Imagine this…
It’s Sunday, May 4th - a Sunday very much like today, except this is the first day after the quarantine has been lifted, and you’re preparing for tomorrow - your first real day back at work.
You’re enjoying your warm cup of coffee catching up on today’s latest news. You’ve got a few quiet moments to yourself before the rest of the house stirs, so you indulge in a little social media scrolling and run through the to-do list in your mind for the day ahead. “Is there something fun I can do with the kids today? Can I carve out a little “me” time? I wonder if there’s something new at the farmers market today.” It’s the first time it’s been open since the city went into lockdown.
You’re prepping for your week ahead - ready and excited to open your doors again on Monday morning. Like many businesses, you’ve closed up shop to promote the health and well-being of the community. You’re thinking of the emails you have to send and the follow-up calls you have to make.
Now, it’s Monday morning and you're sending your kids back to school after a fun weekend. You’ve caught up on your emails and you’ve made your phone calls for the morning when your first customer of the day contacts you. They present you with a problem; they depend on you to solve it, as you have solved so many of their problems before. You are ready with a solution; they thank you, and you continue your day - business as usual.
Things have gone smoothly since you've been able to support your customers remotely during the crisis. You’ve been in constant communication with your team, and you’ve encouraged them to balance their wellness with their work for you. Wow! They’ve really shown up for you, and in return, you’re eager to be a great leader for them. You realize your business would not have made it without them. You’re humbled and proud of the team you’ve built. You’re going to be alright. Everything is going to be alright.
Now, imagine this…
…the same day - Sunday, May 4th. You wake up foggy - not even sure what time it is since the alarm clock hasn’t been used in weeks. You sneak out to the kitchen to grab a few moments to yourself before anyone else wakes up. The days have bled into one another, and you’re not even really sure it’s Sunday, but the newspaper on your table tells you it is. You’ve spent the last seven days mindlessly scrolling on social media, so you swear to yourself that today you’re going to take a break from all that.
As the coffee brings you back to life, you wonder, “What should I even do today? What’s on Netflix? Should I change my pajamas, at least? I really hope I don’t need to go to the grocery store.” It’s not really difficult to imagine what the day is going to look like - probably much of the same as it has been the past couple of weeks. You’ve lost count or any real acknowledgment of the date - the only thing telling you what day it is is your iPhone that you seem to be glued to. But not today. You declare, “today I’m going to be productive.”
You’ve been in isolation for the past few weeks, and you’re not really sure what the week ahead will bring. The news says that the rest of the country will open up on Monday, but you’ve had to let go of several of your employees, and the ones you do still have, you're not really sure of how they’ll function on Monday. Many of them have lost people in their families, and many of them have recovered from sickness themselves and may still be worried if they’re contagious. You think to yourself, “how can I be their leader? I’m dealing with my own stress at home. I’ve had to be strong for my own family. How can I possibly be strong for them?”
Monday morning comes, and your few and loyal employees show up to work with questions - so many questions. You put on a half-hearted smile and try to give them a glimpse into the next week or so. But the words are hard to find. Somewhere between comfort, confidence and worry, somewhere between personal and compassionate but professional and forward-thinking - you hope to say the right thing.
Equally important on each of these Sundays is connection. And though the words may be hard to find, connection is at the heart of all of them. Words are your most powerful tool regardless of what that Monday will look like for you. But the words cannot wait until opening day. The words must come from you now. Your customers, your clients, your employees, your vendors, and your partners - they want to hear from you. They need to hear from you.
Maybe you don’t have any physical doors to open and close for your business. Maybe you’re a solo entrepreneur and have no employees. The important takeaway is that you have a business and you have a community - a community that needs to hear from you. Maybe words have never been your strong suit and you’re struggling more than ever to find the right ones.
Now is the time to reach out for help.
Everyone is seeking a little bit of connection and a little bit of help during these uncertain times. Often help shows up to us from unexpected places. I’m that help today. I’m Lindsey Servin, and it’s my job to connect to people with words. I’m hoping to connect to you with these words.
Asking for help is a sign of strong leadership and strong direction forward. As a professional copywriter, I know the value of connection, and I know the value of words. I also know that you need to stay focused on your task at hand - maintaining your business and being a leader.
I want to help you stay connected.
I want to give you the words you need to move forward. I’m here - if and when you need me. Now is not the time for silence; communication is critical for your business. Words are your power. My wish is to empower you with the right words. As a fellow business owner and marketing strategist, I’m here to support you. We are all seeking connection - let’s connect and empower each other.
Let’s move forward together.
I’m here for you and your business, so let’s have a conversation about how to set your business up for the best first day back after quarantine. You can set up a free 15 min. consult with Lindsey Servin below.
For some quick tips on how you can improve your digital communication, print out my free Emergency Digital Marketing Checklist.