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A Simple Messaging Plan During A Crisis

Control what you can. Connect with your vital audiences. Stay positive.

Why a crisis messaging plan…

Because small business owners don’t have the luxury of hiring a crisis communication consultant. I created this framework plan to get you started with our new normal.

We must prepare to communicate with our audiences during continuous uncertainty.

In my 25+ year marketing career, one of my clients was U.S. Army Recruiting during the First Gulf War. This was my baptism by fire. Planning communications in life and death circumstances – far beyond our control.

You may not know what to do right now. But you do know a lot about your business.

And I don’t have all the answers either. But what you do know plus what I know – can help.

You can handle this.

Your one simple objective

Retain support of your audiences – people vital to your business – by:

Putting people above profits

Doing right by the people you serve

Get started…ask yourself:

How will COVID-19 affect my business?

Reputation? Operations?
Bottom line? Relationships?

What could I see that would indicate the business has been affected?

How has my business been affected so far?

What actions will I take?

Four steps to creating your plan

Your Actions + Communication

1. Who to talk to

2. What to say

3. Where to say it

4. When to say it

1. Who to communicate to?

Decision makers? Influencers who affect my future?

Customers / clients

Consultants / advisors

Community leaders

Employees

Insurance company

Landlord

Neighboring businesses

Partners

Suppliers

Contractors

Creditors / bankers

Others…

Who are your 3 most important audiences?

2. What to say?

Respond to increase trust and credibility

Correct misperceptions quickly

Strengthen relationships with different audiences

What do you want your audience to know?

What does your audience want to know?

What is your audience most likely to get wrong?

What does your audience feel — emotionally? Fear?

What does this mean to them?

2. What does your audience want from you?

Communicate quickly

Give them the facts

Repeat the facts

Be credible by

>Being empathetic & caring

> Expressing your competence & expertise

> Being honest & open

> Being committed & dedicated

3. Where to communicate?

In which channel does each audience expect to get your message?

Phone call

Website

Social media

App

Others…

What to do next…

Create your plan now & implement

Do ongoing re-evaluation & update

Who else to talk to?
What way will your message change?
Where will it appear?
When will you send/post?

You may not know what to do right now. But you do know a lot about your business.

And I don’t have all the answers either. But what you do know plus what I know – can help.

You can handle this.

Get answers to your crisis planning questions…

Send any questions you’ve got about your plan to [email protected] I’ll get an answer to you as quickly as possible.

Get more answers in a free 30-minute call. After our call, you’ll understand how to use the 4-step strategy for your crisis messaging plan. Reserve time on my calendar.

To get a PDF of the plan, click and download here. You’ll immediately be taken to the plan.

How to describe your business to attract clients: 5 steps to reach your ideal clients

Smiling woman wearing sunglasses outside. — What’s your answer?

My friend, a happiness coach told me over coffee her business had stalled. “Explaining what I do is hard and probably impossible. Because I do so many things. I’m unmarketable.”

She couldn’t easily describe her business to attract new clients. And in her heart, she knew she should have an answer to: “What is it you do?”

In fact, her problem wasn’t she was unmarketable. Or that she used too many modalities or techniques.

Her problem was answering the wrong question

Because in reality, the actual and burning question people have… is unspoken.

They might ask you – “What is it you do?”

But they’re thinking – “Why should I work with you?”

Answering the unspoken question is a fixable marketing problem. Simply, it’s how you describe your business.

Here’s the thing though, as marketers, first we have to reword their question. To find out exactly what our answer should include.

If I’m your ideal client – why should I choose you and not someone else?

Now we see they’re asking a Why question. Why should she choose you? To work with? Or buy from?

This question breaks down into 3 areas you can find specific answers for:

Understand your ideal client’s needs and desires
Know the value you bring your clients
Know what you offer that no one else does

Your answer to this question is a value proposition – in marketing-speak. It’s a statement that about what a client can expect from you. Your value proposition guides your marketing.

A strong value proposition is how you attract customers to your website or retail store – any business.

[Read more…]

Why is defining a specific and ideal audience important for spiritual entrepreneurs?

First, what is a specific & ideal audience?

You have people that you’re here to serve with your gifts. They are the reason you created your business. But if you’re a solopreneur or have a tiny staff, you are free to ignore the masses to focus on those you serve best.

Niche is also a term you may hear a lot. Or even target audience. However you think of your audience, you have to clearly define who they are. So you know where to find them. And how to talk to them.

As a spiritual entrepreneur, perhaps defining your audience feels too businessey. Not caring enough.

But defining a specific and ideal audience is important to your business – and how you serve your audience.

You can’t sell everything, and you can’t sell to everyone. You have to sell to who you serve the best.

Flint McGlaughlin

McGlaughlin is the Managing Director for MECLABS, a research group that improves clients’ marketing with the goal of increasing response. Since MECLABS began in 1997, McGlaughlin has seen clients’ results from tests on over 10,000 website landing pages, and in 1 billion sent emails.

Flint McGlaughlin is emphatic that you only serve the people who you serve the best.

[Read more…]

Never Feel Slimy About Your Marketing Again. Use These 6 Trust Principles Now. Part 2 of 2

Photo-credit-Foter.com

Make trust principles the foundation of your business

In Part 1, you read that feeling nervous marketing your business isn’t unreasonable. But it’s not necessary. When your intention is to build trustworthy client relationships, how you market is clearer. Putting your audience first is a game changer.

Potential clients want to trust you. But whether they’re conscious of it or not, they’re searching for clues that you’re trustworthy.

The research of Stefan Grafe, founder of mext, a global brand building consultancy, and his partner, Barbara Grohsgart, a psychologist, identified what clients need to know about you to trust you. From their findings and Charles Green’s work with Trusted Advisor Associates, I’ve developed a list of Trust Principles.

Using these Trust Principles will make it easier to know what to say in your sales and marketing. You’ll know which messages really matter to your clients. And you’ll feel more comfortable with your marketing.

6 Trust Principles

1. Empathetic Relationships – Clients know you are concerned for their feelings. You listen and let them know you understand. You don’t have to agree with them. But you do understand how they think.

2. Purpose – They know your purpose and your intentions for your business and for doing this work.

3. Improvement – Clients know you are dedicated to learning. They know you’re continuously raising your level of practice or skills in order to help them.

4. Competence – Clients believe you are well qualified to provide your service, specialty, or product. You don’t have to be the most qualified.

5. Solutions – You create and deliver the answers or solutions your clients come to you for.

6. Reliability – They know you deliver what you promise. You consistently do things the way they prefer or are used to.

Are you worthy of your clients’ trust?

Ask your clients. And ask yourself.

Use this Trust Assessment guide to learn how much your clients trust you. [Read more…] about Never Feel Slimy About Your Marketing Again. Use These 6 Trust Principles Now. Part 2 of 2