Plumbing & Mechanical, the information resource for contractors engaged in plumbing, piping, hydronic heating, fire protection and water treatment. https://www.pmmag.com/rss/articles Don’t Have to Love It. Just Have to Do It.

]]> Fri, 09 Jun 2017 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100650-how-to-stop-procrastinating-and-get-it-done http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100650 Are the stings set up by TV stations fair to contractors?

]]> Fri, 12 May 2017 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100649-catching-contractors-in-the-act http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100649 Heavy is the head. So, you are responsible.

]]> Mon, 10 Apr 2017 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100647-the-secret-of-running-a-successful-business http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100647 I grew up in my family’s plumbing, heating, and cooling company and among my earliest memories are my Dad getting calls in the middle of the night.

]]> Fri, 10 Mar 2017 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100646-let-your-employees-know-your-company-policies-and-procedures http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100646 Businesses either get better, or they get worse. 

]]> Mon, 13 Feb 2017 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100435-its-always-going-to-be-an-uphill-battle-without-manuals http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100435 As contractors, we’re typically consumed with the need to be the caretakers to both our staff and our customers.

]]> Thu, 12 Jan 2017 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100434-contractor-self-health-care http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100434 Selling doesn’t begin when a Tech is at the customer’s doorstep. 

]]> Mon, 12 Dec 2016 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100433-sales-coaching-isnt-just-for-techs http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100433 If you don’t believe that radio and television marketing still work, this isn’t just my opinion.

]]> Fri, 11 Nov 2016 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100251-do-radio-and-tv-marketing-still-work-in-this-digital-world http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100251 Have you ever picked up your company phone just to check if it was working?

]]> Tue, 11 Oct 2016 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100250-market-now-to-make-the-phone-ring-later http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100250 When it comes to your contracting business, sales coaching is the key to driving phenomenal sales.

]]> Mon, 12 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100244-the-5-steps-to-driving-phenomenal-sales-with-sales-coaching http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100244 And How The 7-Power Contractor Approach Can Help.

]]> Thu, 11 Aug 2016 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/100243-why-most-family-businesses-dont-work http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/100243 When I work with contractors, they struggle to put marketing together that communicates in an informative way and doesn’t scare. 

]]> Thu, 30 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/98067-information-not-scare-tactics http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/98067 One of my many jobs at my company's contracting business was being the install manager. 

]]> Mon, 16 May 2016 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/98065-dispatch-scheduling-hijack http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/98065 The winds of change and destruction of running a contracting business are enormous and seemingly never ending. 

]]> Mon, 25 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/98064-find-out-the-secrets-to-a-7-power-contractor http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/98064 Last month, I talked about making written goals for your business to help achieve positive results. Here in Part 2, we’ll discuss on how to do that.

]]> Mon, 14 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97939-real-goal-or-fantasy-part-2 http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97939 I would tell myself, “If I could just find good people. Things would be less stressful.”

]]> Mon, 15 Feb 2016 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97938-real-goal-or-fantasy-part-1 http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97938 It’s your job to help your plumbing and mechanical customers understand!

]]> Fri, 15 Jan 2016 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97796-selling-quality-assurance-standards http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97796 It’s saying tons! And it’s saying all the wrong things.

]]> Fri, 11 Dec 2015 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97795-what-your-messy-contractor-truck-is-saying http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97795 Why some contractor’s aren’t successful.

]]> Fri, 13 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97794-five-great-steps-to-get-your-business-headed-in-the-right-direction http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97794 For years, I’ve watched my clients at work get their day hijacked from them a minute at a time.

]]> Mon, 12 Oct 2015 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97793-four-steps-to-getting-back-your-day-back http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97793 Here we'll discuss when customers lie and how to spot it.

]]> Fri, 11 Sep 2015 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97516-lying-at-work-part-2 http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97516 Yes, owners, managers, employees and even your customers lie from time to time.

]]> Mon, 10 Aug 2015 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97515-lying-at-work-part-1 http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97515 Opening up a spoke shop in addition to the main office is something to consider.

]]> Fri, 10 Jul 2015 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97514-to-spoke-shop-or-not-to-spoke-shop http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97514 People actually like when you pay attention, but only if it’s more about complimenting them than criticizing them.

]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2015 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97253-checking-in-vs-snooping-part-2 http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97253 What is the right balance between checking in on staff and what amounts to spying on employees?

]]> Mon, 11 May 2015 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97252-checking-in-vs-snooping-part-1 http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97252 Whether you are pricing based on time and material or better yet flat rate, budgeting is the only way to arrive at what the right hourly price should be.

]]> Mon, 09 Feb 2015 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97251-the-3-column-fast-budget-and-pricing-method http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97251 Can your service area allow you to grow to the company size you want to be or need to be?

]]> Mon, 12 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97027-size-can-matter http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97027 The line on who’s the right insurance broker can get blurred as you think about what you need for your personal insurance needs.

]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2014 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97026-upside-to-downside-risk http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97026 The 500-pound dog in the room is the question about whether or not to allow dogs at work.

]]> Mon, 17 Nov 2014 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97024-dog-gone-it http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97024 And if it’s loud and sparks fly so much the better.

]]> Wed, 15 Oct 2014 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19-the-7-power-contractor/post/97023-power-tools-done-right http://www.pmmag.com/blogs/19/post/97023