Greetings!
Flowers are blooming and there is a new freshness in the air....spring has arrived. It certainly has been a winter to remember and I am glad to put it behind us. As we get into the new year I have already noticed some things about this new decking season. I am hearing from around the country (and in my own office) that people are just not buying. Everything seems right when we leave the clients house and then we submit our design and estimate and nothing happens; welcome to the early 90's. That was a time when we actually had to earn the job and maybe meet with a home owner several times to get a signature. No longer can we just simply show up at a few appointments and wait for the phone to ring with a customer saying yes. I know I have gotten lazy in my sales skills and was to the point that I rarely even asked for the sale. I just presented my ideas and costs and figured if they wanted my services they would call me. I might follow-up with someone once if I was a little low on work but rarely even bothered. Well, those easy days are behind us now and it is time to roll up your sleeves and learn some actual sales techniques. I know this is really hard for some of us as we were never "salesmen" to begin with. We started out being a carpenter and then figured we could own our own business and just jumped in with both feet. Well, now that times are tough you have to make some changes or you are going to be someone who used to own a business.
The leads are coming in about the same as years past. Yes, people are hanging on to their dollars a little tighter than before and its your job is to figure out how to actually sell them what they want or need.
There is an old saying that really rings true today: "When quality exceeds price, people will buy." Figure out why you would buy from your company over xyz deck company and go out and really sell yourself and your company. Make it hard for your customer to say no to you. Customers want to buy and they want to know they made the right choice. Give them the reasons and tell them why you are really a good choice for them. Service and salesmanship is the key in this market and it is time to find the new you in this business climate. Take a deep breath of that fresh air and that sound you hear is not the birds chirping but it is your business changing. Good luck and enjoy the spring!
Shawn Miller President NADRA Shawn@NADRA.org
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Deck Design
All New 3rd Edition: Great Design Ideas From Top Deck Builders. All 4 Deck Builders Are NADRA Members!!!
NADRA would like to take a minute to congratulate the following NADRA Members for their inclusion in the 3rd Edition of Deck Designs:
DeckSouth - John Lea & Bobby Smith
Fine Decks, Inc. - Clemes Jellema
Deck Builders, Inc. - Kim Katwijk
Classic Designs, Inc. - Shawn Miller
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Welcome New NADRA Member,
Fortress Iron!
NADRA would like to Congratulate the winners of Fortress Iron's 6th Annual Calendar Contest! All NADRA Members!!!! Click here to see Fortress Iron 2009 Calendar.
Grand Prize Winner:
NADRA Member, Barry Streett with Rolling Ridge Deck & Outdoor Co., Inc.
2nd Place Winner:
NADRA Member, Denise Schaefer with Creative Wood Products featured in February
3rd Place Winner:
NADRA Member, Clemens Jellema with Fine Decks, Inc. featured in March
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NADRA HQ received the following Press Release on April 20th, 2009. We were so thrilled to see a new member take the initiative to send this out, we wanted to share it with the industry. Thank you for believing!
Fortress Joins North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA)
RICHARDSON, Texas (April 20, 2009) - As the railing division of Fortress Iron™ continues to grow, it was logical to take the next step to becoming members of the North American Deck and Railing Association to be a part of the voice of the deck and railing industry.
NADRA came to fruition when deck builders and manufacturers voiced concerns over new generations of products making their way into the market and is now in its fifth year as a not-for-profit organization.
"NADRA is an excellent organization that brings together the industry's best contractors, dealers, distributors and manufacturers," say Erik Flick, Product Manager of the Railing Division of Fortress, "and it provides a platform for us to take part in positively impacting the deck and railing industry."
Working together with all its members, NADRA provides a unified source for the professional development, promotion, growth, and sustenance of the Deck and Railing building industry in North America so that members can exceed the expectations of their customers as stated on their mission statement found on their website (www.nadra.org).
"With the purpose of constant improvement, we look forward to its continued growth and industry influence."
Fortress encourages involvement with local NADRA chapters or initiation of new NADRA chapters if there is currently not yet a chapter.
