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Publicity is the most powerful form of marketing communication your plumbing company can possibly have. There is a wave of influence in your market, merely waiting to slosh one side or the other. Most watch. Some hope that it visits them.

One of the greatest business management gurus of our time, Ken Blanchard, wrote a book several years ago with Sheldon Bowles titled “Raving Fans.” It was written in the same style as many of Blanchard’s books over the years: almost painfully simple, yet so applicable.

In analyzing the 2014 industrial construction take-off quarter, we consulted industrial components expert Steve Letko regarding the geographical regions’ growth and the intensity of the product components comprising anticipated overall end-use growth.

All closed-loop hydronic systems require an air space to absorb the increased volume of water as it warms during system operation. In most hydronic systems, this task is handled by an expansion tank. In most modern hydronic systems, it’s handled by a diaphragm-type expansion tank.

Why do installers fail to bring install jobs in on time and within budget? Why do service techs fail to do service work within the time allotted in the flat-rate pricing book? I don’t know about you but this used to drive me downright crazy when I was a contractor!

Go on. Flip over the calendar. Look at that! You’ve made it to 2014. Some of you are celebrating this past year with a bottle of bubbly, a victory lap around the shop and a hearty pat on the back (and maybe year-end bonuses) for your team. Others of you may still be saying: “Whew! Thank goodness that year is over. This year will be different. I know we can succeed.

Direct mail can be the most lucrative marketing tool you’ll ever use — if you use it correctly. Yet most plumbers waste wads of money on ineffective mailings because they don’t know how to do it right. Direct mail offers the advantage of laser-like targeting, where you can pick your list exactly.

At some point, we’ve all noticed that certain companies seem to grow and prosper despite outside challenges they’re faced with, while others constantly struggle. This is true in our own industry as well as just about any industry that comes to mind, regardless of market.