by Thembe Khumalo, founder and Managing Director of Brandbuilder

At a time when we are practicing social distancing in real life, we need to do the opposite with our customers. In other words, use this time to get closer. How can you do that?

Communicate, communicate, communicate!

This is so critical, (and seemingly obvious!), but over and over again we all find ourselves victims of poor communication from parties we are expecting better from. You children's school, your church, your local supermarket....all these are whose decisions affect us. When they don't communicate, that leaves us open to overwhelm, frustration and speculation. You may not realize what a critical role your business plays in the lives of your stakeholders, but it really does. You need to communicate more and better than ever before.

Communicate regularly - so you don't leave a period of "dead air" where people are wondering what's happening
Communicate on time - so people can plan ahead and mitigate potential inconveniences and discomfort
Communicate with compassion - remember everyone is afraid, everyone is confused, absolutely no-one knows what will happen next, so be kind in your communication
Communicate from your position of strength - focus your comms on the things that you really know about and have expertise in. In the same way that you won't catch me giving you medical advice, don't share information that you are not sure of. There are expert sources for technical information, so keep pointing your audiences to those.

As you are communicating remember these 3 important groups of people and what they need to know:

1. Your customers - get closer to them during this crisis. Tell them how this pandemic is affecting your business and your relationship with them. Tell them if you will still be able to honour your commitments, tell them if you won't be able to honour your commitments, and tell them if you are not sure whether or not you will be able to keep your promises. Tell them what you are doing to mitigate the effects of lockdowns, supply chain dramas, staff availability and so on. Then assure them of your continuing commitment to your contracts and your relationships. It's not enough to only make one announcement, you've got to keep the comms going, and encourage them to talk back.

Nature doesn't love a vacuum. If you leave an information vacuum, someone will come along and fill it with something.

2. Your staff - we can't just pay lip service to statements like "Our people are our greatest resource." We now need to live this out loud. And we need to communicate about how we are doing that. Make sure everybody on your team is safe, make sure they are aware of and adhering to whatever health and safety standards you have agreed to follow. Make sure they are bought into why you are making the decisions and choices you're making. Be clear with them about the potential consequences of each option. Check on those who are working remotely because they are all too easy to ignore.

3. Your suppliers - if you can stay friends in the tough times, you will reap rewards when times are good again. Don't mistreat your suppliers because you are going through some hard things. Remember this is a global issue. There is hardly anyone who will remain unaffected. The key is to keep the communication lines open. Even when the news is bad, share it upfront, share it with courage, and share it regularly. People will appreciate your effort to communicate, even if you don't have good news for them, and even if the news is "I don't know" or "I'm not sure" - stay open to good comms.

Thembe Khumalo is one of Zimbabwe’s leading voices when it comes to brand-building, business growth and personal development. A winner of multiple awards both at home and in the region, she is the founder and Managing Director of Brandbuilder, a high-performance brand strategy firm that helps entrepreneurial leaders and SMEs achieve visibility and growth through comprehensive brand strategy, creative execution and social media content strategies. Known for her clarity and courage, Thembe Khumalo’s leadership track record includes board positions in listed, unlisted and not-for-profit entities. With more than 20 years in the media and communication industry, she delivers a network of high-level relationships across many industries in several African countries. | thembekhumalo.com | www.brandtobuild.co | askus@brandtobuild.co