Stone Column: Strategizing for the future
All of us have certainly been adapting to a significant amount of change lately. Obviously, most of it has been brought on by the pandemic that has halted us in our tracks and turned our world upside during the past several months. But while that is true, I believe some of us already had some ideas for change in the works before we even heard of the word “COVID-19.” I know we did at Stone World.
Last fall, we started strategizing about how to extend beyond the print pages of Stone World. While we have a website that we continually update with news and web exclusives, as well as a bi-monthly eNewsletter, we thought about other ways we can bring unique and informative content to our loyal readers. With this intention, we started to conduct podcasts with various industry members. Since then, we have steadily grown to posting twice a month. We have covered a diverse range of topics – everything from growing sales and a business during a pandemic to shop automation, the current state of the natural stone industry and advice on financing machinery. Jason Kamery has done a great job of keeping the momentum going and bringing our readers new subjects and topics. For those who have been tuning in, we hope you have been enjoying them. And for those who haven’t had the opportunity to listen to one yet, be sure to visit www.stoneworld.com/media/podcasts/2594 to check them out. And we are also excited to share with you that Stone World’s podcasts can be found on Apple Podcasts. If you know of a good subject or would like to speak on a topic yourself, don’t hesitate to reach out to Jason or myself to tell us about it.
Along the lines of change, I have heard from some fabricators who had been in the process of updating their websites with more virtual tools prior to the pandemic. And with the given state of a minimal-contact environment, having a ramped up website for customers to browse and even select material choices before entering a showroom is certainly beneficial. There are so many new software programs and other digital tools on the market today that can be particularly helpful to the success of a fabrication business during this time. Be sure to learn about the latest in our Digital Solutions for the Fabricator Roundup.
We continually search for new ways to inform our readers of current industry events, the latest technologies and other information pertaining to the stone industry, similar to the way you might be finding new ways to better serve your customers. Like the old saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Particularly during these times, we might be inspired to devise a new business strategy or invest in new software or equipment that will ultimately benefit us in the long run. Remember, everyone is currently in the same boat. We all need to find our own path to survive. Sharing thoughts and experiences can always help.
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