Have you mastered marketing pivot?

In 2020 we all learned how quickly our marketing plans could instantly become irrelevant.

While we can never predict the future, we must commit to thinking about it and being agile enough to alter course immediately.

Here are five tips to help you stay on your toes and maintain brand equity while navigating through these all too interesting times.

1. Keep sight of your company’s vision and goals. Make decisions based on what’s best for the brand and your future customers.
2. As Seth Godin says, everything is marketing. And as I say, what the message is, and how it is received is your brand. Tread lightly and be very intentional with your message and channels. No one wants to waste marketing resources by sending a tone-deaf message at the wrong time.
3. Avoid the gimmicks and growth hacks, they are a waste of resources, and your customers need to be more impressed by them. Instead, push a consistent, authentic message that aligns your brand’s purpose and value with your customer’s needs to continue to build relevance and likability.
4. Slow down and simplify. If and when your budget gets cut, take the time to solidify the foundational aspects of your brand, like developing core assets, streamlined operations, simplified processes, improved communications, and methods of gathering better insights and market data.
5. Never set it and forget it. Marketing and brand growth require constant effort. Even if you run a lean operation, small improvements and adjustments keep the marketing machine running. Observe the world around you, keep learning new things, be open to new ideas and perspectives, and remember, perseverance is the name of the game.

Your brand is your reputation; make sure you earn the right rep daily.