Fortress Iron™ is proud to be the fastest growing company in the ornamental fencing and railing industry, quickly establishing itself as a leading innovator of premium exterior iron products. Offering products for residential and commercial fencing that can be used for flat or versatile grade-changing applications, Fortress fencing provides beauty, strength and durability.
Contact:
Karen Wong
karen@fortressiron.com
P.O. Box 831268
Richardson, TX 75083
1-866-323-4766
www.fortressiron.com |
WWA Chapter of NADRA heads to the Tacoma Home and Garden Show:
The WWA Chapter of NADRA put together a simulated Deck Collapse at a local home and garden show. Follow the links below to see full coverage:
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Maryland Chapter Highlight :
The Maryland Chapter of NADRA celebrated its second meeting of the year on March 12, 2009. Hosting an Open House and Vendor night at the Baltimore branch of Parksite, Azek's Martha Delaney was responsible for hosting and planning the event. The enthusiasm Martha generated proved successful.
The meeting was well attended by builders, dealers, distributors and manufacturer's alike. Chapter president, Bill Hensley, welcomed all attendee's and introduced all vendor participants. Representing decking, railing, connector's, hardware & fastener's, all vendors were on hand to discuss and demonstrate old and new products available to the ever growing, outdoor living industry.
Next Chapter meeting will be held Thursday May 14th, 2009 at Barron's Lumber located at 23 W. Diamond Avenue in Gaithersburg, Maryland. |
Join us in Indianapolis as DeckExpo co-locates with the Remodeling Show for more exhibits, more networking opportunity, more business-building, more live action displays and more classroom education. Go to the official DeckExpo Website for more information
To ATTEND DeckExpo click HERE
To EXHIBIT DeckExpo click HERE
Look for a special edition eNewsletter from NADRA announcing the date of our Annual Meeting and much more!!!
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Attention NADRA Members!
Did You Know . . .
Did you know that as an Industry Rep or employee of a current member you can join NADRA for just $100.00?
Did you know that included in your membership is a link to a personal profile page about your company?
Did you know that as a builder member for every member you refer you will receive a $50.00 coupon to apply towards your next year dues? If you sign up 7 members your membership is FREE!
For more information please login to the members section of the NADRA website here. |
Home and Garden Show - Knoxville, TN
I just want to let you know that we just finished our first of the season 3 day Home & Garden Show and we have been uplifted with the positive feedback we received from the participants we talked with.
Somehow with all the "Gloom & Doom" that's on the news; it seems that every family that visited our booth was interested in some specific project to improve their home in some way.
To be honest, we didn't know how well the show would be attended and if anyone would be interested in our ability to improve their "Outdoor Living Space" as we call our projects. We were pleasantly surprised and very much encouraged. We had lowered our expectations by one third and we ended with 90% of our target.
We still have our work cut out for us to turn these prospects into satisfied clients, but we definitely do have that opportunity.
I know that our area of East Tennessee does not have economic reaction that certain areas of the country have, but we hope and pray that our industry will not only survive in good health, but I think has the opportunity to prosper.
John W. Mortimer
Sweetwater Deck, Inc.
Immediate Past President of NADRA
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The North American Deck & Railing Association Wants to Hear From You!
Do you have input or suggestions for The BUZZ? Did you know you can submit advertorials and even sponsor The BUZZ? You can reach top industry professionals by working with NADRA. We want to hear from you. Do you have a funny story, concern, tip or article you would like to submit? Please contact me today to learn more. Please see MEDIA KIT HERE for pricing on Advertorials and sponsorships.
NADRA Rocks!
Heather Beaudry
888.623.7248 | |
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2009 Nominations
Elections to be held at the 2009 NADRA Annual Meeting at DeckExpo Indianapolis, Indiana
(October 27 - 30 2009). (Meeting Time and Date TBD) IMPORTANT: If you are the designated contact for your company, only you can submit a nominee for consideration.
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Join NADRA on
Join the NADRA group HERE Not yet a member of Linkedin? Click HERE to join for free. |
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New & Renewing February & March Members:
New Builder Members:
Northwest Decks, Inc.
