I think we all know that there’s a recession coming. Spiralling energy and fuel costs will be getting worse due to sanctions against Russia, while the Ukraine war will drive food prices up. Projections suggest that the UK’s GDP, only just recovering from the effects of Covid, will be hit hard.
A recession inevitably means that many SMEs will go under — but, at the same time, some businesses can not only survive a recession but actually grow. Some of the difference is down to smart organisation, but a good deal will be how well they get their message across, in order to replace lost customers — at the very least.
Cutting Through the Noise
Of course, most businesses are going to be doing the same thing — but the question is whether they’re doing it in the right way. There’s going to be even more noise out there than there normally is, and a lot of it will be business owners and marketing managers shouting in panic.
And, of course, you have to be heard through it. Should you buy a megaphone to cut through the noise? Well, that’s not likely to work. You might be heard, but what will be heard most of all is that you’re panicking, too.
A great actor doesn’t need to shout. A whisper is enough — it resounds everywhere and commands attention, even though it doesn’t seem as loud as the rest of the noise around. If you want to really stand out in the hubbub of the recession, speak quietly, clearly and with authority.
How Does This Apply to Written Content?
Of course, all this talk of megaphones and whispering is just a metaphor when it comes to the written content that will really make a difference. I’m sure you receive plenty of written content that blares at you stridently through a megaphone. Non-stop emails, for instance, that teeter on the edge of spam, all about how wonderful the sender is.
Or maybe you barely remember them — because they go straight into the trash as soon as you see the name.
That’s not how you need to be heard. The commanding whisper is sparing and expertly placed. It doesn’t act like a third-rate advertisement. Instead, it gives your audience something valuable to them, quality content that make them curious to find out what else they can learn from you.
Let’s have a chat about how to make that whisper irresistible to your target audience.