I’ve never been a fan of standing still. To me, standing still is equal to falling behind. In times of uncertainty, business owners and brand leaders are often unsure what to do next, and when. This is why I’ve found it helpful to focus on the New Now. Otherwise, all of this uncertainty has a tendency to cause inertia that inhibits any progress at all.

Whenever I’m in a situation that feels overwhelming because there are too many scenarios or paths forward to consider, I’m inspired by this quote: 

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”  - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I completely recognize that this quote was intended for far more important things than “branding emergencies” (as a good friend says to aptly downplay the stressful world of branding), but I think it can none-the-less be applied to what brand leaders are currently facing.

The New Now is about taking control of the situation, and not being consumed by uncertainty and inaction. It’s about using the information that we have right now to focus, connect and evolve. It’s about being decisive and reevaluating as new information comes to light.

The New Now is about moving forward, as best we can.

Here’s What We Know Now

The Coronavirus which quickly entered our lives in early 2020 is going to be a constant factor for some time to come. Yes, there is talk about the re-starting of the economy and getting people back to work, and the re-opening of retail stores, restaurants, schools, parks and the rest of everyday life. 

There’s also talk about how long until this all happens, how timetables will vary in different places and how social distancing will still be enforced where and when it is necessary. We know that until there's reliable testing, confirmation of who has or does not have antibodies, a vaccine or a treatment, this virus will keep coming back, randomly, and set us backward for periods of time. 

The only thing certain right now, is uncertainty. It’s why we can’t wait for what’s next, and we have to make sense of and act on the New Now.

Now is the Time to Focus

Brands and businesses don’t want to stand still, miss opportunity or misstep. It’s important that they find an anchor to best express their role in the world and to guide their actions. This anchor informs how our brands serve people and how they are expressed. This anchor is historically called brand strategy, and it needs to be re-visited and focused on in the New Now.

I’m not suggesting that brand leaders radically depart from their existing strategy, or suddenly change what their brand is all about. In fact, focus is all about getting closer to the center of that strategy and emphasizing what makes their brand distinct and desirable.  

I believe that brands should exist to make people's lives better. Leading brands have a core reason for being that guides how they come to life. Over time, brand strategy tends to expand and stretch into a variety of products, services communications and experience. In the New Now, some of that may no longer be as relevant or possible, which is why moving forward is so challenging.  

The way to get back on track is to focus on how your brand can be most relevant and sought after in the New Now.

Here are 3 Questions to Help You Focus Brand Strategy

1. What is your brand’s core purpose that can make people’s lives better?

2. What’s changed that makes your brand strategy more or less relevant in the New Now?

3. What products or services would people benefit from the most in the New Now?

Now is the Time to Connect

While brand strategy is about focus, connecting is all about customer understanding and empathy. To connect successfully, it's not only what you say or do, but also how you say or do it.

It is so important to recognize that people are emotional beings. Our thoughts and decisions are primarily instinctive and driven by what we feel. In the New Now, we need to recognize that people's lives have been turned upside down. There are many new pressures, concerns and hardships, and we’re adapting. The last thing we want are brands trying to sell us stuff, as we really only have the energy and patience for things that are helpful enough to make us feel good.

Therefore, the best way for brands to successfully connect is to truly understand the people that they want to reach, to have empathy and to act in ways that are most helpful.

Recent research by William Leach, author of Marketing to Mindstates, says that "right now people want greater security and protection, they want to maintain control, and they want moments of emotional release to unwind.” This is super-powerful insight, and as Will says, brands have opportunity if they can determine how to solve for one or more of those core needs. As time goes on, people's emotions will continue to evolve, for better or worse.

As a Brand Leader, it will continue to be important to understand your audience, so you know how to best connect with them.

Here are 3 Questions to Help You Connect Through Customer Experiences & Communications

1. What are people's desires, frustrations and unmet needs that can be addressed by your products or services?

2. How do you want people to feel after interacting with your brand?

3. What should your brand Say or Do in the New Now to make people’s lives better?

Moving Forward in the New Now

Things will most certainly continue to evolve… The New Now may be different tomorrow or next month, and we’ll need to continue to be flexible and adapt. I’ve realized that now is not the time for brand leaders to sit on the sidelines and wait. It's time for them to be highly sensitive to what’s going on in the world, how its impacting people and what they can do about it.

Being successful in the New Now is about using the information that we have now to focus, connect and evolve, in ways that make people's lives better. It’s about a perpetual cycle of knowing what you do best, and making it available to people in ways that they’ll truly appreciate.

Featured Articles & Podcasts