No matter how hard we try, we can never be well enough prepared to face a crisis. One of the main reasons would be that any crisis comes with many uncertainties and changes that are difficult, if not impossible, to anticipate.
And recent years have only repeatedly proved this fact to us, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic and reaching the recent war in Ukraine.
So what can a business, or an organization of any kind, do to survive, or perhaps even strengthen its position, in the hostile context of a crisis?
“Branding” is certainly one of the correct answers to this question, and in many situations it could also be the only one!
How so? Because, in essence, branding means making and keeping a promise to those to whom the business or organization matters, namely its customers, consumers and employees.
Thus, through the brand you manage to do more than sell your product, service, or idea, you manage to create a strong connection with people who can support you in your activity, a long-term beneficial bond that cannot be destroyed by a crisis, as long as a few basic principles are followed.
1. Be guided by brand purpose
If you know why your brand exists and what impact it wants to bring to people's lives, beyond material gains, then you need to make sure that all of its actions continue to converge towards this purpose, even if many things will not be the same as before the crisis. But if you're not clear on which direction you're heading, now is the best time to find out what the North Star is for your business, so you can navigate ahead in difficult times.
2. Delivers an authentic and coherent message
Certainly, the brand's speech must be adapted according to the new economic and social reality so that it remains relevant to its audiences, but it must be supported by what the brand is and does, by the actions and beliefs of the people behind it. Make sure your brand values and personality remain the same, even if the message is different, precisely because they make it authentic, giving customers and employees a sense of security and familiarity in an unfamiliar context.
3. Communicate to be present and involved, not to sell
Contrary to the “conservation instinct” that tells you to minimize any action that does not directly contribute to turnover and profit, communication plays a fundamental role in the context of a crisis. You need to make your presence felt, maybe even more than before, because your business audiences have, without fail, other priorities that capture all their attention at the moment. In addition, it is understandable that they are no longer at all responsive to classic advertising messages, therefore you need to find new ways to communicate and create useful content for them, in order to show that you are actively involved in solving their problems, without trying to sell them something themselves.
4th. Be truly with your customers
Putting the customer at the center of all your initiatives, actions and decisions to succeed in business is already an axiom. On the other hand, being permanently connected with him to find out how the changes generated by the crisis affect him, what his needs and “pains” are, and how you can give him something valuable in the present, is a significant effort that you will have to make. Now more than ever it is necessary for the brand to show empathy, to be flexible and open in its relationship with the customer, to help him unconditionally, to win his trust and loyalty, to build that indestructible bond that we were talking about.
5. Be more than a brand, be human
The fact that your business is about and about people should be reflected in everything it does. Better said, your brand should speak and behave like a human. That means not being afraid to show his vulnerability, to admit that he cannot know them and do everything, to admit then he is wrong. Transparency is vital in dealing with your customers and employees to remain credible, and compassion can help you manage it, but also find the right approach to overcome the challenges of a crisis.
In conclusion, if we look back, we see that any crisis so far has also had an end, and the brands that have managed to stand out and go further, remaining in the minds and souls of the people, are those that had a purpose in which they believed and a promise of value that they kept at all costs, reinforcing them to everyone The belief that it is worth fighting together.