I hope you are all safe and healthy at this start of 2021. What a long, strange trip it’s been!

Every time I sit down and write a column or article, I am concerned that by the time it hits the streets, the world will be a different place and the content may be irrelevant.

The advent of COVID-19 and the amount of misinformation spread by social media and driving up fear has created some tremendous opportunities for sales in our showrooms.

I started in March as one of the biggest proponents of webinars and doing my best to keep the tempo of communications up with my showrooms.

What a year it has been. I am sure the first-quarter numbers were fantastic for most of you.

The consequences of the pandemic likely will be felt for some time. Business owners should think carefully about issues that may affect their companies and protect themselves.

The world has changed. What we are experiencing is called a critical selling event, which means consumers’ habits are in flux. Their routines are now disrupted, and there is no set pattern in how they buy.

You may want to rethink your marketing plan and consider new consumer trends in the process.

If you make the buying process a positive one, you won’t have customers — you’ll have fans who will share their experiences with others.

Emerging national trends in plumbing are going beyond the concepts of color and aesthetic value.