So many remodelers can’t reach their production potential because of the labor shortage. With the unemployment rate at a 20-year low, the struggle to find and retain good people is curbing business growth for small-business owners, across industries. In this episode, Natalie Putnam tells Victoria and Mark about the hiring and retention strategies that have
The idea of selling something feels sort of dirty to a lot of people, especially if you’ve been on the wrong end of a heavy-handed salesperson. Getting your arm twisted until you succumb and make the purchase. Promises made that turn out to be empty about the benefits of buying something. Ugh! But good sales
Accidents happen on the job, and luckily most are relatively minor — cuts, bruises, maybe stitches — but they can be more serious. Then everyone tightens up and pays attention, but that attention tends to fade. Getting jobs done once again becomes the focus, with maybe a few thoughts toward what could have happened. But
Most work requires more than one person to get it done. Effective communication is essential to the enterprise. Everyone has to learn the skills to communicate effectively. One key is concentrating on what brings you success — in work, with your spouse or partner, and in the rest of your life. Build on that. In
The winter holidays are coming — displays are already up in some stores. We’re not even to Halloween, but it is a reminder that parties and celebrations for you and your staff are coming soon. Some of you already have party plans in place — it’s not to soon to start thinking about it. Throwing
Hiring and retention are big issues everywhere. As much as we talk about salary and bonuses, the way to get workers to stick around isn’t always about money. It’s more about the culture of your business, and the way you treat your employees from day one. You need to give people a vision for what
The cooler weather and waning daylight of Fall is creeping in, and the idea of lighting a fire and settling down with a good book (and maybe a hot toddy) is becoming more appealing. We’ve gathered reading recommendations from thought leaders in the remodeling industry — take a look at what they’ve been reading and
The term “trade partners” is beginning to replace subcontractor, and it’s a growing concept in the remodeling industry. It redefines the relationship, too, putting it on an even playing field. But it’s more than just a term, and Cory Fields says they’re separate roles. A trade partnership is like a marriage, based on trust and
One of the most powerful sales tools your remodeling company has often lies fallow on your website — your project photo galleries. With a little creativity, those photos can be transformed into compelling client success stories. This will boost your organic search rankings, super-charge lead generation, and result in more sales. The power of storytelling,
Creating a successful remodeling company, one that’s profitable year in and year out, isn’t easy. That’s where LEAN comes in. You can look to many well-known companies for signs of how they incorporate LEAN practices and principles into their processes — and how that positively affects the customer experience. Every day, we experience situations that have processes that are anything
