The famous 1939 British World War 2 poster "Keep Calm and Carry On" has become an indelible part of British culture since its rediscovery in 2000. Originally, posters carrying this motivational message were meant to be displayed throughout Britain once Germany had begun their invasion (which never happened). Unfortunately, this example of British stoicism doesn't always translate well in American culture as "calmness" is sometimes misinterpreted as "resignation". In this context the message could be read as a call for citizens to complacently go about their normal lives, willfully ignorant to the bombs that are falling all around.
We (speaking for most Americans) often champion individuals who take matters into their own hands and nowhere is this more apparent than in our growing Do-It-Yourself culture. When something isn't happening the way we want it to, our instinct should be to do something about it, right? Well, the purpose of this post isn't to answer that question. Instead, let me focus you on a question that, as a business owner, you should be asking yourself:
What could potentially cause your customers to panic?
If your answer to that is something that they or you can't control directly (the economy, the political landscape, the housing market, etc.), how might your business be affected if your customers started listening to all the doomsdayers and reflexively made "kneejerk" decisions without sufficient context, information, or proper consultation? The "Keep Calm and Carry On" message isn't about promoting complacency. It's about projecting strength. Showing your clients why it may be safer to stay the course when others are panicking helps to assure them that they're correct in putting their trust and confidence in you.
The following is a great example of one of our clients putting this concept into practice.
Daryl Cole is the President and CEO of Cole & Company, Inc., a Wealth Management and Investment Advisory Firm based in Orange County, Ca. As a veteran in the world of wealth management, he knew early on that the (then) upcoming 2016 Presidential Election cycle would be a tumultuous time for the country. He approached us early in 2016 to help him create a video wherein he could advise his clients to not pay too much attention to the media's doomsaying and hand-wringing that precedes every election cycle. Keep in mind that this was filmed in early May 2016, and scripted several months earlier; well before the election devolved into what (at the time of this writing) it has now become.
Ask yourself again:
- What outside influences or events could potentially cause your clients to panic and act against their own best interest?
- How can you show them that their trust and confidence in you and your business is well placed?
Keep your customers informed, and
Carry on the tradition of setting expectations early and often.