In the past few days, Jamaicans have gone through a whirlwind of emotions. First the anticipation of wondering whether Matthew would develop into a hurricane, to the fear and anticipation of being hit by the hurricane, to finally being miraculously spared. Throughout it all, there was a lot happening on social media.

Here are some recommendations for businesses on using social media well during and after a disaster.

1. Use your networks to keep customers up to date, especially if you are an essential service.

In any natural disaster, bear in mind that people will be speculating on your ability to provide continued service, so make sure to address these concerns first on your official networks. Posting periodically also helps to manage the conversation around your brand and gives you the opportunity to see what is being said.

The JPS did very well in this area and should truly be commended for their excellent use of social media to keep customers in the know. It is clear that a pre-disaster strategy was also in place, as customers were informed ahead of time of the possibility of an outage and why. The JPS then used their platforms to address another rumour being circulated with regards to a 6:00 pm cut-off time. Social media is direct and perfect for communicating with your customers. Don’t use it just to advertise. Harness its power to communicate important information to your customers.

2. Take advantage of new tools.

Facebook Live is one of Facebook’s newer offerings and is a great tool for giving updates as a situation evolves. The staff from CVM took advantage of it and used it well. Cognisant of the atmosphere of uncertainty and lack of information, they began putting out videos clearly explaining where the hurricane was, what it meant for Jamaica, and even gave tips on what Jamaicans could do to improve their preparations.

Patria Kay Aarons also used the medium to address misleading photos and clarify what stories being posted were in fact true, and which ones were old stories being regurgitated in order to get likes. This helped to manage public perceptions of the hurricane, as this news was coming from a reliable and recognisable source.

3. Educate, give service and show your human side.

You should always be open to new ways to market your business. And the truth is, this can be accomplished even through an otherwise negative event – without being disingenuous. Many businesses on social media make the mistake of always selling. Every post either promotes their products or asks customers to buy them. After a disaster, such tactics would be distasteful and are discouraged. However, marketing or PR can still be accomplished, though not in a traditional “hard sell” manner.

How so, you may ask? Well, you can use such events as an opportunity to educate, give service or show the human side of your business.

Educate your clients

Are you a car dealership or insurance company? Before the event, create a post with tips on how to protect your vehicle during the storm. Are you a bank? You could create a post reminding clients to put their valuables safely away, and encouraging them to have a little cash stored in a waterproof area for use after the storm.

Show your human side

Use social media to show you care and that your company has human values such as compassion and generosity. Send out posts of encouragement or prayer. After the occurrence, you could disseminate relevant information – even if it has nothing to do with your business or brand. For example, sharing a list of local shelters, or important contact numbers. This shows your customers that you care about them even if they aren’t purchasing.

Do an act of service without expecting anything in return

You never know… your simple heartfelt action could then give a customer a positive reason to choose you the next time they need your type of product or service.

Could you offer a coupon for part of your service – free or at a discounted cost for affected customers? As a tea or drink company, for instance, what about going to Half-Way-Tree with a few cups of tea/juice for individuals who might be out doing clean-up efforts? These photos could be used later as content on your social media pages if you so desire. In the past some phone service providers have even offered free calling for a period of time after a hurricane.

However, bear in mind that these actions should be authentic and genuine. People can sense fake and insincere from a mile away. So put the focus of your brand on the back burner for a moment and think of your customers’ needs, feelings and concerns. Speak to relieving those – not for a sale – but to simply assist and show you care.

In conclusion, with unpleasant natural events, social media use often spikes. It can be very easily used negatively, such as driving fear with misleading information. As businesses we should use these events to keep customers up to date (especially if we are an essential service), take advantage of the latest tools to give service and show our human side.

We should shift from “hard sell” marketing to one which is more attuned to customers’ needs, without directly focusing on our sales or bottom lines. This is when our company should most display its heart. This will in turn foster customer respect and loyalty, and in the long run will even attract new clientele.

Hanniffa Patterson is a social media consultant and strategist who helps companies to leverage social media marketing in their business. She also trains and lectures on the topic. She can be contacted at hanniffa.patterson@gmail.com