Top Five New Year’s Resolutions for Contractors

We all have good intentions Jan. 1, but every year millions of people make and break their New Year's resolutions by February according to numerous surveys. So, what's the key to keeping resolutions? By making them attainable and realistic. As a contractor, here are five resolutions that will help you set goals and keep you on track to run a successful business this year and for years to come:

1. Launch a new website or update your social media – Whether you have a website or use Facebook or another social media platform to promote your business, make sure you feature lots of great client quotes and photos of impressive projects to showcase your work. You can keep it simple, but effective.
2. Track and follow-up on referrals – This may seem obvious, but you may lose track of your referrals if you don't have a process to capture them. There are various apps you can use to quickly make notes to track leads and referrals and you can add reminders.
3. Save money – Putting money away on a regular basis will help protect you during slower work periods and will help you cover unexpected expenses, like repairing equipment. Even if you but a small amount of money away on a regular basis it will add up.
4. Stay on top of trends in the industry – By learning about new products and trends in the market you can add value to your projects that homeowners will love. So, when the next project comes up, you'll be top of mind with your customers. Visit us today and ask us about the latest trends and products for your next project. Go slow to go further – When contractors rush, mistakes are made. That's why it's worth putting in extra time on a proposal or project. Not only will you produce more quality work, you won't have to fix errors later. Your clients will appreciate it!

No matter what goals or resolutions you set for yourself this year, take time to celebrate the small wins along the way.

Top Five New Year’s Resolutions for Contractors

We all have good intentions Jan. 1, but every year millions of people make and break their New Year's resolutions by February according to numerous surveys. So, what's the key to keeping resolutions? By making them attainable and realistic. As a contractor, here are five resolutions that will help you set goals and keep you on track to run a successful business this year and for years to come:

1. Launch a new website or update your social media – Whether you have a website or use Facebook or another social media platform to promote your business, make sure you feature lots of great client quotes and photos of impressive projects to showcase your work. You can keep it simple, but effective.
2. Track and follow-up on referrals – This may seem obvious, but you may lose track of your referrals if you don't have a process to capture them. There are various apps you can use to quickly make notes to track leads and referrals and you can add reminders.
3. Save money – Putting money away on a regular basis will help protect you during slower work periods and will help you cover unexpected expenses, like repairing equipment. Even if you but a small amount of money away on a regular basis it will add up.
4. Stay on top of trends in the industry – By learning about new products and trends in the market you can add value to your projects that homeowners will love. So, when the next project comes up, you'll be top of mind with your customers. Visit us today and ask us about the latest trends and products for your next project. Go slow to go further – When contractors rush, mistakes are made. That's why it's worth putting in extra time on a proposal or project. Not only will you produce more quality work, you won't have to fix errors later. Your clients will appreciate it!

No matter what goals or resolutions you set for yourself this year, take time to celebrate the small wins along the way.

A look back at 2018…

Despite a difficult construction economy in many parts of the country, Sexton Group will again achieve record purchasing volumes in 2018. In B.C. member performance was outstanding. I was also impressed by the resiliency of our members in the prairies, where the pace of new construction slowed significantly in the second half of 2018. Our Ontario membership, which is rapidly growing in numbers, increased their purchase volumes significantly. New members in the Atlantic provinces also contributed to our 2018 purchase volume growth.

Why is growth important?

A recent study in Hardlines magazine confirms Sexton Group is the fastest growing buying group in Canada. The volume growth with vendors is what they value most. So, while it's never simple to get concessions from our vendor partners, increased purchase volume certainly helps.

We also take pride in the new member recruitment in 2018. We welcomed 23 new members with most coming from Ontario. We have invested in growing our membership base in eastern Canada and it is rewarding to see this pay off.

Why is geographical diversity so important?

Often when one region is economically strong another is not. By having strong member representation throughout Canada, we are able to deliver more predictable purchase volumes to preferred vendors and this is desirable and normally rewarded.

Update on vendor programs for 2019

The last few months we have been focused on negotiating 2019 vendor programs and I'm happy to say that with a couple of exceptions these are now complete. This year we will have the majority of our vendor programs on the Member Portal by January 14th . The Member Portal is now only off line for one day, January 11th .

