The downturn in the economy has forced us all to take a hard look at what we do in business and how we do it. Sounds pretty basic but in the past few years most of us have been so busy pulling the fish out of our nets that we haven't paid attention to where our boats were heading....suddenly we found ourselves in a sea with very few fish.
This is only a bad thing if we allow it to be. Many people I speak with are doing the same thing I am; examining the way we conduct business and with whom we are conducting it. Take a look around you; there are opportunities to increase your business and contacts all around and the good news is: all these new contacts are receptive to hearing from you; if you reach out in a personal way. Do you notice all the new mail you are getting that is hand addressed? How about the number of guests that show up to Chamber of Commerce meetings or trade group dinners, or any seminar that is promoting education in your field? I can't say the mailings work on me but I do see people enjoying the face to face human interaction of a meeting or just talking and listening to another human being.
I am constantly thrilled making phone calls to people I don't know who are happy to take my call and talk to me because we share a client or we work with a similar client base but we have never met. We talk about building alliances, helping each other out and finding ways to do what we do better and together. Holy Cow! why didn't I take the time to call these good folks before? Was I missing an opportunity? Perhaps, but perhaps they wouldn't have had time to take my call 18 months ago. Now they do, and now they are listening. This opportunity does not come around often; we will get busy again and we won't have time to take calls from or make call to other busy colleagues and allies. Don't miss this time, who knows when it will come around again. These fellow fisherman may the key to finding your way back to the fertile fishing grounds again.
