There was a commercial a few years ago that had a great message. The commercial put two business owners side by side. The one needed two thousand of a certain item within a few days. The other individual needed space and was trying to find a buyer for two thousand of that particular item. Neither individual offered a hand or a hello. Many times, a simple good morning or hello can be the start of a lasting relationship, friendship, or business partnership.
My wife and I went on a cruise in March. The first morning at the pool, I said good morning across the pool to a man sitting in a lounge chair. That day we spent a few minutes visiting. He shared he was retired from the Navy and I shared that I served in the Army and that I worked for the Portage Chamber of Commerce.
We visited a little each morning. When the cruise ended, I had learned that he had been adopted by an American family and that when he married; he and his wife over the years had adopted nine children. We learned that he not only was a Sailor but a Fighter Pilot in South East Asia and the Middle East. We also learned that he had been Commander of the USS Enterprise and he retired as an Admiral. We shared e-mail addresses and phone numbers for the future. This started with a “HELLO”.
We have businesses join our chamber starting with a cold call hello. If your business or organization has room for growth, you might just want to hold the door, give a handshake, or just smile and say hello to every stranger your daily activities bring you in contact with.