Continued from page 12 Little Prices Add Up
Webinar speakers stressed the importance of thoroughly re- examining businesses to enhance revenue and reduce costs. Joe Pfeiffer, president of Business ROI Now, Inc., in Bradenton, Fla., said that when he goes in to examine a business these days, for the most part he doesn’t uncover huge problems. “It’s the little pieces on the floor that collectively add up to quite a bit.”
Builders can take cues on how to become more efficient by looking at what other builders in the vicinity and beyond are doing to cut expenses and reduce overhead. “It’s extremely important to know how the local competition is doing,” he said, and a lot of contractors are relying on project planning tools to stay on a critical path.
“People need to become efficiency experts,” he said. With the site manager, “walk around and look at the performance of subs and their efficiency, speed and quality.” Where job performance is lacking, builders should take their best employees or tradesmen and make them a model for the practices that the rest of the crew should be emulating. When waste is found on the construction site, the builder should find out why, and provide training so that workers can become more conscientious about how they use materials, he said. “Spend more time on the site paying attention to details, not sitting in the office.” Builders should be focusing their marketing efforts where it costs the least—on their
Web sites and by establishing a strong presence through social networking on Linkedin, Facebook and similar media, he added.
Professional networking with other builders from around the country who have the same business model and complementary or different skills is also a good idea. Monthly roundtable meetings will spur creative solutions on issues that may be plaguing a business, he said. (Join the next GHBA Custom Builders Council meeting on Tuesday, April 19, featuring Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale. Details on page 37.)
“I literally just got back last night from a Builder 20 meeting” among noncompeting peers from various parts of the country, said Stephen Hann, of Hann Builders. “We spent one morning just talking about branding. We are all passionate about what we do, but when we were forced to articulate to our peers, it caused us to look at the message we are putting out, how we put it out and how we are supporting it, and this was a great opportunity to get their feedback. This is not the time to be a one-man show or hide under a rock.”
The Sept. 16 webinar was the first in a new four-part series, “New Horizons Webinars: Setting a Course for Success in the New Market,” from the NAHB Business Management and Information Technology Committee and Builder magazine. The webinars are being offered free to NAHB members with support from Simonton Windows and Therma-Tru Doors. Visit
www.nahb.org to hear recordings of all four webinars in the series.
Title Sponsor Booth sales now open! Only 90 spaces – Always sells out!
Associate members are invited to exhibit in GHBA’s members- only trade show coming to the Sam Houston Race Park on Thursday, November 17, 2011. Just $650 each, all booths include pipe-and-drape, skirted table and booth sign. Builders, remodelers and developers attend the Expo for free to see the latest products and services. Exhibitors and attendees are eligible for hourly prize drawings, including chances to
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win cash in the wildly popular Money Ball Horseracing Game sponsored by Builders Post-Tension, Inc. Complimentary food and bar tickets provided by the Custom Builders Council and Suncoast Post-Tension.
Download the floor plan and show contract at www.
GHBAshows.com. For more info contact show director Lyn Foster at 281-635-3673;
LFoster@ghba.org.
APRIL 2011 | HOUSTON BUILDER | GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION – BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE
PRODUCTEXPO2011 9th Annual GHBA Builders Post-Tension Inc 403 RICHEY RD. HOUSTON, TX 77090
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