Sweeping Magazine - August 2020

Sweeping August 2020 VOLUME 44 #7

Why Facebook Results For Home Service Businesses May Not Look As “Good” As Other Industries

The Journal of Chimney and Venting Technology

Build Your Business with Dryer Vent Cleaning Services Meet a Member: Corey Butler

Why Facebook Results For Home Service Businesses May Not Look As “Good” As Other Industries

“Build Your Business with Dryer Vent Cleaning Services”

Meet a Member— Corey Butler

6 23 30 Sweeping August 2020 Volume 44 Issue 7

Table of Contents President’s Letter 3 Sweeps Say 4 Editor’s Letter 5 Tech Q&A 16 Coach’s Corner 18 Membership Memo 32 New Members 33 Around the Tech Center 34 In Case You Missed It 35 Classifieds 36

Digital illustration by David Bruce, Red2 Design Bureau

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Smoke Chambers and Cast in Place Liner Installation (866) 283-8667 Ext. 706

Factory Built Fireplace Installation and Replacement (866) 283-8667 Ext. 701

Dryer Vents (866) 283-8667 Ext. 707

Gas Appliance Venting, Gas Logs and NFPA 54 (866) 283-8667 Ext. 702 Oil Appliance Venting and NFPA 31 (866) 283-8667 Ext. 703 Chimney Inspection, Documentation and NFPA 211 (Levels of Inspection) (866) 283-8667 Ext. 704

Installation and Venting of Pellet Stoves (866) 283-8667 Ext. 708 IRC and NFPA 211 (Code Questions) (866) 283-8667 Ext. 709 Customer Service and Customer Communication (866) 283-8667 Ext. 710 General Sweeping and Repair (866) 283-8667 Ext. 711

NATIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP GUILD BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2019-2020

TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Masonry Fireplace Construction and Restoration (866) 283-8667 Ext. 700

Stainless Steel Liner Installation (866) 283-8667 Ext. 705

Be advised that advice given by NCSG’s Technical Advisory Council (TAC) reflects best practices of the chimney sweeping industry. However, we are unable to account for any particular type of situation since regional variations in construction practices and additional environmental, physical and geographical factors necessarily vary the level of service appropriate for a particular fireplace and/or chimney.

Additionally, local laws and ordinances may govern and/ or supersede the information and any recommendations provided. Final determinations are the responsibility of a local professional with firsthand knowledge of the situation, and the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Neither NCSG nor any member of TAC will be held liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from the use of or reliance on information provided by anyone associated with TAC. By your use of this member benefit you acknowledge acceptance of these terms.

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STAFF

Resources 2155 Commercial Drive Plainfield, IN 46168 (317) 837-1500 Fax: (317) 837-5365

Megan McMahon Executive Director mmcmahon@ncsg.org

Penny Seals Academic Coordinator pseals@ncsg.org

Annemarie Stockton Director of Communications and Marketing astockton@ncsg.org

Sara Sichting Systems and Records Coordinator ssichting@ncsg.org

Russell Dimmitt Education Director rdimmitt@ncsg.org

Tammy Bruner Program Coordinator tbruner@ncsg.org

Brittney Burton Membership & Outreach Coordinator bburton@ncsg.org

Natalie Spruell Office Coordinator nspruell@ncsg.org

Charissa Benge Mahaffey Certification Coordinator cmahaffey@ncsg.org

Kaitlyn Gonzalez Administrative Assistant kgonzalez@ncsg.org

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Vice President, At-Large Director (Appointed) Thomas Hunkele topnotchchimney@gmail.com Treasurer, Region 1 Matt Mair matt@blackmoosechimney. com Secretary, Region 4 Jeff Keefer jeff@chimneycareco.com Region 2 Bill Thornton wissahickonvalleysweep@ yahoo.com

Region 6 Jesse Peralta chimcare@hotmail.com At-Large Joe Sauter joe@yourchimneysweep.com At-Large Director Steve Scally firesidesweeps@comcast.net At-Large Director (Appointed) Gregg Boss englishsweep@att.net Supplier Representative Stuart Karanovich stuartk@saversystems.com

Region 3 Ron Rust tophatswp@aol.com

COMMITTEE CHAIRS and TASK FORCES 2019 – 2020

To contact any member of the Technical Advisory Council, please call (866) 283-8667 and select the extension for the person who is best qualified to answer your question:

President, Region 5 Jasper Drengler (715) 304-8934 drengler01@gmail.com

Bylaws Tom Hunkele (641) 774-8056 topnotchchimney@gmail.com

NFPA 211 Representative Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com

Ethics Joe Sauter (317) 243-9687 joe@yourchimneysweep.com

NFPA 31 Representative John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com

Governance Bill Thornton (215) 540-9787 wissahickonvalleysweep@yahoo.com

NFPA 54 Jim Brewer (757) 523-2400 jbrewer@magic-sweep.com

Government Affairs Jeff Keefer 513-248-9600 info@chimneycareco.com

Technical Advisory Council Steve Scally (603) 895-8746 firesidesweeps@comcast.net

International Relations John Pilger (631) 863-2460 chimneyman@aol.com Membership Jesse Peralta (503) 655-2446 chimcare@hotmail.com

ADVERTISING RATES for Sweeping: The Journal of Chimney & Venting Technology may be obtained by contacting Malisa Minetree at (317) 815-4688 or sweepingads@me.com Layout and design by David Bruce, Red2 Design Bureau NCSG encourages industry partners to submit press releases and articles to editor Annemarie Stockton at astockton@ncsg.org. Submissions should contain items of interest or importance to the chimney and venting industry. Submissions should not contain direct solicitations, prices, or a call to action on the part of our readers. Submissions may contain images or artwork attached in a .jpg format.

