Monmouth SCORE Workshops to Focus on Crisis Communications for Nonprofits and Small Business

Two workshops hosted by Monmouth SCORE and the Business Development Center in Asbury Park will focus on crisis communication for nonprofits and small business. The workshops, scheduled for Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 25 from 10-11 a.m. at the Kula Café, 1201 Springwood Avenue in Asbury Park, will be presented by Marketing Rival, a digital marketing and public relations firm specializing in building relationships through strategic social media use. The workshops will discuss communication lessons learned from Hurricane Sandy, and offer best practices for small businesses to proactively prepare for crisis situations.

Companies and organizations, both big and small, are at risk for potential crises that may hamper profits, destroy reputation, and cause general harm to assets. When a public relations crisis strikes, there are things organizations can do to help minimize its negative impact. Proactively having a plan in place for these times is a good start. The two workshops will discuss simple ways small businesses can use public relations and social media to navigate through a crisis, as well as how digital marketing can help a business survive crisis situations.

Saturday, October 10, 10-11 a.m.
“The role of crisis PR in your small business and how social media can help”
We never know when a crisis will strike, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. A crisis management plan can ease the pain of dealing with a crisis, and possibly prevent the situation from crippling an organization. In a crisis situation, social media connects audiences, stakeholders, and employees. Twitter, along with other social media platforms, allow organizations to communicate quickly and effectively with large audiences, which is vital in a crisis when time is of the essence. Be proactive, not reactive.

Sunday, October 25, 10-11 a.m.
“How digital marketing can help your business survive a crisis”
A crisis can damage an organization’s reputation, but digital marketing is a great way to restore a professional image. Having a strategic SEO plan and carefully considered keywords can help put your business back in a good light after a crisis. It’s not enough just to have social media platforms, your company must be active on them, posting, commenting, sharing and retweeting in a strategic manner that aligns with your organization’s marketing goals. A well-thought out digital marketing strategy can help to rebuild trust and confidence with key stakeholders.

Robert Weiner, Monmouth SCORE mentor, will be present at both workshops to answer questions about Hurricane Sandy relief funding for small businesses with attendees. Weiner worked diligently in the aftermath of the storm to help a dozen small business owners in Asbury Park get financing to repair and reopen their businesses.

“I got people a lot of money by way of loans,” said Robert. “There’s still money available. The only criteria is that during Sandy, your business was in operation.”

The workshops will be held at the Kula Café, a community café and paid job training program through the Business Development Center (BDC) of Asbury Park. The workshops are co-hosted by Monmouth SCORE, a small business mentoring service offering advice for business owners in Monmouth County.

To register for these workshops, or any other Monmouth SCORE seminars, visit www.monmouth.score.org.

About Monmouth SCORE

Monmouth SCORE offers small business entrepreneurs confidential business counseling services at no charge. SCORE volunteers have the knowledge and experience to help any small business owner get the help they need. The organization also provides local workshops to connect small business owners with the people and information they need to start, grow, and maintain their businesses.

About Business Development Center and Kula Café

The Business Development Center (BDC) was established by Roger Boyce and Interfaith Neighbors in 2011 to help entrepreneurs grow their current businesses or start new ones. It is owned and operated by Interfaith Neighbors, Inc., a not-for-profit, community benefit corporation serving all of Monmouth County. The BDC is funded by a combination of private grants and tax credit programs and offers a combination of business support services and shared workspace facilities.

The Kula Café is a community café that offers paid job training for the Asbury Park community. The program is a social enterprise addressing high unemployment and the mismatched training and employment opportunity in the Asbury Park community. It is designed to develop transferrable skills for application in the hospitality industry. www.businessdevcenter.org