In television, it’s called a “cold open.” Google that term and The Office is likely to show up on the first page of results; maybe more than once. Appropriately. [1]
The month of September often feels that way on the calendar. Summertime was that not-exactly-programmed period after credits rolled on the season finale of whatever. A comedy, maybe. Or a cliffhanger. Possibly a really serious series finale. Regardless, then came summer — like a commercial break where everyone left the room for snacks.
Labor Day spells the end of that.
But it doesn’t take an accountant to know that the fourth quarter of the year doesn’t hit until October. Black Friday is safely over eleven weeks away (or 81 days, for those who are intent on counting). Year-end reckoning is another full month and some change after that. Plenty of time before the tops have to go up on convertibles, then off to be ensconsed in their garage cacoons for the winter.
Unfortunately, September didn’t get that memo. Blame it on Dr Rob Borer, who long ago (but not far away) recommended early planning for the Scarecrow Contest this year. Or hang it o Oktoberfest revelers who insist such celebrations be had this month rather than next. [2,3]
The good news is that your Saline Area Chamber of Commerce (SACC) has resources already in place to support local enterprises with their commercial cold opens even now, before daytime temperatures drop below 80 degrees.
As always, its “Events Calendar” is the heart of action.
With so many online calendars trying to lay claim as the one place to find everything, the end results are more often anything but the sort of lean, most important summaries that busy professionals need. Let real time updates from the source do the better job of keeping parents and students organized through Saline Area Schools. Make it a priority to get garage sales out of the GTD workflow. [4,5,6,7,8]
Every month, there are now three regularly appearing items — and often a fourth, bonus, item — to look for during the third or fourth week of the month prior. They show in green to set them apart. But their individual values aren’t always apparent to those who’ve never plugged into them.
“Building Business Relationships Breakfasts” are an opportunity to efficiently take the pulse of local commerce and manufacturing. This may be in terms of competition, regulation, customers, or hiring. In addition to interesting programs, this is a unique opportunity to access community pulse sans gatekeepers. Not convinced? Assign these functions to employees outside of the executive offices and debrief them after as an adjunct to regular check-in functions later in the week after they return. [9]
The second and third offerings are gender specific. “Women in Business” (WiB) is a strategically-unstructured peer-to-peer gathering that frequently leads to longer form, one-on-one connections that are not typically associated with “networking” functions. Although nothing so formal as a confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement obtains, it seems that What happens at WiB, stays at WiB. “Men’s Business League” is the male counterpart. [10,11,12]
Item four is easily missed, yet could in many cases easily justify a place at the top of many business agendas. One of the “ceremonial” functions of the Saline Chamber is to encouraged and help organize openings and ribbon-cuttings. Tours and insights on operations often never otherwise available often come with this; key, senior personnel are accessible. And looking out from within can provide a view of where the business community sees itself going — for thoughtful attendees who have an eye on where their own work may continue or grow to fit.
From the outside, cold opens invariably feel sudden and dramatic. In fact, they’re meant to; that’s how they hook and hold viewers against the powerful forces of handheld channel-clickers. The experience should be completely opposite for those on the inside, those with their hands firmly on the controls. [13]
For a better handle on this September cold start to fourth-quarter 2018, bookmark the SACC Events Calendar.
References
- “From identity theft to chili, ranking the best The Office cold opens” Derek Lawrence (June 18, 2018) Entertainment Weekly.
- “Theme Announced For Seventh Annual Saline Scarecrow Contest (Competitive Entrants Will Want To Start Planning Early)” Dell Deaton (July 18, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Oktoberfest” Saline Main Street.
- Saline Area Chamber of Commerce (home page).
- “Events Calendar” Saline Chamber.
- “Calendars” Saline Area Schools.
- GTD (home page).
- “Are you out of your mind? | David Allen | TEDxCuracao” TEDx Talks (June 7, 2018) YouTube.
- “Building Business Relationships Breakfast” Saline Area Chamber of Commerce.
- “Women in Business” Saline Area Chamber of Commerce.
- “Why networking events are a waste of time, and what to do instead” Derek Coburn (November 17, 2016) The Guardian.
- “Men’s Business League” Saline Area Chamber of Commerce.
- “What Was the Best Cold Opening on a TV Show?” Mark Strauss (April 2, 2014) Gizmodo.