In all cases, NCSG reserves the right to edit submissions to fit space limitations, keep the release and publish at a later date, or refuse to publish the release for any reason. Neither publishing, nor refusing to publish the submission should be considered a statement of NCSG’s opinion regarding the release.

NCSG further reserves the right to reject at any time any advertising determined not to be in keeping with the publication’s standards.

Acceptance of advertising by Sweeping magazine does not necessarily constitute endorsement of products or services advertised. NCSG does not make any effort to review or substantiate claims made by advertisers. © 2020 National Chimney Sweep Guild, 2155 Commercial Drive, Plainfield, IN 46168. (317) 837-1500

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President’s Letter

ello Fellow Sweeps!

I’m absolutely amazed how busy many sweeps are right now.

For some, it’s because they have a very nice portfolio of forward scheduled sweeps and service calls. For others who are back logged with repair work, I believe it’s because homeowners have been cooped up in their homes and are noticing projects all over. I’m guilty of this myself. My Tyvek palace is slowly turning into my vision of a

respectable home.

If you are looking for an easy add-on sale with minimal tool investment, you should consider dryer vents. Most sweeps already have most of the equipment in their trucks. Carry a couple of extra cheap parts and you can often repair or replace a dryer vent all in one trip. While you’re at it, get CSIA certified and add another icon to your profile.

Have sales competitions among your team about who can add on

Jasper Drengler President

the most dryer vent cleanings in a day, week or month.

Have a great rest of the summer, stay healthy and see you all in Milwaukee!

NCSG President

Jasper Drengler

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Sweeps Say

What’s the craziest thing you’ve found in a dryer vent?

“A bunny rabbit.” – Mark and Katie Maynard, The Chimney Guy, LLC

“I pulled a live possum out of one several years ago.” – Chris Story, Johnston’s Chimney Sweep

“200 or so acorns about 5 feet down and 20 feet in.... all loose so no matter how much you spun the brush and even with the blower on full, those suckers just kept spinning… no access to where they were located either!” - Tedd Cuttitta, NY Fireplace Designs Inc.

“A McDonald’s coffee cup.” - Caleb Martinez, Leonard & Sons Bldg. Service Inc. “For my daughter, not a customer, I removed a sock from her washer water pump. For a customer, a credit card.” - Kevin Daniel, Abbey Road Chimney Sweep

Look out for each month’s Sweeps Say question on Facebook!

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“Laundry detergent cap stuck in the vent system... Lots of water removed that day.” Gary Yates, Chimney Sweep

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s we start gearing up for the busy season, it’s important to think about the services you are offering your customers and how you can set yourself apart from the competition. One great add-on for your chimney business is dryer vent services, which is the focus of this issue. There are several great articles in here on why adding dryer vent services to your offerings could be the next step in the continued success and growth of your business.

Guest contributor Cliff Budnick from InOvate Technologies, Inc. offers

Editor’s Letter some great advice on this topic on page 23, so definitely make sure to check that one out! Steve Scally and Ken Hoelscher cover some of the biggest obstacles you might face when inspecting and servicing dryer vents in this month’s Technical Q and A. Also, CSIA President, Chuck Roydhouse, explains why dryer vent cleaning and the CSIA CDET certification is right for you later in this issue.

It’s membership renewal time, and we’d love to have you all join us again for the next year!

Let us help you remain connected to this amazing

network on chimney and venting professionals.

The NCSG board just had their annual planning meeting, and they have some great things in store for you all this next year that you don’t want to miss! Make sure you get your renewals in early to be entered into our annual SweepsStakes contest! From August 1-30th, we will be picking NCSG members who have renewed their membership to win prizes daily. The earlier you renew, the more chances you have to win! Check out the Membership Memo for instructions on how to smoothly

Annemarie Stockton Editor

and quickly renew your NCSG membership online (remember, we are going paperless). And as always, if you have any questions or suggestions, we are just an email or phone call away!

Enjoy the last few weeks of summer, and let’s finish the second half of 2020 strong and together!

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6 Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill

Why Facebook Results For Home Service Businesses May Not Look As “Good” As Other Industries

If you’re using Facebook Ads to grow your home services business, you may be wondering why your costs are higher than those of companies in other industries.

Maybe you’re not seeing conversion rates as high as those you’re hearing about and you can’t figure out return on ad spend (ROAS) as easily as others seem to be able to.

Before you throw in the towel and accept that Facebook Ads “just don’t work as well for home service businesses,” let’s talk about why there’s a difference.

There’s actually one major reason why your Facebook Ads results will always look different from the results of ecommerce businesses, businesses with an actual storefront, and

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businesses whose websites are designed to sell online.

Your Sales Cycle Is Longer It may seem like we’re stating the obvious here, but your industry is different from other industries like ecommerce, retail, and coaching.

And one of the biggest differences is in the sales cycle length.

For an ecommerce business, it may only take a single ad for a pair of shoes to convert a lead into a paying customer. For that reason, Facebook Ads can *seem* really cheap for ecommerce businesses. They paid for one ad and voila, they sold a product.

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But you are not an ecommerce business.

You’re not selling low ticket items. You’re not selling something people impulsively buy or purchase because they need some retail therapy. You’re not selling something that provides immediate, obvious, tangible satisfaction. You’re selling chimney services.

anticipated package arrives from Amazon, or when they see a product in a retail store and get to walk out with it. And unlike coaching courses or other similar industries that provide something people can watch and learn from in their own time and own way, your services require your team to enter your customer’s home.

The results and feelings your customers experience when they hire you are not tangible in the same way as when a highly

They require your customer to carve time out of their day to be there and endure all that that may entail — be it waiting around

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for you to show up or suffering through the unprofessional and uncomfortable experience you could provide.

