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“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin

June first marked the beginning of Hurricane Season and unfortunately NOAA predicts a busy one with an estimated 17-25 named storms.

Disasters can strike without warning, which makes preparedness, especially with today’s volatile weather patterns, paramount. As a leader, you have the power to equip your agents—and through them, your communities—with the knowledge and tools they need to weather any storm. From wildfires to floods, to tornadoes and hurricanes, being ready can make all the difference.

How can you, as a leader, empower your team to ensure their buyers and sellers are fully prepared for potential disasters? This guide will walk you through actionable steps to enhance disaster preparedness, so you can foster safer communities and more resilient markets.

Related reading: Being Prepared Isn’t Just for Scouts

Educating Agents on Local Disaster Risks

Begin by familiarizing your agents with the specific types of disasters that are most likely to occur in your area. This awareness enables them to provide relevant information to clients and better understand the local risks themselves. Encourage participation in courses and seminars offered by national agencies such as FEMA, NOAA, and the American Red Cross. These organizations offer invaluable insights into disaster preparedness and response strategies.

Leverage local government resources and online tools specific to your region. Platforms like agents.floodsmart.gov provide educational and marketing materials specifically designed for agents. Ready.gov also has resources and disaster planning guides to help your agents help your clients. Use these resources to empower your team with up-to-date information and practical advice on how to communicate risks and preparedness steps to buyers and sellers.

Furthermore, create an internal repository of information and guidelines. This could include checklists for different types of disasters, local emergency contact numbers, and step-by-step guides on what actions to take before, during, and after a disaster. Ensuring that this information is easily accessible will boost your agents’ confidence and competence when advising their clients.

Remember, knowledge is power. The more informed your agents are about local disaster risks, the more effectively they can help clients make educated decisions and stay safe in times of crisis.

• Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States
• Wildfires burned over 10 million acres in the US in 2020
• Hurricanes caused $65 billion in damages in the US in 2020
• The average cost of flood damage to a home is $39,000

Creating Comprehensive Disaster Preparedness Plans

After educating your agents on the specific local disaster risks, it’s crucial to guide them in creating comprehensive disaster preparedness plans. These plans should be tailored to address the unique concerns related to wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and other potential hazards prevalent in your area.

1. Checking Insurance Coverage: Ensure that your agents assist their clients in verifying their insurance coverage. Policies should encompass not only the structure of the property but also personal belongings and additional living expenses if the home becomes uninhabitable.
2. Identifying Risks: Agents should work with clients to identify specific risks associated with their property locations. This includes understanding flood zones, wildfire-prone areas, and proximity to fault lines. Armed with this information, clients can make informed decisions and take proactive measures.
3. Developing Emergency Management and Business Continuity Plans: Equip your agents with the knowledge to help their clients create robust emergency management plans. This includes setting up an emergency contact list, identifying evacuation routes, and establishing communication methods. Consider business continuity measures for clients who may run a home-based business.
4. Ensuring Workplace Safety Measures: For clients owning commercial properties, agents should help review and improve workplace safety protocols. This encompasses regular drills, emergency supply kits, and clear evacuation procedures.
5. Backing Up IT Systems: Stress the importance of having digital backups of important documents. Encourage agents to guide clients on safeguarding critical information such as property deeds, insurance policies, and personal identification documents in secure, easily accessible cloud storage.
6. Planning for Staff Payment During Downtime: If your clients have employees, advise agents on helping them establish a plan for staff compensation during business interruptions. This ensures financial stability and maintains employee loyalty and morale during tough times.
7. Contacting Clients in Case of a Disaster: Communication is key during an emergency. Agents should maintain an updated contact list, enabling them to quickly reach out to clients to offer support, provide updates, and guide them through the recovery process.

Utilizing comprehensive preparedness plans not only protects your clients’ investments but also bolsters your reputation as a knowledgeable and attentive real estate professional. By taking the time to prepare your team, proactively addressing these crucial aspects enhances client relationships and positions your agency as a community leader in disaster readiness.

The Takeaway

Ultimately, taking proactive steps to prepare your clients for disasters not only ensures their safety and well-being but also strengthens your reputation as a responsible and caring real estate leader. By investing time in educating your agents, creating detailed preparedness plans, and leveraging various communication channels, you can make a significant impact on your community. Your support could be the decisive factor in protecting lives and property when unforeseen events occur. Stay informed, stay prepared, and most importantly, stay connected with your community to navigate through any crisis effectively.

For Your Agents…

It’s imperative that we go above and beyond in serving our clients, especially in preparing them for potential disasters like wildfires and floods. Our role is not just to facilitate transactions, but to truly advocate for our client’s best interests. Let’s work together to ensure every homeowner feels prepared and supported, should disaster strike. Encouraging buyers and sellers to stay informed about local disaster risks and preparedness measures can help them understand the importance of being prepared. As famously said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Let’s arm ourselves with the knowledge and tools to prevent that, and serve our clients in the best way we can.

Darryl Davis is an award-winning international speaker, real estate and business coach, and best-selling author of three books, all published by McGraw Hill Publishers.

For more than 35 years, Darryl has spoken to and trained more than 100,000 sales professionals around the globe to more than double their production year after year. His book,  How to Become a Power Agent in Real Estate, tops Amazon’s charts for one of the most sold books to real estate agents.

He was awarded the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation by the National Speaker’s Association, which is given to less than 2% of all speakers worldwide.

Whether from a stage or Zooming into a virtual room, Darryl’s extraordinary humor, relatability, and natural gift for teaching real-world, results-producing skills and mindsets to audiences have made him a client favorite throughout his career.

Audiences will laugh, learn, and ultimately walk away better prepared for a changing world, with the tools, skills, and training they need to build their businesses with more ease and less stress and to design lives and careers worth smiling about.

Bring One of Darryl’s W.O.R.K. Topics to Your Organization! 

By providing your agents with the knowledge and insights they need to stay ahead of the game, you can ensure that they are equipped to handle any situation that comes their way!

Contact us here to learn more!