ONLINE EXTRAS

Art of the Sale: Introduction and the First Steps

In this first installment of a series on achieving sales success for PRO painting contractors, Archie Bartel grabs a figurative brush and puts on his bibs to offer sales tips and guidelines for contractors trying to make the best first impression with their market. Bartel, Sherwin-Williams Director of Sales Force Effectiveness, is the former Marketing Director for Residential Repaint at Sherwin-Williams. This article will examine the listening skills necessary to build customer trust and the importance of optics in your first customer interactions. Continue reading Art of the Sale: Introduction and the First Steps →

ONLINE EXTRAS

NOW is the Time to Maximize Efficiency with a New Sprayer

“Spring wasn’t good. Half what we billed last spring, probably less. Now? We’re busy, and my crew is working long days. But I’m trying to make up what we lost in spring and maybe get work that is a little bigger than what we normally take on. We need to increase our revenue by year’s end. A new sprayer? Now? Doesn’t seem to make sense…” Continue reading NOW is the Time to Maximize Efficiency with a New Sprayer →

ASK US, ONLINE EXTRAS

What is the Best Paint for an Exterior Fiberglass Door?

PPC and Sherwin-Williams want to help pros work smarter. We recently gave painters a chance to ask product and application questions on the SWPaintPros Facebook. In this article, Rick Watson, Sherwin-Williams Director of Product Information & Technical Services, answers one pro’s question about exterior doors. Continue reading What is the Best Paint for an Exterior Fiberglass Door? →

BUSINESS BUILDERS, ONLINE EXTRAS

Ready to Meet the Demand? Five Tips for Better Recruitment and Retention in a COVID-19 World

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted painting businesses in many different ways.

“One thing is true across the board, though,” says the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “Every business will face tremendous challenges as our nation begins the path to recovery, while still facing the public health threat of the virus.”

For many painting companies, one of the main challenges continues to be finding good workers. For some insights, PPC sat down with Tim Kenney, owner of W.T. Kenney Co., Inc., a fourth-generation professional painting contracting business based in Arlington, Massachusetts. Continue reading Ready to Meet the Demand? Five Tips for Better Recruitment and Retention in a COVID-19 World →

ONLINE EXTRAS, PRODUCTS

Premium Product for Premium Customers: A New Exterior Paint with Self-Cleaning Technology

Need an excellent-looking, long-lasting premium finish for customers that require best-in-class performance? New Emerald® Rain Refresh™ Exterior Acrylic Latex with Self-Cleaning Technology is an innovative coating that will help you stand out from the competition. Continue reading Premium Product for Premium Customers: A New Exterior Paint with Self-Cleaning Technology →

ONLINE EXTRAS, PRODUCTS

Extend Your Painting Season with FlexTemp™ Exterior Acrylic Latex

Working in a hot climate? Now you can beat the heat as well as the cold with new FlexTemp™ Exterior Latex with Extreme Temp Technology™ that allows you to paint in temperature extremes from 35°F to 120°F without changing application techniques or adding extenders. Continue reading Extend Your Painting Season with FlexTemp™ Exterior Acrylic Latex →

BUSINESS BUILDERS, ONLINE EXTRAS

How One Paint Pro Uses His Sherwin-Williams® PRO Account to Save Time, Improve Efficiency

As a professional painting contractor, you’re looking for any way you can find to make your day easier and give you a leg up on the competition. Continue reading How One Paint Pro Uses His Sherwin-Williams® PRO Account to Save Time, Improve Efficiency →

ONLINE EXTRAS

Equipment to Optimize Your Sanitizing Capabilities

Frequent and thorough disinfection has become a must in public spaces. This no longer applies to just high-touch areas, but often includes almost every exposed surface. Managing sanitization protocols on such a large scale can be a strain on time and resources. Plus, this spotlight on sanitizing won’t necessarily disappear once the COVID-19 crisis is over. How do you both meet the needs of today and invest in the opportunities of tomorrow? Continue reading Equipment to Optimize Your Sanitizing Capabilities →

BUSINESS BUILDERS, ONLINE EXTRAS

Smart, Practical Marketing Ideas to Generate More Business Right Now

What kind of marketing should pro painters be doing now? PPC sat down with Al Pirozzoli, a marketing consultant who has helped numerous painting companies and other trades grow their business through good times and bad. Here is Al’s advice, along with some ideas designed to get you more business now.
Continue reading Smart, Practical Marketing Ideas to Generate More Business Right Now →

BUSINESS BUILDERS, ONLINE EXTRAS

‘You Are Not Alone’: PCA Offers Education and Support for Paint Pros During COVID-19

“You are not alone.”

That is the message members say they’re getting from the Painting Contractors Association (PCA) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue reading ‘You Are Not Alone’: PCA Offers Education and Support for Paint Pros During COVID-19 →

BUSINESS BUILDERS, ONLINE EXTRAS

Need to Decompress? These Stress Relievers
Can Help

Stress levels may be high these days in the paint contracting world, and if you’re among those struggling to deal with the pressure, you’re not alone. A recent survey conducted by the University of Chicago for the Data Foundation found that roughly two-thirds of Americans say they felt nervous, depressed, lonely or hopeless on at least one of their last seven days.
Continue reading Need to Decompress? These Stress Relievers
Can Help →

ONLINE EXTRAS, WHAT I'VE LEARNED

What We’re Doing to Stay Safe and Productive During COVID-19, with Colorado Painter Dave Barry

Dave Barry started painting at age 14 in Boston. He moved to the mountains of Colorado in 1996 and started his own company, Barry Painting Inc. Over the years he has painted everything from small homes to some of the most exclusive residential properties in the Boulder, Colorado area, as well as commercial and multifamily properties. He recently started a new business called Rocky Mountain Finishing LLC, with a spray booth that helps him expand into finishing cabinets, metal, furniture, trim packs, doors and more. PPC editor Mike Starling caught up with Dave to ask him about the challenges he’s facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading What We’re Doing to Stay Safe and Productive During COVID-19, with Colorado Painter Dave Barry →

BUSINESS BUILDERS, ONLINE EXTRAS

Are You an Exterior Expert? Here’s How to Raise Your Game

The time is right for exterior painting, especially with interior painting demand down due to COVID-19. If you’re not an exterior specialist, this article will give you the building blocks to elevate your outdoor painting game, from proper surface prep and when to prime to topcoat sheen, applicator options and cleanup.
Continue reading Are You an Exterior Expert? Here’s How to Raise Your Game →

PROJECTS

Bigger’n Texas: BLS Painting Tackles an Austin Mansion

At 14,680 square feet, this home in Austin, Texas was definitely not your typical residential painting project. Plus, with a multitude of wood paneling, custom trim work, and other custom painting details, it would take the right company to do the job right.
Continue reading Bigger’n Texas: BLS Painting Tackles an Austin Mansion →

BUSINESS BUILDERS, ONLINE EXTRAS

PPP Loan Window Extended to August 8

The loan application deadline for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that was created to help small businesses survive the economic downturn due to COVID-19 has been extended until August 8, 2020. The extension was signed into law over the July 4th weekend. Continue reading PPP Loan Window Extended to August 8 →

PROFESSIONAL PAINTING CONTRACTOR