Business Lessons in Lockdown #3

Most of our clients are SMEs, which means the management are preoccupied with the day-to-day challenges of running a business. As a result, they don't usually have time to consider proposals that seem complex, risky or are outside their field of experience.

That's fair enough. Jam tomorrow may be an exciting prospect, but we need bread today to avoid starving.

Now that many of our clients are working from home, away from the daily distractions of the workplace, they have both the time and mental space to listen to proposals and evaluate them.

As a result, a major project that had stalled, because the client was uncertain about the impact it might have on resources, is now underway with their full backing. Previously they'd been too busy to consider the proposal in detail - in fact it requires minimal input from their side - and shied away from any commitment that could strain an already over-stretched team.

Once the lockdown eases, and people return to normal working habits, we'll need to find a way to pitch ideas in an environment where clients feel they have the time and space to understand them and make an informed decision. That almost certainly means arranging to meet them away from the workplace, specifically to discuss your big idea.