We’re getting over the shock, now it’s time to look for opportunities

It has been a shocking time for all of us. But we humans are an adaptable and a stoic bunch. We are already looking for ways to eek the positive out of the situation. Now is the time to innovate and find the pockets of opportunity.

It has been a shocking time for all of us. Our worlds have been transformed in a matter of days, and most of us have spent a lot of time feeling bewildered and anxious – worried for our family, our health and our future.

But we humans are an adaptable and a stoic bunch. We are already looking for ways to eek the positive out of the situation. We know that – at some point – life will return to normal, and when it does we want our businesses to have survived and, maybe in some cases, thrived. This isn’t the time to put the brakes on and hope for the best. It’s the time to innovate and find the pockets of opportunity.

So how can we do that? For some of us, the pace of work has changed, and I believe we are entering a phase where we can spend time being more considered in the decisions we make. When we return to “normal” (or – as I like to believe – an even better version of it) the business decisions we will have made during this period may prove to be vital.

Data still needs to be at the heart of your decisions. Your consumers are at home now with time on their hands and their thinking caps on – so why not ask them?

Delayed activities – can they be optimised?

One of our clients here at Attest was due to relaunch a product in the spring. This has been put on hold, but recently we discussed how this was the perfect opportunity to take a beat, and review all the decisions that had been made around it. Is the new messaging actually resonating? Is the new packaging design as attractive to consumers as it could be? This is the perfect time to test these elements with potential audiences, to be able to approach the delayed relaunch with new confidence.

Your product might be reaching new audiences – learn from them

Choice of goods – particularly in the grocery market – has been reduced for consumers. They will not always have had access to their first choice, and they may purchase your brand instead. This is a new testing opportunity for you. What do they think? How likely are they to switch to your brand for good? What are the barriers to them choosing your brand when life has returned to normal? This is a good time to find out what a new audience might want from your brand.

When this over we will want to treat ourselves – but to what?

Even though we are only at the beginning of this new way of living, our thoughts are already turning to what we want to do when normality returns. Holiday of a lifetime? Exploring independent restaurants, bars and entertainment in the UK? Other treats? What are consumers most looking forward to trying once this is all over? Now is the time to find out – so you are in a position to offer those treats when the time comes.

Which of our new habits will stick?

Businesses are adapting rapidly now – but will you have to adapt even more in the long-term?  Are people seeing the value of colouring their hair at home rather than visiting salons? Will online exercise classes be the new normal? Will we tend to wear more active wear (even when we take every business call from the sofa)? Will our make-up choices be more zoom friendly?  This is the perfect opportunity to find out what your consumers are missing – but also what they are liking about the “new normal”, and if they like it enough to change their habits long-term.

These are turbulent times. But it is vitally important to still look to the future, and prepare your business now by listening carefully to your consumers and understanding what they want, both right now and in the long-term. For real-time access to your consumers, with support from myself and the rest of the Attest Customer Expertise team, get in touch with Attest today.

Sam Killip

VP Customer Success 

Sam joined Attest in 2019 and leads the Customer Research Team. Sam and her team support brands through their market research journey, helping them carry out effective research and uncover insights to unlock new areas for growth.

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