LR Swadley, President

 

 

Hello Everyone!

 

Spring is pretty much here! The earliest anyone can remember. I have spoken to many old timers about the Aspen leaves that were out by mid-March, and no-one has ever seen that earlier than the third week of April. We are getting an earlier start and hope everyone has the work in hand to make use of this nice gift in the weather and early snow melt.

 

With the Builders Show behind us now, many of you are following up with the good leads that were generated thru your participation in the show. All across the UP Builders and Contractors are seeking work. Are you waiting for the phone to ring? Not ringing? How proactive are you in your marketing efforts? Many of you have been in business for many years and have a large customer base. This is a good time of the year to make phone calls and connect with your previous customers. You may find that they have been thinking about a remodeling project, or something and your call was just the push they needed to get started. Ask if they have friends that are thinking of projects and if they will refer you to them. Business building is about networking, and your previous customers are generally already sold on you and your company. If you are a business owner you have to be able to connect with people. Why not be proactive and reach out? Many of us have large customer data bases and we use this list from time to time with direct marketing efforts. Even a simple phone call can pay off!

There is growing positive news in our local economies around the UP. The sale of Marquette General Hospital to the Duke Lifepoint Health Care Group is slated to bring in millions of new investment in health care services and infrastructure on the central UP. Two new mines are in the permit process in Gogebic and Menomonee Counties. The new naval ship building contracts at Marinette Mroarine is an incredible boost to that part of the southern UP. The Rio Tinto nickel mine in the northern part of Marquette County is employing hundreds of people in the construction and mine development already. These all have positive economic benefits to our communities, and the cumulative effect of these projects on providing many good jobs in the Upper Peninsula are growing. Many communities have seen job loss over the last four years and these national and international investments will stabilize that and significantly help our economic turn around here in the Upper Peninsula.

 

A few words on Membership. We appreciate all of you who have renewed in the last month. I encourage you to seek out new members to help grow our Association. In fact NAHB has announced the new NAHB Beat 2011 Membership drive. At the end of 2012 we will receive a $75 rebate for every member we have grown by over our official number of 160 at the end of 2011. We are already up to 170, I believe at last count. This will bring in much needed revenues to your organization.

 

Do business with a Member! We appreciate your support of our associate members and one of our own, Dave Martin of the Window Store & ABC Seamless has stepped up to help our Association and is sponsoring our next general membership meeting. Dave and his team will be hosting a Members showcase at the Window Store at 621 West Washington Street in Marquette, on Wednesday May 16th, with the meeting, food, and drinks starting at 5:30. I encourage you to come out, bring someone new or your staff, and support our organization. Save the date!

 

All the Best,

 

 

LR Swadley

President