Why You Should Act Normal In A Crisis

• Assuming implies that you are a bad listener
• Being condescending is a horrible 1st impression
• We gravitate towards the calm, cool, and collected

When you’re doing outreach to potential clients, I would not lead with “I’m sorry about your business. This must be the toughest of times for you.” The intentions I’m sure are good, but it immediately spawns a sour reaction from the client. You don’t know a thing about their business and you’re going to assume that you’re this savior.

But I’m only trying to help, Jordan…

Yeah, well it would help a lot more if you didn’t have your head up your ass.

Offering sympathy without knowing someone’s situation implies that you aren’t a good listener which is a deadly sin in the one-on-one creative services business.

Another reason to act normal is that condescension is a bad look on anyone who partakes. Acting high and mighty towards a potential client is a turnoff. Handing a prospective client a solution without asking them will have the same reaction as handing a Big Mac to a homeless guy: “I didn’t ask for this!”

Did you think to ask them what they wanted? Or do you know what’s best for their life?

Finally, when a crisis does arise, be it a financial collapse or someone needing CPR in a restaurant, it’s always the right option to act calm, cool and collected. In an emergency, people are more willing to listen to a person who seems unaffected by the surrounding chaos — we are attracted to these types of calm leaders. These leaders don’t go around handing out prescriptive orders.

Instead, they are calm, they assess the situation, and ask the person if they are in need of some help.

The alternative title to this piece should’ve been — What 1st Aid Can Teach Us About Sales.

- Jordan P. Anderson

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