In 2020, I interviewed Andrea Lisbona for Forbes about her lower than two-year-old hand sanitizer logo, Touchland. The pandemic used to be wreaking havoc and the very inexperienced startup had to act briefly and well.
That they did — tightening their business plan to satisfy the calls for of the days. It used to be a real-time masterclass in surviving turbulent classes.
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Rapid ahead to nowadays: If the new $700 million acquisition through Church & Dwight is any indication, Touchland didn’t simply live on — they’ve established themselves as a significant class chief.
On this publish, I’ll assessment 10 corporations, together with Touchland, that considered turbulent instances as alternatives to innovate, scale, and construct valuable loyalty.
1. Touchland
Touchland sells hand sanitizers and frame and hair fragrances. They characteristic beautiful scents and distinctive packaging for his or her merchandise, aiming to show mundane moments into little bursts of enjoyment.
All through the pandemic, Touchland doubled down on empathy, transparency, and two-way verbal exchange by way of social media, e mail, and SMS, making sure their shoppers felt noticed and supported.
“All through a time of worldwide uncertainty, we leaned into uplifting, sensorial studies that helped other folks really feel a way of pleasure,” Lisbona instructed me in a more moderen check-in for this piece. “It used to be vital to guide with transparency, empathy, and innovation. We weren’t simply promoting a product; we have been redefining what private care may really feel like.”
Getting down to make hand sanitizer really feel much less like a commodity and extra like a non-public care enjoy, they ditched conventional advertisements (most likely saving them a beautiful penny) and leaned closely into content material creators, earned media, and impactful storytelling (together with behind-the-scenes pictures — one thing customers love to peer).
What They Were given Proper
I believe what made Touchland stand proud of different hand sanitizer corporations right through the pandemic used to be their focal point on connecting with shoppers on a non-public degree. Take a look at this Instagram publish, as an example.
This present day, the private connection by way of social media and content material advertising and marketing feels extra original than paid advertisements. Touchland effectively tapped into the emotional facet of self-care, which used to be particularly resonant right through a world well being disaster.
“One of the vital largest courses used to be that agility beats perfection,” stocks Lisbona.
“All through the pandemic, we needed to make rapid, key selections with incomplete knowledge. Whether or not it used to be pivoting our messaging, adjusting provide chain operations, or scaling achievement in genuine time, the enjoy taught me to guide with decisiveness and agree with my instincts.”
What Groups Can Be told
Development two-way discussion together with your target market is important. I like to recommend tapping into HubSpot’s conversational chatbot builder as a super get started. Whilst you spend money on community-oriented logo development, it makes the entire distinction.
2. TeamLogic IT
TeamLogic supplies IT answers and consulting products and services for small companies. It used to be specifically related right through the 2008 recession. In reality, gross sales for generation greater right through this time. TeamLogic IT stood out through positioning itself as a cheap, dependable method to tech ache issues for corporations — a transfer I imagine used to be key to their luck.
Rapid-forward to the pandemic, and the similar customer-first technique used to be implemented. Responding to the shift against hybrid paintings environments, TeamLogic IT helped companies broaden IT infrastructures that would accommodate each far flung and in-office operations.
What They Were given Proper
I believe TeamLogic succeeded right through those tough financial instances through staying targeted at the converting wishes in their shoppers. They stayed agile and attentive as an alternative of doubling down on their present choices. Because of this being attentive to your target market is so key, whether or not this is thru visitor surveys or social listening.
What Groups Can Be told
Center of attention your choices on what shoppers want maximum right through uncertainty. How are you able to be offering answers which are each cost-efficient and dependable?
3. Netflix
Netflix wishes no creation. However for those who’ve forgotten (or are too younger to bear in mind), Netflix wasn’t at all times the streaming large they’re now. They used to hire bodily DVDs despatched by way of mail to its shoppers.
When Netflix identified bodily video shops and DVD leases have been failing, they began partnering with Xbox and different platforms to make movies out there, inexpensive, and virtual — simply in time for the ‘08 recession when other folks have been searching for simple, at-home leisure.
What They Were given Proper
Netflix may have simply long past the way in which of the dinosaurs, along side such a lot of different old-fashioned applied sciences. As an alternative, the corporate thrived as a result of they have been prepared to let move in their previous manner of doing issues and spend money on the tech of the longer term.
