Top Ten Ways to Engage Local Businesses in Disaster Preparedness Activities

Scott CaveAtlantic Business Continuity Services

March 5, 2014

Partner with Chambers of Commerce and/or Economic Development Organizations

#1

• Benefits Chamber

• Benefits Community

• Provides administrative support

• Portal to business community

Chamber of Commerce Examples

• Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce• Formed a BCP Council• Chamber Members volunteered to join• Organized 14 workshops and seminars from

2006 – 2012• Partnered with local agencies (DHEC, County,

State)• Developed Speaker’s Bureau to present at

local events• Engaged larger community (CARRI, ESF-24,

NetGuard)

Chamber of Commerce Examples Continued

• Greater Summerville Chamber of Commerce• Did not form a committee but focused on topic• Held annual workshops and seminars for past

three years• Completed internal Business Continuity Plan• Partnered with local agencies (County)

Develop Professional Network#2

• Identify business continuity professionals

• Identify related professional associations

• Engage these individuals and groups

• Use their knowledge and experience

Find Storytellers#3

• Personal accounts or experiences

• Lessons learned

• Will inspire and motivate others to act

• More than just nameless statistics

Create Speaker’s Bureau#4

• Deliver the preparedness message

• Professional associations and groups

• Give them the reasons

• Lead into workshops and other resources

Hold Workshops#5

• Tell them how to prepare

• Use personal stories

• Advertise through professional groups

• Free resources available

Workshop Lessons Learned• Both free and paid workshops have been well attended

• Shorter events (morning or half-day) are better

• Food = people in seats

• Overlap with other events when there is a larger audience for a broader topic

• Qualify all speakers in advance to ensure they can deliver a message with value that is interesting to audience

• Time events to leverage media coverage (e.g., June 1)

• Develop relationships to best advertise events

• Deliver value to the attendees so they will promote

Integrate with Emergency Mgmt.#6

• Connect Business Continuity with EOC

• Private-Public Partnership

• Businesses need to know local gov’t response

• Builds community-wide resiliency

Publicize through Media#7

• Traditional newspapers, radio, TV

• Social media

• Utility bill inserts

• Become the source for business preparedness

Promote through Business Licenses

#8

• Inserts in license renewals

• Information in new license applications

• Discounts for Business Continuity Plan???

Promote through Fire Inspections#9

• Item on Fire Chief’s checklist

• Hand out brochures, flyers, etc.

• Provide information on events

Track Your Progress#10

• Survey the business community

• Measure % of businesses with a plan

• Track over time for improvements

Questions?

Scott Cave, CBCP

Principal

Atlantic Business Continuity Services

(843) 879-5025

scave@atlanticprep.com

www.atlanticprep.com