How To Use The Toilet Paper Fiasco To Improve Your Communications Strategy
We've all seen the stories of people hoarding toilet paper, of all things.
Who knows how or why that got started, but many otherwise rational people went into panic buying mode for toilet paper.
So what can you learn from this to improve your communications strategy?
Although it's not sensational enough to make the news, the exact same kind of panic buying happened with video communications equipment.
EVERYBODY went into a mad scramble to cobble together the hardware and software necessary to create videos and live streams.
The problem is, unlike toilet paper, most people don't already know how to use the tools that are required to create professional looking videos.
That's a problem for business owners and C-suite executives who need to maintain a high standard for their outbound communications.
Here are some tips that will allow you to maintain your ability to communicate during crises like COVID-19 or a monthlong federal government shutdown or whatever the next major crisis will be (and there will be another one...we just don't know what it is yet).
Tip 1: Consider Having Your Own Talk Show
Your own talk show is the equivalent of having unlimited rolls of toilet paper.
You can do all of the above with a minimal time and money investment, relative to the return on your investment.
With your own talk show, you can be your own media outlet.
This allows you to maintain your regularly scheduled programming during a crisis because you have programming already scheduled in the form of pre-recorded episodes.
Your library of published as well as not-yet-published episodes of your talk show can offer a familiar beacon during turbulent times when everyone is seeking the security of their normal routine.
People are binge-watching all kinds of content right now.
What would it do for you if you had a library of videos for your ideal client to explore during our social distancing timeout?
Click the button below to see the many benefits that your own talk show can deliver during normal times, as well as during times of crisis like what we're experiencing now.
Tip 2: Set Up Your Home Recording Studio
Crystal was supposed to fly to England to deliver a presentation in March.
The trip got cancelled, but not her presentation, because Crystal was able to deliver her presentation virtually from the same spot in her home office where she recorded this testimonial.
The event organizers and the attendees were all thrilled with Crystal’s presentation.
Her virtual presentation was the next best thing to her being there and she was able to make it happen because she was already prepared.
Crystal didn’t need to go out and buy equipment and she didn’t need to learn how to use anything. And she certainly didn’t need to learn how to get comfortable speaking on camera.
She already had all the tools and training she needed and she knew how to use them.
[RELATED: How To Set Up Your Home Studio]
When the situation required it, Crystal just pivoted to delivering an online presentation.
Being able to make that pivot to a virtual presentation is a capability that the new normal will require in order for you to be successful.
If you are only capable of communicating by physically standing in front of a room full of people, you will not remain competitive with people like Crystal.
Crystal is using video to continue providing leadership and deliver value to her clients and prospective clients during this lockdown.
She is able to do that because she’s not in a mad scramble with the masses trying to get toilet paper!
Crystal was already stocked up.
Tip 3: Plan Your Events As Virtual Events
That means plan virtual elements in all your events so you don’t find yourself scrambling for toilet paper when something happens.
We’re always going to have physical events, but they will look different going forward. The quicker you accept that reality and make the necessary adjustments, the less likely you are to have to cancel future events.
One thing you can do is record all your workshop sessions as a standard practice.
This provides a number of benefits.
If you’re offering multiple education tracks with different classes or workshops being held concurrently, recording each session gives your attendees the opportunity to benefit from all the workshops.
You could offer a premium ticket up front that provides physical access to your event, as well as access to the full library of recorded sessions after they've been uploaded.
You could also offer an “virtual only” ticket for people who cannot attend in person to have access to the full library of recorded sessions after they've been uploaded.
You also have the option of charging an a la carte fee for access to individual video workshops.
Incorporating video into your event just opens up a number of additional revenue streams.
This is how you can increase your revenue per attendee, as well as make more sales to people who could not attend your event in person.
Your video library from your event will allow you to make sales around the world.
Video Helps Ensure The Show Goes On
Additionally, incorporating video from the outset enables you to proceed as planned by pivoting from a physical event to a virtual event, if necessary.
As long as your presenter is able to present, with video, you can deliver that presentation to the world.
That’s just one virtual event tip
For two more tips, check out my article 3 Tips For Making Your Next Event A Virtual Event.
Conclusion
It’s entirely possible for you to be prepared for unforeseen crises and completely avoid situations like the toilet paper foolishness we’ve seen on the news.
Just maintaining a reasonable level of preparedness is all that’s required to avoid a panic situation when something happens. And things will happen..
If it’s important to you to always be able to communicate, then being prepared means developing your video strategy before you find yourself in a situation where video is the only way to communicate.