Again then, it used to be switching from bodily to digital, whilst nowadays it’s about embracing AI. What stays constant is that innovation is vital for long-term luck.
What Groups Can Be told
Don’t be afraid to innovate to satisfy transferring shopper behaviors and desires. Staying related is the one method to thrive.
4. Citigroup
Banks don’t precisely have the most efficient recognition right through recessions — financial downturns breed numerous skepticism and mistrust for monetary establishments, which is comprehensible. However Citigroup turned into one of the vital few banks to if truth be told develop its belongings post-recession through specializing in high quality branding, development agree with, and supporting native communities.
As an example, they introduced efforts to improve inexpensive housing and small trade lending. In addition they funded non-profit organizations that supplied monetary literacy.
What They Were given Proper
When your business is below public scrutiny or has suffered a PR disaster, I believe it’s extra vital than ever to lean into your logo. What’s your undertaking? What units you except for competition? Why must shoppers make a choice you?
Appearing up issues. It’s now not sufficient to simply be offering nice products and services — going the additional mile in being a treasured useful resource yields cast agree with and loyalty. Groups that transcend their core choices to in actuality improve their shoppers and communities stand out.
What Groups Can Be told
Lead together with your undertaking. Assist shoppers know what to anticipate out of your logo. If you are feeling that you simply don’t have a powerful logo identification, I like to recommend the use of this loose information to discover, outline, and keep in touch your “why.”
5. Lego
It’s possible you’ll think the toy business can be deemed unessential right through a recession — and also you’d be right kind. So right through the 2008 U.S. recession, Lego made up our minds to increase into a world marketplace, concentrating its efforts on development earnings in Europe and Asia.
The corporate reached an all-time excessive profitability through figuring out that one of the best ways to climate a home typhoon used to be to set its attractions on untapped territory.
What They Were given Proper
Because the 2008 recession used to be maximum acutely felt through the U.S., increasing into new global markets that have been at an advantage financially used to be a super transfer for a logo promoting unessential items.
What Groups Can Be told
Pondering small (actually) will charge you. When your own home marketplace is hard, taking a look past acquainted borders and exploring new alternatives can also be the important thing to survival. If you are feeling your present marketplace stagnating, you’ll discover new markets the use of those gear to increase your achieve.
6. Mailchimp
Mailchimp has been thru so much. The e-mail advertising and marketing corporate weathered the commercial downturn in 2001 (if truth be told, that’s when it used to be based) and the 2008 recession. In 2008, the corporate altered its complete style to turn into a freemium trade. Their earnings soared after that.
What They Were given Proper
I believe Mailchimp is a smart instance for different SaaS companies. They knew they presented a treasured carrier and that many corporations would get pleasure from it, however they identified that tightening budgets would save you manufacturers from signing up.
Via providing a freemium plan, they might supply genuine price to companies for free of charge. As soon as the ones companies actually liked Mailchimp’s carrier and sought after to develop, they have been prepared to pay for the upper tiers.
What Groups Can Be told
Many purchasers sought after to make use of Mailchimp right through the recession as it used to be loose. Via adjusting to the days and providing a no-cost product, the emblem used to be ready to develop. They’ve maintained this trade style ever since — and you’ll enforce it, too.
Questioning easy methods to value your SaaS merchandise? Take a look at this weblog.
7. Warby Parker
Warby Parker sells glasses in particular person and on-line. They promote frames for prescription glasses in addition to shades and contacts. What actually sticks out to me is their cutting edge manner of promoting frames on-line.
I’m a large fan of Warby Parker’s style — I simply so came about to be one in every of their shoppers right through the pandemic. I comfortably decided on 5 frames on-line and had the danger to check them out at domestic free of charge for 5 days ahead of settling on which I preferred maximum. As soon as my determination used to be made, I then despatched them again by way of a pay as you go label. My variety (this time with my exact prescription) made its method to me in a while after.
What They Were given Proper
Warby Parker used to be filling a essential hole right through disaster: Offering a low-pressure and inexpensive manner to buy stylish glasses with out leaving your home. Via making their carrier to be had in a unique shape, Warby Parker used to be ready to climate the pandemic when many different corporations went into bankruptcy and higher serve their shoppers.
P.S. I nonetheless have my “Hughes” within the Chestnut Crystal nowadays — simply with an up to date prescription. Warby even sends me reminders when my prescription is nearing expiration, along side a proposal to make use of their very own Digital Imaginative and prescient Check.
