HEADLINES ADDED: November 23, 2009

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Construction Business Advertising Example

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

Hey gang, take a look at this email that came into our office from ReUse Concrete Sealing in Overland Park, Kansas. I don’t know much about their company, but I do know they understand communication with their customers and all those they do business with. This is one of the best notices we have ever received. Look close, they have everything on there that is needed: Phone number, Address, City, State, Zip, Web site address, Email address And they have a smiling face on the lady holding the phone.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: May 16, 2009

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Twitter Tips for Builders: Tweet Away!

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

Builders need to embrace social media tools such as Twitter in order to keep pace with an increasingly web-savvy customer base. Here's some advice for navigating the Twittersphere.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 08, 2009

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14 most popular remodeler marketing tactics

 |  from Jonathan Sweet - Remodeling Notes  |  Read the Full Article

Earlier this week, I wrote about how some remodelers are ignoring the basics of marketing, according to the results of our annual Business Results ...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 03, 2009

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HEADLINES ADDED: November 21, 2008

Contractors - You Can Survive a Tough Construction Market

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

For many construction business owners, this is the first economic downturn they have experienced. It’s disheartening to see new companies and even some of the old established companies go belly-up. Here today, gone tomorrow. If you are paying attention to what it takes to get business in the door, and doing it, you will survive. That means you have a marketing plan and you advertise for results. You return your phone calls and show up for appointments on time. You are studying sales techniques and learning what it takes... Read More

Sales Quota: How Sales Staffs Can Track the Right Numbers

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

Is your sales staff tracking the right numbers? We'll help you decide by detailing the data and reports they need to know for this segment of your business.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 18, 2008

MegaMarketing: His Epiphany, Your Profit

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Read this, cut it out, paste in over your building’s entrance if you must: No credibility equals no sale.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: August 30, 2008

3 Ways to Improve Your Sales Skills

 |  from CE Pro Recently Filed  |  Read the Full Article

Like any self-improvement endeavor, working on growing your sales skills is an ongoing journey. Here are three ways to improve them.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: August 22, 2008

Market Your Construction Business

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

In his most recent newsletter, Joe Gracia talks about the “10 Money-Making Elements for Your Marketing Pieces”. Joe outlines any number of mistakes that most businesses make when they try to advertise their businesses. One of those mistakes is believing that graphics and pretty pictures sell you and your company. Joe says they don’t. He says that words do the selling. I believe he is right on track. You must give your customers a reason to buy and one of the best ways you can do this is to... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: August 19, 2008

Marketing Ideas for your Construction Company

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

Join us for a free online seminar the evening of Thursday, August 21, when Michael Benedict, Market Opportunity Director for Deluxe Corporation, shares his knowledge and experience in marketing. With a focus on low cost, easy to implement marketing tactics, Michael will walk through a discussion of why marketing is important, and provide ideas specifically for construction-related small businesses. Michael Benedict has over 10 years experience helping small business Contractors manage and advertise their business. He works in Marketing for the Deluxe Corporation (formerly NEBS, Inc.), a Fortune 1000... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: August 11, 2008

Homebuilders, learn to sell your services

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

Learn to turn the perks and services you offer from price tags to benefits in your home buyers’ eyes.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: August 01, 2008

Prospecting: Working Smarter, Not Harder

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Sales Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

Forget about the old-fashioned idea that some people are "born salesmen." To successfully sell building products, you need to learn the science behind the sale.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: July 01, 2008

7 Tips to Improve Sales Follow-up & Close More Leads

 |  from B2B Lead Generation Blog  |  Read the Full Article

If you are like most B2B marketers, lead generation is at top of your priority list. But as you may already know, generating tons of “leads” doesn’t guarantee sales will follow. Does the sales team either ignore your hard-won leads or complain about their quality? Do you ever wonder was the lead even contacted? If so, what’s the status?  Could you have helped move it along by going deeper in the sales cycle? This chronic lack of visibility has a snowball effect of making it challenging for marketers to... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: June 11, 2008

Buy one, get one free homes

 |  from Jonathan Sweet - Remodeling Notes  |  Read the Full Article

Wow. So homes are now like shoes? Buy one, get one free ... that's the deal Michael Crews Development is offering in the San Dieg...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: June 10, 2008

