South Florida: Back to Basics

When I sat down to choose a topic for my first blog entry, I was reminded of just a few short months ago when I was deciding upon a theme for CREW-Miami’s 2009 campaign (Commercial Real Estate Women). At that time, my initial thought was to launch “Close the Deal,” a natural sequel to this past year’s successful “Make the Ask” campaign, which sought to inspire assertiveness among women throughout the industry and generate deal flow among members.

But as the economy plummeted even further and deal flow stalled, it became clear that a new campaign theme was in order. In business, it’s often the simplest actions – making that phone call, getting involved in the community, and as we learned in 2008, asking for the business – that helps strengthen relationships. So this year, CREW-Miami is launching an awareness and education campaign called “Back to Basics” to encourage industry professionals to revisit the fundamental principles of business success and serve as a reminder to all that the same fundamentals that brought us success in the past are what will help us meet the challenges of today.

Throughout the year, CREW-Miami will offer a strong slate of topical and educational programs for members and guests, geared toward building relationships and gaining a better understanding of the critical issues affecting our industry and region. There’s never been a better time to get involved in a professional organization. After all, professional involvement and doing business go hand-in-hand. Active participation not only offers access to and visibility amongst other professionals, but through active participation, you have the opportunity to demonstrate your business prowess and professionalism to potential business prospects. You never know where your next deal will come from. It’s just a matter of uncovering and pursuing the right opportunities.

CPN’s new blog has provided us with a great venue in which to engage one another. I hope this first entry serves to spark a healthy and productive dialogue, and look forward to hearing your thoughts on how, together, we can get back on track.