While it might be tempting to focus on just staying afloat in the moment, putting out the fires as and when they threaten to appear, it’s crucial to plan for the future of your brand and be fully prepared for what will come next.
Here’s a helpful 20 questions guide inspired by Triggers Resilience Deck to getting started. It’s a useful tool to reconsider the core parts of your brand according to upcoming trends provoked by these disrupting times.
1. What if empathy was the core value of your business?
Think about putting yourself in other’s people shoes. Connect emotionally with your audience, your workers and collaborators. Then plan how that might change the way your business operates.
2. What if you prioritize mental health?
Think about contributing to everyone’s mental health. Use this opportunity to help them tune into themselves through your products and services.
3. What if you developed an internal culture?
Let’s start talking about beliefs, values, mission and vision of your brand. Share it with your team and audience.
4. What if you contributed to happiness?
Think about making a positive impact on everyone around you, from the design to your communication plan. Spread positivity all around.
5. What if you made honest interactions?
Think about being upfront with your feelings and intentions. Don’t hide things from your audience - just be transparent as much as possible.
6. What if you facilitated a true connection?
Think about your business as a platform to establish a long-lasting relationship between people. Make those connections happen through your offerings.
7. What if you slowed down?
Think about being mindful in all your business activities. Consider how connecting to the present can improve your offerings. Produce slower so you can produce better.
8. What if you value quality time over everything else?
Think about improving the lives of the people connected to your business.
9. What if you collaborated with your clients online?
Think about supporting clients by using your brand as a platform for them to produce original content.
10. What if you valued offline moments?
Think about moments where people can disconnect from their laptops and phones. Facilitate the situation where no technology is involved.
11. What if you decentralized your business?
Think about re-distributing ways of working and making decisions. It’s possible to make remote work efficient. Ask your audience to pitch in to find the right path.
12. What if you added emotions to your digital experience?
Think about expressing your feelings through your digital channels. Build those channels to make your audience feel emotionally connected to you and perhaps even to each other.
13. What if you created intimacy with your audience?
Think about expressing your emotions. Share your achievements but also your weaknesses. Connect with your audience personally and with warmth.
14. What if you created a special experience in physical spaces?
Pop-ups, talks events or retail spaces in unique places. Turn them into an experience that goes beyond selling products or services.
15. What if you only produced on-demand?
Think about avoiding overproduction. Plan how it could make your business more efficient.
16. What if you made entertaining meaningful?
Think about producing content that is truly valuable and interesting.
17. What if you allowed contemplative spaces?
Take time to reflect on your business. Let your team or your audience stop for a moment to be conscious of the present.
18. What if you went back to communication basics?
Think about being useful when you speak up. Plan your communication so it does exactly that — communicate!
19. What if you interacted online outside social media?
Think about creating an online experience that goes beyond social media. Webinars, podcast, forums and interactive websites.
20. What if you joined forces to make sustainable efforts?
Think about contributing to the planet, but don’t do it alone — use your audience, colleagues and partners.
These questions will inspire you to open opportunities and is a great way to re-strategize your business, instead of fearing the changes ahead.