July 20, 2011 | A few days ago I was consulting by phone with a BroadsOnBusiness.com member. A husband and wife run a roofing business. After the last “meeting,” they had sent me examples of their direct mail pieces. It was left to me to tell them gently that [...]
July 12, 2011 | All too often I hear people say they don’t have the money to market. That’s because there’s an overwhelming marketplace perception that marketing and media advertising are the same thing. Not so. Advertising can be a part of your Marketing Plan, but marketing isn’t just [...]
July 5, 2011 | If people buy from us based on the emotional considerations of confidence, comfort level and trust, why are we so eager to say things that will erode those qualities and our chances of ongoing relationships? Let’s start with your new hire. The first thing to [...]
June 29, 2011 | If someone were to ask you about your company's marketing, how would you answer? "It works great!" "I'm totally frustrated about the money we've wasted on marketing." "I know I need to market, but I don't know where to begin!" Regardless of how you'd answer, [...]
June 29, 2011 | How much do you know about your clients? Their hobbies? The organizations they belong to? Their favorite sports or vacation spots? Over the years I’ve observed that business owners learn very little about their clients/customers. Oh sure, they know a bit about what they do, [...]
June 20, 2011 | As a deck builder or supplier, you probably receive a fair amount of calls asking for the name of a good roofer, plumber or someone else in some aspect of construction. You may take these calls in one of two ways: 1. as pains in [...]
October 16, 2010 | If you want to get a heated debate started among deck builders, assemble 30 from any part of the country in a room, walk out in the center of the floor, ask them to state their opinions regarding alternative decking or real wood, and move out of [...]
July 7, 2010 | All structures require a proper and solid foundation. In the long run, it won’t matter how well you frame, trim, or install any deck or building project if this effort is made on a weak or flawed footing. Short and long term problems will materialize. On a [...]
July 7, 2010 | It is possible to make your customers and yourself happier by charging more. I’m not talking about charging more for the same thing you already do or more than what other contractors charge for the same thing. I’m encouraging you to incorporate as a standard a consistent [...]