STRONG SUPPORTING ROLES

I went to the movies last weekend. My son and I are die-hard Marvel Cinematic Universe fans so naturally we saw the new Thor movie. It was terrific and we were not disappointed. Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman filled their roles as the main actors beautifully and the supporting cast complemented them very well. 

Once the movie was over, I started thinking about the role of a main character and the importance of the supporting actors. 

Just like in movies, your communication strategy should have one main “character” and then several strong supporting characters. The strategy will be different for some of you but as a rule of thumb, in a client-facing business, you should always have face to face or voice to voice communication as your main form of communication. In your amazing supporting cast, should be text, email, social media, and printed communication. 

People crave real connection. You can use that desire for connection to showcase your communication with your clients. Whenever possible, have your meetings in-person and your client calls over the phone. Do not depend on email and text messaging to do what your voice and facial expressions should be doing. When you depend on text and email, you effectively eliminate the one element that leads to real connection: the human element. 

Again, like in the movies, the story is incomplete without both the lead roles and the supporting roles. Your communication strategy will be incomplete and less effective if you use only one form of communication or a supporting form of communication when you should be using your main form.

Imagine watching Thor with no actors except the two leads. The movie would be boring, and the story would be incomplete. Your communication is the same. If you communicate with your clients via only one method, you may not be providing them with an experience that is completely satisfying.

In the hierarchy of your communication strategy, you should prioritize your methods of communication based on what stage of the business relationship you are in and the information you need to discuss. For example, when someone first reaches out to work with you, you should do everything possible to talk with them – whether it is over the phone, in-person, or via video conference, you MUST share your voice with them. Speaking is critical to forming a strong connection with your clients at the beginning of your working relationship.

Now, once you have established rapport with you client, you can (and should) ask them what their preferred method of contact is. If they prefer text or email, that is great, and you should use that moving forward. However, anytime there is a matter that needs to be discussed, pick up the phone or email your client and request that they call you back. Some issues need to be talked out. Tone, urgency, and empathy are all lost in written communication, so don’t be afraid to pick up the phone or request a meeting with your client!

To help you prioritize your communication in your client interaction, use the following as a guide:

1. Initial contact – you can send an email, but you should always speak to new clients within 72 hours of their initial inquiry. With all the technology available, you should have no problem connecting via zoom, messenger, good old-fashioned phone call, or in-person meeting.
2. Regular communication throughout your time together – utilize your client’s preferred method of contact. You should confirm this with them in your initial interview or contact so that you know their preference and can use it.
3. If an issue arises – ALWAYS attempt to speak with your client if there is a problem. 
4. Use text and email as follow ups to your spoken communication – when you have a conversation with your client (like a coaching call, meeting, etc), follow it up with an email or text recapping what you discussed. This is a great way to reinforce the information you discussed and keep track of your conversation.

I hope this article has helped you understand the importance of having a strong communication strategy with great main form of communication and complementary supporting forms of communication. By prioritizing your methods of communication and understanding when to use each one, you can build stronger relationships with your clients and give them the service you want to be known for!

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Ciao for now!