Kevin Shaw Plumbing today announced the launch of www.KevinShawPlumbing.com as an information portal for San Gabriel Valley home owners to find information about plumbing solutions, and home improvement tips. With articles being added almost every day and an online monthly newsletter of home improvement tips the website is anticipated to quickly become San Gabriel’s primary resource web site for plumbing and home improvement information.

Future plans include educational guides on selecting a plumber, professional advice from local experts, and a question and answer forum for San Gabriel homeowners.

The web site will be an invaluable resource for homeowners in finding accessible information to address their plumbing needs. Information will be efficiently categorized for easy navigation.

Kevin Shaw, president of Kevin Shaw Plumbing stated, “Our goal is to be the best home and family resource center and information portal for assisting all San Gabriel homeowners with their plumbing and drain cleaning needs. The depth of knowledge and resources at www.KevinShawPlumbing.com is simple, concise and offers every homeowner some information about their home.”

We are pleased to announce the launch of Safe Electrical Service, a Will County Electrician, who specializes in electrical repairs, installations and landscape lighting.

An electrician is someone who specializes in the wiring and repair of electrical mechanisms. Most people will rarely need the services of an electrician, but when it is necessary choosing the right one is very important. For home use, electricians are typically needed to re-wire or repair existing systems. They are also needed for construction, including additions and remodels, to place the electrical outlets and lighting.

Before deciding on an electrician, determine the scope of work. Be as detailed as possible so you can determine the needs for the project. Minor repair work can often be completed by an electrician who is less expensive and may not have a lot of experience. However, for major repairs, remodels, and new construction, it is imperative to get a skilled tradesman. Improper wiring can be very dangerous and can lead to fires, putting everyone at risk.

Get recommendations for an electrician before hiring one. Choose a few to get estimates on your project and compare all of them. Talk with each person to evaluate their experience and expertise. Have them walk through your project with you so you can understand what needs to be done, how it will be accomplished, how long it will take and the cost.

An electrician should be licensed and carry valid insurance. Verify that both are active and in good standing before starting a job. Damage done can be severe with improper wiring so this is very important. If an electrician can not provide you with both, do not hire them. There is too much at stake. Get copies of their license and insurance certificate.

Ask the electrician about their experience level. An electrical company that has been in business for a long time will likely be a better choice than one that is just starting out. New businesses may offer price reductions to help them establish a client list and references. If opting for a new business, check that the electrician who is working on the job has significant experience with the type of work required. Request references and check them. Electricians who have happy customers will do a good job for you.

Choose the electrician who has the best combination of price and experience, and with whom you felt most comfortable. Get the project specifications in writing so you have a detailed accounting of the job, the costs, and time for completion. This will help protect you if anything goes wrong.

One of the reasons that sales has such a bad image in the contracting industry is the vision of the slippery, slicked down, silver tongued devil who beguiles customers and co-workers alike with their seemingly magic “Svengouli” like techniques.

Many, in fact got into the contracting trades just to work and so they would never have to face behaving like that. So as you can imagine, trying to inspire contracting professional to actually enjoy sales in difficult.

Thank goodness that it doesn’t take a slick approach to win over customers. Here are some key to communicating with your customers to inspire them to do business with you.

1. Visualize how you should communicate. Try to practice at least in your mind how each interaction has gone recently and work to visualize a better ending. If you can see in your mind how a professional would do it then you may be on your way to improving.

2. Slow down, be patient and be understood/ if you are not sure if you have communicated properly then “check in” with the customer to see if they understand you correctly.

3. Try to paint pictures with your words. Be more descriptive of what the system does and use less parts talk in your description. In fact try not to mention parts when describing the work that you will do.

4. Be aware of repetitive speech patterns. Record yourself and listen to how you sound in conversation. Although this will be painful, it will help you improve rapidly.

5. When given the chance learn how to speak in front of groups. Again one of the most painful exercises you will ever undertake but when you come out the other end you will be a master communicator.

6. Use Silence as you ally. Many times the best way to communicate is to say nothing or very little. Remember to listen twice and talk once.

7. Learn how to ask questions. When face with a challenging customer interaction use a question to disarm them. Ask for clarification or ask them why they are asking the question. Buy time until you can come up with an intelligent response.

Let’s face it. Communication is the cornerstone of great service and sales results. At the very least think about your skill level of communication and work to improve.

You may communicate your value to those who need your services and in the meantime have more fun and make a few friends.

Joe Crisara
www.contractorselling.com

Zimmerman’s Roofing, today announced the launch of Www.ZimmermansRoofing.com as an information portal for Lancaster County area home owners to find information about roofing and roof repair information. With articles being added almost every day and an online monthly newsletter of home remodeling tips the website is anticipated to quickly become the Lancaster County’s primary resource web site for roofing information.

Future plans include educational guides on selecting a roofing contractor, professional advice from expert roofing contractors, and a question and answer forum for Lancaster County homeowners.

The web site will be an invaluable resource for Lancaster County area homeowners in finding accessible information to address their home roofing needs. Information will be efficiently categorized for easy navigation.

Andrew Zimmerman, owner of Zimmerman’s Roofing stated, “We believe the name change will steer potential clients to be aware that we specialize now in roofing and not other types of home improvement. Our goal for the website is to be the best home and family resource guide for assisting all homeowners in Lancaster County the depth of knowledge and resources Www.ZimmermansRoofing.com offers is unparalleled.”