5 Social Media Tips to Survive Hurricane Aftermath Challenges
As the tragic events surrounding Hurricane Harvey and the devastation it's caused continues to unfold, one storyline that has emerged from the storm is how social media has proved to be a tool that's been used for good.
Hurricanes and subsequent disasters are, of course, not something we can control. What we can control is approaching the challenges with the right attitude and implementing actions to bounce back.
Getting things back on track can be overwhelming. If you’re dealing with daunting challenges of Harvey’s aftermath, then social media is a smart step to take in your recovery.
There are three major challenges for dealers in the ensuing months after a hurricane. Use these three objectives to guide your strategy:
1. Create and/or maintain a healthy supply of Inventory.
2. Keep a steady flow of customers engaging with your store.
3. Support the community to let them know that everything’s going to be okay.
Here are 5 tips to leverage social media to help you, your employees, your customers and community survive and thrive in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
1. Stay visible.
There is simply no better tool than social media for dealers to stay visible and be in touch with their community.
Provide daily updates to let people know you’re there and ready for business.
2. Ask for trades on Facebook.
Sales may be brisk with the people needing to replace their flooded vehicles, which is a good thing.
But with the onslaught of sales volume comes the need to replenish inventory, which is challenging during a natural disaster because every other dealer is trying to do the same thing at the same time.
Leverage Facebook to obtain inventory vehicles. This is where, if you’ve done the work to build your page, it pays off. Those who know you and are in a position to help will be eager.
Those who know you and don’t have a trade can share your request with their friends and family. Be sure to promote those posts (with Facebook Ads) so that more users see them. In fact, it’s a good idea to be consistent with posts every week about this subject.
If you haven’t built a community around your Facebook page, have no fear because you can still use Facebook Ads to promote your requests. You’ll just need to be very mindful of who you target.
3. Create a “We’ll Buy Your Car” campaign.
Since we’re on the topic of working out a strategy for Facebook, take the opportunity to offer to buy