Restoration Rewind - December 2018

November, 2018

Joanne and Tod Sandberg, Thurston, WA Joanne and Tod Sandberg-Longtime Chem-Dry operators recently acquired the Olympia and Thurston, WA areas. Joanne and Tod are great examples of the American Dream and how hard work can pay-off. They are some of Chem-Dry’s largest operators. Their son Jordan will also be helping with the Delta operation!

Kevin and Amy Jones, Indianaspolis, IN Kevin and Amy Jones-Indianapolis and Hamilton, IN. Kevin Jones is a well-known and respected N-Hance and Chem-Dry franchisee. He is the first “triple crown” owner to acquire all three brands. He is a mentor and a pay it forward type of guy. Many of his technicians have gone on to own Chem-Dry’s of their own due to Kevin’s mentorship and encouragement.

We would like to welcome the Sandbergs and the Jones’ to the Delta family.

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

1

Continuing with Our End of Year Tune Up! •

Number One will always be Clean up your Work in Process! This is what your CPA needs to use to adjust your financials at the end of the year. o Make sure all data entry is correct. o Make sure all mitigation jobs have been estimated that have cost against them. o Invoice and Close all Mitigation jobs. o Invoice and Close all Construction that can be closed the first two weeks of January. o If there are supplements pending on any construction jobs, make sure you have the supplements booked. These can drastically affect the financial adjustments at the end of the year.

•

Clean up your QuickBooks. If you missed last month’s Newsletter, go back and read it for some ideas on what needs to be done.

•

Check your subcontractor files. Do you have all the needed paperwork? You will need it for your work comp audit! Much better to get it caught up periodically during the year.

▪

1099’s are due to all subcontractors no later than January 31. Make sure you have your QuickBooks up-to-date for Tax I.D.’s and the “1099 Due” box is checked. You can print the 1099’s using the QuickBooks Wizard. If you are in doubt about who is a sub and who is an employee, please read the IRS rules.

5. Collect all your money! This is especially true if you file taxes based on an accrual basis.

Some Good News information to Share For those of you using QuickBooks Premier. 2019 Version has the WIP report built in. THIS MEANS YOU NO LONGER NEED TO DO SALES ORDERS TO TRACK YOUR WIP! Your Estimates will need to be accurate and current.

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

2

On Jobs that are closed make sure all old estimates are closed. (hopefully, this has been done already) To Run the Report: Under File, Reports, scroll down to Jobs.

Report name is “Estimates vs Actuals”.

You will want your date set to All. Check the report for any Clean-up that needs to be done.

Please let me know if you have questions or need more direction.

This is a great report! Use it. Once you get used to having it, you will love it and wonder how you ever lived without it.

Second Good Information to Share!

Mortgage Companies: We have a New Web Site for you to try! They keep information and forms for payment for all mortgage companies!

https://endorsementchecklist.com/ This loss draft resource is for contractors working with mortgage lenders. Every minute your company goes without payment costs you more than money. It is costs you the ability to start new projects, holds up payment to your subcontractors, and keeps you from maximizing profitability.

Endorsement Checklist can help reduce endorsement turnaround time for your company.

On this website you will find the following: Loss draft department contact information, phone and fax numbers, required documents, and authorization forms needed for mortgage company endorsements.

Techniques and tips for each mortgage company to get your checks endorsed faster. Insightful articles with easy to follow instructions to maximize your company's efficiency.

- If your company needs an endorsement from a mortgage company that is not listed, Endorsement Checklist will help get their loss draft information for you and add it to our already extensive roster.

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

3

Holidays are here and it’s a fantastic time to help bring referral sources and vendors closer to your Delta family. Putting that personal touch to your marketing efforts goes along way with people.

