THE BUSINESS OF PARKING

Relationships Still Rule the Day

By Bill Smith, APR

DURING THE PAST SIX YEARS of writing this column, I’ve written a lot about how technology has changed the way parking companies market themselves. Digital marketing, social media, and even publicity largely revolve around technology today.

This month, however, I want to focus on a distinctly low-tech marketing tactic: networking. Sometimes we get so caught up in using the latest gadgets and approaches that we lose sight of the tried and true. At the end of the day, marketing and new business development are about building relationships. When selling directly via ads, direct mail, or digital marketing, those relationships are with customers. When pitching earned media stories, those relationships are with editors and reporters. When public speaking, those relationships could be with customers or strategic partners. Regardless of which tactics you are using, your ultimate goal is to develop relationships.

Building Networking In

That’s why you should build networking into your marketing and business development efforts. Unfortunately, it’s a lost art that many organizations don’t place a premium on, and many companies don’t help staff network effectively. However, ignoring face-to-face networking is a mistake.

It’s easy to see why relationships are key to parking equipment companies and other vendors marketing to parking owners and operators. You are much more likely to close a deal when you get to know the prospect personally and learn what’s important to him or her. Really getting to know people allows you to provide real value to the relationship and puts you in a better position to keep that business and earn future business from the customer.

There are plenty of opportunities to network within the parking industry as well as in vertical industries your company may serve. Of course, national conferences and symposia, like the upcoming 2021 IPMI Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo in Tampa, offer opportunities to network with other parking professionals, potential strategic partners, and, of course, new business prospects.

Sometimes we get so caught up in using the latest gadgets and approaches that we lose sight of the tried and true. At the end of the day, marketing and new business development are about building relationships.

Vertical Markets

Additionally, there are many networking opportunities at conferences sponsored by organizations in your key vertical markets. National conferences in the healthcare, higher education, municipal management, airport, retail, real estate, and building owner/operators industries offer excellent networking opportunities. These include the Society for College and University Planning, BOMA, HITEC, Recon, and the American Association of Airport Executives, just to name a few. There are dozens of trade shows put on by industry groups with an ongoing interest in parking issues.

There are also many local networking opportunities. Local affiliated branches of national industry organizations (including state and regional IPMI affiliate organizations) often offer seminars, business meetings, and committees in which to participate. Likewise, local business groups, such as Rotary and Chambers of Commerce, typically have regularly scheduled meetings at which networking is encouraged. You can even reach out to your existing contacts and ask them where they would suggest you go to network.

It’s important to remember that networking doesn’t end when you leave the event. In fact, that’s just the beginning. You need to stay in touch with the people you connect with and cultivate relationships with them. Like any relationship, it needs to be nurtured. Networking is an essential element of any parking company’s marketing and business development efforts, but for many it’s a lost art. Parking executives should commit their organizations to encourage staff to actively network to key groups, and to provide ongoing support for those efforts. ◆

BILL SMITH,

APR, is principal of Smith-Phillips Strategic Communications and contributing editor of Parking & Mobility. He can be reached at bsmith@ smith-phillips.com or 603.491.4280.

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