Leadership Selling: Manage Your Sales Style

 |  from RC - Column  |  Read the Full Article

When it comes to sales, you may be affected by social consciousness in more ways than you realize. While it’s easy to recognize that job pressures shape your performance — for example, the struggle to meet corporate expectations and uncompromising customer demands at the same time — what’s not so apparent is that your behavior is also shaped by social pressures and often is reinforced by movies, literature and television.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: May 29, 2008

Construction Contractors - Stay Focused

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

Alfred E. Neuman used to say, “What, me worry?” Many construction-related business owners are worrying, and we know that. What can you do? Well, there are two things you must do and there can be little doubt about either of them. The first thing you must do is keep focused on sales. That means advertising 24/7/365. None of this “cutting our advertising because money is tight” nonsense. Money is tight because you haven’t been doing a good job of advertising. Recently I spent a day with one of our... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: May 28, 2008

Top 10 Reasons not to increase your marketing budget

 |  from Jonathan Sweet - Remodeling Notes  |  Read the Full Article

A lot of people are wasting your time telling you to market more when your sales are down. Here are the top 10 reasons not to spend any m...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: May 15, 2008

Turn Your Selling Around

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Sales Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

The heart of the new approach to selling is an intense focus on the prosperity of your customers.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: May 10, 2008

Measuring Up: Six Common Characteristics of Successful Salespeople

 |  from RC - Column  |  Read the Full Article

Before reviewing the six characteristics of successful salespeople, we need to talk about sales in general. Selling is an acquired skill, not a God-given talent. Salespeople are communicators, not manipulators. For many people, their only sales experience has been with a pushy car or insurance salesperson. Such prejudices are commonplace and totally wrong.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 29, 2008

Change or Die: 10 Keys to a Successful Sales Transformation

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Sales Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

If your organization is contemplating an overhaul of your sales function, study up on these 10 principles to help you minimize your risks.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 25, 2008

Six Secrets to Designing Winning Sales Presentations

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Sales Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

You have 13 seconds or less to make a positive first impression on your audience that may ultimately lead to a sale. So how can you effectively convey your message with so little time?... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 19, 2008

Best marketing ideas from the archives

 |  from Jonathan Sweet - Remodeling Notes  |  Read the Full Article

With the downturn in remodeling, marketing is more important than ever. So here are what I think are some of the best marketing articles we've run ...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 11, 2008

Train with the Sales Dodo: The Most Underutilized Strategic Advantage…References

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Sales Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

Salespeople are always looking for a way to differentiate themselves to win an account. Few use one of the most powerful tools in their bag—the right reference. Sales& Marketing Management online columnist Lee Salz gives his tips on how to use references as a strategic step.... Read More

Point/Counterpoint: Are Model Homes Necessary?

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

New home marketing guru Stan Kates debates Professional Builder columnist and marketing consultant John Rymer on the question of whether Web-based marketing and sales can replace elaborate model home presentations and on-site sales staffs. ... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 10, 2008

Sales Training: Improv Improvement

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Sales Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

Salespeople raking in big commissions know the advantage of being able to think fast on their feet. Is this a skill that can be taught, or an innate gift? Sales training that makes use of improvisation is one way to hone the creative thinking your reps need to act fast, and effectively.... Read More

Leadership Selling: If You Want Great Salespeople, Build Them

 |  from RC - Column  |  Read the Full Article

The most frequent question I am asked in my travels: Do you know a good salesperson that is available for hire? My answer is always the same. If they are any good, they aren’t looking. And if you want good salespeople, then don’t try stealing them from a competitor. It rarely works. If you want good salespeople, build them.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: April 05, 2008

Homebuilders: Stop Selling Homes on Contingency Contracts

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

Here are the sales tactics home builders need to move buyers out of those contingent contracts — that often fall out — into binding contracts.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 27, 2008

For Sale: Reclaimed Wastewater

 |  from Womble Carlyle Construction Industry Blog  |  Read the Full Article

It is not a news flash that there has been a drought in North Carolina and many other regions in the country. Construction companies use a great deal of water, so the drought conditions and water restrictions have been a challenge to many contractors working in drought areas. According to an ENR Digital Wire report on February 3, 2008, Union County outside of Charlotte, NC is offering relief at $1.82 per 1,000 gallons of water as long as you don’t drink it.The Monroe Water Resources Department will be selling... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 22, 2008

