With the advent of effective COVID vaccinations and treatments, will the world open up again? Will traditional brick and mortar establishments revert to being the standard for customers to access goods and services?

In the opinion of most who study trends, the answer is “probably not.” A remote workforce has evolved and has proven to be an effective and productive way for employers to manage staff as well as cut costs. For the most part, it’s working for individual staff and teams too.

Meaning, online access will continue to be a major source of accessing goods & services for a majority.

(But, as with any savvy market planning, don’t ignore the traditional access customer. If your business has been based on walk in customers, continue to court those as well!)

In the 2021 new economy, heavily emphasizing online.

“How do you compete?

Though people may not be as locked up in their homes and within their national borders, one of the biggest trends of 2020, the rise of localization — from shopping to experiences to food, is likely to continue. So,

Brand is the key to unlocking a cult-like following. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re building one:

Tell a story. Drift’s brand narrative has been passed around every B2B marketing team and helped them nab $114m in funding. Just remember that the main character in the story is your customer, not your product.

Stand for something. Brand is not throwing a product on pastel backgrounds with sans serif font. You must stand for something meaningful: “Think different” (Apple), “Real beauty” (Dove), “Arm the rebels” (Shopify). These brands have manifestoes that don’t accommodate indifference — you’re either in or out.

Show how. Finish this sentence: “The best electric car is [blank].” Most of us aren’t thinking Nissan Leaf. Tesla offers a more compelling path to reduce oil dependence. Your dominant selling idea needs to be important, believable, and memorable to your market.”

From The Hustle