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Branding Your Company

Updated: 11.01.21 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. The most valuable asset a company can have is the tiny piece of real estate in the minds of their customers and prospects. It means they recognize who you are and what you stand for.

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3 Keys to Marketing Success

Updated: 01.01.13 by Terry Tanker

Key in advertising is to deliver ongoing, consistent messages that emphasize the quality.

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Take Advantage of Ongoing Market Improvement

Updated: 12.01.12 by Terry Tanker

Improving and growing companies can and is being done every day by many HVACR contractors. Be sure you’re geared up to move your company, and our country, forward in 2013.

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6 Years in Business Means Many to Thank

Updated: 11.01.12 by Terry Tanker

Without the people who support you personally and professionally, your business wouldn't be successful. That's why I'm taking time to thank those who've been there for me for six years.

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3 Challenges That Aren’t Going Away

Updated: 10.01.12 by Terry Tanker

You could be making another mistake, though, if you aren’t considering “big picture” trends that will affect your future. Customer surveys and economic outlooks are important, but larger changes are underway that will alter how contractors work forever.

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Simplify 2013 Planning By Defining Goals and Tactics

Updated: 09.01.12 by Terry Tanker

It’s the time of the year when we all start working, to some degree or another, on next year’s business plan. While it’s a process all business owners have to go through, there are many ways to do it

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To Revive American Manufacturing, Train Workers

Updated: 08.01.12 by Terry Tanker

There is a broad, bipartisan consensus that we have let our manufacturing sector wither to our economy’s detriment, and we’ve got to do whatever we can to create more production jobs and revitalize an industry force that once made the U.S. an economic powerhouse.

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A Lesson in How Not to Please Customers

Updated: 07.01.12 by Terry Tanker

Customers want knowledgeable salespeople who help them buy, rather than being sold to. And, they want good follow up and support. It’s so simple and basic. And, the little things matter the most. They are what lead to repeat customers and good word-of-mouth advertising — or not.

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Tops in Trucks: More Entries, Better Designs and Additional Winners

Updated: 06.01.12 by Terry Tanker

Our June Tops In Trucks fleet-design contest issue has clearly become a reader favorite based on the number of emails, phone calls, and contest submissions we receive. Each year the contest attracts more entries and better designs.

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Document Current Procedures

Updated: 05.01.12 by Terry Tanker

Avoid having the unexpected halt your business by keeping your policies and procedures documents updated.

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Will a Handshake Work? Not These Days

Updated: 04.01.12 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. Arnold Palmer’s handshake deal with Mark McCormack, the legendary founder of sports-marketing-and-management company IMG Worldwide, was one of the most successful business deals in history. Both men became wealthy, and neither ever felt the need to put their agreement in writing. Alas, that was in the 1950s. Today, not using a written agreement is a clear and unmistakable recipe for disaster.

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We Are Improving And Expanding, So Stick Around!

Updated: 03.01.12 by Terry Tanker

As I mentioned in last month’s column, we recently moved our offices to a new location. We had a lot of fun buying new furniture, artwork, equipment and other things we needed; but we deemed lots of things valuable and worth keeping. Some things needed minor tweaks, some major repairs, and still others were working fine as is.

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6 Lessons for the Small Business Owner

Updated: 02.01.12 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. HVACR Business recently celebrated its sixth anniversary in business. We’ve learned a lot along the way and thought some of the lessons learned along the way would be helpful.

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Out With The Old, In With The New

Updated: 01.01.12 by Terry Tanker

As we start the new year, let me issue a challenge to those of you who have been clinging to caution — let go and be bold. The time has come for you to plan your next move.

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Spice Up Your Small Talk For The Holidays

Updated: 12.01.11 by Terry Tanker

Often you'll find yourself speaking with people you've never met before, talking about the weather, because that's an easy topic for small talkers (that's you). Arm yourself with a little trivia and entertain everyone you talk with at your upcoming holiday parties this season.

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5 Tips for Improving Sales

Updated: 11.01.11 by Terry Tanker

Customers and prospects interpret information differently. Some are visual, others are auditory, and yet others are primarily kinesthetic.

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Rise Above the Politicians: Debate for Success, Not Stalemate

Updated: 09.01.11 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. Properly debated and documented decisions can move leaders forward with a plan of action that is supported by all, instead of a stalemate that leaves everyone dissatisfied.

