There’s a great quote from Gandhi you might see occasionally on bumper stickers, on email signatures or as an Internet meme: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
It’s inspiring because it suggests that, rather than being put off or frightened by unexpected events that take place all around us, we have the power to be proactive in making a positive impact at any moment.
Just replace the word “world” with “the business,” and the way forward for marketers becomes pretty clear.
Raising awareness, generating demand and cultivating brand loyalty would be pretty easy if things in a company and the community it serves were somehow frozen in time. Instead, marketers are often developing and executing campaigns just as the company, the market or both take a sudden U-turn.
If you think of storytelling as a key marketing skill (and you should), the plot can twist without any warning whatsoever.
Those in sales, customer service or other roles all have to deal with change too, of course. The difference is that those in other departments may deal with change in ways that stay largely behind the scenes. The whole point of marketing, on the other hand, is to be out in front of customers with a clear, consistent and relevant message at all times -- even if the message has to adapt to new information or even a shift in strategic direction.
While there is no end to the changes marketers will confront over the course of their careers, there are a few common scenarios you can plan for today:
The change: Your company rebrands
Sometimes companies just want to adjust the colour palettes they use on marketing collateral. In other cases the change is more significant, from the kind of customer they're targeting to how they position themselves vis-a-vis competitors or even the introduction of a new name and logo. Suddenly years of marketing efforts seem outdated or misleading.
Your move:
Even if a rebranding decision seems to come out of left field from senior leaders, companies usually recognize these are changes that can happen overnight. Ensure there’s a constructive dialogue upfront about the steps involved, and the timeline you’ll need to pull it off.
Some common tactics here will include a content audit of all the brand elements that will be affected by the change. Next, map out the most common ways customers experience your brand today, and what channels you should use to communicate what’s going to happen and why.
If possible, make this a phased campaign, with lots of different options on how to digest and understand the rebranding message. This could include a blog post, a video and social posts, as well as online ads.
The change: A product is replaced or phased out
Nothing lasts forever, but customers have been known to be very vocal — sometimes even organizing online petitions or protests — when items they loved are revamped or discontinued. The company’s past marketing and sales efforts might even seem to look hypocritical if a lot of time was spent touting the merits of the product and the urgency for customers to buy it.
Your move:
this isn’t a time for companies to hide. Use the most visible means available to be open and transparent about the change, and provide a mechanism (like a dedicated email address) to get feedback and answer questions. Provide online FAQ lists on your blog or even a video to address timelines, support options and other things that will affect customers.
If you can, go beyond the nuts and bolts of the old product versus the one that will replace it. Look for ways to align this change with your company’s purpose and values. Even if the old product was popular, there may be new information you can share. What did the company learn that made it clear a change would allow it to better serve customers and move forward in its mission?
The change: The company changes or introduces a new policy
Maybe the return policy for products shrinks from 30 days to 10. Maybe the company has decided it will only allow certain items to be purchased online. Maybe there is a new policy stipulating that the company requires additional information from customers to have a particular online experience tailored to their needs.
Whatever the policy, there are bound to be critics. People get used to the way things have always worked, and having to learn any change in process is often seen as an additional and unnecessary burden. You don't want to risk losing long-time customers or putting off new ones.
Your move:
The biggest mistake marketers could make here is forcing customers to learn about the policy change unexpectedly or at the last minute. If possible, provide a window of time to let them know exactly when the change in policy or new policy takes effect. Even if they don’t like the policy, they’ll appreciate it if the company provides a clear and firm rationale.
Think of all the ways this policy information can be woven into the customer journey, collaborating with your counterparts in sales and customer service. Examples here might include a popup on your website, a notice in your email newsletter and even a series of recurring social posts that point back to more information on your blog.
Naturally, there will be some changes that aren’t as clear-cut as the ones we’ve outlined here. These are the most difficult for marketing teams to contend with because they involve an element of “to be determined.”
If you find yourself in this kind of situation, make sure you infuse your marketing with all the information you have available, a commitment to providing more information when possible and a reassurance that you understand customer concerns and that their happiness is your priority.
Products will come and go, company names will change and policies will always be works in progress, but a marketing strategy that stays laser-focused on the customer experience? That’s the one thing that should never change.
