COVID19: Time to communicate

Adapting to the new normal.

Saying these are unprecedented times is an understatement. Everywhere we turn the news is just getting worse and there seems to be no end to the horror stories emerging on a minute-by-minute basis as the news feeds fill our screens.

We are worried for our family, our friends and our community in general while economic uncertainty undermines all of our plans for the future. The fear and shock is palpable and, right now, we are all just standing still, trying to catch our breath and take it all in.

In business however, standing still is no more of an option now than it ever has been. Remote working which has for years been touted as a futuristic Utopia, is here. Even our teachers are working remotely! Your staff are still working, your customers are still working and, perhaps most importantly, your competitors are still working.

The office doors may be closed, but we’re all still out here, in our home offices, at our kitchen tables, tucked in a corner somewhere trying to wrestle the tablet out of little Jimmy’s hand and get him to at least look at his Learning Pack, while writing proposals and following up on leads.

The next couple of months will undoubtedly change the face of business forever and yes, there will probably be some painful moments, but we are all in this together. No business will be left unscathed. So, while you’re sitting there wondering if now is the right time to speak to your clients, know that your clients and prospects are sitting there thinking the same thing.

So reach out! Send that email, make that call, wave to your neighbour, call your mum, write that blog post!

Make connections now that will see you through these hard times and out the other side. Your clients will remember those suppliers that stayed in touch when the business wasn’t there and will come to you when it is.

As a small business ourselves, obviously we want you buy a list of fresh prospects, take this time to get your databases cleansed, explore CRM options or get some customer profiling done, and there is real sense in this. If your current customers are a little quiet, go find some new ones.

If you’re unsure what direction you want your business to take, profile your customers and let that guide you, make sure that your business is as fit and healthy as it can be to weather this storm and come out punching.

But more than this, we want you to reach out to us. Our business is changing, and products and services we haven’t considered in the past will become relevant, current suppliers won’t fit with our future plans, our requirements will change.

So send that email, make that call, start moving.

This too shall pass