Market strong in weak economy

 |  from Construction Equipment Owner's Blog  |  Read the Full Article

If you’re concerned about the economy and how it’s going to impact your business, I have two suggestions. First, check out the Editorial in the February issue of Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction. Then, amp up your marketing efforts. Businesses, large and small, are notorious for slashing marketing budgets in times when the economy might be — or is — heading south. But PR and marketing firms - who, granted, have a vested interest in your marketing expenses — say that’s the time to ratchet up your marketing efforts, not... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 21, 2008

More marketing… that doesn’t cost much

 |  from Construction Equipment Owner's Blog  |  Read the Full Article

At least one blog reader, a caller, and a contractor who dropped me an e-mail agree with the previous post that the way to deal with a tough economy is to increase your marketing efforts — so I’m not alone on this! The most-common “reason” contractors give for cutting back on marketing efforts is to save money, and the first thing we need to do is get over that. Marketing is an investment in your company and your future, and when looked at that way it might be a... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 10, 2008

PLAN YOUR MARKETING FOR EFFECTIVE PROMOTIONS

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Marketing is too important to guess at. Your marketing plan gives you the road map to ensure that you'll arrive at your destination. And as is often said, "If you don't care where you're going, any road will get you there." What you need is a strategy that considers the needs of your market and provides a year-round plan to meet those needs.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: March 06, 2008

HEADLINES ADDED: March 02, 2008

2008 National Sales and Marketing Award Winners

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

Now in its 27th year, the National Sales and Marketing Awards pay tribute to superior new-home sales and marketing achievements by individual sales and marketing professionals; home builders and associates; and sales and marketing councils.... Read More

Open Response to Salespeople Complaints

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Isn’t it a given that your prospects are searching for the contractor which will provide them with absolutely everything they want for the least amount of money?... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 25, 2008

Fixed Price Quotations or Itemization?

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

I saw an article in a newsletter recently telling contractors (both general and specialty) to give out itemized estimates to their customers. Oh joy. The writer talks about the goodwill, the trust, the ability to compare estimates and the usual tripe that accompanies this type of advice. Let me tell you why I disagree. First, your customers won’t be able to compare your estimate to any other estimate. Common sense will tell you that. I couldn’t compare your estimate to a second contractor’s estimate, nor could you compare your... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 22, 2008

Hot Marketing and Selling Trends for 2008

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Preferred choices emerge in trends, which later lead to movements. Respond to the trend or scramble after the movement. It’s your choice.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 21, 2008

Growth is Good?

 |  from The Construction Contractor's Digest  |  Read the Full Article

Construction is different. We don't know of another industry with all the good and bad that construction has to offer. Several business characteristics are unique. A general approach can help in some areas but, hurts in others. Growth of all types is not good. In certain areas, it is desired and growing other parts is not. What am I talking about? Growth of your employees as professionals is important. It allows benefits past a more efficient staff. Intellectual growth is important, that is, always searching and finding better ways... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 17, 2008

Big Dealers Speak Up at IBS About Sales and Strategies

 |  from BOL Breaking News  |  Read the Full Article

The heads of ProBuild, Stock Building Supply and HD Supply revealed more details about their sales and strategies during interviews Wednesday and Thursday with ProSales, in particular regarding ProBuild's recent acquisitions in the Atlanta area and Florida.... Read More

Leadership Selling: The First Rule of Business

 |  from RC - Column  |  Read the Full Article

Rule No. 1 in the roofing business — We don’t put new roofs on houses, we put roofs on homes. There is a big difference between a house and a home. A house is a project, a physical entity, which is built and remodeled according to schedules with ladders, scaffolds and materials. A home is a place that neighbors admire and where families raise their children. Adhere to Rule No. 1 and you will already have distinguished yourself from the competition.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 14, 2008

An Installer’s Guide to Selling Audio

 |  from CE Pro Recently Filed  |  Read the Full Article

Growing home audio systems sales isn’t easy. Unfortunately for integrators, there are a number of obstacles that need to be overcome.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 12, 2008

Specializing in Everything

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

I was in New York last week, participating in a workshop to develop the new national test for commercial contractors. I’ve been involved with this group for the past 3 years. When the test is complete, commercial contractors nationwide will be able to take the test allowing them to work in any state in the nation without having to deal with the differing requirements now heaped on them by the Contractor Licensing agencies of different states. I’ve written before, both here and in our newsletter, on the importance of... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 07, 2008