Please take the time this year to set your Delta apart not only form your competition but other service providers as well with a new personalized holiday marketing campaign. You have multiple options to take advantage with the following holidays: Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve/Day. Below is a great article with loads of holiday marketing ideas you can incorporate this holiday season. Be bold and use several tied together. And of course, have fun putting a smile on someone’s face this year! Happy Holidays, Jason Kaber

50 Tips for Marketing Your Business This Holiday Season Include Coupons with Purchases The holiday season is a great time to garner some repeat business. And you can do that by including a coupon or special offer in each purchase so that customers can take advantage at a later date.

Cross-Promote with Other Businesses You can also use a similar strategy to attract customers from other local businesses. Just exchange coupons or go in on a special offer and give those items to shoppers at each store.

Host a Thank You Dinner If you have some really loyal customers or clients, you can say a special thank you at the holidays by taking them out to a lunch or dinner.

Partner with a Local Charity You might also want to do some charity work during the holidays. If you have a local business, you can invite representatives from a local charity to collect money or share their message at your location for a day. © Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

4

Donate Money to a Cause Or you could simply choose to donate a portion of your profits throughout the holidays to a particular group or cause.

Invite Santa Claus People love visiting Santa Claus around Christmas time. So, you can invite him to your store or business to attract some families who are out shopping.

Exhibit at Holiday Shows You can also get your products in front of more eyes by showcasing them at special shows or events throughout the holiday season.

Offer Gift Wrapping Whether you sell products in a retail store or online, your customers are likely to want some of their purchases gift wrapped. So, you can offer that as an extra service or even as a complementary add-on.

Publicize Your Returns Policy When people purchase gifts, they want to know that they can be returned if by chance it doesn’t work out. So, you can create a flyer for your store or display your policy prominently on your website so customers know what to expect.

Hand Out Hot Chocolate For local businesses, handing out hot chocolate or other seasonal beverages can be a great way to spread some cheer and attract passersby.

Create a Fun Lights Display You can also show off your spirit by creating a festive light display that people will go out of their way to visit.

Create Holiday Window Displays to Attract Customers Or you could use your store windows to create a festive environment that also showcases some of your popular holiday products.

Let Kids Decorate Cookies You can also get the kids involved in the holiday festivities. Host a cookie decorating party or give them a similar activity they can do while their parents shop.

Š Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

5

Have a Party for Another Holiday Holiday parties are incredibly popular around Christmas. But you could make yours stand out by celebrating a different holiday, like Bake Cookies Day on December 18 or Bacon Day on December 30.

Send Early Cards If you plan on sending out holiday cards to customers or clients, you can also make those stand out by sending them out early.

Contact Bloggers Who Make Gift Guides If you have products that could make great gifts, you can get them in front of more potential buyers by getting in touch with bloggers and asking them to feature your items in their holiday gift guides.

Give Away Free Samples For those businesses that sell food items or anything that customers might want to try out before buying, giving away free samples can be a good strategy to encourage more sales and get more people through the door.

Have a Pampering Station Holiday shopping can be stressful. So, if you want to create a great experience for stressed out shoppers, you could offer some kind of pampering activity, like massages or guided meditation.

Hold a 12 Days of Christmas Sale To keep people shopping throughout the holiday season, you can host a special sale where people can get specific products or deals for twelve days leading up to Christmas. You can even throw in some fun themed days to really get people into the spirit.

Give Away Stocking Stuffers For those shoppers who are trying to finish off their holiday shopping, little stocking stuffers can be a real attraction. So you can give them away with each purchase or offer them at a discounted rate for people who spend a specific amount on other items.

Put Up Stockings for Customers You could also help customers feel more connected to your store or business by displaying stockings or similar items with their names on them. Even little paper stockings can help you decorate your business and reward customers for shopping with you.

Š Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

6

Play Christmas Music You can’t create a festive environment without a little holiday music. Create a custom playlist or find a radio station with holiday music that really sets the perfect mood for your customers.

Decorate Your Website Even if you only do business online, you can still show off your holiday spirit. Add some holiday inspired elements to your website, like snowflakes, a flying Santa, ornaments and more.

