With the construction economy and business booming (for now), wall and ceiling contractors are once again enjoying full backlogs and seeing more jobs on the horizon. But competition—for both jobs and staff—can be fierce. So what do you do to set your company apart from the rest of the pack? We asked this of contractor members of the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry, and once again, they did not disappoint.
One contractor says they have no competition at all, while another says there is too much competition, yet both have great tips for standing out in a crowd. And it’s more than marketing. Much more. It’s good old-fashioned honesty, details, niches and more.
The premise of the article is that the recession removed the amateurs from the industry, leaving the key players to continue building. You’ll have to go to page 28 to learn more about how you can make your company the general contractors’ go-to wall and ceiling sub.
And if it’s August, it must be time for our annual buyers’ guide of manufacturers’ product listings and contract information. It starts on page 37. Next month will feature suppliers, and both are issues you will want to keep and use throughout the year. You can also view the online guide at www.awci.org/media/resources/buyers-guide for updates.
Before you know it, September will be here, and that means we’re putting the finishing touches on the events taking place at AWCI’s fall conference. AWCI’s Industry Executives’ Conference & Committee Meetings is Sept. 24–27 in Honolulu this year. Obviously committee meetings are a large part of the agenda, but the conference also brings together company owners and executives for fun fundraisers (a golf tournament!) and networking (a luau reception!). Attendees will also have access to education sessions that will keep them informed of the latest developments in the industry. Timothy J. Tokarczyk from FMI Corporation will present “Emerging Trends: Seismic Shifts Will Require More Than an Incremental Response” and “Win the War for Talent Through Next-Generation Leadership Development” on Sept. 25 and 26.
And did I mention it’s in Hawaii? You can register for this important event at www.awci.org/events/conference. Do so by Sept. 9 to receive the early bird registration rate. I look forward to seeing you there!
