. Then, work to make them available to your clients and customers. Every ounce of genuine support you give people during darker times is a pound invested in your brand’s ability to emerge even stronger when brighter days arrive.

We talk a lot at Imbue about connecting with the human on the other end of every piece of communication. Many brands fail to connect directly with their audiences during normal times. In challenging times, that gets worse.

Think people first. Be clear, be kind, and be helpful.

Our world has changed, and so should your sales and marketing.