Michelle Cramer

Joined April 23, 2020

Articles 89

📩

Is Instagram insta-good?

By Michelle Cramer
Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Instagram — the internet is crawling with social interaction between consumers and businesses. With so many platforms available, it can be hard to determine whether one is a viable option for your showroom over another. Instagram’s 700 million active monthly users make it a force to be reckoned with, and moreso…

Sale Away

By Michelle Cramer
Because the sale is the fundamental building block for business success, sales teams are critical to the company, says Mario Rossetti, owner of business consulting firm Rossetti Enterprises. “As the old saying goes, ‘Ain’t nothing happening until something’s sold,’ ” he adds. Mike Logan, owner of Logan Pools in Brentwood, California, and a Certified Business…

Guard the Pool

By Michelle Cramer
Chemical sanitizers will continue to generate sales for the foreseeable future, however, an ever increasing number of pool owners are concerned about chlorine exposure—over 80 percent according to Darren Hickman, CEO of Card on Guard, a floating, solar-based method of oxidizing pool bacteria. And that’s exactly the motivation behind Card on Guard’s development. Released in…

Shotcrete Shock

By Michelle Cramer
William Drakeley grew up in the pool business. As a child, he would pick up garbage on the job site, following around the shotcrete crews. He finished school and became a banker, but he hated staying inside. So he worked for a few family pool companies and then, in 2000, started Drakeley Pool Company in…

Rebar Placement

By Michelle Cramer
Rebar, or reinforced steel poles, are a vital structural element of a pool. They are used to support the concrete, which would move and break if set against soil alone. Pool construction crews must place each steel bar and drop of concrete with precision to avoid future structural problems. The tendency is to lay rebar…

Preppers

By Michelle Cramer
Preparedness is the way of the successful businessperson, whether it be for risky situations, the off-season or even an unexpected influx of customers. Activity starts around February for Nicholas Pools, Inc. in New Jersey, though it’s part-time work in the beginning. “We begin preparing for construction — submit permits, get mark outs, order pool kits…

Millennial Recruitment

By Michelle Cramer
Baby boomers are retiring, and millennials are entering the work force in droves. However, posting a general job listing may not be enough to get applicants, and millennials are a special breed when it comes to retention. The benefits of employing a younger generation make it worth a little extra effort. Benefits David Williams, CEO…

All-Around Guy

By Michelle Cramer
John Oldfield started small. After working two years for his father-in-law Dick Nichols, owner of San Jose, California–based Genie Pool & Spa Service, Oldfield purchased seven pool-service accounts from him in 2005. “There’s not a better guy to get your feet wet with,” Oldfield says of Nichols. “You couldn’t ask for a better mentor or…

Email Marketing 101 — Monetization

By Michelle Cramer
What good is investing in an email marketing campaign if you don’t see a lucrative return on that investment? Depending on emails as the only way to reach prospects will limit their effectiveness. Most people don’t do any follow-up on email campaigns, says Allison Reynolds, co-founder of and email campaign manager for The Get Smart…

The Business of Sand Filtration

By Michelle Cramer
Because of affordability and effectiveness, sand filters are among the more popular pool filtration options for consumers, removing dirt as small as 20-40 microns. As a pool professional, there are a few tricks to cleaning sand filters properly, and some choices when it comes to the quality of sand used. Heschmeyer Pools in Leawood, Kansas,…

Email Marketing 101 — Get Opened

By Michelle Cramer
Previously, we touched on the first step to getting potential customers to read your email marketing campaign: avoiding the spam folder. The subject line and preheader text are vitally important to deliverability, but there’s more. Allison Reynolds, co-founder of The Get Smart Group marketing firm, oversees email marketing campaigns for its clients. She says the…

You’re Fired

By Michelle Cramer
One of the less appealing aspects of running a business is firing employees. Not only can the confrontation be risky, but there is also the chance the employee will pursue a wrongful-termination lawsuit. However, the right steps can ensure you can not only let the employee go with professionalism and respect, but also protect your…