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.

Technology Would Be Hilarious ...

... if it weren't so bleeping frustrating. Here's a note I tried to send to the entire d5R readership late this afternoon, following the discovery of one site problem after another. Unfortunately the note didn't go out. That part of the site was broken too. Here's to Tuesday.

Tuesday update: Today's issue features yesterday's content because yesterday's issue didn't go out. And then today's issue went out twice.

Dear d5R Community:

You may have noticed a conspicuous absence in your email this morning. My apologies. Today’s d5R didn’t go out, and in fact the site was down for most of the working day. Our web-hosting company switched to a faster server -- and “something broke” in the process, as the tech people say.

Thankfully, after hours of research and testing, the problem has been fixed, and the site is up and running with the latest stories. Tomorrow’s d5R will re-feature these stories to give you time to read and respond, in the event that you don’t make it over today.

Two more quick notes:

The site outage delayed the start of voting on the November Snapshots contest (“Our Favorite Clients”). Voting is now open and will remain so through next Monday. Click here to go directly to the voting booth and here to review all the entries. Thanks again to GuildQuality for sponsoring the contest and providing an iPad 2 for the winner.

And … a collective thanks to all of you who have upgraded to d5R Premium under the new price structure announced November 18. Woefully, there was a glitch in that system as well, and I hear that many of you did not receive your receipt or an automatic email explaining how to take advantage of your awesome Premium benefits. If that’s the case with you, please shoot me a note. I’ll send you those two items asap.

Thank you for your patience, and fingers crossed that we all have a much better rest of the week!

Leah Thayer
leah@daily5REMODEL.com

It's a Little Painful to Admit, but ...

a letter sent to all d5R subscribers on 11/19/11 --  

getting nice feedback from the best remodeling community in the world!

Happy Saturday, remodeling pro.

Lots of remodelers tell me that selling is the least favorite part of their job. Well, I have to tell you that I’m probably worse at it than you. It’s amusing to recall my dad suggesting at one time that I go into sales, because after 14 months of wearing almost every hat in the tiny, exhausting, fun business of daily5REMODEL, I still squirm each time I even look at the sales hat.

On the other hand, I seriously like to help remodelers. That’s why I started d5R, and why I’m only squirming a little as I encourage you not to miss another week of life without d5R Premium. In other words, I’m asking you to upgrade your subscription if you haven't already.
Why?

• For starters, I just lowered the price to $99 a year. Maybe I’m crazy, as d5R Premium is better than it was when it cost twice as much, but my new iPhone is worlds better than my first-generation iPod, and it cost less too. Hey, if it worked for Apple...

• Second, like the iPhone, d5R Premium keeps getting better. It’s a solid business investment. There’s more great info in the Premium Library (including 13 fantastic webinars that can help your business now). More huge savings from more top-notch advisors (no kidding, you can save many hundreds of dollars -- even thousands -- on training in sales, construction accounting, SEO, performance benchmarking, more). And dare I say more to come?

• Third, I want you to get as much from d5R as does John MacDougall, founder of JMC Development. Thursday night, John sent me a note that read, in part: "Thank you so much for your sincere efforts and the impact you have made on me and my business.” And that was after I told him that others would get d5R Premium for less than he paid several months ago (nice guy, eh?).

• Fourth, if you and enough other pros upgrade, you’ll help ensure that d5R can continue to publish -- and evolve and improve, for the benefit of my favorite profession -- for another 14 months. Or, preferably, 14 years.

Finally, another note I got yesterday from another d5R Premium subscriber. He said I can share it with you:

"Your insights and support for those of us who need to go to one source to get our daily information, and quickly at that, make your service stand out above the others out there. Keep up the great work you are doing."

I’d love to. Heck, maybe I'll even be able to hire a proper staff!

So, thanks for getting d5R and hearing my, um, “pitch,” dear readers. Please know that regardless of whether you decide to upgrade, I’m genuinely delighted to have you on board. Wishing you a great weekend and a safe, happy Thanksgiving.

