Outstanding Painting Business Press Release Example

I'm re-posting this outstanding press release below as an example of what to do and how to do it!

Press releases are an awesome way to keep your painting business on the mind of homeowners within your community and position yourself as THE expert.

If you aren't using press releases to get publicity, use this one as a template and start now! To see the original click here

Success Story: A Positive Approach Keeps Phones Ringing
Company Focuses On Customer Service, Quality

Staying the course has helped Northern Contracting maintain solid footing as the economy and some competitors have faltered.

Multifaceted services for both the commercial and residential markets and focusing on quality and customer service have been the company's approach since its founding in 2003, say its owners. Those factors and positive word of mouth have kept Northern's phones ringing as the recession deepened, they added.

The company's services include remodeling, additions, new construction, interior and exterior painting, interior build-outs, pressure cleaning, paver sealing and surface refinishing, said Jeffrey Freitas of south Fort Myers, who co-owns Northern with fellow south Fort Myers resident Mario Moguel.

"When you hit a downturn like this, all those residential guys that weren't doing remodeling and things like that were dying until they started doing them," Freitas said. However, Northern already had an established base of remodeling customers who turned to the company for new remodeling projects and also recommended the business to other people, he added.

Freitas said painting jobs generate about half Northern's revenue and the company benefits from having its own painting crews because it eliminates the possibility of having to wait for a subcontractor to complete that portion of a project.

Lee and Collier counties are the company's primary service areas, but it's also handled projects as far away as Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Coral Gables.

The economy may have been slowing dramatically, but 2007 was still a good year for Northern, said Freitas, who is 38. The company had gross revenues of roughly $1.97 million that year.

But 2008 saw gross revenues tumble to about $1.35 million. However, the downward trend has reversed course this year with gross revenues, through June 30, of roughly $1.31 million.

Management duties are clearly delineated, with Freitas overseeing the construction matters, while Moguel heads up painting and other services, such as pressure cleaning and stucco work.

Northern has handled multiple projects for him over the past two years, said Brian Owens, co-owner of the Microtel Inn & Suites in Lehigh Acres and its restaurant, Haney's Cafe and Pub. In fact, Freitas was Owens' liaison to the general contractor on the hotel project and served as the general contractor for the restaurant.

"Jeff really pays attention to the details," Owens said. "He's also an electrician as well. He just understands every facet of the contracting experience and that's extremely helpful. I've seen him actually throw the tool belt on and crawl up there to work. Jeff is very hands-on."

Both Freitas and Moguel pointed to having a skilled, dedicated staff and a cohesive partnership as other key contributors to their success. But both also stressed the importance of treating customers like gold.

"Customer service has always been the No. 1 thing," said Moguel, 38. "Our jobs are managed very well, from the time we present the proposal to the customer to the time we finish and get paid. We always do what we say we're going to do and we go the extra mile."

Northern performed extensive renovations over nine months in 2007 at Dr. Kurt Markgraf's circa 1924 home in Fort Myers' Seminole Park neighborhood. The work included new plumbing and electrical systems, replacing the windows with hurricane-resistant duplicates and bringing the house up to current building codes.

"They did an excellent job," Markgraf said. "I have full trust in them. They went out of their way. If they can find a way to save money for the client, they'll do it and they gain nothing, except appreciation."

That appreciation extends to recognizing their good fortune in difficult times.

"I feel very fortunate, very blessed, because of the fact so many guys are struggling out there and losing their jobs," Freitas said. "Something could happen. Things could dry up. But you just keep going, trying to establish new relationships and keep going at it strong."

BY DON MANLEY
dmanley@news-press.com

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Why Do You Want To Own Your Own Painting Business?

I'll be perfectly honest with you, painting for a boss eight hours a day is a lot easier than owning your own business. Of course it is also extremely limiting in many ways...

For example as an employee you are limited to:

• The amount of hours you can work
• The amount of money you can make
  
• The amount of vacation time
  
• The amount of sick days
  
• The lifestyle you can gain
• The amount of freedom you can achieve
• And much more

However, being an employee requires very little thinking... You get to start at a certain time and once the day ends you are free until the next workday.

