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Hurricane Ian Crisis Communications: Manage Expectations AFTER the Storm

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Last week, we talked about Hurricane Ian crisis communications and how companies and organizations should manage the expectations of their audience BEFORE a storm. This week we talk about how companies and organizations should manage the expectations of their audience AFTER the storm.

Yes, you still can, and still should manage expectations for AFTER the storm runs its course. So many people ask “Can I survive the storm?” when really they should be asking themselves “Can I endure the misery and trauma of being without power, water, and cell phone signal for weeks after the storm?”

Electric companies, utility companies, fire departments, police agencies and other first responders should be communicating to the public just how bad it can get and encouraging folks to evacuate if necessary. That means using scare tactics and painting the picture of being without these creature comforts for WEEKS, not days.

SituationHub is an app that can help you release a pristine, beautiful news release to help your company communicate the information you need to get across, FAST, as conditions and crises are unfolding. I’m featuring the news release that you would use in a situation like Hurricane Ian. Watch the video to see how it works.

 

 

 

To set goals, talk about your needs, and formulate a budget to communicate effectively in a crisis, schedule a complimentary, confidential call with me https://calendly.com/braud/15min

Crisis communications and media training expert Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC is based in New Orleans. Organizations on five continents have relied on him to write their crisis communications plans and to train their spokespeople. He is the author of “Don’t Talk to the Media Until…” and founder of SituationHub crisis communications software.

More crisis communications articles:

15 Questions to Ask Before You Use Facebook for Crisis Communications

Can You Handle a Crisis When it Hits by Winging It?

Where is Your Crisis Communications Funnel Clogged?

Hurricane Ian: Managing Expectations for Crisis Communications

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As Hurricane Ian pummels Florida, I’m sharing some crisis communications strategies on managing the expectations of your audience, citizens, stakeholders, clients, and employees BEFORE your hurricane, tropical storm, or other natural disaster hits.

Yes, I said BEFORE.

Many companies and organizations I work with on media training, crisis communications, or those that use the SituationHub software ask me, “Well, why is there a news release in the SituationHub database that can be used BEFORE a tropical storm? Why are there documents for us to release regarding hurricane warnings and tropical storm warnings?”

The SituationHub software provides you with news releases that you can release to the media, your employees, your clients, and stakeholders before the crisis to manage their expectations. You customize the new release with your specifications. What would have taken your team hours to write DURING a crisis, can now be prepared before a crisis in just minutes.

Before a storm, you may be communicating information about evacuation plans, expectations for supply chain interruptions, how long your company expects to be closed for, who to contact, etc. This is far more effective than trying to play “clean up” after the storm and trying to get in contact with all of your audiences about these factors while you have destruction, power outages, and a lack of cell phone capabilities.

Managing expectations before a crisis makes all of the difference in managing expectations after a crisis.

For help with managing expectations, schedule a complimentary, confidential call with me https://calendly.com/braud/15min

Crisis communications and media training expert Gerard Braud, CSP, Fellow IEC is based in New Orleans. Organizations on five continents have relied on him to write their crisis communications plans and to train their spokespeople. He is the author of “Don’t Talk to the Media Until…” and founder of SituationHub crisis communications software.

More crisis communications articles:

15 Questions to Ask Before You Use Facebook for Crisis Communications

Can You Handle a Crisis When it Hits by Winging It?

Where is Your Crisis Communications Funnel Clogged?