I am baffled and don’t understand why is that I do not hear things like “We are looking for de­signers for a new product line, which we would like to propose to potential clients, whom we met at an international fair.” Those who are in a hard situation are certainly looking at the empty half of the glass (you might remember, in the previous edition of Mobila Magazine I wrote about positivism…). I might have a few suggestions, which although are not magical formulas for getting out of the deadlock, can assist the change for the better.

a. Maintain a living contact with all that is current in the furniture industry. Visit the specialty fairs alone or with an engineer from planning, and leave your relatives at home. Make a note of your ideas, even if they are inspired by the creations of others.

b. Invest in design. The technical layout is the second step – first someone has to come up with a new, different idea. Be bold in choosing the finishing for the modular furniture and selecting the fabric for the upholstery. The product portfolio has a certain life­cycle, and if you don’t renew your offer periodically your business might stagnate, and most likely you will have to face the decline of sales.

c. Secure yourself a permanent visibility. After iden­tifying your potential clients, make steps towards them. Forget about the illusion that you can solve your promotion with a well built website: without personal contacts, without quality pictures, without a strategically planned communication, your conversion rate will not grow.

All things be said, I advise you to spend less time at the office: travel, communicate, analyze and make decisions that will bring your company and your products out of anonymity. The economic crisis and the conjuncture of other obstacles will not impede the development of those who are focusing on the full half of the glass.