Here’s a new color solution for your residential painting customers. Continue reading Introducing Virtual Color Consultation
Contractor Q&A: Rob Waller on Passion, Pride and the Challenges of the Painting Trade
Rob Waller has been a professional painter for more than 30 years. He lives in the Charleston, South Carolina area, where he owns and operates Waller Painting. The company employs 24 painters. Continue reading Contractor Q&A: Rob Waller on Passion, Pride and the Challenges of the Painting Trade
Pro-To-Pro Podcast Debuts
Four top painting contractors from across the country discuss the current realities in the painting world and the challenges of moving their business forward in an exclusive new contractor forum hosted by PPC magazine. Continue reading Pro-To-Pro Podcast Debuts
Pro to Pro with Allen Pinchot: Know When to Fold ‘Em
For 30 years, PPC magazine has been on job sites throughout the U.S. and Canada asking residential and commercial paint pros to share their stories. In our Pro to Pro column, we recap some of the best advice contractors have received and passed on over the last three decades. This time: Allen Pinchot, Frank Novak & Sons, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. Continue reading Pro to Pro with Allen Pinchot: Know When to Fold ‘Em
Art of the Sale: Discussing Color and the Close
In this third installment of a series on achieving sales success for PRO painting contractors, Archie Bartel offers sales tips and guidelines for contractors trying to improve their sales performance. Bartel, Sherwin-Williams Director of Sales Force Effectiveness, is the former Marketing Director for Residential Repaint at Sherwin-Williams. This article will examine the continued importance of being customer-focused during color discussion and closing the sale. Continue reading Art of the Sale: Discussing Color and the Close
Differentiate Yourself by Offering Homeowners Free Virtual Color Consultation
Color selection can be a tricky hurdle for a contractor to navigate in any painting project. The wrong color can result in a disappointed customer and may even lead to a negative review on an otherwise well-executed project. Continue reading Differentiate Yourself by Offering Homeowners Free Virtual Color Consultation
Upgrade to Mutually Beneficial Product Solutions
Successful painting contractors agree that a customer-focused sales approach typically results not only in improved customer satisfaction but the opportunity to upgrade to products that can improve project profitability. Continue reading Upgrade to Mutually Beneficial Product Solutions
Art of the Sale: Product Upgrades, Estimating, and Project Bids
In this second installment of a series on achieving sales success for PRO painting contractors, Archie Bartel offers sales tips and guidelines for contractors trying to improve their sales performance. Bartel, Sherwin-Williams Director of Sales Force Effectiveness, is the former Marketing Director for Residential Repaint at Sherwin-Williams. This article will examine the continued importance of being customer-focused throughout the bid preparation process, product upgrade considerations, and delivering a quote. Continue reading Art of the Sale: Product Upgrades, Estimating, and Project Bids
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
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
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?
Pro-to-Pro Contractor Podcast
Four painting contractors discuss current realities in the painting world and the challenges of moving their business forward in an exclusive pro-to-pro contractor forum hosted by Professional Painting Contractor Magazine. Continue reading Pro-to-Pro Contractor Podcast
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
Thumbs Up for New PRO App Project Bids Tool
Painting contractors have piloted the new Project Bids Tool — now available via the Sherwin-Williams PRO App — and according to early reviews, PROs are pleased with much of what they’ve seen. Continue reading Thumbs Up for New PRO App Project Bids Tool
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
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
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
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
Cash Is King: Ideas to Help Generate and Manage Your Cash Flow
Differing realities remain depending on your particular geography, but if you’re like many North American painting contractors, the light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel appears to be brighter, at least in terms of how it has affected your business. Continue reading Cash Is King: Ideas to Help Generate and Manage Your Cash Flow
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