The 2018 central bill rebates will be paid out with your year-end statement. Direct bill rebates will be paid out earlier than they ever have! This is part of our commitment to get your rebate money into your hands as quickly as possible.

Whatever the business conditions in your area I hope you can take a little time to reflect on the achievements of the past year. You, our members, are the ones on the front lines delivering responsive service day in and day out. I'm proud to work with you.

On behalf of all of us at Sexton Group all the best for a happy and healthy 2019!

2019 Member Conference Updates

It's cold outside, but it's going to be hot at our Member Conference in March.

Thinking about attending? Here are four reasons you don't want to miss this:

• Network with peers
• Connect with vendors
• Develop unity as group – Become part of something bigger. Discover new ways to drive economic success as a result of the relationships you build at the member conference.
• Have fun

Feature Tour –
COCONUT GROVE BIKE TOUR

Join us for an exciting bike trip back in time in historic Coconut Grove. Founded in 1873 by a diverse group including immigrants, artists, pioneers and millionaires, Coconut Grove is a unique gem in South Florida. Take a trip to the Grove and be prepared to fall in love with everything the neighborhood has to offer.

There's still time to register to attend the conference either online or by contacting Joe at collerone@sextongroup.com.

Sexton Member Updates

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Sexton Group would like to announce the following new members to the group.

• Ken's Roofing Supplies Ltd
  • 3333 Tennyson Ave.
    Victoria, BC V8Z 3P5
    
    Contact:
    Ken Webb and Madeleine Webb
    Phone: 778-402-7722
    
    

Please join us in welcoming these new members to The Sexton Group!

December Promotions:

Vendor	Promo Date	Promo Details
Canplas	Until Feb 28	Winter Booking Package
Gentek Building Materials	Until Feb 28	Winter Booking
Quikrete (Target Products)	Until Jan 31	Spring Buy Program
Dupont	Until Jan 31	Winter Roofing Underlayment Promotion
Taiga Building Products	Until Feb 8	Trex Booking Promotion
Tree Island Inustries	Until Jan 31	Winter Booking
National Concrete Accessories	Until Feb 28	Acrow-Richmond Winter Booking
Maax Inc.	Until Jan 15	Camelia Shower Special
Balcan Plastics	Until Jan 31	Winter Poly Booking
Makita	Until Jan 31	January Exceptional Buys
Plygem	Jan 1 - Mar 3	Winter Promotion
Jeld-Wen	Jan 1 - Mar 15	Winter Sales Event
Toolway Industries Ltd	Until Jan 31	January Flyer Promotions
Holland Imports Inc.	Until Jan 31	New Year Deals
Kohltech Windows	Until March 29	Winter Window Event
Mitten Vinyl	Until March 15	Winter Vinyl Booking

Please contact a member of the Sexton team via phone (204.694.0269) or email for more information regarding the June Promotions. You can also find additional details on your Sexton Members Portal. Click Here to Log In.

Top Five New Year’s Resolutions for Contractors

We all have good intentions Jan. 1, but every year millions of people make and break their New Year's resolutions by February according to numerous surveys. So, what's the key to keeping resolutions? By making them attainable and realistic. As a contractor, here are five resolutions that will help you set goals and keep you on track to run a successful business this year and for years to come:

1. Launch a new website or update your social media – Whether you have a website or use Facebook or another social media platform to promote your business, make sure you feature lots of great client quotes and photos of impressive projects to showcase your work. You can keep it simple, but effective.
2. Track and follow-up on referrals – This may seem obvious, but you may lose track of your referrals if you don't have a process to capture them. There are various apps you can use to quickly make notes to track leads and referrals and you can add reminders.
3. Save money – Putting money away on a regular basis will help protect you during slower work periods and will help you cover unexpected expenses, like repairing equipment. Even if you but a small amount of money away on a regular basis it will add up.
4. Stay on top of trends in the industry – By learning about new products and trends in the market you can add value to your projects that homeowners will love. So, when the next project comes up, you'll be top of mind with your customers. Visit us today and ask us about the latest trends and products for your next project. Go slow to go further – When contractors rush, mistakes are made. That's why it's worth putting in extra time on a proposal or project. Not only will you produce more quality work, you won't have to fix errors later. Your clients will appreciate it!

No matter what goals or resolutions you set for yourself this year, take time to celebrate the small wins along the way.