Pond Pulse

With the new year approaching and water gardening changing at a rate the hobby can barely comprehend, IPPCA understands its role in 2007. That role is, as it has been, to pass information to the consumer the contractor and the manufacturers.
     There are older established “pond” events and “new” pond events. Whether old or new the, “new products and methods” need to be addressed.
IPPCA has offered to joint venture with old and new events and old and new manufacturers to spread the word about what works and what doesn’t work, (see the forum threads).
      Although, with excitement being generated within the “green” industry with better ways to inform, promote, buy, sell, IPPCA’s mission remains the same, to pass information from the buyer to the manufacturer and back again. If IPPCA would merge with a “green” partner, then we, IPPCA would be lost in the “green” spaces.
However, some of our members have made incredible strides in bridging the gap between the Koi enthusiast and water gardening enthusiast. So, yes, green is good. Good for the industry and good for the consumer.
     We are considering several first time events for the industry and making the 3rd Info-Tanza an event to “BE THERE”.
     I would like to invite an open message board and dialog with the other board members. I received an E mail from a “green” landscaping organization, that spoke of trust in a manufacturer and how that trust dissolved over a period of time. Ironically, just this week I picked up a new book by Stephen Covey called The Speed of Trust. Why we buy from one person, why we listen to such a newscaster, why we do a lot of what we do is based on trust. Myself, and the members of IPPCA, trust the input of the board of advisors. By the same token the users of the forum trust the input from not only the board members but also the other members of the forum.
     In closing, let me say, “Welcome to 2007 and may it be a great adventure for all”.

Rocke’ Huntington, President
Aka the “Dragon”
Certified Aquascape Contractor
Water Garden Excellence Member

EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED ABOUT MARKETING HAS JUST CHANGED.

Back when many of us started out in business advertising and marketing were no more than afterthoughts. A yellow page ad, some freshly printed flyers, and good old word of mouth were enough to bring a steady stream of customers to our business. Boy how times have changed! Businesses are bombarded these days with a steady stream of offers from magazines, newspapers, radio, TV, local directories, and web site designers who all promise the key to wealth is giving them your advertising dollars.

The water garden industry is not immune to the confusion surrounding advertising. In fact long hours digging ponds or working in our stores means less time to examine all the opportunities that abound. Our industry leaders are not much help either when it comes to marketing education. Some companies promote entire programs dedicated to marketing and advertising but they entirely bypass the most effective marketing tool ever developed.

It will come to no surprise to most of you that the internet affects almost every person and business on the planet. Recent studies have shown that 60% of customers who begin their search on line will place their purchase for goods or services in a actual store based upon the information they find. What that means is that your potential customers are looking for you in ways we never dreamed of 5 years ago. Does that mean you have to have a fancy web site in order to attract them? Not really! While a web site can benefit your business in several ways you can still ADVERTISE FOR FREE ON LINE without one. The search engine Google is determined to compile all of the world’s information and they are well on the way. The paragraphs below will assist you in listing your business for free in the most widely used search engine of all time.

GOOGLE local

Google is building the largest data base on businesses around the country and they want to know about yours. When a customer in Tulsa Oklahoma or Miami Florida or anywhere wants to find the nearest garden center they can go straight into GOOGLE local and locate it. Simply by using their geographical location Google will not only help them find the name of the business but they can view a map that will tell them exactly how to get there. Anyone who operates a brick and mortar business needs to get listed into Google local.

Becoming listed in this valuable resource is super fast and easy. Just go to the Google main page (www.google.com). When there you will see 7 links across the top of their page; click the last link that says MORE. This will take you to a second page of all the features Google offers. About half way down the left column you will see LOCAL. Click on that and go to the ADD MY BUSINESS link. You will be given the opportunity to enter your locations address, phone and web site (if available) as well as a description as to the items you carry or the services you provide. When the form is complete Google will main you a post card to that address. Once you have the post card you will enter in the confirmation code and in a day or two you will be listed in Google local and ready to serve your new customers.

Best wishes for a Happy and Prosperous NEW YEAR!