In other words, as a home services business, the risks associated with what you offer are far more tangible and the results are far less tangible. And that means your sales process is going to be longer and you’ll have to pay for more ads... more ads to build trust and allay some of the fears and concerns that ecommerce, retail, and

coaching businesses aren’t up against, like: • The innate fear that you might be a scammer.

When your customer is buying a pair of shoes from a major retailer, they know exactly what to expect. The shoes will look like the ones in the photo, they’ll fit true to size, they’ll ship on time, and if something isn’t right, they can be returned for a refund.

With a chimney sweep, those guarantees and reassurances are simply not there. You

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could provide a totally different experience than what you say and show in your Facebook ads, and there’s not a whole lot your customer can do if that happens.

They can ask for a refund, file a complaint, write a negative review, etc. but there’s no guarantee that things will work out well. So it should be no surprise that your potential customer has more to consider when they’re deciding whether or not to call you after seeing your ad. It’s an issue that your ecommerce friends, retail stores, and coaching friends don’t have to worry about and won’t see affecting their conversion rates or ROAS results.

• The ambivalence about choosing you over a competitor.

Let’s face it, unless you’re in a remote area, there is no shortage of competitors for your customers to choose from. Why would they choose you when they have tons of options?

Unlike a Facebook ad for shoes that they can’t get anywhere else or an ad for a coach that they immediately connect with, your ads will typically need to work harder to get customers

to take the next step.

And you’ll typically have to show more ads to your potential customers before they take action.

• The fear that you may not be trustworthy.

Buy a pair of shoes or a coaching course from an untrustworthy company and you’re out some money.

But inviting an untrustworthy chimney sweep into your home is a much bigger risk.

You’re not shipping them something. You’re going into their home.

You’re going to be around their family, their pets. You’ll be working on things that could affect the safety and structure of their home. If they make the wrong choice when hiring a chimney sweep, the results could be disastrous.

It’ll typically take more than a single ad to allay those fears and build confidence that you’re a company they can trust in their home.

• The perception about cost.

Let’s just say the service your ad is selling is a $400 service.

Well, it’s a lot easier to justify spending $400 on a designer coat or coaching program than

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it is to justify spending it on a chimney service. Not because chimney services are any less valuable or important, but because there’s nothing fun, fashionable, or showy about a chimney service. It’s harder to see the long-term return for a chimney service than it is to see the life changes that could occur as the result of the right coaching program. And chimney services won’t garner looks of envy at the next dinner party (unless you’re installing a new fireplace). So you have to overcome a hesitation and perception about spending that kind of money that your ecommerce friends and coaching friends don’t need to overcome, which again, will lengthen the sales cycle.

• The question of urgency.

Our need for immediate satisfaction and our sense of urgency is very real when we see a tangible product that we just can’t wait to have. But when you’re spending money on things that don’t feel tangible or exciting, it’s a lot easier to put off that spending.

It’s no different with your customers. Your customers may see your ad, know they need the work done, but question whether it’s really that urgent or important.

This is another reason why you may see lower conversion rates than those in ecommerce, retail, or coaching industries. (Note: Highlighting financing options in ads is a great way to counteract the hesitancy customers have to spend money on a service that doesn’t have that built-in urgency or excitement.)

• The uncertainty about needing your services.

Here’s the thing, people will buy another pair of black shoes that they want but don’t need, so ecommerce ads don’t have to worry about needs as much as wants. But what people won’t do is pay for chimney services that they aren’t sure they need. It’s your job to educate your potential customers on why they need your services so they will buy, and if your argument isn’t convincing, your conversion rates will be lower. You’ll typically need multiple ads to effectively educate your potential customers

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on the urgency and importance of the services you provide.

All of these unique challenges that home services businesses face make it harder and costlier to get leads from ads. They don’t make the ads themselves cost more — they extend the buyer journey and sales process. That simply means you probably won’t get tons of conversions the first time customers are shown an ad, while ecommerce businesses might. So while it seems like you’re paying more than ecommerce, retail, or coaching businesses, you’re not paying more for each ad (in fact, sometimes you’re paying less), you’re paying for more ads.

That’s just the reality of it. But it doesn’t mean Facebook Ads can’t be a worthwhile investment for your business...

It’s simple: ROAS was designed specifically for websites that allow you to purchase onsite. There is actually a purchase event that is triggered on the site.

But with most home service businesses, the purchase is not made on the website. Chances are, your CTA (call-toaction) is to fill out a form on the website or call. So your ads aren’t leading your customers to complete a purchase.

They’re simply leading them to take the next step in the purchasing process.

Ok, so if you can’t compare your results with Facebook Ads to the results of other industries or easily calculate ROAS, how can you tell if your Facebook ads are working?

Here are some things to look at to determine if Facebook Ads are Deciding If “a win” for your Facebook Ads Are business...

A Win For Your #1 Attribution Business Attribution refers to One frustration for home services businesses is that they can’t calculate ROAS (return on ad spend) as easily as an ecommerce business. Why is that?

online and offline actions your customer takes that Facebook attributes to your ad.

For example, did a customer click over to your website or call you after seeing an

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ad? As long as your potential customers have a Facebook ID and your Facebook pixel is properly set up, Facebook can tell you if that customer saw a Facebook ad for your business before taking the desired action. #2 Call Tracking

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Call tracking is a must if you’re running Facebook Ads, because you will get calls from your ads. You probably won’t get a huge amount like you might from Google Ads, but that’s simply because Facebook Ads is more for nurturing, not catching hot leads when they’re ready to buy. Especially if your audience is cold, they aren’t likely to call after seeing just one ad, so give it time. Another thing to consider is that someone could see your Facebook ad and then head to Google to research before clicking to call. If you relied on call tracking alone, it would look like that lead came from Google, when in fact, your Facebook ad played a big part in getting the call. So keep in mind, call tracking won’t always provide a clear, complete picture. Look at call tracking when

evaluating the efficacy of Facebook Ads, but don’t only look at call tracking. #3 This Year vs. Last Year If you’re running Facebook Ads this year and you weren’t last year, you should expect to see an increase in jobs booked and sales year-overyear. So do a year over year comparison, and keep in mind that using Facebook Ads to retarget existing customers won’t bring you new leads, but it will increase the lifetime value of your existing customers by keeping your company top of mind and educating them on the many other services you provide. Note: Make sure you’re taking into account all of the marketing changes you’ve made between last year and this year.

