It is the time of year in South Florida when most people become amateur weather persons. This time is hurricane season. And here we are on August 22, 2011 looking out to the Caribbean we have a hurricane named Irene. It does look like we are going to get lucky and not be affected here in South Florida . The actual storm can be very scary and can claim lives and should never be taken less than serious. For most people the aftermath is the most daunting part of any hurricane. So I was thinking about what can be done to get the clean up started sooner, and how small businesses can capitalize on helping their communities.
After Hurricane Wilma the power was off in most places for a week. Mind you, that is a pretty conservative number; I know there were large areas that didn’t have power for 30 days and even some places for months. Not only was the power lost but there was significant amount of damage in the South Florida area which needs to be cleaned up and fixed. Now most people would have gone to the phonebook to look for a company but that was 6 years ago, times have changed. People look to the internet for services now. Even with the power being out people will still have their phones. And almost everyone has access to a car, and a car charger. As you already know phones today have all of the social media applications, and, of course, access to the internet. So as a company you still have access to your potential customers and your customers have access to find you. So here are a few ways you can reach people after a storm hits:
· Tweet out right away what services you are providing. If you are a landscaping, tree trimmer, roofer, Pool Company, whatever it is, get it out there so people will see it. Don’t wait for them to find you. You want expect that people will wait until the power is back on before they think they can get anything fixed. By doing this it lets them know you are ready to work and fix their problem.
· Farm an area. Post on your Facebook and Twitter what neighborhoods your company is going to be in. Also post from what time to what time and what services you are offering. This is a good way to get your face out there after the storm. Not to mention it opens you up to residual business by getting your face out there.
· Make sure you document what you did with pictures and post and tweets. Obviously, this isn’t the best scenario to do business in, but it may create new business. Showing how quickly your company can respond and how receptive to a market change will give you the leg up on your competition. It also gives people a sense of community where someone can be ready to help in such a sort amount of time that makes people feel good.
Please feel free to contact us. We are here to help you help your company.
Please feel free to contact us. We are here to help you help your company.
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