With the specter of recession looming for businesses and consumers, you have probably had a few questions from your clients about how to manage risk.
Make no mistake. Your clients are hearing from other firms about things that go bump in the night. This proactive outreach by the competition is a huge reason to schedule client check-ins and push out content that addresses immediate concerns.
Head Off Your Competition
When dealing with worried clients, how you communicate is just as important as what you communicate. Retain trust with your conversations and content.
Whether you have an internal content committee or you regularly schedule client calls, here are some things to avoid when talking with your clients right now.
At first glance, these seem like the opposite of what you should do but read more closely.
1. Don’t Focus on Facts
When clients have uncertainty, they want their advisors to provide context. Accountants can remain objective while also providing options for the client. Don’t just focus on interest rates or a bond rally. Consult on possible solutions to worrisome facts.
For example, a client wants to know if they should take out a loan right now. You could talk about interest rates, but it’s better to explore why they want to finance right now and then discuss all their options.
2. Don’t Calm Them Down
Worried and stressed people often go into fight or flight mode. In each extreme, they can be irritable or they can be totally checked out. Rather than attempt to calm their fears, address them.
Acknowledge that they are experiencing chaos, upheaval or loss. Once they feel heard, then you can talk about solutions. In conversation or your content, acknowledge their realities before trying to fix them.
3. Don’t Make Them Prepare
Don’t make clients feel like they have to prepare or do the heavy lifting for a meeting. This means that firm leaders need to prepare for themselves and the client.
Stressed clients will postpone or cancel meetings. When they do meet, they will expect some type of value for each meeting… a solution, an idea or a referral.
These are just a few ideas to support your content and client communications in the coming months. It’s worth the extra time to customize your newsletters, proposals, emails and social media to address client worries. Acknowledge what’s happening for them. Suggest ideas. Help them prepare.
Did you know? Ingenuity Marketing Group leads content strategy sessions. We will also do assessments on your content voice and calls to action for customized client communications, proposals and leads. Let us know how we can help.