CEDIA Forms Professional Service Action Team

 |  from CE Pro Recently Filed  |  Read the Full Article

CEDIA has formed a Professional Service Action Team (PSAT) aimed at providing members with help and outsourcing services in training, marketing, promotion, consultation and business development. ... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 06, 2008

Christina Trondsen New Director of Marketing for Daikin

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Responsible for strategic marketing, sales communications, marketing support... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 05, 2008

How to combat negative press

 |  from Jonathan Sweet - Remodeling Notes  |  Read the Full Article

I've heard a lot lately from remodelers that are frustrated with what they see as unbalanced coverage of the housing downturn in the national and l...... Read More

General Contractor / Sub or Specialty Contractor Relationships

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

In another post, Larry Steward commented: “Related to jump starting new leads, in addition to advertising, is to get your sub contractors to refer. Most subs are delighted to be assigned to one of our projects but I have to constantly remind them that this process is a two-way effort. I encourage them to look for opportunities for us when they visit their own customers. After all, if we can help their customers, it makes them look good and certainly helps us with a flow of work. I believe... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 04, 2008

ENCOURAGE YOUR EMPLOYEES SPREAD THE WORD

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Do your employees let the world know where they work? Probably not. And yet, they encounter people everyday that might be candidates for your products and services. Not only are they candidates, they're highly attractive prospects if — and I stress the word, if — they know that your employee works for a company who's services they might need.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: February 02, 2008

Newmark Produces Some Web-Savvy PR

 |  from BOL Breaking News  |  Read the Full Article

Home builders wondering how they can calm their market while maneuvering through bankruptcy may want to take a minute to view the video on the Newmark Homes Web site.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 28, 2008

You Have to Advertise

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

In Minnesota last week, over a two-day period, I had a total of 663 people in 5 classes. Granted, some of the attendees were in more than one class, but that is a large group of businesspeople in Minnesota who understand that education is the key to survival, both in today’s economy and long-term. The Central Minnesota Builders Association sponsored the 2008 Builders Expo and they did an outstanding job of organizing and running the event. Most interesting to me were the people I talked with one-on-one about how... Read More

13 Invaluable Marketing Tips

 |  from CE Pro Recently Filed  |  Read the Full Article

As part of a marketing exercise, SpeakerCraft’s Steve Hayes and Jeremy Burkhardt rattled off dozens of ideas culled from their own experiences and dealers shared their own.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 24, 2008

Discussing the contingency objection and your options

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

You face hard decisions every day in every aspect of your job. When it comes to the contingency objection, it’s enough to make a person insane. Find out what you can do to overcome the contingency objection.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 23, 2008

Make direct marketing pay off: practical tips and real-life results to guide your campaigns.

 |  from HighBeam RSS: Journal of Accountancy  |  Read the Full Article

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Direct marketing has become a popular and successful form of CPA firm marketing with the following potential benefits: * The process encourages you to define a very specific target audience of prospects most likely to buy your services. * The format enables you to develop a Publication: Journal of Accountancy... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 22, 2008

On building the Lists for B2B Lead Generation Programs

 |  from B2B Lead Generation Blog  |  Read the Full Article

Would you buy this business card? When you buy a list of names, you are basically buying business cards on a list. But there is no such thing as buying the perfect list, especially if you have a complex sale. A study by John Coe and the Sales & Marketing Institute showed, “70.8% of business people changed one or more elements on their business cards each year.” My experience has been been around 45%. But in either case it's a big number. Let's say you want to invite, via... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 17, 2008

"I don't have to market"

 |  from Jonathan Sweet - Remodeling Notes  |  Read the Full Article

This is something I hear from a lot of remodelers, something they state as a point of pride. They say they get so many jobs from repeats and referr...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 16, 2008

TOP 10 HVAC DIRECT MAIL MISTAKES

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Direct mail can be the most lucrative marketing tool you'll ever use. The cost, instantaneous response, and sheer controllability of direct mail makes it a superb lead generator. Plus, it's a great fit for HVAC due to the high-margins in a relatively uninformed marketplace.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 13, 2008

HEADLINES ADDED: January 10, 2008

Fly for free when you remodel with me!

