Nation's Building News Online

Plain Text Version (Click Here for Graphical Version)

Sponsored by Countrywide Home Loans National Builder Division
and 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty

www.NAHB.org
Week of July 21, 2003

Front Page

President's Message

* Editorials Attacking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Are Seriously Misguided

Housing Forum

* Builders Are Working to Develop a Brownfields Cleanup Standard
* For Every Family, A Home

Housing Politics

* Roadless Rule Exemption Could Increase Logging in U.S. Forests

Housing and Economics

* Housing Starts Remain Strong in June
* Builders Remain Bullish About Home Sales

Multifamily

* Multifamily Builders Councils Can Expand HBA Membership

Member Dividends

* Infrastructure Studies Save Time and Money

Business Management

* An Effective Purchase Order System Enhances Efficiency

Environment

* Las Vegas Builders Lead Water Conservation Landscaping Efforts
* Organization Seeks to Stop Eco-Violence

Sales and Marketing

* Homestore Agreement With MSN Expands Consumer Reach
* Profile of Home Buyers Finds Growing Internet Use
* A Merchandising Story Spells Success

Seniors Housing

* Active Adults Want Homes They've Always Dreamed About

Small Builders and Remodelers

* Three Essential Steps to Marketing Your Credentials

Labor

* Deadline Extended for Student Chapter Awards

Building Products

* U.S. Gypsum Works to Address Moisture Concerns

Building News Coast To Coast

Association News & Events

* ‘Building Homes of Our Own’ Rated Highly in Spring Survey
* Philadelphia Builder Makes Giving a Family Tradition
* Boost Your Marketing Through These Awards Programs

NBN Back Issues

 

Three Essential Steps to Marketing Your Credentials

Putting your credentials on everything that leaves your office with your signature is the first step in marketing your certification. That includes all letters, e-mails, fax cover sheets, proposals, estimates, production schedules and, of course, all your marketing materials.

Remember that this material will be seen by more people than just your prospective clients. Your trade contractors, vendors and manufacturers' representatives should all know that when they are communicating with you, they are working with a contractor who is a head above the rest.

At Your Home Builders Association

We can't  expect to educate the public at large about the benefits of hiring a Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) or Graduate Master Builder (GMB),  for example, before we first make our fellow home builders association members aware of the power of NAHB designations.


Sponsored by: Countrywide Home Loans

Find out how our forward commitments program can lock in rates for extended periods.
See how you can get a loan with as little as no down payment through Countrywide’s Zero Down Plus Program.

Ask the staff of your local association to list credentials behind the names of their members in all print materials such as meeting minutes, agendas and the monthly magazines and newsletters they produce.

More importantly, ask your association leadership to include, or better yet, require, members to include their professional credentials when they introduce themselves to each other or when giving committee reports. Make a game out of it: Anybody who forgets to give their credentials at the start of a meeting has to buy a round of drinks or make a $20 contribution to your local building charity.

And With the Public

Once your business partners and your local home builders association understand and recognize the value of certification, it is time to move on to the public at large.

Regardless of whether your state requires licensing, but especially in states that don’t, your prospects need to understand that it is imperative for ensuring the success of their project to consider only contractors who have earned our industry’s leading credentials. Housing consumers should expect and settle for nothing less.

Certification is not required anywhere, so it says a lot about a builder who is willing to spend the time and money to earn and maintain professional credentials.

Certification lets your customers know that you have made the commitment to keep your company on the leading edge and that you have invested in educating yourself to stay on top of the latest developments in the industry.

Staying current with business practices is critical to building a company that can withstand the challenges ahead and offer a vision to its employees and years of satisfaction to its clients.

Marketing credentials is working here in Houston. It will work in your home town, as well!

Michael Strong, CGR is the president of Brother's Strong, Inc. in Houston, and he is the 2003 Texas Remodeler of the Year. He is a member of the Remodelors™ Council Board of Trustees and served as the chair of the CGR Board of Governors in 2001.


[ Go to Top ]

Sponsored by: 2-10 Home Buyer's Warranty

Need to Buy General Liability Insurance?
Confused about Subcontractor Agreements?
Structural Defects, Can They Happen to You?
Insurance Coverage a Challenge?

To unsubscribe or to manage your subscription, CLICK HERE

Nation's Building News Online is produced and distributed by the National Association of Home Builders