Tag Archives: Summer 2023

BUSINESS BUILDERS, COLOR, PRODUCTS

Here Are Three More Great Ways to Work Smarter with PRO+ductive Solutions

Want to get the job done faster? Want to save money and time with services and tools that make your entire business run smoother? Want to build your business with the services and tools you need today plus cutting-edge solutions for tomorrow? PRO+ductive Solutions is an ongoing initiative started by Sherwin-Williams to help contractors save time, complete jobs quickly, and save money to generate more profit.

The latest additions to this part of the company’s PRO+ program include a time- and labor-saving pressure washer, virtual color consulting resources for homeowners and an advanced weather-adaptive paint that helps you be more productive on exterior projects.
Continue reading Here Are Three More Great Ways to Work Smarter with PRO+ductive Solutions →

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Never Guesstimate Again: The Foolproof Way to Estimate Painting Projects

Once again in 2023, PPC is teaming up with the Painting Contractors Association (PCA) on a series of articles to help you grow and improve your painting business. This year’s theme: Productivity is the path to profitability. In this article, Jon Bryant, CEO of Paint Scout, shares his secrets for foolproof estimating.
Continue reading Never Guesstimate Again: The Foolproof Way to Estimate Painting Projects →

PRODUCTS

Top 10 New Tools for Pro Painters in 2023

Each summer, we take our annual look at all the best new equipment and supplies available for pro painters. This year, that includes high-performance airless sprayers, low-pressure spray tips, advanced patching compounds, supplies to improve efficiency on the job site and much more. Continue reading Top 10 New Tools for Pro Painters in 2023 →

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Louisiana Painter Wins a New Truck in 3M Sherwin-Williams Sweepstakes

Kirk Thibodeaux is the winner of a new truck in the 2022 ScotchBlue® Pro Painter’s Tape Sweepstakes co-sponsored by 3M and Sherwin-Williams. He’s pictured at left in the photo above with his new Ram 1500 Rebel at the Sherwin-Williams Baton Rouge Nicholson Drive store with his sales rep Joey St. Pierre.

Here’s the story behind his win, plus details on how to enter this year’s sweepstakes for a chance to win a new Ram truck of your own.
Continue reading Louisiana Painter Wins a New Truck in 3M Sherwin-Williams Sweepstakes →

WHAT I'VE LEARNED

Failing, Learning and Sharing: The Idaho Painter’s Tips for Succeeding in the Industry

For more than 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. This issue: Chris Berry, owner of B&K Painting, Boise, Idaho.
Continue reading Failing, Learning and Sharing: The Idaho Painter’s Tips for Succeeding in the Industry →

PROJECTS

Giving Back: Church Restoration Exemplifies Arkansas Painter’s Commitment to the Community

When he began his painting business in 1983, Joel Turpin made a commitment to excellence through quality work that both he and his customers could be proud of. That reputation has been a cornerstone of the company since the beginning and continues to hold true today.
Continue reading Giving Back: Church Restoration Exemplifies Arkansas Painter’s Commitment to the Community →

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Build Your Business Chops with Free PRO+ Training Webinars

Running a successful painting company. It’s more than just how to hold a paint brush or how to cut in a wall. There’s estimating, sales, marketing, accounting, managing people, and so much more. Sharing ideas about how to excel at the business side of painting is the concept behind the new PRO+ Training Series on the Sherwin-Williams YouTube channel.

Continue reading Build Your Business Chops with Free PRO+ Training Webinars →

Uncategorized

Get it Right the First Time: How to Choose the Best Paint and Coatings for All Your Exterior Projects

Professional painting contractors all have their everyday go-to products, but sometimes a situation calls for you to step outside your comfort zone to get the best results for your customer.

