Our Carved Acrylistain application takes one of the most common problems with concrete and turns it into something beautiful. Cracks in concrete are turned into a look of inlaid stone and also minimizes the chances of the cracks returning in the future. This beautiful pool deck had a lot of cracks in the existing concrete but JP Concrete Design in Omaha, NE has turned it into something the homeowner loves.
Everyone I talk to seems to be very busy with their CTI business, plenty of work to do this summer and a backlog of jobs to complete. I keep hearing two things that seem to be keeping everyone from catching up. One, is the weather, which we can’t control, and the other is a tight labor market, which we also can’t control to some degree. The labor market is what I would like to comment on today.
The labor market is tight nationally, and I see no immediate improvement in that set of conditions. What do we
do to alleviate this? In talking to several Dealers and Distributors, I get some ideas that seem to generate some
longevity in hiring and retraining key employees. First of all, we have to find these people. Where do we do that?
Check with your friends and business associates and tell them you are looking for some good people to help grow
your business. Word of mouth is still the way to advertise your needs. Good people attract good people, just put the
word out. Check the local Vo-Tech school and let them know you are hiring. These teachers always need a business
for their students to go to after training. Check your local fire department, firemen usually work 24 hours on and 24 hours off and are looking for work on their days off. They are responsible people or they wouldn’t be firemen in the first place. Get about three or four firemen and you always have someone available when you need them.
Once you have found these key people, how do we retain them? A key to this is always money. You guys make good money on your CTI jobs. Thought about sharing those profit dollars with your installers? If the job is completed profitably and on a timely basis, a little bonus at the end of the week is not only appreciated, but is a seed to continue
with quality work on a timely basis. Thus, you have perpetuated the attitude and spirit of those who generate your livelihood. A win-win situation for everybody. Share the wealth is not something new, just ask Bill Gates.
CTi’s coatings not only provide a beautiful overlay for a home or business’ concrete, it also provides protection from elements that deteriorate concrete over time. Chemicals, salts, de-icing agents, mold, mildew, etc. all have no effect on the CTi coatings.
This means you keep your existing concrete and don’t have to go through the hassle of replacing your concrete.
Advertising, Marketing and Sales are the lifeblood to any successful business. CTi Dealers have a sales model that has one project being sold for every six inquiries they generate from their advertising. The normal sequence is out of the six inquiries, the Dealer will meet with four homeowners at their property and out of those four meetings, they will normally sell one new project.
As the Dealership grows, two things begin to happen to improve on this sales model:
1) The Dealer uses the advertising tracking tool we provide to better determine which advertising vehicles are working best. This improves how the money is spent and provides better results from their advertising.
2) Referrals start becoming an integral source of new leads. These homeowners know someone who has had the product installed, have seen the product, and are excited enough to contact the Dealer to have him take a look at their project. The model changes significantly with referral leads as Dealers will normally sell a job for every two referrals they sit down with on average.
As a CTi Dealer, one of the advantages is representing a product line where four main components can create a number of different looks. Below are some different looks that are created by using the same four components used in our Hallmark application.
The advantage is simpler inventory requirements and lower inventory costs while still offering your customer a number of options to choose from.
2021 is showing signs of being a record breaking year for the home improvement industry in the United States. Homeowners are feeling more positive about the economy; and after having spent more time at home over the last 18 months they’re noticing areas that need a facelift.
CTi Dealers are feeling the impact of this new outlook. Many Dealers across the country are reporting double digit increases in their businesses compared to 2020. Dealers are facing the issue of capacity and figuring out what to do when their backlog of work reaches out into months.
Some Dealers are simply charging more for their work and letting economic law take care of the over demand for their services. This solution leads to better piece of mind by bringing the back log back to a workable amount of time but also leads to geometric increases in profitability since no other fixed or variable costs are associated with the extra $.50 per square foot increase they put on their services (for example).
An extra $.50 per square foot is less than a 10% increase on the average square footage price charged nationally. However, since no other expenses are associated with this increase, the typical job of 1000 square feet has an increase net of $500. A full time Dealer will normally install 2-3 jobs like this each week so you can see where an extra $1000 to $1500 in net income weekly leads to a much better Dealership calculus.
Summer is right around the corner and customers across the country are looking at their outdoor areas around their pools, patios and walkways. CTi Dealers can transform any concrete area into a look that not only increases the enjoyment the homeowner has of the area but also improves the value of their home. A great example is this stunning before and after transformation done by Concrete Designs of Tampa Bay.
Need a Low-Cost Way Solution for your Customer?
Introducing Dye Packs for CTi’s 150 and 155 Sealer.
This Dye pack now offers you the ability to pigment the clear 150 or 155 and provide your customer with a lower cost alternative to the Hallmark or Spraymark application.
Dye Packs are available in 14 standard colors and come in 32 oz bottles:
Antique White, Buff, Black, Brick Red, Charcoal, Cream, Dark Gray, Deep Red, Light Gray, Medium Gray, Rustic Brown, Tan, Taupe, and White.
You can pigment the 150 and 155 for use as a stand-alone sealer or as a clean, one color finish over a sprayed or troweled texture coat.
One 32 oz Dye pack is used per five-gallon bucket of 150 or 155 sealer.
It’s time to look at the concrete around the outside of your home. If your pool deck, patio even your walkway or driveway is needing a new look, CTi has the answer for you!
