Rip currents are powerful currents of water moving away from shore. Even the strongest swimmers can be swept out to sea. If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore until the current weakens, then swim in.
Right now we are not in the ocean, but we are stuck in a current that is pushing us away from the safety of the shore.
We are in an interesting time with this pandemic. Every industry and every business, big or small, are in the same uncharted waters. We are stuck and still moving in the wrong direction. So, what’s the plan? How do we get back to shore?
First, don’t panic! Take a deep breath and recognize that there is still a need. People still need food, they still want entertainment, and they are still trying to buy their dream home. But, you can’t do business like you used to. No matter how big your company is or how well you can swim, you will get nowhere. You have to make adjustments.
You need to shift and swim parallel to shore until you get out. A lot of companies are doing this well. Restaurants are turning into local markets, new products are being offered online, notaries are now mobile, and open houses are all virtual. This isn’t how companies want to conduct business, but they are at least swimming. They are getting closer to shore, but they are also not getting further away.
There is also another way to view this pandemic: Ride the Rip
While rip currents are dangerous to inexperienced ocean swimmers, advanced surfers use rip currents to their advantage. They get a free elevator ride out into the surfing lineup with very little paddling.
When you see a need and you mix in a little innovation and creativity, your company can actually use the current to their advantage. For example, the MLB season is still delayed and sports fans around the world are desperate to watch anything. Sony Playstation saw this as a way to highlight their game “MLB: The Show.” Now, they didn’t tell customers to buy their product or show them how amazing the game is. They solved the problem of no baseball. Playstation organized an entire online tournament, with real MLB players and every team from the league represented. Two professional baseball players face off in a live-streaming event view for the world to see. They solved a problem and now sales are through the roof.
At the end of the day, we have to adjust. If you just need to swim parallel to shore from now, great. Do whatever it takes to keep your doors open. If you want to get creative, ride the rip! Either way, think of a need or a problem and how you can help. Brands that help during this time will be in a position to catch the first wave back to shore.
