An Anchor in Uncertain Times – A Plea for Brand Work in a Crisis
15.6.2023
How can companies build trust in these uncertain times? By focusing on their strengths and values and communicating them clearly. Customers want to know what they can rely on.
We live in uncertain times. Wars and pandemics lead to shortages and bottlenecks. Prices are unstable or rising rapidly. At the same time, decisions in management boards seem to drag on endlessly. How long will this go on? Nobody has a crystal ball! That is why we look for constants and cling to experience – to “anchors in our minds”. In the business world, as we learned at the latest during the financial crisis, there are no more certainties. Everything changes, and constantly so. In crises, this uncertainty is naturally particularly great. That also means that in such times customers only buy things or use services that they know. They turn to familiar institutions and companies. Right now, everyone wants a safe bet. We long for reliability. One could also speak of a strong, dependable brand.
Brand Work as Provision
It is all the more astonishing that many companies economise on their brand. What is a matter of course in many areas of a company or business (financial provision, backups for production, etc.) often does not happen when it comes to the brand. Of course, in secure times it is significantly easier to create a safety net through positive brand perception. Professional brand work also means looking after the interests of your customers: you engage with them, see what they need and listen to them attentively. This analytical work “incidentally” also brings to light what might be needed in times of crisis.
Agility and Openness
If this brand work has been neglected in the past, you should by no means wait until calmer times return (since, as we know, nobody can say when that will be). Rather, it is advisable to turn to this topic as quickly as possible and with commitment. This is not a risky manoeuvre, but the exact opposite. After all, a brand creates the highest value of all: trust. To achieve this, two factors are decisive in brand work, namely agility and openness. It is about encouraging employees who think outside the box. Who break new ground and are not afraid to try out the unknown. Of course, not everything will work, and sometimes concepts will fail. But even this experience helps you take a decisive step forward.
Investing in Brand Work
When building and developing a brand, business partners and consumers noticeably have a say. In times of crisis, buyers are forced to make hard decisions: who do I continue to buy from – and who not? In such a situation, a strong brand is more than the deciding factor. It is therefore only logical to invest in your brand, in order to shine in good times and to remain in the relevant set in bad times.