Covid-19 is at the forefront of everyone’s minds these days, and there seem to be new developments in the media every single day. My company has been dealing with this obstacle for the past month, since China started showing problems. Today, I will be busy sending out memos, emails, and general information to all my clients.

During times of uncertainty, it’s important to exemplify solid leadership and demonstrate your role as the trusted adviser in order to help your clients navigate such difficult circumstances or obstacles.

As a business professional and the trusted adviser to your prospective clients, now is the time to help your prospective and current clients.

Here are some tips to help you communicate effectively with your clients:

1. Be transparent and proactive.

Your clients—or prospective clients—don’t expect you to know everything or be able to solve all the problems they might be facing. However, they will want to know you are remaining steadfast, strong, and present in order to help them should they need it. More importantly, they will want you to be honest and transparent in terms of the situation. They will want you to take an active and honest approach to providing them with the truth.

So be transparent and honest. Get out there, call, or email your clients to let them know how your business is proceeding and what precautions you are taking. For example, if you are a financial adviser facing a huge challenge in stock market, it’s time for you to pick up the phone, reach out to your clients, explain the situation, demonstrate the fact that they are still your priority, and reiterate that you are still there to take care of them.

2. Communicate your plan of action.

What are your plans for helping your clients navigate through this difficult time? Lay them out clearly and confidently. Again, do not feel you are expected to completely solve the problem. You can offer a few simple solutions to ease the challenges they are facing.

For example, if you are a human resources professional, you can offer advice to your clients about how to communicate reasonable and practical sanitation and preventative practices to employees. Now is the time when your clients will need you and the knowledge you bring to the table.

Be that trusted adviser. Continually ask yourself: How can I help my clients solve the problems they are facing?

3. Get personal.

Even though our relationships with our clients are professional ones, it is still very important to impart a personal touch to situations like the one we face today. Don’t exclusively focus on business. Instead, ask your clients how their families are doing, or how they have been personally impacted. As critical as it is to show your strength, it is also good practice to remind your clients that you are also, in fact, human, empathetic, and approachable.

When faced with great uncertainty, we are all affected.

The good news is we can all work together to overcome challenges as a community. Demonstrate this by asking how your clients are affected on a personal level.

Use these tips to be proactive and offer professional assistance during this challenging time. I hope you and your family stay safe.

For anyone who would like to review your messages to your prospects or clients, I am opening my calendar for the next 7 days.

Let’s craft messages to help your clients and build trust.

https://calendly.com/womenmakingbigsales-1/client-message-review

Together, we can overcome anything!

~Melinda