POSITIONING, PACKAGING, AND (POSSIBLY) PIVOTING
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A major key to keeping your small business sustainable is to position and package your product or service when facing new market conditions. While positioning and packaging are "must-haves" for your business, pivoting should only be the option you turn to when you've exhausted all others. Only pivot as appropriate to help you make it to the "other side" – you may decide you don't need to pivot at all, but you will definitely need to recontextualize your positioning to fit these unusual times (and your current needs).
The 3 P's
Everyone's needs have shifted during this pandemic – not just small businesses. In order to ensure your audience's needs are being met just like yours, it's important to look to the 3 P's – positioning, packaging, and pivoting – for help.
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Positioning: Let's look at Nike, which put out a campaign encouraging people to 'play inside' as governments enforce social-distancing measures. As per Nike's usual standards, the copy – by advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy – turned heads: "If you ever dreamed of playing for millions around the world, now is your chance."
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Packaging: Companies adjusting to this crisis in a multitude of ways, from restaurants turning waitstaff into delivery drivers to boutiques focusing on selling loungewear and pajamas. Ask yourself: How can you package your own business differently?
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Pivoting: There may come a time when you have to concede that pivoting is the best option for you and your business. You may sense that something isn't quite right with your model, or be forced to rethink your operations due to external influences, and decide to pivot – like designer handbag company Louis Vuitton selling hand sanitizer or bridal companies selling face masks to match wedding dresses.
Find Your Inspiration
Before COVID-19, Kidadl operated as an online platform for discovering and booking family events and experiences. With its community of parents going into lockdown, the company has found new ways of providing a service by pivoting to become an online destination for ideas and inspiration for stay-at-home fun and learning. The new Kidadl homepage launched for lockdown now lists over 1500 free activities and resources to make family life in lockdown much easier.
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AMERICAN RED CROSS OFFERS VIRTUAL PREPAREDNESS TRAINING |
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In an effort to encourage the community to prepare for any type of emergency and learn ways they can respond, the Red Cross has created two new pages on their website to promote their Preparedness programs. Currently, they are offering free virtual opportunities for older adults, children, and their families to learn more about emergencies. These online classes will be offered throughout the month – at no cost – and are available in English and Spanish.
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Friday, September 25: 11:30 AM – 12:45 PM
Monday, September 28: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
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Tuesday, September 22: 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: HEAD PINZ |
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HeadPinz Fort Myers is a fun entertainment destination in Southwest Florida. Great games, awesome food & beverages, laser tag and much more!
HeadPinz is safe, sanitized, and ready to roll with the following established for safety:
- Following all sanitizing rules set forth by the CDC.
- Temperature checks for all of their employees before their shifts.
- Required social distancing in all areas of their building.
- Wearing of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Installed protective barriers between customers and staff at key interaction points.
- Hand sanitizing stations through the building.
- All new sanitizing procedures for house bowling balls and rental shoes.
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HeadPinz has rolled out a new deal for families:
FRIDAY NIGHT/FAMILY NIGHT (5-8pm). 2 hours of bowling for a family of 4 (rental shoes included) and a bonus $20 Game Zone card, too. Kickstart your weekend in their safe, sanitized big house of FUN! $49.99 (you can add a large 1-topping pizza for $10).
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On Wednesday, September 30 at 9:00AM the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce will present a program to educate attendees on the six Florida Amendments on the November 3 ballot. This non-partisan event will be led by Andrew Wiggins, Senior Director, Political Affairs & Coalitions Advocacy at the Florida Chamber of Commerce, who will discuss the implications of voting yes or no on each. Mr. Wiggins will also share an update on the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
This virtual event $10 for Chamber members, $20 for future members. Advance registration is required for login credentials.
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2020 BUSINESS SUMMIT - FIRST ROUND OF SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED! |
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The Chamber's Business Summit is taking on a new format this year. Instead of one day packed with sessions and hosted at a hotel, we are embarking on a multi-day virtual event that has 1-hour sessions strategically placed at 8:00AM, noon and 4:00PM to limit the affect on your workday.
The Summit launches on Monday, November 16 at 4:00pm with Keynote speaker, Christin Collins. The event continues with 3 sessions each on Tuesday, November 17 and Wednesday, November 18, and concludes on Thursday, November 19 with an 8:00am session and closing speaker at noon.
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Confirmed speakers/topics as of September 21 include:
More speakers and topics are being added daily!
The cost is $75 for Chamber members and $99 for future members. Registration provides access to one session per time-slot live on Zoom over the 4 days and recordings of ALL sessions, the keynote and closing presentations. Registration is non-transferable.
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LEE COUNTY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO BUSINESSES
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Another round of distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is planned for Lee County businesses. Business representatives will receive 200 facemasks and a case of hand sanitizer; limit one PPE-pick up per company. The business distribution sites will operate 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weather permitting and while supplies last at each site:
No advance registration is necessary. County staff will ask the person representing the business for the business name, address and EIN number (Employer Identification Number). Only businesses with Lee County addresses will be eligible to receive PPE. For more information, visit www.LeeFLCares.com.
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Wednesday, October 7, 4:00PM
Tuesday, October 13, 5:00PM
Wednesday, November 4, 4:00PM
Friday, November 6, 12:00PM
Tuesday, November 10, 5:00PM
Wednesday, December 2, 5:00PM
Tuesday, December 15, 8:00AM-6:00PM
Chamber Holiday Open House, 2310 Edwards Drive
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(NON-HUMAN) CHAMBER MEMBER OF THE WEEK: GRAYSON ONOREVOLE |
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Grayson the cockatiel joined the Chamber staff in March when his hu-mom, Linda Onorevole, our director of operations, began working remotely. For five months Grayson participated - whether welcome or not - on phone calls and online meetings. Although Grayson loved being part of Leadership NEXT and Women in Business, his very favorite person to chat with was Colleen DePasquale. During Linda and Colleen's many daily talks, Grayson serenaded Colleen and shared all about his day (and still does!)
Grayson was adopted from a bird rescue in Upper Darby, PA in 2012, moved to NJ, and has been a Florida resident since 2014. He loves singing along to voice and piano lessons when Linda teaches at home, and talking with the SWFL birds who visit the birdbath in the yard. He does not like frogs, and makes his disdain for their night croaking during rainy season very well known!
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