Professional Services firms exist in large part to guide clients through risk and uncertainty. Covid-19 represents a real challenge for these firms as there is more of a need than ever to be delivering authentic, valuable and unsensationalised information for the market.

We’ve seen firms respond to Covid-19 in many different ways in the last couple of weeks. Some have shut down communications, some have kept communicating as if nothing is happening, then there are the firms who are trying to provide guidance and help.

During this time, professionals need to make sure that their clients are as informed as possible.

Here are some examples of firms like this, and some ideas for how your firm can help clients, prospects and the wider market deal with the uncertainties of Covid-19;

(If we haven’t featured your firm here but we should have, let us know, we’d love to spread the word about how you are responding to the outbreak. All our Covid-19 content can be found here)

Create a destination for knowledge

Lewis Silkin & Deloitte (among others) have solved the first problem clients are having - where to look for information. Both firms have created knowledge hub pages, bringing together information, blog articles and content from many different teams and regions.

Creating one simple centre for information and filling it with the relevant content is a great first step for keeping your clients informed.

Be the voice of your niche - not a pandemic specialist

An event like the Covid-19 outbreak affects so many parts of the business ecosystem. You do not need to be the advisor on everything to do with the outbreak. But companies in your niche do need specialist advice on how the virus will impact them.

Some examples of experts doing this really well:

Add value - identify opportunities and threats for the future

There are loads of sources of information on what is happening, but the job of an expert is to inform and add value. What do developments mean for businesses, how can they prepare and adapt, where are the opportunities in this time.

Here are some experts who have done just that:

Make sure this content gets to the right people

Nicola Gooch, a partner at Irwin Mitchell and an amazing woman once said to us that “all your expertise is no good if it stays in your head.” 

With that in mind, make sure you have a few trusted channels to get this content to market.

Social media - with CV19 foremost in everyone’s mind, the usual posts on social media will seem insincere. If you can fill your social stream with useful and relevant information it will be great for the firm’s brand.

Email newsletters - your usual mailing list is a good way to distribute regular updates and your clients and prospects will be grateful for any content that helps them.

Internal newsletters - all throughout your firm, there are people talking to clients, writing emails and posting to their LinkedIn/Twitter accounts. An internal newsletter keeps these people informed and equipped with expertise to assist their clients.