• Everyone is remote and morale/comradery is down. Developing regular communications (and keep in mind, these don’t always have to be written emails, they can be short videos or even a phone call) can help build team spirit when water cooler conversations no longer exist. Find ways to engage with your team and employees regularly, even if you don’t have a concrete update. A little communication goes a long way – but remaining silent can propel teams into a deeper sense of uncertainty and loosen the connecting ties you previously had.
• We don’t have that personal touch anymore. With the prevalence of social distancing, masks, shields, and general people avoidance, it’s difficult to connect in a human way. Add remote interaction to the mix and it’s even less personal. You can’t see a smile behind PPE, and you can’t read body language on a video chat. A handshake is now completely verboten. Those visual social cues, and even tactile moments, are gone. What do we have left? Our words. Our image. Our voice. Connecting is all about robust communication channels, warm and engaging content, and proactively anticipating needs and questions.
• How the heck do I network without in-person events? For people in business development, sales, or speaking, this is a very tough one. It’s hard to build a pipeline of prospective customers for your business, for instance, when those in-person conversations that happen at conferences are no longer an option. A successful way around this is hosting small, informational, online events on unique topics, alongside the publication of related content. This involves developing a communications strategy – and finding out those niche, or even obvious, interests of your desired audience – and promoting your knowledge on the subject. And, publishing videos on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, is now the expected way to show your stuff to the world. That means you have plenty of channels at your disposal to explore and establish reach.
• Mixing compassion with results. Despite the pandemic, we still have a bottom line. We still have to make profits, or at least break even, but we also have to be flexible and understanding with those who work for us or utilize our offerings. This means adopting an empathetic communication style. Before you communicate, consider your audience and all of the variables they may be facing. They may not have the fortune or luck you have. Their life may be much more challenging. So be thoughtful with your content, and always be willing to listen as well. This style of communication can really bridge your customer gaps, and keep your employees believing in the what and why of your business.

Remember, content is your connection, so use it wisely. If done well, it can help build relationships and correct a lot of issues – because communication is at the root of solving issues and developing your network.
BTW, we’d love to hear how you’re doing.
Send us a note at: ideas@bouncemarketingconsulting.com to say hello.