Networking is a key part of business recovery
Last year was either a good year or it was the year you came close to losing your business (or, I am sad to say, did). There are very few businesses that were not affected in some way by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The effects of the pandemic forced us to see the strengths and weakness of how we run our business. At the same time, it pushed us 10 years into the future in terms of the way we operate our business; something that we may or may not be prepared for.
It is requiring us to find new ways to acquire clients, maintain them and conduct business. I, for one, feel like I am living out the storyline in the book Who Moved My Cheese, authored in 1998 by Spencer Johnson. What worked before isn’t working now and I am scrambling to find new ways to stay productive and profitable.
I wanted to write an article filled with ideas about how to help you dig out of whatever the problems were that the pandemic posed for your business. I was going to give you wonderful tips on how to start planning, how to move to digital marketing and shift to a virtual office. But the more I thought about it, the more I came to realize that all that is stull, while important is only window dressing.
What struck me the most throughout last year were my relationships with the people I work with – employees, vendors, associates, clients and how important they are to my world. And the more I think about it, the more I realize these people are the backbone of my business. If not for them I would not be in business. They are my foundation. The most important activity I can do to close out 2021, to get back on track and be ready for 2022, is to reconnect with them and nurture those relationships.
Relationships don’t stop with the people you see most often. They also include the ones you meet (or should I say met?) at networking events. Take advantage of the Meadowlands Chamber. Being one of the largest Chambers in the state means we have access to many resources to help and guide through the recovery process. Give Jim Kirkos a call. If you have been active in the Chamber at all, then you know that they are more than just a group that meets a few times a month. The Chamber is a family, and, as a family, our members support each other. Pick up the phone and call a member you’ve met at a meeting and shared something in common with.
You’d be surprised how willing people are to help and support you when you give the opportunity.
Patti Goldfarb is a Principal at The Employee Benefits Advisors Group. She can be reached at (201) 255-6239 or pgoldfarb@ebagroup.net. See www.ebagroup.net for more.
