When COVID-19 hit, many B2B SaaS companies froze their marketing efforts. As CMO for Mobivity, a customer engagement platform, I saw an opportunity to pivot strategy and drive growth while competitors retreated. Here's how we transformed potential customer churn into revenue expansion and new market opportunities.

The Challenge: An Unprecedented Crisis

With customers in QSR/dining and retail facing government-mandated closures, Mobivity encountered an immediate crisis: Enterprise clients began pulling back on core products, and SMB customers started canceling subscriptions. We needed to act fast to protect revenue while demonstrating our value as a strategic partner.

Strategic Response

Instead of accepting the pullback, we implemented a three-pronged strategy:

1. Enterprise Customer Retention & Expansion

• Developed crisis-specific product recommendations

• Launched CEO communication campaign advocating for increased platform usage

• Rolled out new crisis-relevant products, including employee communications tools

• Provided strategic guidance on leveraging mobile messaging when email inboxes were overwhelmed

2. SMB Market Protection

• Implemented proactive 90-day credit program to prevent cancellations

• Created twice-weekly strategic guidance for customers

• Maintained platform access to preserve customer relationships

3. Market Share Capture

• Launched aggressive "COVID Stimulus" pricing strategy

• Introduced flexible 90-day contracts vs. annual commitments

• Positioned new mobile messaging solution for rapid adoption

  

Results

Enterprise Segment:

• 34% increase in messaging volume YoY during peak crisis

• Multiple new enterprise clients acquired through strategic product positioning

• Increased product adoption and experimentation from existing customers

SMB Segment:

• Minimized customer churn through proactive retention strategy

• Generated dozens of new qualified leads

• Successfully converted trial customers to full-price annual contracts

Key Learnings

This crisis proved that strategic marketing leadership during uncertainty can:

• Transform potential losses into growth opportunities

• Drive product innovation based on immediate market needs

• Create stronger customer relationships through proactive partnership

• Capture market share while competitors pull back

Chuck’s Take

When faced with unprecedented disruption, the difference between surviving and thriving often comes down to one critical choice: how you respond. While many organizations froze in reaction to COVID-19, we recognized that inaction wasn't just risky–it was potentially fatal.

By choosing to lean in, we transformed crisis into catalyst. We protected revenue streams by helping customers adapt, deepened partnerships by providing genuine value, and discovered new growth opportunities when others were retreating.

The lesson was clear: in times of uncertainty, bold, strategic action coupled with authentic customer support isn't just good business–it's essential for long-term success.