Jamie Biesiada
In times of crisis, overcommunicate, according to Misty Belles, Virtuoso’s managing director of global public relations.
Belles spoke to the topic of crisis communications during the recent Future Leaders in Travel event, held virtually this year.
“What I have found in my tenure in corporate communications and public relations is that communicate and overcommunicate during a crisis is really key,” Belles said. “The last thing you want to do is go silent on people.”
Belles encouraged advisors to use whatever communication platforms are at their disposal: Email, social media or even a good, old-fashioned phone call.
“Communication is the basis for trust, and right now, you are looking to build as much trust with your clients or your guests as possible,” she said.
During any kind of crisis, start with making a timeline of how many points of communication with clients are intended during the crisis, Belles said. The coronavirus crisis is an extremely protracted one, bolstering the need for a timeline.
Then, Belles said, determine how to communicate -- to your entire list of contacts at once, or to different segmented groups? She urged advisors to do research and find reasons to reach out. Perhaps there was a news story that might spark interest, like some Caribbean islands extending visas so visitors can enjoy longer stays. That could be a reason to reach out to some clients if that would be of interest.
“Stay positive, because there’s a lot of negativity out in the world right now, and you don’t want to be associated with that,” she said. “Stay positive and get creative.”
Communication should always be a two-way street, Belles said, and advisors should never assume their clients are in the same place as they are. Everyone has a different emotional reaction to the crisis at hand, and advisors should know where their clients are so they can cater their messaging.
Belles told advisors to avoid speculation and act only as a travel expert. Information shared should come from respected sources, including contacts on the ground.
“Most importantly, they are going to always want to know how does this affect them,” Belles said. “What do they need to know to make the best possible choices as it relates to their travel.”
Advisors will likely get some version of this question, too: “What would you do if you were me?”
Plan out your answer, Belles said, and practice your responses.
“You want to be respectful, responsive and you want to be real,” Belles said. “Because authenticity also generates trust, and what you want to be right now is a trusted source.”