We started 2020 at such a wonderful note! From pitching disruptive and innovative plans to clients, to carving uniquely designed Instagram grid flaunting our team’s creativity and imagination, we stood out in the eyes of many. While we carved grids as if it was a real canvas, business was on the rise and appreciations poured in. It was quite overwhelming, and we thought that 2020 would be the game-changer!
Even better, the quality of deliverables were complemented by business numbers which touched the peak since our existence and showed gradual and consistent growth. We had laid down a robust roadmap of Mission 2X20, which stood for double (2X) efficiency in terms of quality & quantity for the team, positioning it as a year of unparalleled performance, achievements and growth.
4th year in to a business is a point, where there’s no looking back. However, when life gives you a 2020, all you can do is to hang in there! As a cricket fan, we would say, this was the first 20-20 which felt like a 366 day long test match.
While the world went under a lockdown, we moved out of a beautiful office place to work from home. Those ideal brainstorming sessions, client meetings as well as team discussion & celebrations became Zoom Calls. With good number of clients from events & offline business model, such as real estate, interior designing, solar manufacturing and installation units, sports academy, celebrity cricket tournament organizer, hospitality, etc., we saw things slowing down despite being in the digital marketing business. Clients who were willing to operate had major budget cuts, bringing their digital presence to as low as half. While we offered rebates to some of the client still operating, we ensured that there wasn’t a penny deducted in salaries and that they were paid well-in-time.
Our multi-fold expansion plan was hit and we started strategizing for Plan B. It was no different for the clients. Handful of clients for whom we had a similar expansion plan in place, both for marketing and businesses, struggled for their existence. Their strategies and thought process had to be changed overnight. There was a constant watch at the market, government’s take at the situation, and how this external environment was expected to impact all the businesses we were supporting.
Sooner than not, this became the new normal. A couple of months passed and the world started adapting to the situations and moved on. As a digital marketing partner to many businesses, it was important to constantly support them, while ensuring that the confidence of the internal team was intact.
While Covid-19 let us down for a couple of months making some of our customers to withdraw their marketing activities completely, we came back stronger by acquiring bigger clients who were now willing to experience and experiment on the digital platforms more aggressively. The team at Purple Sketch unanimously supported the businesses and took the responsibility of crafting and executing result-oriented and business driven strategies, to help the clients grow, despite such unstable situations.
2020 has been the year of exceptional experiences! From the smallest roadside vendors or daily wage labourers to most of the business giants, had their own reasons to worry. We have had our own share of experiences. And one of the most important experience has been to strive at your best for existence and the willingness to never give up. While everyday was a challenge, it was important to be positive every morning and share the same vibe with everyone in your team, clients and associates.
The Indian economy saw a contraction of 23.9% in its GDP in Q1 of current FY, and it is expected to close the year at a negative of 9.6%. The challenge still remains. While we cautiously move ahead, driving the right returns on investment, building and executing the right digital marketing strategies and creating the right content will play the key role in gaining the confidence of all the stakeholders in 2021. Once again with a plan to grow considerably, this year marks a new dawn with for all of us.
