Needing Projects, Sizing Up Leads, Getting Queasy Feelings...

I love it when remodelers really get into the discussion on d5R. Lately, there's been a lively back-and-forth on the matter of assessing the profitability of any one project lead, based on what you know about your past clients. Fantastic comments -- and here's the most colorful so far. Thanks, Michael Anschel!

Listen to your gut. 

My gut tells me that you are right, but my brain is happy to inform my gut that it is easily influenced, and being a digestive organ, lacks the requisite intellect to make informed rational decisions.   

My heart wants to get in on the action as well, and proceeds to pour out the most moving anecdotal rhetoric. It is so powerful that my brain would have fallen for it, except that all that sappy garbage made my gut sick, gave me indigestion and pretty soon heart burn. 

Released from its trance, my brain, in control again pointed out that I run a business. And while my gut and my heart are useful tools, at the end of the day it is the brain that must run the show. 

No clue what he's talking about? See the full discussion (and add to it) here: How Profitable Is That Lead?

Protect Your Time, Qualify Your Prospects

what you might have missed in the January 13 d5R:

Protecting Your Time, Qualifying Your Prospects
Serious remodelers don't have time to chase after unserious and/or unqualified leads. What information helps you assess whether a prospect is worth pursuing?


Industry Snapshots: the d5R Dish
High-end homeowner seminars (with fancy koozies), thwarting no-shows, promoting awards, outdoor living breakthroughs, life before the EPA.

Millions and Millions of Homeowners
... are on Facebook. As social media giant careens toward its billionth user, remodelers are still playing catch up. All the better for those that have a presence.

Under Contract: the Short Form Proposal
When this remodeler started a new business, he brainstormed how to do everything better. One result is a one-page iPad proposal, rich with hyperlinks and sparing of ink and paper.

Smarter Homes, Closer to Reality
Web-enabled heating and cooling, gesture-controlled appliances ... Consumer Electronics Show serves up a feast of new home-automation products backed by big names.

Plus all the relevant business, economic and housing-related news! Click through for the full news roundup.

An Open Letter to Building Products Manufacturers

As every small-business owner knows, letters like this make the long hours and hard work worth it. Big thanks to David Roberts of Roberts Architects for the kind words.

For more info on sponsoring d5R, click here. -- Leah Thayer

Dear Building Products Manufacturers:

I made the mistake in 2008 of ignoring what was happening just outside our company. We were so busy that I didn’t believe that it could change, Okay, I was wrong! These challenging times have taught me how important it is to keep up with the remodeling industry trends and news, I’ve got to know what’s happening around us so we can look ahead and plan the strategic adjustments for our business.

How do you keep up with the latest news and trends in our remodeling industry? There’s so many sources for the news and data, I can’t spend my valuable time searching, collecting and sifting through the Web and trying to figure out what sources to trust. We’re a small business and can’t allocate the resources to find and research market trends, latest developments, new products and services available to us. 

So where do I look every day? I’ve learned to turn to Leah Thayer’s daily5Remodel as a source for the very latest remodeling industry news, developments and trends, Plus we’ve found a variety of products and services though the webinars and interesting stories that d5R has quickly become known for.

d5R is like a lens looking into our remodeling industry. Leah Thayer directs that lens, focuses it and then projects the images onto d5R, providing us with an invaluable resource that's neatly packaged and ready to use. 

David Roberts AIA  CR  UDCP

Roberts Architects Ltd.

Roberts Construction Group Inc.