Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Here's a little bit of homework for today

Take some time to think about this past year. And some time to think about the upcoming year. Here are three questions to help you:

What did I do well this past year?

What did I not do well this past year?

What can I do to make next year better?

You can use these three questions to evaluate any area of your life – your business, your family, yourself.

Now take out a blank sheet of paper, go to a quiet room, turn off the cell phone and the computer and start writing. Your answers to the third question are your goals for next year.

Monday, December 29, 2008

The Cocooning Effect

According to one survey, our neighbors to the north are planning to spend more money on their homes in 2009. HGTV conducted a survey of 1004 Canadians and found that “nearly two-thirds of the population will embark on a home renovation project in the next 12 months. And despite reports of what is happening in the United States real estate market, nine out of 10 Canadians still believe that their home is a more secure investment than the stock markets.”

I really think that 2009 will bring what I call “the cocooning effect.” Homeowners will spend more time in their homes to shield themselves from the doom and gloom that awaits them in the outside world. Once there, they will begin to think about how they can make their homes even more safe and secure against the realities outside. Couple that with almost round-the-clock television programming about home improvements and travel and you have a situation reminiscent of the early 90’s when homeowners who couldn’t move decided to stay put and remodel instead.

So keep yourself and your company positioned for the potential growth in 2009. Keep your name out there in front of your customers and in front of new potential customers. Lets stay positive and focused.

Friday, December 26, 2008

My "New Normal"

Since my dad passed away in September of this year, each holiday has been a bittersweet memory of happy times along with the sadness of knowing we won’t have any more with him. I call this my “new normal.” It’s tough getting used to a “new normal.” I liken it to the housing crisis where we are all adjusting to a “new normal.” But adjust, we do. Time, the perpetual healer, is on our side. We just have to hang in there long enough.

Wishing you peace,
Annette

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Happy Holidays!


Whatever holiday you and your family celebrate, we would like to wish you a happy one!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Christmas Cheer


Our economy is even affecting the North Pole!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Don't Participate

Don’t let this current recession determine your fate! Choose not to participate in the current economic crisis.

Now I’m a sales guy but I know that my company has to keep marketing in order for me to get in front of someone to make a sale. The more people I’m in front of, the more sales I make. It’s a pretty simple formula.

December is turning out to be a pretty good sales month for me in my remodeling company. That’s because I’m not letting the recession or the government or the media tell me what I’m going to do. I’ve got some pretty good leads because my company has been marketing all along. I’m selling and that’s that!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Plan B

I just read a plan by a group called Architecture 2030 that claims to reduce the cost of mortgages, reduce energy consumption and energy bills, create millions of jobs, stimulate the economic recovery and return stimulus money back to the government. Basically, a government mortgage buy-down program would be linked to improving energy efficiency in homes and commercial spaces. You can read a pdf of the plan outline which was presented to the Obama transition team here.

Now I don’t know if this plan will work. I don’t know if it’s a good plan. But I do know that it is a plan. There are a lot of really smart people out there who have some really good ideas about how to solve the mess that our country is in right now.

Maybe we should start listening.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Want to know more about the housing crisis?

Just found a new website that may be worth a visit. It’s called HousingCrisis.com and is brought to you by Hanley Wood the publisher of Remodeling Magazine, Replacement Contractor, and Builder Magazine to name just a few. The site is a mix of news, statistics and commentary on the housing crisis. A word of warning, though, it’s a bit depressing right now. After all, it is a crisis! But the site creators throw in a bit of humor, too. It helps to temper the gloom. If you want to stay abreast of the housing market, this site has the information you need.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Banking Crisis Affects Home Improvement Suppliers

Have you been following the story in the news recently about the factory that closed down when Bank of America shut off their credit line? The employees began to occupy the plant and refused to leave until they were paid their promised severance payments. After 6 days, the workers were able to negotiate the payment.

The name of the company? Republic Windows and Doors. It’s a window and door manufacturing plant in Chicago employing about 300 workers. It makes windows and doors for both new construction and remodeling.

And it’s not the first home improvement supplier to abruptly close upon losing their bank funding. Other manufacturers supplying the home improvement market which have closed include Kensington Windows, Silver Line Building Products (an Andersen subsidiary), Milgard Windows & Doors and Heartland Building Products.

As manufacturers close and consolidate, we would be wise to keep up-to-date so that we can steer our customers clear of these products. If you find that you have installed some of these products, you should contact the manufacturer to find out how they will handle any product warranties. Be proactive.

Click here to read the full story in Replacement Contractor Online.

Friday, December 12, 2008

A Boost for Remodeling in '09?

Diana Olick of CNBC’s Realty Check blog released her Predictions: 9 for ’09 in Real Estate . Among her predictions: existing home sales will bounce back in 2009 but at much lower prices. Could that mean more remodeling work? All the more reason to keep marketing. Read her report and decide for yourself.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

After All, You Are the Expert!

Your customers expect you to be the expert when it comes to remodeling. Make sure that you are up-to-date on local zoning and building ordinances as well as building codes and techniques for the types of projects you typically sell.

After all, your customers are paying for your expertise.

Monday, December 8, 2008

It's Official! We're In a Recession

Yep. The group tasked by the Federal Government with determining whether or not our economy is in a recession has agreed with what most analysts have been saying all along. We’re in a recession.

Here’s a clip from their news release:

The NBER — a private, nonprofit research organization — said its group of academic economists who determine business cycles met and decided that the U.S. recession began last December.

Folks, it only took them 12 months!

So I’m going to look at the bright side of this. We’re already 12 months into it!

Remember, chin up and smile!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Keep Your Selling Skills Sharp

One of the most important things you can do right now to increase your remodeling company’s sales is to keep your own selling skills sharp.

How can you do this?

Practice, study and practice some more.

Read books, listen to tapes, watch videos.

Then practice your own sales techniques on your spouse, your kids, your friends, your dog. Even in the mirror.

Happy Selling!
John

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Do Your Customers A Favor . . . Accept Credit Cards

Our remodeling company has accepted credit cards for years. VISA, Mastercard and Discover specifically.

Yes, there is a fee for accepting credit cards and it will depend on the fee you negotiate with your credit card processor. I consider that fee a cost of doing business.

I was surprised a few years back to learn that many companies in my local industry group didn’t accept credit cards. The biggest concern was that customers would initiate a charge-back on the credit card and the remodeler would never get paid.

I was a bit surprised about this because I have never had this happen in 12 years of accepting credit cards as payment! Do quality work with quality products for quality people and you won’t have to deal with this issue.

People love to use their credit cards to get airline miles, hotel points, rebates and similar benefits. So make it easy for them to use their credit card with you. They will appreciate it.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Make December One to Remember!

When I first started selling remodeling, I did not look forward to the holidays. After all, nobody buys remodeling during the holidays! I might as well save my time and breath and not even see anyone. From the week of Thanksgiving to after the first of the year, sales were dead, dead, dead! We shouldn’t even waste our money on advertising or marketing during that time. After all, everyone knows that consumers don’t buy remodeling during the holidays!

Wait! What if that’s not true?

I started thinking about that. What if I changed my belief system? What if instead I thought that I could sell a lot of remodeling during the holidays? After all, people are thinking about their home, their families. They might even be off work.

And that change in my belief system started me on a December sales record. One of my top 10 sales months in company history was a December. And out of the last 10 years, I have blown out my goal more than half of those years. The others were pretty darn close.

So this year, try changing your belief system about selling remodeling during December. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that there are definitely buyers out there.

Happy Selling!
John