How to build your trust reservoir before a crisis strikes

On the surface, a reservoir is just a body of water. But to the people who rely on it in, it is a source of safety, security, and health. It means that when the rain doesn’t fall, everyone can still drink water, wash their hands and play with the kids.

Reservoirs provide lots of other security. Savings accounts are financial reservoirs for when medical bills or layoffs provide a cash flow drought. There are 12 people on every basketball team, not five, because a reservoir of players means injury or illness to the starters doesn’t have to be a crisis.

Businesses need all sorts of reservoirs – financial, in case of a recession or a lawsuit; for the team, in case someone leaves or is ill; and in trust with customers and other stakeholders, in case a crisis lands on the doorstep.

For residents near Lake Mead and Lake Powell, filling the reservoir had to happen well before the drought. Likewise, people must build savings well before being out of work, and businesses can’t just hope that people trust their product, service and brand.

As PR professionals, it’s our job to fill the trust reservoir long before our organization needs it. If we wait until the crisis hits, we’ll be sucking on hot sand instead of cool, clean water.

How do you build a trust reservoir?