Send Out Festive Emails You can also cater your email marketing efforts specifically to the holiday season. Add festive titles and touches that will appeal to those in the holiday spirit.

Display Holiday Themed Art For local businesses, you can dress up your store and support local artists by displaying holiday themed art at your location. You can even offer it for sale to help those local artists find buyers.

Offer Gift Cards Gift cards are very popular around the holidays. So, you can offer them to your customers and make sure to display them prominently around the checkout area so even last-minute shoppers know they’re an option.

Include Gift Card Bonuses If you do sell gift cards, you can make it an even more intriguing option by offering bonuses. For example, you might include a $5 gift card with the purchase of a $20 gift card.

Create a YouTube Video Video marketing is a great way to attract new customers throughout the year. And the holidays are no different. You can even create a themed video that shows off your holiday spirit with a song or a spoof of some popular holiday stories.

Host a Twitter Chat For B2B or online businesses, you can get more customers involved around the holidays by hosting a special Twitter chat on a holiday related topic.

Have a Photo Contest on FaceBook On Facebook, you can encourage your followers to get involved by asking them to share their favorite holiday photos. You can even make it into a contest to give them an incentive to participate.

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

7

Create an Instagram Hashtag If you want to increase engagement on Instagram throughout the holidays, you can create a specific hashtag that people can use to show off how they use your products in holiday gifts, recipes, parties and more.

Update Your Logo Your logo can offer you a really simple way of showing off your holiday spirit. Just add some holiday themed elements or even just change it to a holiday color scheme just for the season.

Offer Extended Shopping Hours During the holidays, you’re likely to do more business than you normally would the rest of the year, so it might be a good idea to extend your store hours on some popular shopping days just to offer a better experience for some customers.

Include Free Shipping For online stores, free shipping can also be a very effective way to get more customers to actually purchase from you during the holiday season.

Sponsor a Holiday Event For local businesses, look for local events like parades, races or other popular destinations and see if they accept local business sponsors. This can be a great way to get your business in front of more potential customers.

Offer a Grab Bag of Gifts Some holiday shoppers just aren’t sure what to buy. But you can help them out and offer a sort of fun experience by offering grab bags or surprise gift items that they can purchase at a discounted rate and unwrap to reveal later.

Put Together Gift Baskets You can also potentially sell more of your products by bundling or creating gift baskets that include multiple items in one.

Create a Holiday App For mobile businesses, you can create a holiday specific app that’s catered to holiday shoppers or offers a holiday-specific experience.

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

8

Offer Gift Delivery Even for local businesses that don’t normally ship products, you can offer to ship or personally deliver gifts for busy customers around the holidays as an extra service or offering.

Change Product Names Whether you have a product-based business or even a restaurant with specific menu items, you can show off some festive spirit by changing the names of your products to something that works with the holiday theme.

Have an Ugly Sweater Contest Ugly sweaters are a big part of the holiday season for many consumers. So, you could have a fun contest in your store or online to reward the customer with the ugliest one.

Create Holiday DIY Projects or Recipes The holidays are a big time for people to get creative with homemade gifts, recipes and more. So, if any of your products might work in those types of projects, you can create a tutorial and post it online.

Launch a Local Search Campaign Local search is also very important when it comes to attracting local shoppers who are looking for specific types of businesses. So, it can be a great time to run a local search advertising campaign.

Suggest Product Combinations For people who are looking to make multiple purchases but aren’t necessarily sure exactly what they want to buy, you can make suggestions based on the items they’ve browsed or the items in their online cart.

Start a Remarketing Campaign You can also target past customers or people who have browsed products on your site already by taking advantage of remarketing options.

Create a Holiday Themed Landing Page For any holiday marketing campaigns, it can also be a good idea to set up a special holiday landing page. This can show off any themed promotions and also help you measure the effectiveness of those campaigns.

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

9

Have a Secret Online Sale To reward your email subscribers or best customers, you can have a secret sale that you don’t publish anywhere else. This can make them feel important and give them the opportunity to get a really great deal.