What Groups Can Be told
It is a lesson in how groups can capitalize on business wishes and main unaddressed ache issues. Warby Parker created a method to tedious and dear eyewear buying groceries that’s nonetheless in call for nowadays. Imagine how you’ll higher serve visitor wishes or make your providing extra handy to nowadays’s shoppers.
8. Partake Meals
All through the pandemic, Partake Meals, an early-stage snack corporate catering to these with main meals allergic reactions, used to be thriving. It closed a $4.8 million collection A investment spherical in past due December 2020, led through traders together with Rihanna.
When I completely interviewed its founder, Denise Woodard, for Forbes in January 2021, Woodard instructed me her grind were given her very a ways. “I offered cookies out of my automobile up and down the road in New York each and every unmarried day; I drove to herbal meals shops and did demos each and every unmarried day . . . there’s such a lot of an extended grind.”
What They Were given Proper
Woodard’s advertising and marketing efforts and crew have advanced from those early days, however this hands-on means, purpose-driven storytelling (like leaning into the meals allergic reactions of Woodard’s personal daughter who impressed the emblem), and spirit of connection stay main thru strains. This robust logo tale and identification make Partake meals stand proud of different manufacturers, personally.
What Groups Can Be told
Don’t underestimate the worth of mission-driven branding; it’s incessantly what makes you stand out and construct lasting loyalty, particularly in crowded markets. A powerful tale and message, even with a distinct segment thought or product, could make the entire distinction.
9. Hire The Runway
Hire The Runway introduced in 2009 to provide high-end attire and equipment on a subscription or one-time apartment foundation. The logo used to be a saving grace right through the recession — other folks with a lot tighter budgets may enjoy luxurious style with out the hefty ticket or long-term dedication of possession.
What’s extra, RTR used to be a welcome possibility for a rising shopper base aware of sustainability and aware intake.
What They Were given Proper
RTR modified luxurious attire buying groceries eternally. Spotting that most of the people didn’t have cash to burn on fancy garments for one instance, they learned that they had a chance to modify a one-time acquire right into a apartment/subscription style.
What Groups Can Be told
Figuring out shopper wishes is the basis for unlocking your maximum compelling promoting issues. Whilst you actually perceive what your shoppers are suffering with, hoping for, or intending to, you’ll spotlight the sides of your services or products that topic maximum to them. Take a look at considering out of doors of the field to disrupt the norms and be offering one thing new.
10. Topicals
Topicals, which gives science-backed adapted skin-care answers, introduced in August 2020 on the peak of COVID. Stigmas round pores and skin problems and the way it impacts psychological well being performed an enormous position within the logo’s advertising and marketing.
Inside of months, Topicals used to be promoting out again and again. I believe Topicals’ luck lies in figuring out the underlying explanation for a client ache level coupled with a powerful network.
What They Were given Proper
Topicals created an on-line network for its shoppers at a time when most of the people have been remoted and lonely. They took the chance now not simply to advertise their product however to in actuality connect to their patrons and attach them to one another.
Wish to construct an internet network, too? Use those templates to get began.
What Groups Can Be told
Imagine how you’ll lean into customized advertising and marketing. I wrote about how Topicals does this masterfully in a earlier HubSpot article. Making shoppers really feel particular and liked is particularly vital in difficult instances.
Have in mind: Alternative is ample in turbulent instances.
Chatting with Touchland some 5 years in the past, I knew it used to be poised for greatness. Why? As a result of its fearless chief had the best mindset and undertaking.
“Turbulent instances power readability,” says Lisbona. “They make manufacturers focal point on what actually issues to shoppers and do away with distractions. All through the pandemic, we noticed a surge in call for for hand sanitizers, however extra importantly, we noticed a need for increased self-care. That perception allowed us to put Touchland now not as a software, however as an indulgent second of pleasure in other folks’s routines.”
I’m impressed through manufacturers like Touchland that use unsure instances to double down on their why. We will be able to all agree that the state of the sector will at all times be unpredictable, however the corporations that stand company of their aim, aren’t afraid to pivot, and keep attuned to probably the most urgent wishes in their shoppers are those located for lasting affect.
Editor’s be aware: This publish used to be at the beginning revealed in July 2020 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