Granted not everyone is cut out for painting business ownership. It takes work and consistent action to build a profitable business, but... The REWARDS are worth the effort!

So many painters jump into their own business because they 'know how to paint' but end up struggling because they don't understand much else.

If you are considering going into business for yourself, or have already made the transition and looking for a surefire way to be sure that your business will last 'long term' here is what we recommend.

Step 1. Sit down for a while and write down EVERYTHING that you want your business to be known for... create your own 'highest standards' list that you will work every day to live up to.

There you go, that's it, one step!

Basic, YES!

...but sometimes we need to be reminded to do the basics. In fact less than 90% of new painting business owners take the time to do this most important step.

You see, when YOU define and set your own highest standards and work every day to live up to them, it ensures that everyone you deal with will be satisfied with your effort.

When no one else can hold you to a higher standard than you set for yourself, you will ALWAYS have satisfied customers.

Here is a short list of things to consider when making your list and setting your standards:

1. I will focus on customer service first and foremost (building long term relationships and life long customers)
   
2. I will keep my word and show up on time... Every time
   
3. I will always go the extra mile to help
   
4. I will hire employees who not only have good skills but also good attitudes
5. I will treat my employees fair and develop leaders
   
6. I will sharpen my image and build my brand through low cost creative marketing
7. I will give back to my community whenever possible
8. I will create strong lasting relationships with other professional business owner in my area
9. I will educate myself on new products and services that will enhance the customer experience
10. I will read books on business growth and leadership in order to be prepaired to lead my growing organization
11. I will take action every day to meet new people
    
12. etc.

The idea here is to brainstorm the end result and begin living that way right now... See your business 3 years... 5 years... 10 years down the road.

See what you want your business to look like and begin acting 'As If' it were already who you are. Doing this will allow you to reach your goals much faster and with a lot less stress and worry. It's much easier to get somewhere when you know where you're going.

Leave a comment and let us know what you are doing on a daily basis to live up to your own highest standards. If you haven't taken the time to create your own list, DO IT NOW!

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Staycation

Doing their bit

Mr and Mrs T are heading West for a week's staycation. According to the Met Office five day forecast, they'll be enjoying "sunny intervals" - which is why they're packing their bicycle capes and waders.

Times are tough out West: as the Western Morning News says:

"RAIN-LASHED holidaymakers are considering shunning the Westcountry after the Met Office's U-turn on a "barbecue summer" forecast.

Travel firm Lastminute.com said interest in "staycation" holidays in Britain had peaked in June, when searches on its website for UK destinations surpassed those for Spain. Since July's constant rain, Spain has become the most searched holiday spot, with the UK slipping from fourth to fifth place behind Turkey, Greece and Italy."

But the Westcountry's tourism industry is reportedly worth around £5bn pa and is a vital source of local employment. In these straightened times, Mr and Mrs T are proud to be doing their bit.

So here's a suggestion - the next time Lord Rothschild invites you to holiday at his villa on Corfu, just say no. You'll enjoy yourself just as much in a caravan on Dawlish Warren Holiday Park (pic above), and you'll be able to walk tall.

Unlike all those ministers selfishly worshipping a foreign sun.

PS The broadband status of our holiday destination is unknown - posts may be sporadic to non-existent over the next week.

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Gee Thanks Guys

Would you risk losing this?

Tyler is a big fan of the US. We owe them bigtime. Not just for all those bailouts over the years, but also for inventing the future. It's difficult to imagine how much poorer we'd be - in all senses - without the free market dynamism and risk-taking capacity of our American cousins.

Yet for all that, they are sometimes a little... well, what should one say... a little brash. And their current beating up on the NHS is an excellent case in point.

Most of what's being said is spot on. The NHS does ration healthcare. In many ways it is Orwellian (not least for the poor schmucks who work in it). And it certainly fails to deliver the standard of healthcare most Americans take for granted.

A notorious example of this last point is cancer survival rates. According to a recent major study:

• British women have a 53% chance of living at least five years after a cancer diagnosis, compared to 63% for women in the US


• British men have a 45% chance compared to 66% in the US - a massive difference

Shocking. And if I were an American, I most certainly would not be opting for an NHS.