 |  from Jonathan Sweet - Remodeling Notes  |  Read the Full Article

Or maybe, "See America on Omarica"? This just showed up in my inbox from Chicago remodeler Omarica Home Builders. For every d...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 09, 2008

Smart Business: Are You On Angie’s List?

 |  from RC - Column  |  Read the Full Article

Angie’s List is an Internet-based ratings and referrals organization that collects customer satisfaction ratings on companies in scores of home service categories, everything from plumbing to pet sitting to piano tuning. Roofing contractors are included. Formed in 1995, Angie’s List has been used by more than 500,000 homeowners in 124 cities nationwide, and it is steadily expanding. Most people who use the list pay a modest membership fee, which gives it some tangible value... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 08, 2008

FAST MONEY AT THE QUICK LUBE

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

We all make mistakes as we evolve our businesses. Each of us can probably tell a few exciting stories about failures we’ve experienced, and hopefully, enough time has passed so we can finally chuckle about them. I was on the receiving end of a sales experience recently where I was doing the chuckling and the service provider didn’t have a clue how quickly he was exterminating any chance of a lasting business relationship.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 06, 2008

The Danger of Short Contracts

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

I often hear from contractors having problems with their customers. Many of these problems are because of the written contract they use for their jobs. Many have a 1-3 page contract they use with their customers. That leaves a lot of things unsaid, and as sure as the sun comes up, the customer gloms onto something that is not in the contract. They then decide that the contractor owes them the item and it is not open for discussion. They have gone so far as to say if the... Read More

Lead Nurturing as trusted advisors with the Human Touch

 |  from B2B Lead Generation Blog  |  Read the Full Article

In today’s commoditized business climate I think what sets companies apart with a complex sale is how well they build and cultivate relationships. Over the years, I’ve observed a truth; and this truth will requires many sales people to reconsider how they think selling should be done. The truth is, average sales people think they are most effective when they talk with someone WHEN they are ready to buy, but top performers seek to build relationships with the right people in the right companies BEFORE they're ready to buy.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: January 02, 2008

HEADLINES ADDED: December 30, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: December 27, 2007

The Pitfalls of Using Your Name as Your Company’s Name

 |  from Bowie & Jensen, LLC Construction Law Forum  |  Read the Full Article

Many construction companies are named after their founder, like “Smith Construction”, “Larry’s Plumbing”, and “Johnson Electric”. But companies that make use of surnames may have problems obtaining exclusive trademark rights in those names -- rights that the company could enforce against competitors that adopt confusingly similar names. This is a brief explanation of why you may want to rethink using your name as your company’s name.A company can obtain enforceable trademark rights without formally registering its trademark, so long as the company makes commercial, public use of the trademark.... Read More

The ‘Columbo Objection’: Recovering the Lost Sale

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Many people feel that if you give any price concessions, they’ll just keep pushing you and won’t stop. When you’ve hit your limit, stop. It’s okay to give a little.... Read More

Marketing Lessons for the New Year

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Does your year just happen, or do you make it happen?... Read More

Blogging’s a Low-Cost, High Return Marketing Tool

 |  from TP Wire Service  |  Read the Full Article

Although small businesses with blogs are still a distinct minority, blogging can be a low-cost way to market and boost a small company’s brand. (Subscription required)... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: December 26, 2007

11 Ways to Improve Your Viral Marketing Skills

 |  from CE Pro Recently Filed  |  Read the Full Article

With the following tips, learn how to differentiate your services by becoming a consultative proponent for your client.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: December 25, 2007

Planning for Success

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

Joshua Coleman, PhD, a San Francisco psychologist and author said: “To be successful, you have to be decisive about what you want in your life and career. You need to know when to prioritize your own needs.” We are coming up on the end of the year. Begin planning for your “Yearly Planning Time” that will occur between November 15 and December 31. That is only 2 weeks away. During that period you need to review the current year to see what went right and what went wrong. With... Read More

Exposed: Five Marketing Myths Revealed

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

These small efforts are to make sure your customers never open the Yellow Pages again.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: December 20, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: December 19, 2007

Sales Question for a Residential Construction Company

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

There has been some discussion in trade publications of late whether you should take a one-legged call. That is the call where one or the other of a couple won’t or can’t be at the appointment. Many companies staunchly declare they will not set such a lead. OK, gang. This type of situation is similar to many that we cover in the “Opportunities” section of our book Profitable Sales, A Contractor’s Guide. Let’s enhance our status as the contractor of choice, one that will help the owner above and... Read More