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Get Going On Energy-Performance Contracting

Updated: 08.01.11 by Terry Tanker

Whole-home/whole-building performance contracting is an opportunity for HVACR contractors to add value to business offerings by making customers more comfortable while reducing their energy consumption and costs.

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More Good News For Growth-Minded HVACR Contractors

Updated: 07.01.11 by Terry Tanker

Contractors adding services such as plumbing and electrical to expand their businesses and better service customers.

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Keep Those Postcards Coming: Don’t Abandon Traditional Marketing Tools

Updated: 05.01.11 by Terry Tanker

Technology continues to evolve how we communicate with our customers. New marketing techniques don't make traditional forms irrelevant, they add to your bag of tools. Use what works.

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Fools Rush In To Speak, And Their Reputations Suffer

Updated: 04.01.11 by Terry Tanker

"Say what you mean, and mean what you say" is timeless advice on how to build a good reputation. It also speaks to how important well-executed communication is to every reputable leader and business.

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Harvard Study: Good News for Contractors

Updated: 03.01.11 by Terry Tanker

Good news about the U.S. economic recovery continues, and we are now seeing more industry-specific projections. Researchers say HVAC upgrades will be a driver in remodeling recovery.

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Making Smart Investments in Marketing Technology

Updated: 02.01.11 by Terry Tanker

There’s a lot of room for improvement in the HVACR industry when it comes to using marketing technology. Too many contracting businesses lack an integrated online marketing plan that maps back to their unique selling proposition.

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Welcome to 2011: New Deals, New Faces

Updated: 01.01.11 by Terry Tanker

A change of power in Congress, President Obama and Congress have pushed through a new tax deal that keeps the current tax structure in place and is about 180 degrees away from what was proposed in the fall.

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Why The Trillion-Plus-Dollar Federal Deficit Matters

Updated: 12.01.10 by Terry Tanker

Members of our industry won’t always agree on matters of government and public funding, but the federal deficit is something we can all rally around protest, and work to reduce.

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Economic Outlook: Shoot For the Moon

Updated: 11.01.10 by Terry Tanker

Brian Beaulieu, Institute for Trend Research, told Nexstar Network members at the Super Meeting that now is the time for investing.

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How Government Is Wasting Our Money

Updated: 10.01.10 by Terry Tanker

As business owners, we cut expenses when business is down. We don’t look for new ways to spend money we don’t have. But unfortunately — as we’ve come to expect — that thought process doesn’t work in Washington.

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Tax Code Changes — The Time to Plan is Now

Updated: 09.01.10 by Terry Tanker

With regard to your 2010/2011 taxes, the old 5 Ps come to mind — Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

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8 Ways To Close More Sales

Updated: 08.01.10 by Terry Tanker

Consider taking this checklist or one like it into your next weekly sales meeting and applying it against pending sales. If you do this consistently, chances are good you’ll be moving more sales from the pending column to the signed column.

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Connecting With Customers Every Chance You Get

Updated: 06.01.10 by Terry Tanker

The ability to connect with customers with a customized message makes using fleet design as a marketing tool a must-do activity within your organization

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SocialTract Can Make Effective Social Media Easier

Updated: 04.01.10 by Terry Tanker

Social media doesn’t work without the creation and distribution of compelling content that positions you as a trusted adviser to your customers and prospects.

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Don't Overlook Fleet Improvements

Updated: 03.01.10 by Terry Tanker

Your fleet is more than just a way to travel to jobs. It should be considered a key part of your business strategy.

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Lighten Up With These Management Lessons

Updated: 02.01.10 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. I though I would take a break from all of the serious management issues I normally write about and have a little fun. There are lessons buried in these humorous tales, but you'll laugh while you learn.

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How I Use RSS To Manage Information

Updated: 01.01.10 by Terry Tanker

Are you as overwhelmed with information as I am? I've found that RSS technology really helps.

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10 Ways to Shape Your Service Strategy

Updated: 12.01.09 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker Gaining a competitive edge in these challenging times is not easy. It takes perseverance, fortitude, patience and leadership.

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Advertising Words Matter

Updated: 11.01.09 by Terry Tanker

Great images and great words that play together make great advertisements. The very best are simply and convey more than the sum of the parts.

