Post on 25-Feb-2016
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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, CBCPPrincipalAtlantic Business Continuity Services(843) 879-5025scave@atlanticprep.comwww.atlanticprep.com