Communicating in
the midst of disaster Quotes of the Month LetSpeak.com®
News Wire
Communicating in the Midst of Disaster
Since
disaster can strike any firm whether it's an act of terrorism along the lines
of September 11 or a natural disaster like the one we recently experienced in
Southwest Florida, it's important to keep your client base informed of your well-being.
Although communicating may be the last thing on your mind before, during
and after a disaster it can mean the difference between success and failure of
your business once things have settled down.
Here are a few ways to clearly
and effectively communicate with your audience in both your native language and
foreign ones to preserve your business:
1. Develop your message early.
Before there is even a threat of a disaster, consider creating an entire file
filled with messages that you would send out to your clients and prospects in
the event of a disaster. You could have a hurricane file, terrorism file, flood
file and a file for any other disaster you can think of.
2. Consider
alternate modes of communication. If you normally send out e- mails to contact
your audience, consider an alternate means of communication in the event of a
disaster. Electrical and telephone lines could be down, preventing your audience
from receiving your message. A good alternative would be direct mail. A simple
postcard would provide comfort and key information for your client base.
3.
Address fears up front. When writing your communications, consider using a
sequential formula based on the most pressing questions your clients would have
in the event of a disaster. For instance, a client of a financial services firm
would want to know if his or her investments are still secure even though the
financial firm's building burned down. Then the person would want to know if he
or she could still trade shares of stocks. Create a list of your client's largest
concerns and address them in the communications you send out.
4. Consider
a series of communications. Instead of sending out one letter, postcard or
e-mail, think about breaking up your messages into parts. That way, clients will
easily digest the information you have for them. Of course you would address their
most pressing issues first. But when you follow up, deliver more complete information
about your firm's status if necessary. (Note: You may only have to do this if
your firm has sustained major damage due to the disaster.)
Also, please
keep in mind that different cultures deal with disasters in different ways. As
you create your "disaster file" be sure to do some research on the cultural
tendencies of your foreign language audience during a disaster. Although our basic
needs are the same after a disaster, the way those needs are addressed may require
cultural sensitivity and a change from the normal way of doing things.
(c)
2004 Allendy Doxy, LetSpeak.com®, All Rights Reserved. Please contact us if
you would like to reprint this article.
Quote of the Month
"Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but
to do what lies clearly at hand" - Thomas Carlyle.
LetSpeak.com®
News Wire
August 17, 2004-- LetSpeak.com resumes normal operations
after temporarily closing its offices for one day due to Hurricane Charley.
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30, 2004-- Inclusion in the Minority Business Development Agency Portal granted
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Communicating in
the midst of disaster 