But the thing is, I'm a Brit. I may be dissatisfied with the NHS; I may want to dump it for social insurance; but at the end of the day, it's our NHS. And when the lovely Sarah P starts accusing our NHS of employing Death Panels to decide who lives and who dies, even I start to bristle.

Which is a real problem.

Because not only does bristling keep me awake at night, it also means my fellow British citizens are even less receptive to the idea of ditching the sacred NHS.

As the Major says, how dare the Yanks criticise our institutions - nay, our very way of life! Overpaid, oversexed, and they even tried to buy the golf club!

From R5 Live, to Twitter, to the Major's club, the wagons are being circled. This very evening Dave has felt compelled to write to all Conservative Party members reassuring us that the NHS is safe in his hands - "how proud we in Britain are of the NHS".

So guys, please... please just lay off the NHS.

Couldn't you find some other bogeyman to wheel out at your Town Hall meetings?

What about the Iranian Health Service?

PS Yes, I know - we can hardly expect our NHS to perform as well as the US healthcare system given the disparity in resources. That's what you get when they spend 15.3% of GDP on health, and we only spend 8.4% (2006). Except that our cancer survival rates are also well below the European averages, and there the disparity in resources has more or less been eliminated. Also we should all remember this rather unsettling fact - among developed economies, there is no meaningful correlation between health spending and life expectancy (see this blog). I suggest you eat more raw fish.

PPS For future reference, here's Dan the Man administering his Michael Moore antidote:

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A New Twist On An Old Saying About House Painters

If you have been in the house painting trade for any length of time I'm sure you're familiar with the old saying:

"Painters Are A Dime A Dozen
But A Good One Is Hard To Find"

For the most part from my perspective, that saying rings true. Don't get me wrong there are a lot of really good painters/painting businesses working in the field but very few of them know how to "Get Found".

To me this saying has more to do with "Marketing Skills" than it does with "Painting Skills".

I like to say:

"Painters ARE A Dime A Dozen
But Good One's Make Themselves EASY To Find"

Listen, if you have honed your painting skills to the point where you are considering going into business for yourself, then the two most important thing to focus on are marketing your painting services and bidding paint jobs (making sales) because without these two things there is simply no painting to be done.

...In the end, if you don't know how to get the phone ringing or profitably bid paint jobs it 'don't' rally matter much how good your painting skills are.

Very few house painters who make the leap into their own business take the time to bone up on "the business side of the painting business". Those that do have a much, MUCH higher success rate.

One thing I always suggest to new painting business owners is to "become a student of business" and even more important than that... become a student of "Marketing Your Painting Services."

Don't just test the waters, hoping you will succeed through trial and error... Go in with the mindset that you will DOMINATE your market right out of the gate! (and then begin to gain the knowledge you need to make it happen.)

So many painting business owners settle for competing on price simply because of lack of knowledge.

Obviously you are different because you are on this "Painting Blog" and are actually taking the time to research and educate yourself. I celebrate your ambition and entrepreneurial spirit!

The successful painting business owners who thrive (regardless of the economy) are those who have taken the time to learn how to market and bid paint jobs. They research the local competition and have figured out ways to give themselves a unique advantage.

Success isn't guaranteed just because you go into business for yourself... or because you have outstanding painting skills... however it can be a whole lot more predictable and possible when you gain the knowledge and follow the same systems that other successful painting business owners have.

• Our programs have shown thousands of folks just like you how to start and grow profitable painting businesses and we would like the chance to answer your most burning question about growing a successful painting business.

Please leave a comment or question on this post and I'll do my best to thoughtfully answer it.

If you haven't already - be sure to sign up (at the top of this blog) for our free special report "Cracking The Painting Business Success Code" and weekly newsletter.

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Owning a Successful Painting Business Offers Priceless Freedoms

Lifestyle is one of the main reasons I started my own painting business, and it became very clear to me yesterday how blessed we have been.

When I say lifestyle I'm not talking about owning the biggest house on the block or driving the fanciest car, but rather the ability to own your own time... call your own shots... be there for the important things!

Yesterday was my daughter Myla's first birthday and we spent the entire day with friends and family, and I didn't have to call anyone to ask for the day off... It was FANTASTIC!