Launch a Holiday Blog Campaign If you have a blog for your business, you can also create themed blog posts to show off gift ideas, recipes and more.

Make a Downloadable Holiday Resource You could also make a downloadable resource, like a shopping guide, recipes or even an eBook that customers can access on your website or through email.

Give Client Gifts And finally, giving gifts to your best clients, customers and colleagues throughout the holiday season can be a great way to show your appreciation and create a great experience for all.

Š Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

10

Journey to a Referral By: Jake Tegtman In this article I’ll briefly cover the journey to getting work from a new referral source. The Marketing Binder from Delta Development Group is thorough in its explanations of various types of referral classifications (A, B, C) and referral source types (insurance agents, plumbers, property managers, etc.). Please use that binder as a reference for any terms used below that aren’t completely clear.

For the purposes of this scenario, let’s say that the new referral source we’re visiting is a large insurance agent (5+ producers in the office). Their office also refers out other restoration companies (this part is very important – if their office does not refer out work, everything changes), so we know that we at least have a shot of getting work referred to us from their office. This office is an “A” list company.

Before I go into specifics for how I typically handle this type of scenario, a quick disclaimer. There are as many ways to market as there are people on earth. This short explanation can serve as just one idea or overall way of looking at things.

First Visit I visit the insurance agent’s office in person. I always bring marketing material to leave behind. My goal during this meeting is to find out more about their company and to give them one unique piece of information about Delta Disaster Services.

Here are some examples for marketing materials I typically leave behind: White Folder (Delta Disaster Services’ new customer folder) CE Class Invite (or CE class certificate of completion) Recent blog pieces I’ve written for my franchise location’s website Pictures from recent jobs Customer reviews and testimonials Anything else approved by corporate, or that I can find on FranConnect (Maven articles, etc.)

After My Visit First thing’s first: I log their office into DMS as a new company and enter important details of my visit into my “Correspondence.” As a business development rep. I’ll only be as successful as my

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

11

knowledge of who I’m dealing with. I want to know their company and culture. Those correspondence notes are crucial.

Within a week of seeing their office I’ll send them a hand-written thank you card. This can be a little time-consuming, especially if you’re doing it for multiple people. But the results are well worth the effort. I still see thank you cards on people’s desks that I wrote 6 months to a year ago. Very few people send hand-written thank you cards. They make you very memorable (and likeable).

Follow-Ups Until the First Job I will continue to see this office in-person roughly every two weeks for the first 2-3 months (only for an “A” list company). It is a bit excessive, I’ll admit, but referral sources often get many other business development reps. from multiple industries in to see them every week. Just at first, it’s important to see them often enough for them to remember who you are.

On each visit, I’m continuing to 1) leave some kind of new marketing piece, 2) learn at least one new piece of information about the way their office does business, and 3) educate them on one new piece of information about Delta Disaster Services.

The journey to a referral from this new office shouldn’t take much beyond that 2-3-month mark if I’m doing those three things on every visit and building a true relationship with the people in the office. Once an office begins sending you work, they will see the difference Delta Disaster Services brings to the table, and you’re “in.” You now have a referral source for life!

If after 3 months of regular visits, good rapport, and good exchange of information I’m still not finding traction, I troubleshoot with the Delta Development Group marketing team. No matter how good we get, it’s always helpful to have another pair of eyes look over the issue. Sometimes the marketing team can give advice on how to break the barrier. Sometimes the team can help me stop wasting time with an office that will never refer work my way.

Remember, success or failure, it’s progress. All progress in marketing is good because you only need a limited number of regular referral sources to have a thriving open market book of business.

Happy marketing!

Disclaimer: Jake has been the marketing rep. for Delta Disaster Services of Western Colorado for the past three-and-a-half years. Though these techniques and marketing approaches have worked for him in his territory (quite well), they are merely suggestions to help you grow your business and are not guarantees for success.

