In the face of a crisis, people want a leader to follow. So, just about anybody willing to step up will be hailed as a hero. They are willing to overlook the apparent flaws as long as they make the right choices.

However, as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, a charming leader with the gift of allaying fears and calming frayed nerves will not work anymore. People need more. A plan that would lay the blueprint for a life post-pandemic.

CEOs and marketing executives who craft a strategy and marketing campaigns that can be implemented on a dime would be more prepared to deal with the aftermath. With new guaranteed vaccines in the next few months– or maybe not until two years from now–the plan would take into account this “new normal,” not just to maximize operations and revenues, but also to find new market opportunities.

Fortunately, they do not need to trailblaze new paths, but instead, follow the best practices by countries that were hit first and managed to contain the infection. South Korea, Vietnam, and China have started relaxing the restrictions and kickstarting their economies. Which sector is the winner, and which is the loser? How did the marketing messages and channels change, and what is the feedback?

So, take the economic lockdown as an opportunity to come out even stronger. But temper your expectations. Everyone is going to come out of the bunker to an unfamiliar world. The last time the world experienced a cataclysmic event such as this was during the World War II. And, in post WWII the United States saw the greatest economic upturn in its history and put it on the world stage as the number one economy in the world.

But doing everything at once is counterproductive. Instead–just like wartime–simplify. It means identifying your crucial markets, clarifying your message, charting new ways of doing business to reduce health risks, and sticking to the core values and principles of your brand.
So, why wait?