An increase in jobs booked and money coming in may not be solely due to Facebook efforts, but you should be seeing an increase. #4 Customers One of the simplest ways to find out if your Facebook ads are working is to ask your customers if they saw an ad on Facebook when they call. They

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may still have gone to Google to do some research, but maybe the ad is what influenced them at the start.

Asking is a simple way to find out!

At the end of the day, WHY would a chimney company choose to do Facebook Ads when they can end up costing more than they do for coaching, retail, and ecommerce businesses?

Because they work!

Longer sales processes call for more touchpoints along the customer journey, and Facebook Ads work as another touchpoint.

They build brand awareness. They build brand trust. They keep your name in front of your potential customers and existing customers. They ensure that when your potential customers or existing customers need the services you offer, you’re the first company they think to call. You can’t put a price on that!

Carter Harkins and Taylor Hill are the co-founders of Spark Marketer, a Nashville, Tennessee-based digital marketing company that works primarily with service businesses. They’re also cocreators of the award-winning app Closing Commander, which helps contractors close more estimates effortlessly, and co-authors of the book, Blue Collar Proud: 10 Principles for Building a Kickass Business You Love. Both regularly speak at service industry trade shows and conferences across the nation. Visit www. sparkmarker.com, www.about. closingcommander.com, www. facebook.com/sparkmarketer, or www.facebook.com/ closingcommander.

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Steve Scally

Technical Q and A What are the biggest obstacles you have to overcome when inspecting and servicing a dryer vent?

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his month’s question is about dryer vents, and I asked my friend, Ken Hoelscher, Of Abby Road Chimney in Brookeville, Ohio to answer.

What are the biggest obstacles you have to overcome when inspecting and servicing a dryer vent?

The biggest obstacle to overcome is having the customer understand that their system needs to be inspected on an annual basis. Customers usually will only call you when they are having a problem, when they have changed out their dryer, or when the dryer repair person has told them they need to have the vent cleaned out. The shift is to educate our customers to be proactive and take preventive action and not to wait until there is a problem, or worse – a dryer vent fire.

One of the problems that we run into regarding dryer vent inspections is there really is no set standard on how to run a dryer vent exhaust. Dryer vents can make turns on itself to go around or under trusses.

Not only does this make it difficult to inspect these types of installations, but it can also cause problems when cleaning it out.

Stacked washer/dryer units in tight closets or washer dryers in very small rooms can be very challenging. It is oftentimes difficult to get access to the connection and then to reconnect the connector tube once the vent has been cleaned out.

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One issue we find often during an inspection is the dryer is in a room or nook that does not have proper air ventilation. This oftentimes causes the dryer to overheat.

A safety issue to keep in mind during the summer months is when you need access to the attic area.

The temperature in the attic can get over 130 degrees. Not only is it hot, but usually the air in the attic is very stagnate, making it difficult to breathe and work for more than 5 minutes at a time. If the attic is used as a storage place, just getting to the vent can be a challenge.

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Coach’s Corner What’s Your “ONE Thing”

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strange title for an article perhaps, but one that may provide you a thought process that will allow you to achieve tremendous results and deliver your dreams in a faster time frame.

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I recently read a book entitled The ONE Thing authored by Gary Keller, and the thought processes he expressed may provide ideas that coincide with the books tagline, “The Surprisingly Simple Truth behind Extraordinary Results”. I am sure we all would like to have extraordinary results and if there is a better way to get there, shouldn’t we all be in for it?

Just who is Gary Keller? The chairman of the board of Keller Williams Realty Inc, the largest real estate company in the world.

The concepts that

Mr. Keller shares are also expressed through seminars and coaching programs he is involved in. You can find additional information on The ONE Thing concepts at www.the1thing. com His processes have been employed by many in the world of business, and it has worked astoundingly well for many. So as you read forward, think for a minute, how does a company ascend to the top in such a competitive world as real estate? Doing so requires focus and clarity on the path to anticipated results.

What is the thought process of The ONE Thing and how can you achieve better results in less time?

As I read this book, it brought to light some remarkably interesting thoughts. And as I read further, I recognized what the author was

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keying on. Often, we as humans simply get overwhelmed due to all the things we each are trying to accomplish in our business and personal lives every day. Often, we are like a hamster running on the wheel in their cage.

Running and running and running but never really making progress.

This is one of the issues of the human brain.

The number of thought processes we each have on any given day is enormous. It is said that the average human has anywhere from 12,000 to 60,000 thought processes a day. Of those, 80 percent are conceived as being negative, leaving us with 20 percent of our thoughts being positive.

This is likely why, as our minds are simply overwhelmed, we often lose our focus which blocks our clarity and delivers thoughts of confusion. We cannot

stay focused on our goals and we let the negative thoughts block our progress, often by the self-doubt these thoughts deliver.

Think for a minute: does business and life simply overwhelm and overpower you at times? The events of the most recent months have been overwhelming on their own and all too frequently we find ourselves still running and running inside of that hamster wheel.

You see, each of us wants key things as a rule for our life.

These could include: • More income for a better lifestyle • More satisfaction from life • More time for yourself, your family, and your friends.

• Less distractions

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Often, the distractions of our overwhelmed lives and lifestyle simply rob us of our energies and even our pleasures of life. And many times we simply throw up our hands or hang our heads in frustration as we wonder, “Is this truly what it’s all about?”