William F. Farkas Custom Carpentry
Rock Solid Builders, Inc
Holloway Company, Inc. .
New Branch Members:
Fiber Composites - Jerry Turk
Fiber Composites - Robert C. Wells
New Distributor Members:
Moyer Lumber and Hardware
Pro-Deck Supply
New Manufacturer Members:
Barrette Outdoor Living
Wahoo Decks
Kalsi Aluminum Products MFG LTD
Fortress Iron Railing & Fence Systems
Renewing Builder Members:
Deck Builder - NJ
Whitmer Decks
Decks Unlimited - NY
Distinctive Designs 4 You, Inc.
Classic Designs
Deck World, Inc.
R&F Exteriors, LLC
RWS Decks
Treeline Construction Barrett Contracting
Archadeck of Morris
Outdoor Designers
BOH Design
DeckCreation
Decks R Us Elite, LLC
T. Walster of Maeystown, Inc.
O'Noonan Construction
Rolling Ridge Deck. Co., Inc.
Decksouth, Inc.
Decks-By-Design
Cedar Rustic Fence Company
Mike Jansen Custom Cedar Decks
Deckscapes, WA
Renewing Branch Members:
Snavely Forest Products - Brian Kirit
Culpeper Wood - Dean Place
Renewing Distributors:
Ridge Supply Corp.
Culpeper Wood
Renewing Manufacturer Members:
Arch Chemicals, Inc.
Certainteed Corp.
Stock Building Supply
Dek Drain
TimberTech
Tuscan Manufacturing
Ultra Aluminum MFG, Inc.
Pin Foundation
Ultratec Corporation (Tha Cable Connection)
TimberTech
EBTY Hidden Fasteners |
NADRA's MEDIA KIT will introduce you to the many sponsorship opportunities available to you as a NADRA member. Please take a moment to review the following valuable information HERE NADRA's Media Kit can also be found on the homepage of www.NADRA.org |
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NADRA Committees:
Executive
Consists of NADRA Officers: Each Officer has duties specific to NADRA day to day operations.
Chairman - Shawn Miller, NADRA President
Bylaws
Mission: Reviews bylaws and advises board of directors of any necessary changes.
Chairman - Shawn Miller, NADRA President
Budget & Finance
Mission: Prepares annual budget, approves major fiscal expenditures.
Chairman - Mark DeMarco, NADRA Treasurer
Membership
Mission: To identify and recruit potential members who share the NADRA philosophy.
Chairman - Dave Lombardo, NADRA Board Member
Nominating
Mission: To develop a list of candidates for each office or vacancy.
Chairman - John Mortimer, NADRA Immediate Past President
Website
Mission: To nurture and monitor the NADRA website so that it provides for the needs of its membership, and informs the public about NADRA missions and goals.
Chairman - Kirk Hammond, NADRA Board Member
Strategic Planning
Mission: To create a roadmap for the future of NADRA based on the needs of its members.
Chairman - Tim Gillis, NADRA Board Member
ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES and WORK GROUPS:
Chapters
Mission: To encourage the development of local NADRA Chapters.
Chairman - Dave Lombardo, NADRA Board Member
Codes and Standards
Mission: To identify industry standards for the deck and railing industry; investigate potential solutions for industry issues; to advance and protect NADRA's interests in the code and legislative arena.
Chairman - Diana Hanson, NADRA Secretary
Industry Statistics
Mission: To procure reliable and quantifiable data and information on all aspects of the deck, dock and railing industry, and to disseminate such information to both the industry and consumers. Information shall be collected from a variety of sources including, but not limited to surveys, studies, and market data.
Chairman - Bob Lett, NADRA Board Member
Management Education
Mission: To provide a comprehensive, membership guided curriculum of educational programs targeted to deck builders and their employees.
Chairman - Mark DeMarco, NADRA Vice President
Mastermind Marketing Group
Mission: To act as a focus group for NADRA benefit programs; examine marketing efforts by members, and report findings to the NADRA board.
Chairman - Kim Katjwik, NADRA Board Member
For more information, or to get involved with a committee or work group please send an email to Info@NADRA.org with the committee/group name in the subject line. | |
