This week finds me in Kohler, Wisconsin, where I am a grateful invitee of a fantastic consulting organization called Remodelers Advantage to its annual "Summit" of dozens of the best remodeling companies in the U.S. and Canada.
As with every RAI event I have attended, the camaraderie and kinship among attendees -- many of whom have seen each other through difficult times, in previous recessions and this one -- reminds me that although broad economic conditions impact the health of this industry overall, it's the people who own and operate these small businesses who determine whether they'll thrive or fail.
In the last two days, many business owners have told me that their revenues and profits are on the upswing. Some say they're having their best year ever. All are here because they want to continue to improve and adapt for whatever challenges lie around the corner, not only for their sake, as company owners, but also for their employees and their communities.
In that spirit, Victoria Downing, RAI's CEO, asked me to speak briefly about social media. I gave a 10-minute overview of Twitter, and many people later told me they're charging forward in building a strong social media presence; they recognize it as another critical piece of their adaptation strategy.
What really wowed the crowd, however, was this video that preceded my presentation. It's more than a year old, meaning that its statistics are ancient history in Internet time, but it's worth your two minutes if you're still questioning whether social media is relevant to your business. I think it is.
Leah Thayer
leah@daily5Remodel.com
The blog of www.daily5REMODEL.com, the site and eletter delivering industry news, business best practices and peer engagement to remodeling pros. Sign up at d5R to get it weekly -- free!
