Eerie as it might be the normal outlets of social interaction, both personally and professionally, have changed. Possibly forever. Schools, houses of worship, gyms, movie theaters, restaurants and bars have closed until further notice. Companies are sending workers home for extended periods and everyone is told not to touch each other. It is like turning the lights off. What is left is darkness.

As a species we are social creatures. The need to interact is indefatigable. So, how?

The blessings that we like to curse, the internet, social media and the online world comes to the rescue. Maybe they are not as good as human physical contact, but somehow soothing that the world goes on.

After the recession of 2008-09 many of us referred to what remained as the “new normal.” I imagine the same thing will happen when this viral pandemic is extinguished. Businesses will discover the status quo has been turned upside down and new and exciting ways of being engaged with life have emerged.

Primarily video and streaming productions will become a more valuable currency in marketing, much more than they already are. When conferences, award events, networking meetings and corporate gatherings of all types got cancelled the void needed to be filled.  Enter virtual events, video conferencing, Zoom meetings, Google Hangouts, TeamViewer and Facebook Live streaming as the new normal.  Seeing, talking, communicating in cyberspace will help slake at least some of the isolation that will be felt as we go through this period of social distancing.

Surely human contact will return, it must. However, some of the new electronic ways will remain and be amplified.  It behooves businesses to be well versed in the new, to save the valuable from the past, and move on.

With hope the retrospective look back to this time will uncover the positives we learned, be a lesson learned and leave us better for having survived.