Leaner staffs mean fewer communicators with current and prospective customers. Turn up the volume of your organization's written messages by increasing the quality of your letters, e-mails and proposals.
Write directly to your reader. The "Dear Customer" and "one-size-fits-all" approach lumps the reader in with the masses at a time when personalized, targeted attention may be your only differentiator.
Focus on your reader's pain. Reference your reader's needs in your opening lines rather than hawking your product or service. Then refer to your offering as a way to increase his efficiencies, expand his marketing channels and/or help meet his goals.
Promote value. Rather than proclaim "we'll work for peanuts," use your copy to encourage building long-term relationships, working out trades, opening opportunities to new audiences together, etc.
Those companies that continued to communicate during each prior recession emerged ahead of their hunkered-down counterparts when the economy improved. Position your written communications for the same future success.
From Executive Speak/Write, oral and written communications trainers who want to ensure your communications skills offer a necessary edge in these economic times.