John Olson
IPPCA Executive VP

Graystone Industries, Inc.
2853 NW 108th Ave
Sunrise, FL 33322
Office: 954-746-0029
Fax: 954-746-0036

www.graystonecreations.com

www.bigasstowels.com

WHY JOIN A CONTRACTOR ASSOCIATION?

With the stress and time demands that owning your own business bring, who has time to join, let alone actively participate in a contractor association? Since one is not “paid by the hour” to attend contractor meetings, why join? We must remember that the “paid by the hour” mentality is a non-entrepreneurial mind set. As entrepreneurs, we think out of the box and our pay is beyond the paycheck, just as you can’t put a price tag on a walk with a loved one along the beach during a beautiful sunset. Contractor associations at their most basic form draw their strength from the old adage that there is strength in numbers. For example, a few years ago, local law makers passed a frivolous law which outlawed a very necessary tool to a local trade. The tradesmen were outraged. To whom did they turn in their hour of need? You guessed it, their local trade association. You see, it works like this. If I have $100.00, I won’t go far. If I could band together 2000 other tradespersons such as myself to pool their $100.00 together, I would have $200,000.00 to hire the best lawyers and lobbyists to represent our interests. As a result of their due diligence, the Contractor association was able to overturn the ridiculous law, thus resulting in the return of the tools to the tradesmen.

Trade associations typically offer a wide range of programs and services to members of their industry. Whether your firm is a one-person operation or a multi-million dollar company, the benefits of membership will help your business reach its potential. Thanks to the power in large numbers, Trade associations can offer the greatest insurance protection at the lowest cost. Structured insurance plans are offered in a wide arena of plans, such as worker’s compensation, general liability, vehicle, loss of earnings, medical, dental and life insurance can be offered to meet the special needs of contractors.

Another Association benefit is the Marketing of your business. You may be the best at what you do, but without a clientele, you would shortly go out of business. The modern business owner needs must also be a marketing whiz. Trade associations offer internet referral programs to promote their contractors. Trade associations are in the business of educating the consumer about what constitutes quality work—and steering them to your doorstep!

Another benefit of Professional associations is their professional development seminar programs which educate member contractors on the latest technology in their respective fields. Closely related to the seminar programs is the certification program which, upon passing a battery of tests, the qualifying contractor is awarded with a “Master Designation” in their field. This designation, such as the Certified Professional Pond Certification” (CPPC) which is sponsored by the IPPCA is not a rubber stamp program. This certification means you are the cream of the crop, a “TOP GUN”. Using this in your marketing literature with add legitimacy and trust on the part of potential clients.

Another benefit of Associations is the bringing together of contractors and suppliers. The Association provides numerous opportunities for buyers and sellers of products to informally meet and get acquainted with one another. Manufacturers and distributors gain valuable access to end users buyers of their products, which enable them to educate contractors about the latest technologies.

One of the biggest benefits of t he whole Association process is the giant bonus of making life long friends, who may actually turn out to be incredibly knowledgeable mentors, which can only benefit your business. Which all these incredible bonus features, the question should really be….Why didn’t I join my association sooner?

By: Mike Garcia, CPPC
       Enviroscapes
       Redondo Beach, California

The following was taken from the January, 2007 issue of Water Garden News:

#9 Enablers

More than 20 pond builders from various states met in Myrtle Beach, S.C. to replace a disabled man’s disabled pond. The International Professional Pond Contractors Association event was significant for two reasons.

First, it highlighted the need for the industry to police itself against substandard work. Poorly constructed water features taint the entire industry and make future growth that much more difficult. The person who goes to a part and brags about his wonderful pond most likely is a bore. The person who goes to the same party and enthralls the crowd with his tragic-comic mishaps with the flakes that put in a leaky money pit in his back yard will be the life of the party and the death of the industry.

More importantly, however, it was an example of contractors and suppliers working together toward a positive end. The industry seemed to see more name-calling and back-stabbing in 2006 than it had in many years, if not ever. This meanness might be the result of a more competitive environment or a “maturing” market, but it probably isn’t making anyone happier. (Jan ‘07 Water Garden News)

In 2006 IPPCA was the #1 event to effect the industry. Keep up the good work IPPCA.