We are sure you received a ton of emails from every company that has your email about how to reach them, how they care about their employees, and how they are cleaning their offices. Your clients don’t need to know about that – they need to know that you care about the changes they are going through and how you can help them during this uncertain time. Hence, lawyers need to effectively communicate during this coronavirus crisis.
Eventually, this crisis will pass, and a sense of normalcy will return. Nobody knows how long it will take but it will come. Clients will have a long memory of who looked out for them. On the flip side, they will remember who had their own interests at heart. How do you want to be viewed?
Empathy, Consistency & Sincerity
Your messaging and communications are critical at this time. You need to be empathetic, consistent and sincere. You need to show an understanding of the issues that are most critical to your clients. And, you must send them relevant information about how you can help them meet specific challenges.
Every client is different, and each has unique needs. You may think you know what issues are the most pressing for them. However, to be sure, it is a good idea to know what is actually an issue. So, ask. Now, more than ever, it is a essential to communicate with clients. Find out their main concerns and address them. This is true for both business clients as well as individual clients. Don’t guess what is stressing them out. Ask! Only then can you effectively address their concerns. Hopefully, you can provide a legal solution. If not, you can be a good advisor and friend.
Some industries and segments of our population are going to be hit hard financially during, and after, this crisis. What can you do as a service provider to address those concerns? After all, you have a business to run and need paying clients. So, how can you make sure you get paid, especially from clients who may be financially decimated? Maybe you can create strategies to feel their pain while ultimately getting paid for your services. Can you defer billing or collections? Is it possible to discount your rates? Can you help them find funding through government programs? This is a very real issue for you and your clients. Work with them on this in a proactive manner.
Get it Right
One other point to make. As information is rapidly changing, avoid making proclamations. Such as, telling a client that she must deal with a certain tax issue by a certain date. Or, you should file bankruptcy as soon as possible. These things may change as the response to the coronavirus crisis develops.
Plan to come out of the coronavirus crisis on the best footing possible. Do the right thing for your clients. Also, you will do the right thing for yourself.
If you have any questions on how to effectively communicate during this coronavirus crisis, please let us know. We will help you get through these troubling times. And, we will gladly provide a free consultation.