Keeping Marketing Flexibility from Making You Inflexible 

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“Be flexible.” 

“Pivot.” 

“Change on a dime.” 

“Roll with the times.” 

… that’s so much of marketing advice right now. There are a lot of valid reasons for that! For one, it’s good advice. You do have to be able to change quickly. It is important to be able to pivot quickly, particularly in the face of changing circumstances. 

 

However, it’s important to “pivot” and not “chase.” 

 

Adapting to circumstances is good. 

Completely altering your company’s marketing, services, goods, or otherwise to fit a moment (that may be fleeting) is not. 

As you might imagine, it’s not always easy to tell the difference. 

“Pivot” vs. “Chase” 

 

For many of us, the first time we heard the word “pivot” was when we saw or played basketball for the first time. You’re not allowed to walk with the ball, but, you can keep one foot in place while holding the ball and move the other foot one step in any direction. 

 

This analogy works for marketing, too. The key? 

One step. 

 

“Chasing,” on the other hand, is not “one step.” It’s a lot of steps. It’s running after something. Instead of having one foot firmly planted, it’s using both feet to pursue. 

 

That’s the kind of thing that can lead to mistakes for your business, in this time as well as any other. 

 

An example from our own clients: one of our clients has always offered bankruptcy attorney services. However, it wasn’t their main focus. While it was something they were always able to provide their clients, it wasn’t what they directed the majority of their energy to. 

 

That changed during the pandemic. 

 

Now, with so much financial uncertainty, layoffs, businesses closing, and everything else, more people than ever need the services of a bankruptcy attorney. 

 

So, they pivoted. 

With one foot firmly planted in what they do (the rest of their services that they’ve always offered) they put one foot in another direction (more bankruptcy cases) so as to better meet the moment. 

 

As such, they’ve been very successful, helping plenty of folks to get back up on their feet and stay there. 

 

However, we’ve also had clients tell us that attorneys they know, with no experience in bankruptcy law whatsoever, have started offering those services. 

 

They never did it before, but now that it’s in need, they’re going to… teach themselves everything there is to know about bankruptcy law, and then, presumably, help people. 

 

As you might imagine, that’s not a good idea. 

Specifically, it’s not a good idea for the firm or anyone who uses their bankruptcy services. 

 

That’s not “pivoting,” that’s “chasing.” That’s trying to do something they have no experience in just to capitalize on a moment. 

 

While that’s a very clear cut case of “chasing,” when it comes to your company, it might be more of a gray area. 

How can you tell the difference? 

 

Look to your core values. 

It’s Never Worth Violating the Values of Your Company 

 

In just about every scenario, that’s the case. Your company, no matter what it is, no matter what industry it’s in, has core values that the company was (quite literally) built upon. 

 

To change those, to throw them away in pursuit of doing well for a quarter or something similar, is going too far. 

 

That kind of action will always damage your company. 

It’s always just a question of how much. 

 

However, there are ways that you can better fit your company to what’s going on right now. There are things you can do that will make your company more viable right now as well as into the future. 

 

As ever, at Website Depot, we can help. You can start the conversation with us at (888) 477-9540.