For this article, we sat down with paint pros and the experts at Sherwin-Williams to get their insights about the best coatings for five different situations that you may encounter on your next exterior job, from severely weathered siding to dealing with moisture and temperature extremes to best overall performance. Continue reading Get it Right the First Time: How to Choose the Best Paint and Coatings for All Your Exterior Projects →

PRODUCTS

Paint Peeling? Follow These Four Steps to Ensure the Best Results on Your Repaint Job

Got an exterior job where the paint is peeling? It’s a common conundrum encountered by professional painting contractors when repainting wood siding. But by arming yourself with the right tools and knowledge, it’s also a problem you can solve.
Continue reading Paint Peeling? Follow These Four Steps to Ensure the Best Results on Your Repaint Job →

PRODUCTS

Summer 2023 Editor’s Pick: A Powerful Pressure Washer

As part of our ongoing mission to help painting professionals maximize their job site productivity, each issue of PPC magazine features our favorite application tools and essential job site equipment and supplies.
Continue reading Summer 2023 Editor’s Pick: A Powerful Pressure Washer →

PRODUCTS

Summer 2023 ProBuy® Specials: Save 20 Percent or More Off List Price on Select Painting Equipment and Supplies

Each issue of PPC magazine includes a roundup of special ProBuy® pricing on some of our favorite application tools and essential equipment and supplies. Continue reading Summer 2023 ProBuy® Specials: Save 20 Percent or More Off List Price on Select Painting Equipment and Supplies →

ONLINE EXTRAS

How to Properly Pressure Wash a Deck

An expert with Mi-T-M shares seven tips for stunning results

With rising temperatures, many homeowners will be looking to get their decks ready for summer. In addition to general wear, tear, and traffic, decks are also exposed to harsh outdoor elements. Rain, sun, snow, and ice can wreak havoc on horizontal outdoor wood surfaces—and such exposure requires consistent and proper care. That’s where you and your crew can come to the rescue for homeowners.

Of course, there are a few special considerations to make when dealing with decks. In this article, Don Holdridge—National Paint Division Manager for Mi-T-M—shares seven of his best practices for pressure washing decks.

Continue reading How to Properly Pressure Wash a Deck →

ONLINE EXTRAS

What Online Reviews Can Do for You

Turn positive word-of-mouth into booming business with these best practices.

To have a healthy business today, you need to have a healthy online presence. And one of the most important parts of your business’ online presence are your online reviews. A good review can help you reach new customers you would have never run into in real life—and a bad review can turn someone away from your business before you’ve ever said a word to them.

Megan Hinz, marketing community manager at Sherwin-Williams, and her team read and reply to every review for every Sherwin-Williams store across Google, Yelp, Facebook, and sherwin-williams.com. They read hundreds of reviews every day. For this article, she talked to us about her team’s best practices for garnering good reviews, responding professionally, and creating a positive impression for potential online customers. 

Continue reading What Online Reviews Can Do for You →

ONLINE EXTRAS

Dealing With Difficult Customers

Turn micromanaging, indecisive, and demanding clients into glowing recommendations

Difficult customers can come in all shapes and sizes; spend any time as a painting contractor and you’ll run into one eventually. Every contractor can probably recall a customer who made their work so difficult that they started to regret taking the job.

Unfortunately, these situations aren’t only frustrating, but can potentially hurt your business’ reputation if not handled correctly. As such, you need to be prepared for these customers in order to stay successful. And in a competitive marketplace where word-of-mouth is king, retaining customers and generating repeat business can grow your bottom line. In this article, we offer suggestions for how to professionally respond to three of the most common types of difficult customers. 

Continue reading Dealing With Difficult Customers →

ONLINE EXTRAS

Four Simple Strategies for Choosing Extraordinary Exterior Colors

Help homeowners beat color decision paralysis and start jobs faster

First impressions are important, and for homeowners, their guests’ first impression of their home will be its exterior. It’s no wonder so many homeowners want to freshen up their exterior with a fresh coat of paint—and why many of your potential customers want your opinion on their color selection.

Though you may not feel like the right person to ask about this, successfully helping a homeowner decide on a color can help you to close more leads, get jobs scheduled and started on-time, and position yourself as a color hero to your clients. Sue Wadden, Director of Color Marketing at Sherwin-Williams, offers strategies you can use to help your clients select the perfect exterior look. Continue reading Four Simple Strategies for Choosing Extraordinary Exterior Colors →