Defining A New Path: What Companies Are Focusing On Now To Prepare For The Future

With the extraordinary events of the last several months, we created this word cloud after reaching out to our clients, colleagues, and friends in the industry. We asked what’s most important to their businesses right now and how we could help. Those who emerge as winners won’t be the businesses hunkered down waiting for the “all clear” – the winners are working hard now, having difficult conversations, and marking new paths.

Universally, companies told us the health and well-being of employees and their families is most important. After that, companies are seeking to move forward, explore new ideas, and embrace new initiatives. These discussions are taking precedence at the top of the list:

1.  Strategic Planning 

Whether building a strategy for the first time or re-tooling for future opportunities, organizations are placing importance on, and taking comfort in, developing a 1, 3, or 5-year plans. Strategy as a roadmap and checklist is becoming one of the most important contributions a company can make toward its advancement. Having a game plan in place gives clarity and direction in uncertain times and allows a team to stay focused by reassuring them of their value and investing in their ability to perform at a high level.  

We’re also seeing the need to approach Strategic Planning with a customized lens tailored to the size, resources, and needs of each organization.  While some companies are working a soup-to-nuts plan inclusive of all the traditional elements, many are doubling down on the specific elements that will help them better understand their audiences, competitive landscape, and positioning within their market segment. 

In addition, we’re recommending companies place an emphasis on understanding their positioning within the job market to potential new employees. While looking ahead to company growth and sustainability, it’s critical to attract top talent who embody the values and integrity needed to build a best-in-class team that can lead to the future. 

2.  Client and Consumer Engagement

There has been a marked shift from “digital snacking” (swipe, click, forget) to a greater level of attention and engagement. With audiences completely focused on digital channels, the bar has been raised on expectations around content delivery. Companies are realizing their customers and followers are hungry for connection from brands they know and trust - AND share their same values.

Audiences want to stay connected and need to hear from brands about what they are doing specifically to evolve and accelerate change. It’s not enough to participate in a # (hashtag) campaign, make a singular statement, or post an emotional image. Transparency and action are key, with ongoing conversation about how the current environment and these times are the new, best insights to fuel policy change, leadership choices, product development, and marketing campaigns.

We’re helping organizations quickly produce intentional and consistent language for ongoing response and engagement. The key is to respond with empathy, understanding, and authority to prove worthy of followers’ trust.

3.  Brand Identity

Now is the time to take stock and honestly evaluate how a company’s look, feel, personality, or positioning statement was built and if the results are as intended. From a brand’s name, to its visual cues, to the language it uses, the purpose and passion behind a company or brand should be crystal clear to its audience. With content and messaging entering the digital highway at an all-time high, audiences look to quickly identify and connect with a company’s purpose, products, and services. 

As we help rollout new logos, color palettes, and stories, brands can share with their followers and ask for honest, real-time feedback.  This is an honest engagement opportunity in a pivotal moment for companies to showcase their ability to react, make meaningful changes, and inspire their audiences to grow with them.

4.  Innovation and Product Development

Many companies are using this time to address opportunities to improve their existing products or services with upgrades or new features and benefits. Others are exploring line extensions or completely new product lines to serve new audiences and their needs.

To effectively and efficiently inform new products and services, we’re facilitating email campaigns, surveys, and focus groups.  The trend is clear: consumers are looking to openly share their likes, dislikes, dreams, and desires. Making an audience a part of the product creation process guarantees long-term engagement when the changes or new launches are relevant and authentic.

5.  Organizational Structure and Support

The ability to perform and deliver results is directly tied to resources and capabilities. Organizations are realigning functional teams to be more inclusive, with diversity in culture, leadership, and thought. Companies leading from wider and deeper talent resources are benefitting from multiple points of view, which directly results in a more agile and impactful organization.  

We’re facilitating internal discussions around culture and inclusion and advising on investment in employee engagement and advancement. Priority initiatives are training sessions for social media management, mentorship programs to accelerate leadership opportunities, virtual conferences to sharpen critical thinking, and investment in work-from-home technology and protocols t to ensure team connection and project continuity.

We are proud to be partners with organizations that are working toward a better future in this uncertain time of budget cuts and layoffs. We salute the determination and dedication to creating a new vision with an open ear to internal and external conversations. A clear, honest understanding of the present best informs significant and meaningful changes for an inclusive and sustainable future.