Busy Season

Industry events are great networking opportunities.

Dear Industry Colleagues,

As I write my monthly letter, we are approaching mid-April when we are a few weeks into baseball season and our thoughts turn to the crack of the bat, warmer weather and putting the cold days of winter behind us.

As we know, this also is a busy time for our industry as we are into the full swing of buying-group season in addition to the many regional events throughout the country. ASA staff members are beginning their busy “member blitz” schedule, visiting members and prospects in a few different regions over the next several weeks.

I am approaching several busy weeks of travel myself as I represent the association at a series of events throughout the country. The annual spring/summer trip for the ASA president involves providing association updates at various regional meetings, including gatherings of the Midwest Distributors Association, the Wholesalers Association of the Northeast, the North Central Wholesalers Association, the Southern Wholesalers Association, the Western Suppliers Association and our own Young Executives Spring Forum.

I am looking forward to this busy season and for the chance to come out and speak with many of you in person, hear about recent happenings and learn about the exciting goings on within ASA and in our industry. In place of our usual May ASA Legislative Fly-in event, don’t forget NetworkASA 2013 will be held in Washington, D.C., this October, presenting attendees with a similar opportunity to meet with their legislators.

One of the “takeaways” I consistently come home with after industry meetings is the reminder that the industry still values relationships. No technology, smartphone, tablet, social media campaign or webinar can ever replace that. My predecessors as ASA president have done their best to drive home the importance of these relationships, and I will continue to do the same as I venture out to see many of you. If you plan on attending any upcoming meetings or events, make sure to take the time to remind yourself of this. Schedule time to thank those customers and business colleagues with whom you have long-term relationships with. Make it a priority to further develop similar relationships you may just be starting, or perhaps have not even begun to start. They all are important at some level.

This busy season also is a good time to “recharge the batteries.” Many of you never get a break from the everyday operations of your businesses. Attending an industry meeting provides you with an opportunity to do so. If you don’t have business travel in your plans for the near future, simply place a call to a business colleague to ask how they are doing.

If you are planning on being in attendance, make sure to go to at least one of the event’s social functions, even if just for an hour. What better way to further develop those previously mentioned relationships? You are not alone when it comes to trying to juggle work and life outside your business.

Many of your business colleagues just might have some tips to help you handle the juggling routine. Take the time to make the busy season not so busy and reward yourself for all your hard work.

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