Yes, I realize you wouldn’t expect a marketing blog to talk about the flu, but I’m home today with a sick child and got to thinking: It’s not a matter of if, but when, we’re going to get sick.

By “we” I mean our children, our significant others or ourselves. For parents, that means days home from work. For colleagues, that means carrying more work load. For clients and customers, that means potential delays in getting goods and services.

The point is this: We know it’s coming, so what are we doing right now to prepare? Are we putting plans in place to allow our companies to continue operating as seamlessly as possible, or are we going to be sideswiped because we stuck our head in the sand and hoped for the best?

Take time today to face reality and brainstorm with your staff and coworkers about how your company can best weather this storm. How can you keep operations running as smoothly as possible? How can you adjust client expectations on the front end so you won’t disappoint them when you deliver late?

The health of each and every individual is truly what’s most important. However, a little preparation for how the H1N1 virus might affect your company will help keep it healthy, too.

What are you doing to prepare?