How do you continue to communicate with clients while the world is turning upside down? Do you back off and give everyone space? Do you reach out even more to not sever ties?

The answer lies more in how you communicate. Now is the time to be more strategic and purposeful with your communication. 

So how can you strategically communicate value in a time of crisis when attention is clearly elsewhere? 

1. FOCUS ON EMPATHY: Not every communication interaction needs to be a selling opportunity. The worst thing you can do to damage a relationship is to appear out of touch with someone else’s needs. Recognize the environment has changed and that your selling tactics have to adapt as well. That can often mean taking a break from pitching products and instead reaching out to simply say hello and check in. 

2. ASK QUESTIONS:  Once you’ve reached out to touch base and make sure everyone is OK, you can then focus on providing value. Ask clients what they need from you. Most of us tend to focus on our sales pitch, but purposeful communication means taking the attention off yourself and putting your audience in the spotlight.  When it comes to asking questions - don’t snorkel, scuba dive! Generic questions like “How are you” will only take you so far. You can’t tap into the heads of your clients without the right information and you don’t get answers to questions you don’t ask. So ask questions to find out what their needs are, how you can be of service, what’s working for them and what’s making things even harder now?

3. REMEMBER WIIFM: Once you know needs, you’re in a better place to add value. If you feel you or your product can make a difference, spell that out. Find the “What’s In It For Me!” What will your audience get from your message, why should they listen and why will your message matter to them? Once someone sees the value in it for them, their focus and attention will increase. If you feel the time is right to sell, highlight how you or your product can be specifically of service to address needs. How can you make things, easier, more simple, faster etc? Without the “What’s In It For Me” you run the risk of sounding insensitive by simply selling. When you take the time to think why your client should care, you are more apt to come across as helpful and valuable.

4. DON’T FORGET DELIVERY: When I do in person Media Training with my clients, we do taped interviews and playback for critique. Time and time again, no matter who the client is, the same critique frequently comes up. No one smiles. To be clear, there’s a time and a place for a smile! But what happens when we smile? We appear warmer, more engaging, more relatable and basically more human. So don’t forget to throw in a smile when you’re on a video conference with clients. Smiling even when you’re on the phone can brighten your voice and make you sound more empathetic. Try it! You’ll be surprised how well a smile can work to change your tone while talking. 

Before you claim value…you have to create value. Value comes when people feel heard, listened to and cared about. So take the time to ask questions so you can better target your message towards needs. In a time of crisis, targeted communication cuts through the clutter!

Amy Fond is a Media trainer and Presentations Coach with Cameron Communications www.mediatrainer.tv  For more information visit her Linked-In page at www.linkedin.com/in/amyfond  or e-mail amy@mediatrainer.tv