Crayton Webb

Developing a communications plan before a crisis hits is key

By: Crayton Webb, CEO of Sunwest Communications

The problem is, if you’re only communicating after the crisis has occurred (or worse yet, coming up with a plan to communicate during the crisis), it’s too late.

Amidst the crisis of the current coronavirus outbreak, it is proving frighteningly easy, ironically, for direct sellers to become complacent. The backdrop of COVID-19 has become an all-consuming distraction. While some direct selling companies, like so many businesses, are forced to scale back and lay off employees, others are experiencing double-digit growth. Whether it’s because of an easily obtainable, high-quality product or the allure of the “ultimate work-from-home gig,” the success can become intoxicating. It’s as if those companies are saying, “We must be doing everything right. Let’s keep doing it.” On the flip side, though, the pain of financial trouble or cutbacks necessarily demand a “keep your head down” internal focus on operational costs and the bottom line.