Leah Thayer
daily5REMODEL
leah@daily5Remodel.com

p.s. Click here to upgrade your subscription. If the system doesn't recognize you, please take a minute to log in using your email and password. Can't remember your password? Shoot me a note and I'll find it for you.

p.p.s. Are you an American Express cardholder? Then you might want to wait to upgrade next Saturday, Nov. 26. It's Small Business Saturday, and AmEx will offer a $25 statement credit to registered cardholders who use their card at a participating small business. I’ll be supporting my favorite small businesses that day, and I hope you will too. Click here for details and tips for promoting your own small business!

Good With Remodeling Details? This iPad May Be for You

Greetings from a rainy Saturday. I come bearing good news for remodeling and design pros:

If you're still eyeing Apple's new iPad -- or want another one for a member of your staff -- take a few minutes to enter the October Snapshots contest on daily5REMODEL: "It's All in the Details." The sponsor is Crown Point Cabinetry, which also sponsored the Old Home Renovations contest in July.

The prize for the winner is an iPad 2.

As always, entering the contest on d5R is simple and free:

• Assemble up to three great “after” photos of one of your company's best construction details. This can be a porch, a built-in, columns or brackets, a staircase, a historic restoration -- whatever you'd like to showcase.
• Include a brief narrative indicating the project location and challenges, the age and style of the home, and why you’re proud of this particular detail. Provide a contact name at your company and your website address.
• Email the photos and narrative directly to me (leah@daily5REMODEL). Type "It's All in the Details" in the subject line.
• We'll feature entries throughout October in the Snapshots section of d5R, and then hold an open vote to select the winner in early November. We'll also help you promote your entry to your clients and community.

Thanks to Crown Point Cabinetry for this generous sponsorship. That's their Linea System shown in the photo.

Send me your detail shots! Have a fantastic weekend.
By the way: Voting is now open for the September contest! Click here to vote.



P.S. Speaking of details, learn about Crown Point Cabinetry's Remodeler Appreciation Program. "Their quality is outstanding, but that's the starting point," said a remodeler on d5R.

A Great Opportunity for Remodelers with Team Spirit

Happy Labor Day!

I hope your summer has been as much fun as mine. After taking off most of August for travel and R&R, I look forward to resuming daily5REMODEL's regular publishing schedule on Tuesday.

To that end, it's high time I announce the September contest in d5R:

Team Spirit!

 

The prize:

 

A seat at an upcoming "Master Your Remodeling Business" workshop, hosted by Remodelers Advantage. (Choose either San Francisco, November 17-18, or Baltimore, January 24-25.) This hands-on workshop brings together remodeling business owners and key managers for two intensive days focused on building and sustaining a strong, consistently profitable business. Learn more here.

 

The value:

 

Priceless, of course, but the regular price is $520. This includes meals, welcome reception, presentations by top industry strategists, unlimited networking with remodeling peers from the U.S. and Canada, and terrific take-home gifts. Does not include airfare or hotel.

 

Eligibility:

 

Any remodeling business of any size whose team works together exceptionally well, gets lots of kudos from clients, and has processes and systems that run extra smoothly. You do not have to be a member of Remodelers Advantage to enter. No purchase necessary.

 

How to enter:

 

Email a photo or two of your team, along with a list of who is shown and a brief explanation of what makes your team one of the best in the remodeling industry. Send this package as soon as possible to leah@daily5REMODEL.com. In the subject line, write "team spirit!"

 

Selection process:

 

Space permitting, all eligible entries will be featured in the d5R Snapshots section throughout September. At the end of the month, we'll hold a popular vote for the best team. We will help you promote your entry through a special "featured on d5R" button that links directly to your entry. 

 

Please submit your entry as soon as possible. 

 

I've been fortunate enough to be a guest at several Remodelers Advantage events, and I'm always dazzled by the energy, intelligence and incredible sense of community. The Master Your Remodeling Business workshop will change your business and your life for the better. 

 

Best wishes for a healthy and successful fall.

Leah Thayer
leah@daily5REMODEL
connect on Facebook
connect on Twitter
connect on LinkedIn