How to Pitch Your Products and Services During a Crisis

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By: Susan Harrow

The first question is: Is this appropriate? It all depends on your intention and how you go about it. Some questions to ask: Are you being self-serving or are you genuinely offering help to people? What can you offer for free that helps people in dire need? Can you comment, give advice, or put unusual circumstances in perspective? Have you helped people in similar situations before? Do you have unusual ideas that some other expert hasn't thought of?

Barry Pascal owner of Gifts and Decorative Accessories, a combination gift store and pharmacy, told me his story of how he helped his community after the 1994 Northridge earthquake when I spoke at the Los Angeles Gift Show a few months ago. His story is a timeless one for any disaster.

Shirley and Barry Pascal were sleeping when the earthquake struck early in the morning January 17, 1994. They rushed to their store, a 61-year-old pharmacy and the oldest ongoing business in town. The damage was "a thousand times worse than our house," says Barry. Much of their gift store inventory of glass and other delicate items, along with all of their storefront windows, was destroyed.

By 9:30 a.m. pajama-clad customers made their way to the pharmacy, some seeking remedies for their injuries, most hoping to find prescriptions for critical medication. Many of these people weren't regular customers, but the Pascals took care of them and charged them wholesale cost nonetheless. People who came without cash were given medications for free.

MY NOTE: The Pascals reacted with genuine concern to the disaster and assisted people in ways that made sense for their business.

Shirley set up a first-aid center at the front door. During the next four days, teams of pharmacists and clerks stood at the door to help all who came for products and medicine. After attending to people's immediate physical needs, the Pascals turned to their emotional ones. The neighborhood looked like a depressing "war zone" so the Pascals employed a sign painter to design a cheery plywood mural of the Wizard of Oz, complete with the yellow brick road, tin man, lion, and scarecrow and the words, "Northridge. There's still no place like home."

MY NOTE: The Pascals came up with a creative, fun, uplifting idea that boosted community morale.

After that they designed T-shirts with the same slogan and donated some $3,000 in profits to the Northridge Chamber of Commerce to which Barry belonged, saving it from going belly up.

MY NOTE: The Pascals were focused on keeping important aspects of their community in tact.

Good news travels fast. When the California State Senate found out about the Pascals outstanding community service, Barry was asked to serve as one of two co-chairs on the Northridge Earthquake Task Force whose duties included creating proposals to improve preparedness. Barry also served on a committee that worked with the state's Red Cross and California Pharmacists Association to design a disaster plan for pharmacies. The walls of the store are covered with certificates of commendation and recognition, including one from the California Legislative Assembly, another from the U.S. Senate.

MY NOTE: Barry was recognized as a leader within his community for taking action and developing systems that work during a catastrophe. He also helped restore the community both physically and emotionally--qualities needed to plan legislation for future disasters.

Today, more than six years later, people still remember. Every day at least one person comes by the store just to thank the Pascals for their assistance, or to tell them that although they've moved out of the area they make a special trip to do business with Gift Gallery/Northridge Pharmacy.

Copyright (c) 2006 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.

Information about the Author:

Susan Harrow, www.PRSecrets.com, is a media coach, marketing strategist, author of *Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul* and *The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah.* Clients include CEOs, authors, entrepreneurs who have appeared on/in Oprah, 60 Minutes, TIME, USA Today, NY Times.

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