It may sound premature, but successful business leaders are already thinking about how their positioning and messaging must evolve post COVID-19. They are asking serious questions and assessing how their corporate story must evolve to compete in the future. In fact, according to a recent study conducted by Bain & Company, 70 percent of CEOs are currently balancing communications about what they are doing to protect the business — with what they are doing to prepare for the new post-pandemic world.
This week we are providing you with a list of pointed questions to help you assess how your story may have to change to be successful once we get to the other side of this crisis.
How will your business be different?
For some companies, their business model and strategy will remain the same. But for others, significant shifts will be required in the business. Will your growth opportunities remain the same? Will you have to shift market priorities? Will you need to introduce new products and services?
Has your competitive environment changed?
This crisis will create winners, losers and newcomers. Will your competitive landscape look the same? Have your competitors changed their stories? Who are the newcomers in your space that must be considered as you reshape your story?
How has your customer’s mindset evolved?
The pandemic has changed all of us — personally and professionally. How has it impacted the psyche of your buyer? How has it changed the way they think? Their needs? Their buying priorities? How has it changed the way they engage with their customers?
Is your corporate positioning still relevant and meaningful?
What position do you currently own in the mind of your buyers / customers? Is that still the most important thing you want them to remember when they think of your brand or does this need to change?
Does your value-proposition need to reflect new buying requirements and priorities?
How has the pandemic changed what is most important to your buyer? Do they have new priorities and requirements that take precedent? Are there new and different ways that you can deliver value in the world they operate in?
Does your corporate mission, vision and values need to evolve?
For many leaders, this crisis has changed how they look at their business and the larger role they want it to play in the world. Has the crisis changed your North Star? The dent you want to leave in the universe? Has it made you rethink the type of culture and company you want to build moving forward?
These are just a few questions that every leader must ask as they navigate these challenging times and the lasting impact they will have on their business. This should be a deliberate and disciplined process. And in most cases, this should be led by a communications expert who can not only ask the right questions, but also leverage the answers to reshape your story.
That’s precisely why OnMessage is here. We are the B2B communications consultancy executives call when it counts. When strategic shifts in the business take place, when financial performance is on the line and when the message absolutely must deliver material business results.
Please schedule a briefing with one of our experts to discuss how we can help your business come out of this crisis stronger and more competitive than ever before.
