Don’t want to be an American idiom – How a common phrase conceals a great strategy

Not so fast.

That seems to be an oft-repeated phrase these days.

Imre and I like to compare notes on how the novel coronavirus is affecting life on our respective sides of the pond. In many ways, the German and the U.S. responses have not been that different, news reports to the contrary. Most importantly, Germans and Americans are both very hopeful business—and life—can return to normal soon.

When my colleague wrote “the lockdown due to the corona crisis is almost over,” it seemed like it was. Summer was starting and many European and American states were cautiously re-opening amidst a “flattening of the curve.” Then spikes started appearing. Governments hit the pause button. Businesses closed their doors again.

Not so fast.

Idioms are important. They are part of a culture’s personality. They’re a shibboleth that clues an audience in that you understand them. This is the very reason Imre Szerdahelyi and The O’Connor Group have decided to partner. Having worked together on opposite sides of the Atlantic, we each saw a need to bring effective communication—idiomatic marketing and strategy—to each other’s countries. By understanding the challenges U.S. and Europe-based companies face, whether from SARS-CoV-2 or global policy changes, we feel our EURUS partnership can benefit everyone.

But the other thing about idioms is they become so ingrained in a culture, no one stops to think about what they really mean. To Americans, “not so fast” means STOP. But that is not what those words mean at all. Literally, “not so fast” means, “proceed with deliberate caution.”

Not… So… Fast. It all makes sense.

At the beginning of the pandemic, I wrote that we would not have a permanent shutdown, that human needs would not brook a prolonged closure of commerce unless the disease was truly diabolical. However, we’ve seen that reactions based on (understandable) emotions and desires sometimes lead to reversals (in this case, the rollback of re-openings).

The watchwords for your strategy going forward could be not so fast. Meaning think strategically, plan deliberately, consider contingencies, and most of all, communicate your path. Communication reassures. It demonstrates transparency and fosters trust. Most of all, showing you are moving carefully allows your business to blaze a trail between reckless abandon and frustrating timidity.

The balance between boldness and caution will be different between companies. On the global stage, it may even differ between countries. The smart move is to work with a marketing and strategy firm that understands the idioms in the regions where you work. Because sometimes even the idioms are misunderstood.