Generate Leads

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

If you are a general contractor, talk with all your subs about the work they are doing away from your jobs. If they are on another job and have demolition to get their part of a job done, who goes back to do the repairs? It should be you. Ask your subs to hand out your business card and flyer to all their clients, letting them know you can help put their homes back together after the specialty work has been done. Even if it’s a little job, the... Read More

Independent Contractors vs. Big Box Stores

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

An article in California Contractor magazine (October 2007, Page 3) reviewed a report from Consumer Reports that said “Roughly 40% of home owners experienced problems with their jobs when they went through Home Depot or Lowe’s to have remodeling or service work done.” Compare that to less than 30% of the homeowner’s who had their work done by independent contractors. Consumer Reports compiled this data from reports on over 13,000 jobs completed. My question is “Why is that surprising?” The big stores don’t approach the jobs the same way... Read More

Keep Your Customers — They're Worth It

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Always remember, your company’s current customers are the absolute No. 1 source of your future sales. When you lose customers, you lose all of their future business and all of their referrals to your competition. When you keep customers, you keep that pool of sales for yourself.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: December 18, 2007

Small Jobs in Construction

 |  from Markup and Profit Blog  |  Read the Full Article

After publishing our 5 newsletters on “How To Get Your Phone To Ring”, I have heard from any number of contractors that tell me they are focusing on small jobs. Those small jobs are turning into additional calls asking for work to be done on a larger scale. So, small jobs = large jobs. When the market is adjusting, as it is now, don’t get to hung up on the idea of “We don’t do small jobs.” Put your ego in your pocket and leave it there. Those small... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: December 16, 2007

Make your direct mail stand out

 |  from Jonathan Sweet - Remodeling Notes  |  Read the Full Article

Direct mail continues to be an effective way to market, especially to a targeted audience. Interestingly, it can be especially useful for reaching ...... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: December 13, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: December 12, 2007

Seminar Session: Ken Kelly

 |  from RC - Feature Article  |  Read the Full Article

Effective marketing techniques that don’t eat up a company’s profits were the focus of Ken Kelly’s presentation titled “Guerilla Marketing.” Kelly, the president of Kelly Roofing in Naples, Fla., noted that a typical seminar attendee retains only 20 percent of the information received. “My goal is to increase those numbers by making ideas easy to implement,” he said, and then he offered his first suggestion: “Listen to books.”... Read More

Seminar Session: Rick Davis

 |  from RC - Feature Article  |  Read the Full Article

It was spring of 2007 when Rick Davis of Chicago-based Building Leaders Inc. was invited to speak at the Best of Success Conference in Phoenix. “My instant inclination was to offer a presentation that would describe methods for selling in a down market,” Davis said. “I had no idea that the market would become significantly worse during the summer.”... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: December 10, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: December 09, 2007

The Big Marketing Myth

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Ask 10 contractors their marketing's mission. Half won't understand the question and the other half will give you five different answers. I'm going to make this easy for you: Marketing's mission is to ethically acquire and keep customers.... Read More

Give Something Back with this Low Cost Promotion

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, people are in a generous mood. People think more about others this time of the year. Charitable opportunities proliferate, but so do needs.... Read More

The discipline of one ring

 |  from TP Wire Service  |  Read the Full Article

When you need to answer the phone in one ring, you discover exactly what it means to provide a certain level of service. Either you're succeeding or failing.... Read More

Marketing Lowdown: The Business Plan

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Marketing Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

Recently, I have been seeing more and more entrepreneurs striking out on their own. They have accumulated skills and experience over time, and have amassed a fair cadre of friends and acquaintances who encourage their independent streak. So they decide to slap together a business plan and take the plunge.... Read More

Get Ready for Holiday Season Service Calls

 |  from CE Pro Recently Filed  |  Read the Full Article

The holiday season is fast upon us—are you ready for the inevitable service calls from clients hosting holiday parties?... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: December 06, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: December 05, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: December 04, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: December 03, 2007

Get to Know Your Female Homebuyer

 |  from HousingZone Headline News  |  Read the Full Article

Don’t ignore your female homebuyer; she’s the one making the decisions. Female homebuyers are more independent and sophisticated than ever before, and builders are paying close attention to just what features they find most attractive when shopping for a new home. Upscale kitchens, luxurious master bathrooms and helpful organization features top their wish list.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 29, 2007

