Midwest HVAC News Guest Column
	The HVAC Labor Shortage - Is Gen Z entering the industry? By now, you have heard about the labor shortages that are sweeping the HVAC industry. This is creating a huge dilemma. In fact, no other occupation on earth is in higher demand than HVAC professionals.
	Digital Marketing in the Pandemic: How to Promote Your Services as a Home Contractor during the Pandemic. Home improvement projects have boomed during the pandemic. Many households have considered undertaking either complete or partial house renovation.
	Work/Life Balance in HVAC? Sometime a little over 10 years ago, I remember having to leave my Nephew’s birthday party due to an ‘emergency’ call. Being the Service Manager, even when I wasn’t ‘on-call’, I was still available.
	How To Set Up Call Tracking For HVAC Websites Many of the HVAC contractors we work with are hesitant about using call tracking software. Why? Some contractors believe their clients have their phone numbers saved (unlikely), so they don’t need it.
	Home Improvements on the Rise – How to Strike While the Iron is Hot by Steven Kleber - Kleber & Associates Marketing + Communications According to a recent survey of 1,000 homeowners using Houzz, more than half who were in the process of renovating their home have continued to pursue their renovations when the coronavirus pandemic was declared in mid-March.
	Customers = Profitability...Right? by Danah Head Executive Advisor- The Distribution Team Have you ever held a customer appreciation sale? You know the one where you put up flags in your parking lot, send out massive emails to your entire customer base, maybe invest in a mailer, and give out hot dogs (and hopefully sell off some dead stock)?
	If This Were My Mothers House by Mark Matteson When someone I trust and believe, say a technician that comes into my home or business says to me, “What I would do is...” or “If it were me, I would...” I really listen. Hey, that’s what I said when I was a Chimney Sweep to my residential customers in my early twenties.
	Six Powerful Prospecting Tips to Build Your Business by John Boe Why is it that some sales reps consistently earn a six-figure annual income while other reps, putting in the same hours, selling the same products, and trained by the same sales manager struggle each month financially to make ends meet?
	So your Manual J Load Calculation was just rejected because it wasn’t “ACCA Certified” – What load calculation software should you have used?  By: Tracy Savoy  - Savoy Engineering Group It is critical your Manual J load analysis is produced with ACCA certified software by someone who understands Manual J theory – not just someone who can punch buttons in a software program.
	Tech Falls Into Customer’s Trap – Literally! By: Joe Crisara Contractor Selling Gerry was a technician on a mission. He was going to try to break the company record for doing the most calls (14) in one day. This day seemed like the “perfect storm” where everything was in place to set the record.
	How Zoning Helped Me Answer the Question I Hated Most as a Tech.  by: Bill Molica, Technical Sales, Arzel Zoning Before I started my career at Arzel, I spent the better part of 20 years as a residential service technician. Spring and summer were always interesting and challenging times of the year. Whether I was being called out for maintenance or an emergency, I would arrive at a two-story or split-level home and get the same question, “why is my second floor warmer than the first?”
	How Do You Successfully Bid a New Project? By: Jack Wilhelmi The Waldinger Corporation “People buy from people they understand and trust. It’s tempting to hide behind your Smartphone and tablet, trying to squeeze more work out of your day. Don’t do it when you are working on acquiring a new project.
	Building your Business with Dehumidification Contributed by Joe Hvalacek Ultra-Aire Business Development Manager There are many ways to build your contracting business, increase sales and grow profit – yes, even in this economy. Some are more profitable than others. Some may be easier to implement than others. Some are more expensive, while others are more cost effective.
	A Recession is a Terrible Thing to Waste By: Bob Janet There are two good times to take advantage of your competition. 1. When business is good. It is easier to make a good time better than a bad time good. 2. During a recession is a great time to increase sales because your competition is cutting back their marketing.
	When The Student Is Ready, the Teacher Appears By: Julia M. Rahn, Ph.D. How many times have your readers started a project, only to reach a step they didn’t know how to complete, so the project got shelved? No matter when the project is revisited, the help they need to clear the hurdle is suddenly presented to them.
	How to be a Profitable Contractor By Dave Gleason Systematic Selling Inc. Every contractor wants to have enough profit to afford the things in life that make a difference. There are very little secrets in the world of business, small business or large corporations. The first thing every contractor needs to know is how to establish a profit for their company. You need to understand overhead and how to price a job.
	Regulatory Compliance – Fact or Fiction? By L. P. Coston, Ph.D., Certified Safety and Health Professional To determine if your HVAC business is subject to Regulatory Compliance it is necessary to identify what is Regulatory Compliance. Unlike many governmental topics, Regulatory Compliance is straight forward and "spelled out" in the Code of Federal Regulations.
	Clearing the Air About IAQ Today’s consumers are aware of environmental issues and indoor air quality concerns, but they may not know that their HVAC/R dealer can provide them with solutions. As a technician, you may have a lot of questions when it comes to IAQ. How can you market it to your customers? Is it simple to install? And where can you find the training and products you need to become an IAQ expert?