March 23, 2020

Several days ago I had to pack up my podcast studio and relocate. With fast-food and coffee establishments going to drive-through only, it was only a matter of time before banks followed suit. I had to pull out of our studio inside Renasant Bank and relocate.

Not knowing exactly when that closure might occur, I had to decide quickly on what was important enough to take and what could stay. Important decisions had to be made rapidly, and it was stressful. I had to think ahead to how my production would change and I had to be prepared.

My friend Beth-Sarah Wright writes that the original Greek meaning of what we call an apocalypse is “a revealing, an unveiling or unfolding of things not previously known.” Whatever words you use to refer to the disruption from COVID-19, whether an “apocalypse,” “disaster,” or some other term, terms like “revealing” and “unveiling” apply as well.

Our default is to look at chaos and only see what’s wrong. We only see what’s missing or what we think is no longer possible.

Chaos shuts off options, but that’s not all.

Disruptions also reveal. They clarify. Chaos forces us to distill what is essential.

Your clients and prospects are going through their own chaos, of course. Their chaos, too, has not only shut off former ways of doing business, but also revealed what’s necessary. What they are going through shines a light on what they can’t live without. Some of what’s necessary wasn’t even on their radar screen a few weeks ago. Their disorder has realigned their values and priorities.

As your clients and prospects reevaluate essentials, we, as professional services providers, must recognize their shift. We’ve got to be in touch to understand how their values have shifted. In some cases, we need to think ahead to what they will need even before they themselves realize it.

Offering an empathetic ear, for example, may have suddenly become much more important for many of your client relationships. You may have a client who now has an opportunity they didn’t know of or think was possible before. They may need encouragement and advice on how to execute.

What has the current “apocalypse” unveiled for your clients and prospects? How can you add value in those revelations?

 

 

Photo by Anete Lūsiņa on Unsplash

©Ray Business Advisors, LLC and John Ray

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About me:  I’m enthusiastic about how changes in pricing strategy can significantly change profitability for a business and enhance life choices for business owners. I live this passion through Ray Business Advisors, my outside CFO and business advisory practice, in which my pricing is exclusively value-based, not hourly. I work with business owners on how they can change their pricing not just to increase their profits, but better serve the wants of their customers. Click here to learn more or call me at 404-287-2627.