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

12

Moisture Detection – Abilities and Limitations Every Restorer needs the proper tools to perform a project correctly. One of our greatest tools in our bag of tricks as a restorer is a moisture meter. Regardless of what brand you choose most moisture meters have two primary functions. Invasive and non-invasive. When using your moisture meter, it is important to know its abilities and limitations.

Non-invasive meters have their benefits. One is simply in the name “non-invasive”, meaning it does not require creating holes in a material. This type of meter uses a relative scale to compare against an established dry standard. This is performed by scanning a material in contact with a sensor.

The function is quick and easy to use. However, it is important to note a few limitations. The surface of the sensor must be in full contact with the material to acquire the desired reading. The reading is an average of all material in its scanning area and depth. This can create what is known as false readings. They typically have penetration depth of a quarter to three quarters of an inch.

There are a few non-invasive meters on the market that can read up to a depth of four inches. One such device is a ball meter produced by Flir and comes in a stand-alone meter (Flir MR-59) or as an attachment to their existing multi-function meters (MR-12). These meters also address the need for a flat surface, as the sensor is a metal ball, which allows for a very small contact point.

Invasive meters have their benefits as well. This type of meter uses pins or probes to detect moisture using electrical conductivity. There are many types of pins and probes like insulated pins, non-insulated pins, insulation probes and paddle probes. All of these have a function that adds to the versatility of this type of meter. This meter has its own considerations, one again is right in the name “invasive” requiring holes in a material to be made. The holes are small and typically inexpensive to repair. Much less expensive than the results of material left wet due to improper inspection. The use of this function does require multiple readings like the non-invasive and can simply take longer by nature.

So, which one is better? The answer is neither. If the only tool in your tool bag is a hammer everything is a nail.

Both types can be used when inspecting and monitoring a project. It is important to use the right meter at the right time and know that not every problem is a nail. Inspection and mapping using a non-invasive, coupled with an invasive to quantify and verify at specific locations is often a preferred method by restorers. This method uses both the ease and speed of the non-invasive and the accuracy of an invasive meter. © Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

13

Why Perks aren’t always the answer to employee retention Problems “It's a job seeker's market right now. That means employers need to work a little harder to find and retain talent," said Sarah Stoddard, senior public relations specialist at Glassdoor.

"And when you boil it down to what employees are really looking for, it is traditional benefits with a strong company culture — one that really values employees."

Having a strong company culture helps workers feel more purposeful and connected to their work. That leads to more engaged and loyal workers. It only takes a few ingredients to create a culture that workers want.

Trust your employees Trust in the workplace is essential: among colleagues and also between workers and managers.

Clearly outline with your staff what’s expected, monitor their work, and stay out of their way.

Let them grow Workers want growth and advancement opportunities along with new experiences within their positions.

Offering benefits like online classes and courses that expand workers' training and new work experiences and projects also helps boost morale and motivation.

Talented people have many options in the current marketplace If you don’t give them a career track, someone else will.

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

14

Talk to them ... a lot Informed employees are satisfied employees. And an annual performance review or sporadic email blasts aren't going to cut it.

Talking about a worker's achievements and role while also setting very clear and obtainable goals is key to keeping workers engaged.

When a company frequently provides updates and explanations of certain decisions and initiatives, workers feel more involved.

And when the company makes a mistake, don't hide from it.

Be very transparent, state the facts and how the company is going to work through this, is a proactive offensive strategy to help employees understand where they are today.

Be respectful Workers who feel respected tend to be more engaged and care about their work.

When people leave an organization, sometimes it's for money, but the vast majority of people leave because they don't feel they are treated respectfully, they aren't recognized or acknowledged and are not given the opportunity to be successful Small moves like showing up on time for meetings, not interrupting and following through on commitments, can all promote respect in the office, according to Marciano.

When you are respected in your tribe, that means you are viewed as having value and are protected.

Š Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

15

© Delta Development Group | www.trydelta.com | 303.933.4888 5535 W. 56th St., Unit 104, Arvada, CO 80002

16