Strategic Messaging for Direct Marketing Materials

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Marketing Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

It's amazing to see how much emphasis executives place on the advertising materials and how little on the messages that go in them.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 28, 2007

Silence is Golden

 |  from Contractor Update  |  Read the Full Article

... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 27, 2007

Pipeline = Lifeline

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Sales Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

Why does such a critical business tool get so little TLC at some companies?... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 26, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: November 25, 2007

Electrical Ignorance Plays Havoc at Holiday Time

 |  from Occupational Health & Safety  |  Read the Full Article

The Electrical Safety Foundation International is trying to educate Americans about basics of their electrical systems, smoke detectors, and GFCIs.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 21, 2007

Tip 97 – Be Grateful

 |  from never eat alone blog  |  Read the Full Article

I do try to consciously practice gratitude every day, but certainly Thanksgiving is a reminder to us all. I recall driving up to Santa Barbara to meet some friends for the holiday one year and just scrolling through my cell phone and dialing people to say how grateful I was at that very moment for their presence in my life. How truly blessed I am, for so many different reasons, for the moments these people, like my writing partner Tahl Raz, walked into my life. The more people I... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 20, 2007

Gifts?

 |  from Construction Marketing Ideas  |  Read the Full Article

... Read More

Simple Secrets to Search Marketing

 |  from ManageSmarter.com - Marketing Top Stories  |  Read the Full Article

Many businesses lack the time, the budget or the knowledge to tackle the issue of search marketing. Here are five easy steps to get you started.... Read More

The Creative Lawyer

 |  from never eat alone blog  |  Read the Full Article

My friend Michael Melcher is a career coach, author of The Creative Lawyer and an all-around great guy. Here he generously shares some valuable lessons on public speaking: Relationship-based Public Speaking (or How to Give a Great Presentation) I first met Keith Ferrazzi at the MBA Career Services Conference a couple of years ago. He gave a keynote address, and I thought, “Wow, he’s a good speaker.”  Great public speakers energize, educate and inspire their audiences. Lousy (or lazy) public speakers bore, frustrate and alienate their audiences. Have you... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 16, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: November 13, 2007

How Do Homebuilders Value the Importance of Marketing Technology?

 |  from CE Pro Recently Filed  |  Read the Full Article

With the housing market taking a downturn, more and more builders believe it is important to market technology with their new homes.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 12, 2007

Beware the pissed off customer

 |  from Jonathan Sweet - Remodeling Notes  |  Read the Full Article

... or former employees, I should add to that. Check out the reaction to this blog post from July. I've gotten 14 comments (and counting) from past clients and employees and defenders (maybe his current employer? …... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 09, 2007

HEADLINES ADDED: November 08, 2007

Solve the Customer's Problem

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Sometimes your customers may want something that you don't provide. While there's merit in understanding your business and keeping a focus, there's also merit in keeping your customers from calling the competition. In other words, find a way to provide what your customers ask you for, whether it's in your portfolio or not.... Read More

How to Overcome Sales Objections

 |  from Articles from ContractingBusiness.com  |  Read the Full Article

Objections are a natural part of the selling process. They come in many forms: challenges, opportunities, problems, requests for more information, cries for value building, stalling, and more. They can also be annoying as heck and make you want to drive your car off a cliff.... Read More

Are You Doing Net Promoter?

 |  from Fred Reichheld, Author, The Ultimate Question  |  Read the Full Article

You don’t need to inhale to be doing Net Promoter. You don’t need to ask only one ultimate question. You don’t even need to call it Net Promoter. To be a Net Promoter practitioner, there are just three things your organization needs to be doing: 1. Systematically categorizing customers into promoters, passives, or detractors. If you prefer, you can call them loyal advocates, fair-weather friends, and adversaries. 2. Creating closed-loop processes so that the right employees will directly investigate the root causes that drive customers into these categories. 3.... Read More

Specialist focus: Marketing

 |  from Contract Journal - News  |  Read the Full Article

Construction’s dominant image has long been the saggy-trousered builder, but is the industry marketing itself effectively enough to escape this stereotype? Kathy Watson investigates.... Read More

HEADLINES ADDED: November 06, 2007