Beyond the economic period that you are going through, investing to communicate and retain customers is the key to overcoming bad numbers.
For this reason, communication with customers cannot be an item to cut back within a company. Do you want the competition to stay with your target audience just because they are communicating and not because their quality is superior?
In times of crisis, the Marketing Communication budget is usually cut because it is considered that it is not essential, but the problem that arises as a result of this reduction is that the client will not be able to find your offer, the product or service will not be positioned, no there will be notoriety, with which the cut that supposed a saving ends up generating a great loss.
According to the Catalan specialist in project management and negotiation Montserrat García, from this situation, we deduce that the one who does invest, the one who communicates, the one who makes promotions, the one who is visible to the consumer will end up winning.
Especially SMEs cannot lose sight of presenting a value proposition to their products or services. You need to study the market, see the most appropriate ways and channels, new ways to reach the customer as well as to adapt to the environment, and be flexible.
Marketing and Communication are key pieces in business management; however, they are deciding to cancel campaigns, paralyze brand-building projects, forget Public Relations actions …, with arguments that, although legitimate and even on real occasions, often sound like fear and insecurity and that do not allow more strategic decision-making and above all, effective, for the interests of the medium and long term of the companies.
Companies should not stop doing Marketing and communicating when it is more difficult to sell if the main objective of all this is, precisely, to “sell”.
It is necessary for companies to continue investing in brand building, positioning, differentiation, commercial support, market share, sales … Although yes, in this uncertain scenario it is essential that each peso invested is efficiently and profitably.
In these stages of uncertainty, companies that provide differential value have the opportunity to shape their brand, establish their product and differentiate themselves from those that are weaker, to emerge stronger.
And, contrary to what it might seem, having the services of a Marketing, Communication agency is within the reach of any company, whatever size it may be. In addition, it is much more economical than other Marketing strategies.
At this time, any company, no matter how small its annual turnover, can afford (and should try to do so) to appear in the media.
The body: a communication tool
The human being has multiple ways of communicating. Perhaps the most used or taken into account is language, however, non-verbal language is the basis of the messages that people use. In fact, through the word, you can be saying something that through body language you can be denied.
When you want to give a message, therefore, you do not have to take into account only the word but also all non-verbal language, be it body or gesture.
Omar Nuno, general director of Vórtice Coaching and regional director of ICF International, explains that the message is integrated into 93% of non-verbal communication that includes body language and tone of voice. And what is expressed verbally is only 7%.
A person who says one thing with speech, but whose body communicates another, does not inspire confidence in the interlocutor, nor does it inspire empathy.
The basic aspects of non-verbal communication are:
Eye contact:
Eye contact is the first bond that is established between people. Looking straight ahead without being aggressive is challenging. Nuno recommends looking at the “third eye” of the interlocutor, that area between eyebrow and eyebrow, above the nose is safe, he points out.
The posture also says something:
“Nobody will get on top of us if we don’t bend our backs,” said Martin Luther King.
Always, the ideal, in any situation, is to keep your back straight, forward and your shoulders straight. In fact, Nuno explains that “When we have a straight back, neurotransmitters are activated and we process things much better.”
Physical contact: “Man is intelligent because he has hands,” according to Anaxagoras.
Physical contact is a good tool to establish relationships of greater trust, it is not always well seen, so it is necessary to evaluate in which situations contact can be established and in which not.
You have to pay attention because one should not be invasive or transgress the limits of each person. After all, that is not welcome.
A handshake denotes the confidence that the person has in himself, therefore, when doing so, the hand must be firm and with moderate strength.
A powerful smile:
“It is easier to get what you want with a smile than with the tip of the sword”, William Shakespeare.
Smiles are usually welcome and general well-being in the interlocutor.
Of all, it is not so easy to smile naturally, so it is necessary to show that the smile is not forced but natural and spontaneous.
The tone of voice:
“A strong voice cannot compete with a clear voice, even if it is a simple murmur”, Confucius.
Three different tones of voice can be distinguished: a low, a thick, and a medium. Not everyone is aware of it and only uses one of its tones, which, in many cases, is not the most fortunate.
The best voice is your middle voice, not too high, not too high. If you practice and still don’t feel comfortable, consult a professional, ”says Nuno. “The voice is a very powerful cover letter.”
