Jerry Thompson has more than 35 years of business andmarketing experience. He has performed marketing consulting formajor corporations as well as small businesses. Jerry is themarketing director for The Van Dyk Group in New Jersey and serveson local, state and national committees helping smallbusiness.

Hurricane Katrina. The Moore, Okla., tornado. Hurricane Irene.Colorado and California wildfires. Hurricane Andrew. SuperstormSandy.

These catastrophic events occured somewhere in the U.S. withinthe last decade. There have been many others, and that's the point:Catastrophes will happen to everyone, no matter where they live.

Although it might seem that the role of agencies isone-dimensional in a catastrophe—dealing with the resultantdamage—a catastrophe provides an opportunity for out-of-the-boxmarketing so that your business is well-positioned for success whennormalcy returns. Because, after all, life goes on. Homeownersrebuild. People bounce back. Your business needs to do thesame.

If you sit on your hands after a catastrophe and just bereactive, you run the risk of becoming another business casualty ofthe catastrophe. However, by being proactive, you can serve yourclients and community better and position yourself for a healthyrebound sooner rather than later (or maybe even never). The Van DykGroup did, and today we're enjoying the fruits of our efforts, lessthan a year after Superstorm Sandy left many wondering if thingswould ever be the same.

Sandy struck on Oct. 29, 2012, and this region was Ground Zerofor its destructive fury. Homes that have been in families forgenerations and survived many a previous storm were literally tornapart. Roads were ripped up. Businesses were devastated. It was—andremains—a life-altering event.

Related: Read Coastal Challenge: 5 Years Later

We had one advantage: We knew it was coming. About a week beforeSandy struck, weather forecasters started sounding the alert.

This was our first opportunity to be proactive. Using email andsocial media, we sent out updated hurricane tips that instructedclients how to prepare. Because the storm was forecast to besevere, we also emphasized that people should follow the evacuationorders of local officials. Forty-eight hours before the storm wasdue, we distributed through email and social media the contactinformation for our three locations as well as information on howto secure homes and businesses. We also repeated the updatedevacuation notices that were being issued.

After the storm was over, we immediately updated our website tolet our clients know which of our locations were open for business.Sandy left a trail of downed tree limbs, street lights and powerlines in her wake, and traveling was extremely hazardous. It madeno sense to have people riding about aimlessly.(As it turned out,just two out of our three locations were operational. Theauthorities did not even let us see the third for 10 days!)

It did not take long for us to realize that this was anextremely fluid situation. There was no script to follow, no planto pursue. As clients came through our doors, we quickly realizedthat they needed advice, information, and above all, a friend.These were people who had just had their entire lives destroyed inthe space of a few hours. Many were in shock. We listened, helpedwhen we could, gave them a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cryon.

Our president, David L. Wyrsch, Sr., sat at a desk in the frontoffice, greeting folks and either helping them or directing them tosomeone who could. Nobody sat in a back office. We were all thereto do whatever was needed. All our employees were taking claims andspeaking to clients.

We quickly became the clearinghouse forinformation on everything Sandy-related: insurance, contractors,weather, road openings/closings, if/when access to neighborhoodswould be allowed. Many people did not have telephone service,whether land lines, cell phone or Internet. We became their newsand information source. If we didn't know the answer, we'd try toget it.

Related: Read 4Sandy Lessons

One thing that was critically important was providing a list ofreputable contractors. Fly-by-night outfits follow catastropheslike an ill wind, making promises, taking money and thendisappearing. Within hours of our offices reopening, our commercialinsurance department compiled a list of reputable contractors thatwe could provide to our clients.

About 2 weeks after Sandy struck, we needed to perform anotherfunction for our clients: post office. Mail service after the stormwas chaotic; some homes no longer existed, roads were blocked,access restricted. We received forms and FEMA (Federal EmergencyManagement Agency) documents that clients needed to fill out andreturn, the partial payment checks and anything else that wouldnormally come by mail.

We dealt with the government. Although FEMA had opened multipleoffices in our area, many folks had no idea where to go so theycame to us for assistance. We pointed them to the proper FEMArepresentative.

We helped our clients navigate the bureaucratic maze ofgovernment regulations. We made certain that each of our officeshad copies of updated FEMA brochures and information sheets.

A member of our agency management team attended all FEMA/NFIPagency update meetings to gather the latest information and bringit back to our offices to get this information out to clients.

Agency representatives spoke at public meetings in our area toupdate residents as to the latest news and information.

Again, let me emphasize the extreme fluidity of the situation.We didn't know in advance that we'd have to perform thesefunctions. We adapted to the situations as they presentedthemselves.

As the weeks passed after the storm, we adopted a new role:Rumor control. Inevitably, someone would hear from someone “in theknow” a piece of potentially disturbing information: The governmentwasn't going to permit people in certain areas to rebuild; floodplains were going to be declared in certain sections; so-and-solocal official said this and that. We became the informationcenter. Folks knew that they could turn to us for the correctanswer.

Rumor control remained a prime function even 6 months down theroad. At this point it became about the availability or lackthereof of both flood and coastal insurance. Again, not only wereour offices used as the source of reliable information, we alsoused advertising, participation in community events and localspeaking engagements to make sure that accurate information wasbeing disseminated. After a catastrophe, information is king.

And nearly 1 year later, we're still using the power ofinformation. Because of the storm, rates are going to go up. Ratherthan have our customers receive a nasty shock when they get theirbills, our ads inform clients ahead of time and let them know thatwe can help them.

We include in those ads the fact that homes should be raisedat least 3 feet over base elevation. Why? Becausepeople are still looking to us for answers and this elevationrecommended by NFIP gives them the preferred rate, with largesavings in the long run.

Here we are, 9 months after the storm, and our business isstrong and vibrant. We are seeing such a high renewal rate.

I can't tell you how many times grateful people—clients andotherwise—have told us how much they appreciated our efforts duringthis time. That's how you market your agency. Be the informationcenter of the community.

Related: Read Excessive?Hardly