Unique Event takes Contractors to the “Next Level”

A stalling economy is not the only time contractors ask, “How can I get to the next level in my business?” But in a time of economic uncertainly, that question needs direct answers. That’s what the Next Level Contractor event provides for the dozens of contractors who’ve already signed up – and they’ve recently made room for others (up to 550) to join this online contractor conference too.

Hudson Ink, a creative marketing firm for contractors, and The ACHR News, one of the contracting industry’s premier trade publications, have joined forces to offer The Next Level Contractor event, a series of four weekly online training courses, beginning October 6, on the primary methods for generating income:

• Course #1 High Performance Marketing in the New Economy: Get more leads online and offline using blistering strategies formed in the ‘new economy’.
• Course #2 Your Next Million Dollars in Maintenance Agreements: See how hundreds of contractors are making millions with no more effort than a simple service call.
• Course #3 World Class Customer Service: Leap frog “average” contractors and become “World Class” with simple strategies.
• Course #4 Your Step-by-step 90 Day “Next Level” Blueprint: A full course synopsis, plus a unique “90 Day Next Level Blueprint” for success that contains the exact steps to move forward.

The courses are all online – meaning no travel, no hotels, no lost work time. They’re delivered in weekly structured doses by top U.S. trainers, for about 60 to 90 minutes each week.

In addition to the content that takes contractors to the next level, each course also comes with fully archived, no-cost replay; no-cost workbooks; no-cost downloads; and no-cost exclusive follow-up training. Participants will also receive emails between each session that provide a:

Brief summary of the previous session, plus links to bonus materials offered.

“Sneak peek” at the next session. May include workbook and other information to accelerate learning.

Contractors can get a free training video and learn more about the Next Level Contractor event at www.contractorprofit.com.

Marketing Changes to Embrace

Recently I did a 2 part editorial on "How the New Economy Has Changed Everything". Got more responses than in many years, perhaps ever. (Request a copy at the end if you like.)

Basically, we're part of a very changing economic/business landscape. History will detail the following, but I don't believe it's ever "going back" to how it used to be.

Reasons within three big changes:

1) The seismic shift in information exchange (internet, consumer as 'voice', social viralism)

2) Declining/stagnant real estate values (often south of the mortgage owed, making foreclosure a strategy instead of involuntary hardship) and

3) Consumerism conflict: how we "value" vendors and "justify" purchases. The rules have dramatically shifted.

Evidence supporting #1 above: news media now sees their role to gain audience in the "24/7/365 News Orgy" as out-sensationalizing everyone else.

This means "News" headlines today shift more often than Charlie Sheen during a mudslide. In the news last WEEK were, "Economic Confidence Boosts Retail Outlook" followed by "Consumers Holding Back Citing 'No Confidence".

You wonder if they are TRYING to turn us into paranoid schizophrenics, or if that's just a bonus.

The shifts in communication and commerce have caused reactions in marketing and selling. Big ones.

Once "sensational" marketing has been diluted, lost. You can't out-scream everyone. "High-pressure selling" is the business equivalent to having a sexually-transmitted disease. And "waiting for the phone to ring" is the Old-School admission that you're somewhere between geriatric and irrelevant.

Back to my original treatise: The 'old' ain't coming back. Leaving you with one question -

Will you LEAD amid these changes, or WATCH as the leaders use the changes to win?

And You Think Your Trade is a Commodity?

I was, as usual, running late for my airport departure. I'm rarely giddy about cavity searches, peanuts disguised as a meal and sitting next to people who consider deodorant optional.

Yet, I'd made arrangement with the nice girl in the lobby for a cab at 2:20. "He'll be here," she assured. At 2:15, I give her an expectant glance. "He's already out front," she motions towards a black car. Not just any black car either.

It was the shiniest black car in all of DC, where shiny black cars compete at a different level. Next to it was a man in business casual, holding a black and white umbrella with a gold cab company logo on it. Soon as he saw me heading toward him, he popped the trunk.

Before I could say anything he asked, "Are you well rested for your flight, or are you hoping to rest during the flight?" He beamed this friendly question - later becoming important - and I answered, "Depends on who I'm sitting next to." He laughed, and in an instant, had carefully placed my bags into the immaculate trunk, motioning me to the rear seat.

As I turned toward the car, he whisked the door open. His manners were so different, I scanned for the hidden camera in case this was a big joke. Once in the car, my shock factor increased notably.

First, it didn't reek like the Sherwood Forest cocktail most cabbies use to disguise their lack of automotive hygiene. It was just clean. There was no debris, no crumbs, and wait... what is that...

Magazines. There were several magazines in the seat backs, including that day's Washington Post. "Take your pick," said Mr. Woods, whose name was on a professional sign preceded by, "Your Travel Host". This was a far cry from the normal hand-scrawled legal requirement duct taped to the seat back with a mug shot. "Travel Host". Nice touch.

He caught my glance in the rearview mirror, "I must ask you to please refrain from smoking since I'm allergic." I told him I was too, so not a problem. (Yet note his request with justification.) He confirmed the airline and airport, and we merged into traffic.

Just to make this scene even more eerie and hidden camera-ish, he said the unthinkable -

CLICK to see what Mr. Woods actually asked, and how your company can copy this.