These conditions lead to extreme stress – stress that can take a mental, physical, and emotional toll on us, again from our desire to get more done.

The book shared that we each need to take a hard look at the ONE thing. It gave some examples, but what you need to do is determine what your ONE thing is.

What is the ONE thing that brings you the highest return in your business, that ONE thing that is the magic of highest profit? And not only that, what is the ONE thing in your business that provides you the most pleasure and satisfaction in

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doing? That gusto feeling we get when we are standing as proud as we can be of what we just accomplished in out business. What is our ONE thing that ranks above all else?

Something certainly stands at the top of each of our lists.

What do you see as your greatest sense of accomplishment in life? And do you spend too much of your energy worrying about the small things, the things that really are

not that important? It makes me think of a sound piece of business advice I heard some years ago – if you can take care and conquer 80% of the issues in your life and business, the other 20% are not really that important.

Many speakers and consultants speak on what they refer to as the 80/20 rule of business and of life. But some cannot fathom leaving that 20% undone, and they drive

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themselves into stress and turmoil.

Often, many find the process of mind mapping as an exercise where we can dump our thoughts onto a sheet of paper. Once completed, we can sit back and look at the map of our thoughts. This practice helps many to establish the path they need to travel to get past the negative thoughts and selfdoubt, where instead we can focus on the priorities and goals we have set for ourselves.

So what is the lesson learned from this? Figure out the ONE thing that is above all others in business and in life. Expand on this ONE thing. After you have the satisfaction you need from this ONE thing, turn your attention to your next ONE thing, focus on it with clarity and make your plans to conquer this.

This will result in a systematic way to knock the things down one at a time, instead of trying to work on more projects than a human can handle emotionally, mentally, and physically.

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But most of all, develop the system of achieving results that matches your mindset and that suits your style. After all, both business and life can be your sources of pleasure, not sources of stress and anxiety.

Try it, you may find it provides a solution that will result in you achieving more with less effort due to the focus and clarity you now have for that ONE thing. Decide on your ONE thing and make it happen.

About the Author: Jerry Isenhour is an industry consultant, educator and coach who authors a monthly article in Sweeping as a service to the industry. A Past President of NCSG & CSIA along with serving in several volunteer industry positions over his career. For more information about Jerry and how his team can assist you individually and your business in your quest for success and your ascent to the next level, take a look at his web site www.cvcsuccessgroup.com He can be contacted at jerry@cvcsuccessgroup.com or by phone at (704) 425-0217.

You can also obtain great business tips from his Facebook page CVC Coaching and YouTube channel CVC Coaching.

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Build Your Business with Dryer Vent Cleaning Services Cliff Budnick, MBA, C-DET, President of InOvate Technologies, Inc.

W

e do laundry every week, each month, all year long. The laundry room — no different than a chimney system — requires maintenance.

primary reason is a failure to clean the dryer vent. You can solve these problems.

While chimney sweeping may be your company’s bread and butter, other services like dryer vent cleaning can position your company for continued growth and stronger profitability while keeping you cash flow positive throughout the year.

Why dryer vent cleaning? This niche service solves problems, offsets seasonality fluctuations, maximizes your customer lifetime value, and creates a strong repeat business model that leverages your existing tools and vendor network.

It is that simple…but let’s break it down.

Your Customers Have Problems Lint makes it past the lint screen and collects in the dryer’s exhaust duct run. Lint creates a rapidly growing problem — it only gets worse over time. Lint accumulation leads to longer cycle times, more abuse to the appliance and clothing, and — if not maintained — could start a dryer fire.

With more than 15,000 reported incidents a year, dryer fires are a leading cause of home fires.

Why do so many dryer fires occur annually? The

You Are the Solution Remember WHY you got the call. Sure, it may seem easy for you to clean a dryer vent, install a new transition duct, or replace an exterior

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termination vent.

But remember, consumers called you because they are unwilling or unable to perform the service themselves.

They may not have the tools, skills, patience, or expertise that you do.

You are the expert.

Offset Seasonality

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Chimney service is your core offering, but seasonality is a downside for most dedicated sweeps.

During the hot summer months, chimneys are not being used and demand is down. While you may be overbooked and cash flow positive during the colder months, it’s important to have a balanced business model that allows your company to be cash flow positive throughout the year.

Dryer vent cleaning has proven to be a valuable route to offset seasonality while growing your business year-round.

Tools, Vendors, and Certifications What does it take to get into dryer vent cleaning? Between us… not much really! Just some tools, know-how, and practice and you are up and running.

The same vendors that supply your chimney goods also stock a full line of dryer vent cleaning accessories (both products and tools). Although there is no formal certification required to clean a dryer vent, CSIA offers the Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician (C-DET) course.

Becoming C-DET certified is a powerful way to better position your company as the premier expert in your market.

Don’t Be Shy Products and services make up 100% of your revenue. Take advantage of both and you’ll succeed. Only sell one (a product OR a service) and your competition will win.

Don’t be shy to charge a premium for your premium services.

Always take the chance to sell a $20 widget “installed” for $125.

This is no different than getting a synthetic oil change for your car. Sure, the oil may only cost $30, but the professional oil change service may cost up to $200. People pay for services they are unable to perform or unwilling to do. And you are the expert!

Take advantage of this

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commonly overlooked service mindset.

Set Goals At InOvate, thousands of dryer vent service businesses helped us develop premium products and service techniques. While the scope of these businesses vary dramatically, most have a common theme — set goals, track KPIs, and incentivize achievements as a formula for success.

Create goals that are quantifiable. Implement key performance indicators to verify goals are being met.

Pay for performance; in other words, if one of your technicians is championing your dryer vent boom, offer a monetary or nonmonetary incentive.

