Before you get too comfortable with the recession...

We're now becoming used to the recession. Things are slow, money is tight. But don't get too comfy. As soon as things pick up, we'll have new challenges.

There will competitors that will be approaching your clients for business and your clients will be excited about the economy turning. They'll be more than interested in giving someone a chance to get some business. It'll make no sense to the loyal supplier that has been waiting out the recession, but it will happen.

It will be time for you to be that supplier that goes to your competitor's clients and asks for a little business. Rust never sleeps, and neither can we.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond Marketing Communications
www.labov.com

Relationships still the key

My previous post focused on the role that technology is playing in our relationships via Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. The prime differentiator in success still remains the ability to forge meaningful relationships.

I've studied, enjoyed and competed against people who have cultivated great relationships with clients. The ability, the willingness, the energy and the integrity to forge a valuable relationship is the primary reason a person succeeds in business. Why?

Relationships take time, patience, focus and selflessness - a person looking for a quick sale won't "waste" his or her time on trying to become friends with a client or trying to understand or help a supplier.

Whether the economy is great, bad or so-so, there will always be people - and they are looking for someone that values them, someone they can trust - even if that person's product isn't the cheapest or the best. It's that simple...and that hard.


Barry LaBov
LaBov and Beyond marketing Communications
www.labov.com

Relationships more important than ever

Remember when the Internet started catching on and how it and the other technologies were going to change everything? Save us time and money? Well, it took a while, but things have sure changed.

But it also seemed like the Internet and computers were actually keeping us apart - less interaction, less personal communication.

As my good friend Sonya pointed out to me recently, now with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and their counterparts, we're able to be more connected with each other than ever. We can be communicating and enhancing relationships with people all over the globe 24/7.

Sonya's right; in fact if you're going to grow your business today you have to utilize those forms of communications or you'll be left behind.

Now technology is bringing us together for maybe the first time.


Barry LaBov
LaBov & Beyond Marketing Communications
www.labov.com