Right now it’s all about staying connected.

And sometimes staying connected requires really hard work.  Especially when you need to be ever mindful of with whom you are connecting.  As a business person traversing rough waters, reaching out to reinforce old connections or establish new ones can be a critical survival technique.  This is not a time to be shy.  This is a time to pick up the phone and ring your vendors.  Ask them what recommendations they have for making their product more successful.  Call past customers.  There’s nothing like the feeling of receiving an unexpected phone call from a business you respect checking in to make sure you are still a satisfied customer.  When the customer reassures you they are pleased, don’t be afraid to ask for a referral.  Make a cold call to another market, to a business of a similar type in a similar sized market.  Have a chat.  Ask them what they are doing differently this year that is making an impact.  You are not a competitor, and you might learn something that your customers would really value.

And when you find yourself in the shoes of a consumer, keep in mind that this is a time you need to be particularly cautious, and can afford to be particularly picky.  Don’t forget to check out a company’s grade with the BBB before you pay them a visit.  Those grades are dynamic and you might find that the company you relied on for the last decade isn’t so trustworthy in tough times.

The BBB is helping consumers connect with businesses by providing communication tools right on the website.  Go ahead, send our accredited businesses an e-mail.  Ask them a question or ask for a quote.  Or even ask for a phone call so you can have a conversation with someone you trust.

The BBB is also helping trustworthy businesses stay connected with each other with our new businesses mixers beginning in February.  Remember, these businesses have the potential to become your business’ consumer.  If you’re looking to bring more revenue in the door, making more contacts and connections is a good place to start.  Look for details in a BBB e-mail coming to Accredited Businesses soon.

And if you are a BBB Accredited Business and we don’t have your e-mail address, give us a call and we’ll add it.  We want you to stay connected.

It’s officially Happy New Year for me, which means a concerted effort at shaving off those holiday indulgences.  I’m Bohemian, so that means I’m sitting on them, and now hauling them to the gym on a daily basis.  And yes, like many of my girlfriends, I’ve put myself on an eating plan.  Diet is a four-letter word.  Eating plan has the connotation that I am actually planning to eat.  See how that positive spin works?

Positive spins, by the way, are something we could all use more of these days.  Not to get all “karma” on you, but I do take stock in “The Secret,” in “The Power of Attraction,” and basically in our control of our own situation when we can’t control the world around us.  I was struck by a letter from an Accredited Business sent to me personally.  I called Bruce, the author, and requested his permission to reprint the text:

“Thank you for your persistence regarding my renewal.  I’ve realized that I let fear get the best of me for a while.  I have decided to reverse my decision to not renew.  During these trying times I need to focus on positive ideas and people, which the BBB has both.”

Bruce, like most of our Accredited Businesses, is a small business owner working hard through increasingly tougher circumstances.  His message rings so true in keeping priorities straight with an intense positive focus.  That message will come through to Bruce’s potential customers, who I’m sure are more critical and discerning than ever.

And remember, Bruce, you can’t fail until you quit.  I hope you send me another letter in a couple of years when you are riding that shooting star.

Oh, and if you, too, have made a New Year’s resolution to get some help with that curvaceous figure of yours, please be careful.  There are weight-loss scams galore this time of year and piles of complaints on aggressive gym sales tactics.  Check out our report on any company from which you are considering purchasing or contracting, and read our tips on contracting with a gym.

Be smart, stay positive and let your BBB know what we can do to help.