Two years after the onslaught of COVID-19, things are beginning to feel “normal” again in the parking industry (and the business world as a whole). I put the word normal in quotation marks because COVID has become such a constant presence in our lives that the idea of returning to normal is, in many ways, hard to imagine. Still, with mandated city-wide shutdowns in the rear-view mirror, parking facilities are once again filling up and the parking world is once again on the move. 

This return to normal must influence our approach to marketing. After two years of business development via Zoom meetings and emails, it’s time for organizations to put themselves back out there. It’s time for marketing and business development professionals to start marketing themselves and their organizations in person again. Your customers and strategic partners want to connect with you in person, now more than ever. You need to refresh your personal and organizational brands to differentiate yourself and your organization, and you need to prepare to do it face-to-face.

Successful marketing and business development is built on relationships. Sure, people want the best equipment and software, the most accomplished planners and designers, and the best operators. But they also want to buy those products and services from people they like and respect and with whom they have productive relationships. They are looking for people they want to work with.

The best relationships are built face-to-face. It’s true that the pandemic forced us to scramble for new approaches, which resulted in the rise of Zoom and Microsoft Teams as business development and marketing tools. This trend occurred not because these tools are superior, but because they were the best available way to build relationships. The pandemic also forced organizations to lean heavily on emails, social media, and other digital marketing tactics. Yet, as useful as these tools are for generating new business and keeping customers and the industry informed, they are a poor substitute for personal relationships.

The parking industry offers plenty of opportunities for rebuilding face-to-face relationships. The best will soon take place in New Orleans at the IPMI Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo. It provides a wonderful opportunity to reengage with people you may not have seen for months, or maybe even years. And it provides a terrific chance to meet new people who may be interested in your organization’s products and services.

When you are in New Orleans, put yourself out there. Try to spend more time on the exhibit floor meeting colleagues and exhibitors. Also, go to the conference opening reception and any others that you are invited to. It may be tempting to skip a party to go out to dinner with friends or go to bed early, but these receptions are the best places to meet new people and rekindle relationships with people you may not have seen for many months or, because of the pandemic, even years. 

Of course, the IPMI Conference & Expo isn’t the only place to get out and market yourself and your organization. There are other national parking shows in the US and around the globe, and there are also national conferences serving your vertical industries. And, of course, there are numerous regional parking shows.

Remember, you are a marketer, whether you realize it or not. When you engage people in a work environment, or even a personal one, they are making judgements about you, your organization, and the industry. After two years of COVID induced shutdowns and at-home work, this is the time to embrace your inner marketer and put yourself out there.