It’s Show Time: Relationships, Marketing Win!

By Antonis Stamatoulakis, G.A. Network
GREECE–While writing this small article… Salon del Mobile in Milan is already in its 4^th day, giving us some kind of a clue about, not only the trends, but also the markets’ mood!
The feelings are mixed a few weeks before Proposte and other important gatherings in East and West. Entire production powerhouses are losing touch with the needs of the market!  While, at the same time, big parts of geographic areas as well as individual players are lacking vision or prospects!
Simultaneously, confidence hasn’t retreated as much as we expected previously and some sort of activity remains bullish here and there…giving hope and keeping the engines warm!
The collective wisdom of the industry leaders (buyers and sellers) is crushed between pricing the wars, calculating (or miscalculating) conflicts…and following the psychological ups and downs of the world’s trade routes and distribution models.
Actual leadersip is needed…more than ever, to focus on future opportunities and possibilities to open up accounts and markets in a sustainable path…without the usual drama that follows decisions here and there,…adding stress and deducting potential capacity to market to purchase or produce.
Let’s focus on our strengths and escape stereotypes that distract our position and confuse our clients!
No need to seduce our customers’ base with fancy, complicated plans that overlap our position in the market, destroying decades of trust!  Neither to go crazy travelling from one place to another, listening to sirens and stories about pharaonic shifts in production (or consumption) from place A to B that is costing, more in the mid term than some ephemeral profits!
Let’s show time, focusing on relationships and marketing as the simple way to survive one more crisis!
Enjoy the shows and I am looking forward to seeing you!