It was the first day I took off in a LONG time because we have been so busy digging in and developing new systems and programs (which I'll tell you more about very soon) to help people grow their painting business.

I always get jazzed up when someone sends me a testimonial or story about how our programs and information helped them reach their goals and make more money but yesterday it became crystal clear exactly what we are doing for people and why we are working so hard right now to make a great thing even better.

I feel lucky and blessed to play be a part of helping people gain the freedom, income and time to enjoy the best things in life.

There is unprecedented opportunity to position your painting business in this recovering market... If you are reading this blog or considering investing in one of our products or home study courses, just know that YOUR success is our top priority and we are here to help.

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Pumped-Up On Experimental Drugs

At least he tested it on himself

As regular readers will know, we are very concerned that the Bank of England is overdosing us with monetary stimulants. We're especially concerned at the Quantitative Easing (QE) programme - or printing money as we old-timers still call it.

Last week, against all expectations, the Bank announced a further dose of QE, taking the total from £125bn to £175bn. Which has worried us even more. Because as others have said, QE is an untested drug, and we've already swallowed a very large dose. Common sense surely tells us it might be best to wait a while before taking yet more.

Yesterday the Bank of England tried to explain their thinking. They said that without the additional dose of QE, CPI inflation would remain well below their mandated target of 2% for the next two years and beyond. Here's their fan chart showing just that:

As we can see, with QE (aka asset purchases) limited to £125bn, inflation is expected to fall well below 2% - although not, please note, into deflation territory. And two years out (the vertical dotted line) it's still expected to be below 2%. Or rather, there is only around a c 20% chance it will be at 2% or above (the bands on the fan chart are supposed to denote probabilities).

So to address this, the Bank is deliberately stoking up inflation by pumping in a further £50bn of QE. Here's what that does to their outlook:

As we can see, the extra dose does the trick and inflation over the next two years is lifted much closer to the 2% pa target.

Job done.

Er, yeeesssss... except...

For one thing, there are increasing signs that world growth is already through the worst, and turning up. Chinese growth is moving forward again (currently 8% pa), the US is widely expected to bounce back to 2% next year, and just this morning we've had news that GDP grew in both France and Germany during Q2. The massive reflation medication worldwide is feeding through.

Which means that world inflation is no longer out for the count. Commodity prices, including oil, are now well off the bottom - over the last month alone, the Economist Commodity Index (in dollars) is up 10%.

Given Britain's chronic long-term problems with inflation, and the potential for weak sterling to import a lot of inflation very quickly, this is not a world in which we should be taking risks. This is a world in which we need to be very careful indeed.

And as for the Bank's highly impressive fan charts, we just need to remember one simple fact: no matter how glossy the presentation may be, the underlying forecasts are no better than the flip of a coin. Nobody has the faintest idea whether inflation in two years time will turn out to be 1%, 2%, or 5%.

Because that's just the way economic forecasts work. You can employ the best brains, and construct the most sophisticated and detailed models available to humanity. But all those known unknowns and unknown unknowns make it impossible to have much confidence in your projections.

The Bank certainly can't claim any particular record of forecasting success. Here's their inflation fan from last August - just 12 months ago:

Pretty different, huh?

And in fairness to the Bank, they admit their record is not that brilliant. They say (page 48 here)that over the last decade their one-year forecasts of inflation have turned out within their 50% probability range (the dark red bit of the fan) only four times out of ten (ie a supposed 50% probability range has turned out to be closer to 40%). Moreover, their past forecasts have been biased down (ie inflation has turned out higher than forecast two to three times more often than turning out lower).

So we can't have a lot of confidence in the doctor's judgement here. In the past, he has not been particularly accurate in his diagnosis, and has tended to underplay the risk of inflationary fever.

And now he's administering huge doses of untested drugs.

Hmm.

Feel lucky?

PS Of course, as we've blogged before, inflation won't be bad for everyone. Debtors - including the government - will benefit as the real value of their debt gets eroded away. But savers, widows and orphans will be punished most savagely. Just like they were back in the 70s and the Weimar Republic. Meanwhile, the banks are coining it in, as the Bank of England shovels in cheap cash for them, while home owners and small business get racked by higher borrowing rates. Ah, it's a cruel cruel world.

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