As a business owner, it’s easy to get caught up in what the other guys are doing. While it’s smart to know what the competition is up to, it’s also important you don’t spend all of your time trying to keep up and as a consequence, lose yourself in the shuffle.

There’s something special about a business that’s able to harness the power of being different. Many customers’ value companies who aren’t afraid to stand apart from the crowd. They appreciate firms who deliver products and services that are made just for them. Businesses thrive when they stay true to themselves and clearly communicate a unique story and vision. As Dr. Seuss once said, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

There comes a time when you have to say no to potential clients. While it seems counterintuitive to tell a potential customer “no, I don’t want your business,” scheduling conflicts, project conflicts, employee conflicts and payroll conflicts can all prevent professionals from taking on new business.

The art of saying no can’t go underappreciated. Below, I will explain why we tend to say yes, as well as five simple ways to say no without offending a potential (future) client.

Despite the slow season coming up for contractors across the country, manufacturers are busy updating and creating new products you all need to finish your jobs on time with the precision you guarantee.

With the holidays coming up, manufacturers have stepped it up over the last few months, coming out with numerous tools and products such as outdoor power tools, jobsite radios and much more. See below as we explore the hottest new products coming to market.

If you would like a recap of other new tools released this year, please see New Products: July 2015.

Many professionals often dread networking events. However, making connections and having a successful business can sometimes be one in the same. Here’s the thing, to truly perfect the art of networking and making connections, you have to practice everyday. Whether that’s talking to coworkers for a few minutes or working on your elevator pitch, be sure to find the best way to market your qualities. The key to a great business connection is sharing what you do and the goals of your company and listening to what your connection does. From there, you can figure out how both your similarities can benefit each party. Try to attend as many networking events to get a ton of practice.

We are pleased to announce a new feature to the CraftJack Lead Manager where service professionals can immediately request reviews from leads. If the homeowner complies, the review would then be published on your CraftJack and ImproveNet profiles.

As you know, contractors need reviews. Before any project, consumers will undoubtedly look at your profile and see what past clients are saying. Likewise, our homeowners see your profiles before that first phone call. A pro with numerous positive reviews will always have the upper hand compared with those who don’t.

As temperatures cool, so does home remodeling work. Despite the upcoming slow season, 2015 has shaped up to be a very good year in terms of home remodeling and home buying. In fact, single-family housing starts have hit their highest levels since 2007!

That’s just a piece of the good news we found over the last few weeks. Below are the stories you need know regarding home improvement.

This month, we released two new trade categories. All contractors can now sign up to receive plumbing and gutter leads. If you are a current CraftJack contractor, you can add the new services in your CraftJack Lead Manager.

If you are not currently signed up with CraftJack, you can see all plumbing categories here and all gutter and downspout categories here.

While there is no way to guarantee payment on the projects you work on, it’s essential to pay attention to details that can help make this process easier and/or faster. Keeping accurate records and documentation in regards to what is expected of your company is vital. Get your clients to sign off on every step, especially that of changed orders. Make it clear that additional work not specified on the signed contract might cost more money.

Unfortunately, getting a customer to pay you is no easy feat. However, completing these six steps when you don’t receive payment can help in reducing the stress factor of it all.

As a painting contractor, writing proposals and performing contract administration are just two of the many job functions you will find yourself involved in. How well you manage these tasks will be critical to your company’s success. This includes creating a professional proposal, drawing up and submitting the contract and negotiating with the owner or general contractor.

Types of Contracts

There are commonly two types of contracts: prime contracts and subcontracts. The first is when you are providing the only work involved on a project and are dealing directly with the owner or their representative. In this case, you will be the prime contractor. The second is when you are bidding to provide work on a portion of a project that involves several trades and is being managed by a general contractor. In this situation, you are the subcontractor.

Winning new business, customer retention and staying ahead of the competition are important benchmarks for any business. It’s not magic. Reaching these goals takes dedication, hard work and a deep understanding of current business and industry trends.

Information is power and becoming an expert in your trade will increase your credibility and help you gain more referrals. Below, you’ll find five books that we think every contractor should read.