Of course, Google’s not the first company to pivot, notes Zach Szukala, the executive creative director of the digital design firm A Hundred Years. “Alphabet feels a dash too childish, yet in-tune with clever pivots of the moment like European telecom Orange shifting to Salt, and the recent evolution of Airbnb from house-sharing tech startup to a community-driven lifestyle brand.”
Other effective business pivots include PayPal, which started as a payment system through Palm Pilots; Starbucks, which once only sold coffee machines and beans; and Twitter, which actually began as the site Odeo, a podcast network the owners felt would fail because of iTunes, so they made the switch to what is now a social media giant.
These big-company pivots raise the question: Should you consider making a major pivot with your small business?
There can definitely be benefits to making major changes, according to Szukala. “A well-timed pivot can be the precise move necessary to capture market attention for a product, service or personality that has been waiting for attitudes, technology or a generational shift to be fully realized and embraced,” he says.
In other words, if your company is in the right place at the right time with a new and/or improved way of doing business or presenting itself, you could end up with increased recognition and a substantial jump in business.
Time for a Pivot?
So how do you know when it’s time for a change?
“When the time comes, you’ll know it,” Szukala says. “The essence of your work will no longer match your name or identity, or your business will be fulfilling goals that are now different from when you started. Pay careful attention when you constantly find yourself having to explain your name in some fledgling effort to substantiate it with the obvious mismatch between your work and its status quo.”
Other signs it might be time for a change:
- You find yourself clinging to the way you’ve always done things and are getting sick of hearing yourself say, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” Just because your business isn’t failing or even faltering now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make some changes.
- You’ve discovered a better way of doing things, and these superior methods could potentially make your company more successful.
- Your customers let you know that they’re in the mood for changes. If you begin to hear the same or similar suggestions for changes from clients, sit up and listen.
Mastering Pivots While Maintaining Your Brand
Pivots are a normal part of doing business, so don’t think you’ve done anything wrong if you find it’s time to do a 180. The key is to not be afraid to make changes that can eventually lead to more success.
Here are some additional steps to mastering pivots, suggested by Szukala.
- Focus on your business. “Take a close look at that core story that deep down embodies you, your organization and your product or service,” he says. “That core story is your differentiator.” It’s embracing that differentiator that can mean the difference between wild success and dismal failure.
- Don’t mistake a new logo for a new brand. A logo and a brand must work together, but they are completely different entities. Whereas a logo is an easily recognizable design element, such as a symbol or your name written in a certain script, it’s only a tool that can enable you to communicate your brand. Your brand encompasses your message and mission and is essentially how the public perceives and interacts with your company. Without the brand behind it, the logo is simply a design. Together, a good brand and logo can drive a company’s success.
- How your brand speaks is as important as how it looks. “You’ll get an initial reaction with the visuals, but longevity in voice, tone and, more importantly, experience are the keys,” Szukala says.
- Strong opinions in both directions can point toward a more vibrant brand. “Gut check your updated approach with trusted partners, clients and new business acquaintances,” Szukala says. “If you don’t find folks riled up in both directions, you may need to alter your approach.”
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