It’s that time of year again. Dorian was the first hurricane of the season to have an impact in Charleston, but it might not be the last. As a storm like Dorian makes its way closer and closer, we often find ourselves in a rush to prepare for the impact of such a storm. For some, that means bringing in the lawn furniture and making sure the generators are ready, but for business owners, it means a whole lot more.
For a business owner, prepping for a hurricane adds a whole other set of challenges. From preparing a store or office to handling order disruption, you will quickly find your hands are full, and lots of things haven’t been prepared for at all. While there are some great guides for your business prep like this one from FEMA, most of them don’t focus enough on marketing, or on how you communicate with your customers.
In light of this oversight, here are a few quick tips to help you prepare your marketing for the storm and keep your business on track.
1. Establish Responsibility
Who’s going to handle your marketing during the evacuation? The storm? The return? These questions all need to be answered as part of a solid marketing prep plan. Know who has responsibility for answering questions, making posts, and establishing solid communication with your customers as part of your hurricane business plan. Additionally, plan for who will be the backup, based on potential communication problems these events can have.
2. Schedule Social Media Posts
A lot of businesses automate their social media these days. And if you know you will be shut down, scheduling those posts, along with their reminders is a great way to keep open communication with your customers. Schedule social media communication, and other digital marketing content, ahead of time so you can focus on the other pieces of prepping your business.
3. Establish Your Return Plan
Keeping your customers informed is vital, especially for your return to business. Evacuations can cost a lot of money, so you need people to know that you are back, what services you are offering, and any limitations you may be dealing with. People will probably be looking for places to eat, home repair services, or even just places to be away from their homes. Make sure you’ve established a plan for notifying everyone about your return to business before you hunker down or leave to ensure people can find you and your services in their time of need.
An Expert Team That Has Your Back
Do you need a team to help you with your marketing? No matter what happens, from the day-to-day marketing to support your business during a potential hurricane, our team helps you focus on the parts of your business you’re best at. With a team of experts like ours in your corner, you can’t lose. So contact Stingray Branding today. We’d love to help you!