(Perhaps promote that individual.) This also helps cultivate growth.

What are good dryer vent cleaning goals?

First, start to push this offering! Then you can focus on getting your average dryer vent service ticket to be above $250/job.

Next goal: develop the business so you have a dedicated truck focused on dryer vent cleaning services. Finally, each dedicated dryer vent

cleaning truck should generate $250,000/year or more.

Customer Lifetime Value What is your customer worth to you? If you earned $500 on a service call from a client, is that client only worth $500? Or perhaps they are worth $5,000 to your company! You must tap into the right approach to maximize this customer’s lifetime value, or “CLV”.

To maximize your CLV, do two things: (1) create a value-added model that allows for repeat business, and (2) be totally dedicated to maximizing the customer experience.

A customer who has a negative experience is highly likely to share that experience by leaving a bad review.

A customer who has a positive experience is unlikely to leave a good review. To “win” a good review, you must earn it and ask for it.

Your online reputation, and the long-term CLV, depends on your ability to exceed expectations related to the customer experience.

A Supplier’s Perspective Copperfield Chimney

Supply has been a core sweeps supplier for decades and has seen a real jump in dryer vent cleaning services. “The value of dryer vent cleaning for Sweeps is beneficial for multiple reasons,” said Dawn Harris, VP of Vendor Strategy & Marketing for Copperfield. “It adds to what sweeps can offer a customer in terms of service… Not only will the dryer perform more effectively, but dryer vent cleaning will reduce allergens, extend the life of the appliance, and reduce the fire risk.”

Dawn goes on to note, “Since homeowners may not be aware of the need for dryer vent cleaning, it is an easy add on service for businesses to offer their customers. Offering this service, Chimney Sweep companies can expand their business outside of the hearth categories as the tools are the same and just about every home has a dryer and needs this service.”

Act Now Dryer vent cleaning service is not new, but it is gaining popularity daily on a national level. Consumers are

becoming more aware of the service and the value it brings. Safety and efficiency are top of mind, and your company is poised to be a leader in your market.

But — you must act now. Remember, there are two ways to tap a market: be the first to market or follow the leader. Which are you?

Contact InOvate or your preferred chimney supplier to learn more on how you can make dryer vent cleaning a core part of your growth and profitability strategy.

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Corey Meet Butler

a Member

Meet Corey Butler with Butler Chimneys LLC in Dousman, Wisconsin. Corey shares with us how he got his start in the industry and lends some great advice to new and potential NCSG Convention attendees.

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What is a question you get asked most about being a chimney sweep/chimney sweeping/the industry?

“That must be a dirty job.” My answer, “Tell me about it, I started out as a white guy.”

How did you get started in the industry?

My mom worked for a chimney company and in 2001 I started working summers as a chimney mason laborer at the ripe old age of 13. I worked my way up, then took the plunge into business ownership 10 years ago.

What advice do you wish you had received when you were getting started?

Take this seriously because there’s some serious opportunity in this industry (not that my 13 year old brain would have taken that advice).

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What is the biggest challenge you face on the job?

What are your best strategies for overcoming it?

Keeping customers happy. I’ve always worked on the idea of treating customers the way I would my grandparents. Every time I want to get frustrated and tell them how I really feel, I think about what my grandma would say if I did that! Works every time.

Who was your most famous customer?

J.J. Watt and his parents the year he was drafted. He was an amazing guy, and his family was great to work with.

Have you ever attended NCSG Annual Convention & Trade Show? If so, what was your favorite takeaway?

Every year I find that my best takeaways are from the meals I have with people. The seminars are great, but what I learn from my peers that I invite out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner have been the most valuable. If I could give advice to a first time attendee, it would be to try and never eat alone. You will always get your money’s worth out of the conventions.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Creating a great company. It’s not anywhere near perfect, but I have a great staff and a customer base that loves us.

Have you ever had to make your own tool to solve a particular problem?

If any has answered no to this then they don’t really work in our industry!

Energy-Saving Dampers Quality = Confidence.

Gain Peace-Of-Mind Knowing You Installed the Best.

Weirdest thing you have ever found in a chimney?

I pulled 32 frogs, in various stages of decomposition, off of a smoke shelf once.

What do you like to do outside of work?

There’s such a thing as outside of work!?! I spend most of my time doing whatever my 4 daughters and wife want to do.

What is, in your opinion, the most valuable part of being a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild?

The conventions, for sure!

Superior Design • Permanent Cast-Aluminum Construction • Easily Mounts Atop a Flue Tile • Silicone Rubber Prevents Energy Loss • Less Fraying Due to Larger Diameter Cables • Low Profile to Maintain the Authentic Look of the Chimney

Thanks, Corey! Do you know who should be the next featured member? Send your nominations to Annemarie Stockton at astockton@ncsg.org.

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S weeping | August | 2020

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Brittney Burton

Membership and Outreach Coordinator

T 28

he NCSG has officially gone paperless.

Our final paper communication went out on July 1st with our first round of membership renewal notices. One of our 2020 goals was to be more environmentally conscious in a way that makes the member experience smoother and more efficient. We could all use a little less clutter on our desks so let’s go paperless together!

Here are a few reasons to leave paper behind and go paperless with us: 1. Easier Billing & Contracting By sending invoices, proposals, and contracts digitally and accepting E-Signatures you can speed up your sales and billing processes. Clients won’t need access to a printer or need to put anything in the mail.

Everything can be

Membership Memo completed in seconds and contact free! Keep all these documents on a network or cloud that can be accessed from anywhere and you’ll always have that one document you need to reference at your fingertips.

2. More Accurate, Thorough, & Timely Inspections Create a digital form for all of your inspections and have them available immediately with no paperwork to keep track of or get ruined in the truck. Some software options even allow you to record, take photos with notes, and add date/time stamps.