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Accountability Starts With You

Updated: 10.01.09 by Terry Tanker

Accountability in sales is simple because it’s so effortlessly tracked. But company owners need to be able to ensure accountability in all functions. Additionally, while some employees may naturally have this “accountability gene” in their personality, many do not.

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More Options for Achieving Your Goals

Updated: 09.01.09 by Terry Tanker

All of us who are leaders in our industries have two spheres of responsibility that might seem to be separated from one another, but in fact, they must be tightly intertwined in order for us to succeed.

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HVACR Business-Digital - Faster, More Interactive

Updated: 08.01.09 by Terry Tanker

The same insightful columnists and informative articles will appear in each edition, but the digital edition will cater to those who prefer receiving information electronically and/or those who would like to use digital functionality to search, store, or share our articles and columns.

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Focusing on Social Media

Updated: 07.01.09 by Terry Tanker

Fortune 500 companies all the way down to mom-and- pop shops are learning how to take advantage of all that social media has to offer. And just like the Internet, it’s here to stay.

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Look Outside-In To Survive Economic Turbulence

Updated: 06.01.09 by Terry Tanker

The number 1 challenge for every manager or business owner is to understand how the needs, requirements, and expectations of customers have changed.

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The Natural Selection Process of Business

Updated: 05.01.09 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. In business, as in sports, music, and hundreds of other skill sets, there are naturals — those born with the talent and skills necessary to perform at the highest levels. This certainly is true of leadership.

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Customer-Focused Research

Updated: 02.01.09 by Terry Tanker

While many companies talk about customer focus, the reality is that even some of the most sophisticated have scant knowledge of their customer and prospect base. But the most successful companies regularly probe the customer psyche in an effort to understand what drives buying behavior.

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Must Do, Need To Do, Nice To Do

Updated: 12.01.08 by Terry Tanker

If you can identify the 20 percent of your task list that’s most important in the moment, you can concentrate on areas that will bring you the greatest gains.

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Credit Crunch

Updated: 10.01.08 by Terry Tanker

Three-quarters of small-business owners still feel confident about the futures of their own businesses despite the economy.

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Navigating In A Down Economy

Updated: 08.01.08 by Terry Tanker

It’s a tough economy out there and just about every indicator is pointing its needle toward the red. However, for business owners there are no excuses, the playing field is level. It’s a great time to make process changes you’ve been planning, or simply fix things you think are broken

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Maintaining Motivation

Updated: 06.01.08 by

What separates the highly successful business owner and the average one is the ability to keep moving forward—even if it’s only one yard at a time. The ability to motivate yourself and others is a critical leadership skill and one of the most difficult to master.

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Celebrating Success

Updated: 05.01.08 by Terry Tanker

Whether it is a personal goal or a business goal, recognition for a job well done is crucial to ensure that a work-hard attitude continues.

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Building Web Sites

Updated: 03.01.08 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker The importance of being on the Web cannot be overstated. Americans spend an equal amount of time watching TV as they do surfing the Web (about 14 hours a week). Having a good Internet platform is easy and relatively inexpensive. And, as mobile phones, PDAs and other devices become more effective and efficient at helping users surf the Web, it will only add to the importance of Web marketing.

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Why Should Customers Do Business With You?

Updated: 01.01.08 by Terry Tanker

Terry Tanker offers advice on how to articulate your company's value proposition and why you should have a mantra.

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Making A Plan And Setting Goals

Updated: 09.01.07 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. Without a game plan and specific goals, it's impossible to see where you've been or where you're heading. Here are eight goal-setting strategies that should be reflected in your business plan.

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7 Must-Have Traits For Your Next Sales Hire

Updated: 07.01.07 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. 7 Must-Have Traits For Your Next Sales Hire

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Making the Most of Your Subscription

Updated: 05.01.07 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. We value your input and readership. Take advantage of these tools to get more from HVACR Business.

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Have a Bone to Pick? Diagram It

Updated: 09.01.06 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. The fishbone diagram is an excellent management tool. It makes managers think about a process and all of the contributing factors ending in the result — good and bad.

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10 Commandments of Good Advertising

Updated: 08.01.06 by Terry Tanker

By Terry Tanker. Marketing communications is an asset your company owns and an investment in customers and prospects. The challenge is to use this asset wisely. Terry Tanker offers 10 tips and ideas to help improve your advertising.

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