Newsletter

Creative Corner

What Can You Say?

By Ken Jacobs, Creative Director

From a personal perspective, we’ve all come face to face with someone going through a difficult time and find ourselves not knowing what to say. Or, we’ve tried to write a note of condolence and our mind just goes blank.

It’s much the same today, when on behalf of your company, you’re trying to reach out to customers. Many of them are hurting. Or worse, they’re scared half to death. And who can blame them?

A lot of people have lost their jobs. Significant personal and business wealth has disappeared – for quite awhile if not for good. So it’s easy to feel stressed out when you try to communicate with your customers. What can you say that won’t be taken as blatantly self-serving? Can you say anything that would make a difference in how they think about you? Can your message move people forward?

Yes, though it can be a real challenge. In times like these, it’s wise to work with people you trust and whom you know to be good communicators. The nuance, clarity and brevity they bring to your message can make all the difference. The last thing you want to do is whatever you’ve done before.

Times have changed and so should your message.

What you say to customers now can help your company emerge stronger when the economic climate improves. You’ll be well served if those who develop and approve your marketing messages are aware of, and appreciate, these suggestions by Paul Nunes, the executive director of research at Accenture's Institute for High Performance and a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review:

Be empathetic -- without being pathetic. Forgo messages implying customers should help you reduce inventory. Instead, tell them about well-deserved bargains. There’s no need to drag your customers down by striking an overly somber tone. Positive messages help convey real empathy. Bringing in terms to the conversation like "value," "sensible," "secure" and "affordable" can demonstrate you're on the same wavelength as your customers and buoy the conversation without being Pollyanna about it.

Offer real assistance -- not happy talk. Companies that can make their promises tangible can gain an advantage. Hyundai's recent offer to customers who lose their jobs that it will take back their cars was a powerful statement, and one that built affinity to the brand in millions more customers.

Adjust to your customers' changed behaviors -- Not only have customer attitudes changed, but so too have their behaviors. They may be at work longer; they're probably shopping for discounts and eating out less. So bring the conversation to your customers: look for innovative ways to reach them where they live and where they go.

Address people's attention deficit-- Not everyone will want to emulate Miller High Life's one-second Super Bowl commercial, but time-starved, on-edge consumers are likely to value advertising that's quick and to the point.

Say something -- Silence in a conversation conveys a message too, and customers who hear nothing at all are likely to either forget you or to feel forgotten. Research shows that up to two-thirds of companies that "go dark" during a downturn diminish their relationships with customers. It also shows that those that continue to communicate with customers see a greater uptick when the upturn comes.

And the upturn will come. Having a good heart-to-heart with customers today may well help it come a little sooner for your business.