As I left our home and drove around the mountain, fog enveloped me quickly. Unexpectedly. There was no sign of fog when I pulled out of our garage.
The business environment changes that quickly, also, particularly with what influences our customers’ and clients’ lives.
For example, the shooting down of the Malaysia airliner over the Ukraine suddenly dominates our conversations, news media, buying habits, and prayers. It fogs our perception.
So how do you do business when tragedy fogs over your business?
Here are 3 Strategies to Work Positive in a Tragedy.
Headlights On
I turned on my headlights that foggy morning to see and be seen, but not on bright as that blinds me from the reflection back.
Since the tragedy is on your customers’ minds, be seen as acknowledging it. Speak into their conversations. Organize an after-hours prayer vigil. Invite them to join you in giving to a foundation to provide relief. As you do business out of this “Receive” core practice, you evidence more of your Work Positive lifestyle.
Avoid the “bright lights”—“I’m not going to fly”—as they reflect back and heighten anxiety. Your conversation is a step-down transformer, giving clients an activity that helps.
Slow Down
I slowed down my car that foggy morning to lengthen my reaction time to other vehicles…and give them more time, too.
For the weeks following a tragedy like the downing of the Malaysia airliner over the Ukraine, you may notice your customers slowing down their buying decisions. Of course, your cash flow needs feeding and it will as you continue to Work Positive. For now, understanding your business’ long-term relationships with clients is paramount. Urgency building, money back guarantees, and other buying enhancing benefits are still in place so work them.
Just know that when tragedy dominates our conversations, our buying decision process slows down. Fear trickles in. Life-and-death issues move upfront. Be patient and understanding with your customers. Slow down for now.
Stay Off the Road
Perhaps I should have checked the local news that foggy morning to stay off of the road for a bit until it cleared. But I avoid media news in the mornings.
I hope as a Work Positive business person you stay off the road of morning media news. It is by design a negative influence. If it bleeds, it leads.
Limit your media exposure especially in times of tragedy. Be informed, yet know that your business succeeds as you focus on the positive and filter out the negative. Your negative filter clogs quickly in a 24/7 news cycle of repetitive sound bites and video clips of the same scene. Access “pull media” like websites and exclude “push media” like TV/radio. Exercise your editorial license as a consumer of information. Stay off the road until it clears.
Tragedies like the downing of the Malaysia airliner over the Ukraine affect us all. Use these 3 strategies to build your customer relationships while the fog clears so you Work Positive in this negative world.
About the Author
Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 Amazon best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), coach, and speaker who helps business professionals increase sales with greater productivity so they get out of the office earlier. Discover more at www.ListentoLife.org.