3. Save Time, Save Money, & Be More Organized When you make all of your forms, documents, contracts, and proposals digital you no longer have to take them to the office, enter them into the system, or physically get copies to different individuals for processing. All of this can be done instantly.

You will save money by drastically decreasing printing costs, mailing costs, and office supply

S weeping | August | 2020

needs. Eliminating paperwork creates a more organized office space and removing those filing cabinets frees up more room for tools or inventory.

Here at the Tech Center, going paperless will speed up our processes and therefore reduce the time it takes us to deliver services to you. We will be saving time and resources so we can focus on providing the best services and benefits for all of our members.

Still want to pay by check?

No worries, just log in to your Members Only tab on the NCSG website, view and print your invoice, and mail it all in.

You may have already received our final paper communication but we won’t leave you hanging. Always keep an eye out for our emails and social media communications so we can stay active and connected to one another in real time.

How to Pay your NCSG Membership Invoice Online 1. Go to www.NCSG.org 2. Select Members Only Login in the top right corner 3. Type in your NCSG username and password (note: this is different than your individual CSIA login, if you currently hold CSIA certification) 4. Once you are logged in correctly, it will say your company name under the NCSG Members Only header 5. Under Quicklinks on the right, select Pay Your Bills 6. Select your open invoice 7. Enter your payment information then select Accept Payment(s) To watch a video tutorial, visit: bit.ly/ NCSGInvoiceOL

Roydhouse Round Up

by Chuck Roydhouse, CSIA President president@csia.org

“Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it’s less good than the one you had before. You can fight it, you can do nothing but scream about what you’ve lost, or you can accept that and try to put together something that’s good.”

- Elizabeth Edwards

Why Dryer Vent Cleaning & CDET Certification Is for You 80% of U.S. households have a clothes dryer. If you exclude apartments, the percentage rises to nearly 98%. So almost every one of your customers has a dryer vent. NFPA 211 14.2 states, “[a] vent shall be inspected yearly” and 10.7.3 provides inspection guidance. CSIA/Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician® credential (CDET) furnishes the knowledge base and practical hands on training to give you the required confidence to professionally fill your customer’s dryer vent service needs. We are after all the Chimney Safety Institute of America and Safety is our middle name!

Safety for the American consumer and safety for our credential holders. Moreover, we are also the Chimney Success Institute of America. We want our clients (you) to be successful in all endeavors. This includes financial success whether you are an employee or a business owner. We do business training to support your mission of having a fruitful operation. Since nearly all of your customers have clothes dryers, you should deliver this much needed service. Providing

yet another safety measure for your customers and home, lowering their energy costs by increasing dryer efficiency, while expanding your revenue stream as well. Do not miss this opportunity -offer CSIA/ CDET services. The average American family does 8-10 loads of laundry a week and conversely only 10% of U.S. households burn wood. You have a captive audience right in front of you. The average cost of dryer vent cleaning is similar to the average cost of a chimney sweeping. If you add one cleaning per day, 5 days a week, you would increase your revenue 25% per crew. Now that is real ROI. You need to go to www.CSIA.org right now and register for CDET training and certification.

5 Things to Know 1. Once certified, you never have to retake the exam 2. The credential is good for 3 years.

3. No annual maintenance fee.

4. Receive valuable referrals from both www.CSIA. org and www.DryerSafety.org.

5. To recertify, just take the online review.

3 Ways to Earn the Credential 1. 2 Day CSIA CDET Workshop -hands on and classroom training, review and exam 2. 1 Day CSIA CDET Review & Exam - extensive review of CDET Manual and Q&A opportunity.

3. On your own- complete the online review and pass the proctored exam.

Next CDET Workshop at the Tech Center 2 Day CDET Workshop October 7-8 at our national facility in beautiful Plainfield, Indiana.

CSIA is yet once again providing return on your investment with us by administering education, certification and business expansion with added ease of doing business with CSIA.

August 2020 ADVERTISEMENT

October 2019 Update Prior Training Structure Unfortunately Sweeps Week was cancelled this year due to Covid-19. Our work project this year was to build an addition to the Prior Training Structure to offer a gas fireplace service and change out station, a factory-built fireplace swap- out training area as well as a factory-built fireplace with numerous defects (Fireplace from Hell) for inspection training.

as I truly miss you all. I need me some Renee and Ronnie Bridgman with Ingrid and Chris Prior time being our ring masters.

Because this important training building construction had been scheduled, materials delivered and crews ready to work I decided to move forward with our timeline.

To comply with the State of Indiana’s Covid-19 sanitary and social distancing requirements we had to limit our crew size to less than 10.

Having such a small group work 12-14 hours day Sunday through Friday, we were worn to a nub. The good news is the facility is 90% complete with some minor finishing touches needed. Everyone contributed 110% and made a proud showing for CSIA. I want to thank everyone involved in this huge undertaking and especially give a big Thank You to our Executive Director and staff for sectioning off the building to separate the construction crew from office personnel, arranging for multiple hand washing stations, providing individually wrapped prepared food, as well as taking our temperatures each and every morning. Keeping the crew and staff safe was priority one. I will end on this note: As productive as our week was, nothing takes the place of Sweeps Week and I cannot wait until next year

CSIA is the standard of excellence in the chimney and venting industry.

