I learned so much this week that it doesn’t all fit in one blog post!  Last week I gave you a list of what I hoped to learn and the conference delivered!

One of the top items on my list was “How to build a great reputation.”  One of the most cost effective ways to do this is with social media.  This message was repeated from the opening session which included Houzz.com throughout many of the breakout sessions until the end of the week with Steve Riess.

The Houzz presentation was very informative, and if you don’t have a profile on Houzz.com you should start one right now… Below is the top 10 ways that professionals use Houzz –

1. Communication Tool
2. Exposure to Homeowners
3. Client Education
4. Credibility Builder
5. Image Search
6. Product Resource
7. Traffic Builder
8. Exposure to Industry
9. Marketing Insights
10. Validation

Begin today by creating your profile and uploading your high resolution photos.  Are you already on Houzz?  What has your experience been like?

With the closet expo a month away the question that I keep getting asked is “Should I go to the show?”  My answer to that is always the same – Why wouldn’t you go?

I know that not everyone has the time, or the funds.  It’s funny because I have heard people say “I’m too slow to go to the show and cash flow stinks.”  I have also heard “I am too busy to be away from my company for 3 or 4 days.”   So the guy that is slow can’t attend and neither can the guy who is too busy.  Makes you wonder who can attend…

The bottom line is there will never be enough time or money.  You have to make the time and set aside the money.  I know in 2007 the money might have been a little easier to come by, but maybe if you attend the show you can learn how to manage your time a little better.  Maybe you could learn how to work on your business and not in your business.  Maybe you can find out why some customers are profitable in these times and others are still struggling…

Every year baseball players go thru spring training to get ready for their season.  Why not consider the closet-expo our spring training?

The expo is what you make of it, three years ago while at the bar I introduced a Yankee fan and a Redsox fan.  These two guys hit it off; at first they used each other as an industry resource.  This led to a few golf outings and now these guys are really good friends that speak a couple of times a week.

As an exhibitor I like to think that all of the time I am putting into my booth is the reason why you should attend.   The reality is the relationships you make are what make it worth attending…

The best part about these new relationships is that they won’t end when the conference is over…