August 2020

“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself-and be lenient to everybody else.” - Henry Ward Beecher

Connecticut Eric Gaucher Chimneys Plus Chimney Service Bethel Georgia Adam Burgamy Southern Chimneys LLC Atlanta Ben Hoppenbrouwer Southern Chimneys LLC Atlanta Idaho Troy Bussey All About Chimneys, Inc Sagle Rodney Morgan All About Chimneys, Inc Sagle

Chuck Roydhouse President CSIA

Illinois Michal Jarzabek American Heritage Fireplace Chicago Chris Urbaniak American Heritage Fireplace Chicago Massachusetts Michael Driscoll Horizon Chimney Services, Inc Franklin Maryland Ben Reza MCP Chimney & Masonry, Inc Damascus Logan Hurst Priddy Chimney Sweeps, LLC Derwood, MD Donald Hardy Priddy Chimney Sweeps, LLC Derwood, MD Michigan Brandon Bogard Top Hat Chimney & Vent Kingsley

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NEW CERTIFICATIONS Minnisota Cory Boyd Melcher’s Power Vac, a Schwickert’s Company Mankato Ross Stone The Chimney Pros, LLC Woodbury Missouri Brian Churn Archway Clean Sweep St. Louis North Carolina Kyle Lewis A Cleaner Chimney, LLC Winston-Salem New Hampshire Adam Richardson The Country Sweep Wolfeboro Falls Darren Ceaser Ceaser Chimney Service Manchester New Jersey James (Jim) Klongel Niche Home Inspections Washington New York Javier Acevedo Singer Energy Group Port Chester Reinaldo Colon Singer Energy Group Port Chester Ohio Ryan Chapin ARCO Roofing & Remodeling Middletown

Katie Harrison The Chimney Guys Pataskala

Troy Rozumek Sweepnman, Inc North Redding

Jesse Poole The Chimney Guys Pataskala

James Savarino Sweepnman, Inc North Redding

Oklahoma Christian Howell American Chimney & Masonry, Inc Norman

Michigan Glen Moore Dryer Vent Company Roseville

Austin Hudson Holy Smokes Chimney Sweep, LLC Lawton

North Carolina Frank Shepherd Carolina Certified Dryer Vent Cleaning Raleigh

Nathan Wright Hearth & Pool Services, LLC Tahlequah Pennsylvania Trevor Krauchak Top Cat Chimney Sweep and Service Collinsville Texas Cody McClurg Lords Chimney – A Division of Lords Services, LLC Houston Wisconsin Mark Rider Airtite Exteriors, LLC Wauwatosa

Alabama Kade Lancaster Top Hat Chimney Sweeps Opelika

John Midkiff ARCO Roofing & Remodeling Middletown

Massachusetts Megan Hughes Sweepnman, Inc North Redding

Zackery Dalton The Chimney Guys Pataskala

Roger Potter-Furey Sweepnman, Inc North Redding

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Vermont Joseph Johnson-Rector Brickliners Corp.

Williston

New Hampshire David Long Fireside Hearth & Leisure Lisbon

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August 2020

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S weeping | August | 2020

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Megan McMahon Executive Director

Around the Tech Center This past month, both the NCSG and CSIA boards were fortunate enough to meet in person for their strategic planning sessions. Exercising social distancing, the boards set goals for the next year to be able to best serve the industry! In addition, the board members took their respective oath of office and NCSG was finally able to officially seat our new Region 6 Director, Jesse Peralta!

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It is truly a privilege to work alongside a great group of dedicated individuals who come together for a common purpose; the betterment of the chimney and venting industry. Thank you all for your hard work!

In Case You

Missed

it‌

Join us for the 2020 SweepsStakes Contest!

Renewal season is here and so is our SweepsStakes contest! Beginning August 1, we will be picking NCSG members who have renewed their membership to win prizes daily. Prizes include items such as gift cards, home items, and even a free convention registration voucher! All you have to do to enter is renew your NCSG Membership for the next year. And the earlier you renew, the more chances you have to win! Join us on Facebook from August 1-30 at noon EST to find out who that day’s winner is!

Renew online at www.NCSG.org. If you need help with renewing online, watch our How To video bit.ly/NCSGInvoiceOL or give us a call in the office!

#NCSG2021 Call for Speakers The National Chimney Sweep Guild is now accepting speaker proposals for presentations at the NCSG 2021 National Convention, March 17-20 at the Potawatomi Hotel and Casino in Milwaukee, WI. We invite you to share your knowledge with your peers in the industry by presenting a session. We are especially looking to offer more technical seminars next year.

Apply today at www.NCSGConvention.org!

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CHIMNEY SWEEP & REPAIR COMPANY FOR SALE Central/Northern Virginia Established 1981 2017 revenue: $ 1,009,000.00 2018 revenue: $ 1,083,000.00 2019 revenue: $ $1,266,214.03 EBITDA: $272,704.29 All equipment and vehicles convey Operations and management staff to remain Turn-key operation Secure long-term lease for offices and warehouse Owner financing with 25% down Sale price: $ 475,000.00

CLASSIFIED ADS FREE FOR NCSG MEMBERS Members can run one 35-word classified free each year! Regular classified ads are $2/word or $1/ word for NCSG members. Classified ads are noncommissionable and must be pre-paid. To place a classified ad, please contact Natalie Spruell at nspruell@ncsg.org or 317-837-1500.

Call 540-272-3485

S weeping | August | 2020

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Darwin Award See a chimney in your area that had you scratching your head? Send it to the editor, Annemarie Stockton at astockton@ncsg.org for publication in Sweeping. Include a few words about the scene and location.

So there’s a bit of a clearance problem.

But wait, there’s more!

The stove stands on dry stacked brick over carpet. It gets better!

The connector is dumping directly into the smoke chamber of the fireplace located on the other side of the wall. That’s not all! The back wall of the smoke chamber is only 4 inches thick masonry touching the back of the wood paneling that the stove connector is also touching. Fortunately, neither the stove nor the fireplace had been used.

Jason Clough 21st Century Chimney Sweep Lawrence, KS

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S weeping | August | 2020

We are ready for the busy SEASON! Are you?

National Chimney has remained open and safe during COVID-19, and proud to say without any layoffs.

We are fully operational and stocked to better serve you.

800.897.8481

nationalchimneystore.com