Check-in & Buffet Breakfast

Opportunity to network, visit exhibitor booths and enjoy a complimentary buffet breakfast.

Welcome/Intro

Review of the day's agenda and meeting logistics.

Keynote Presentation

Managing the Rapids of Change

Presenter:
Mark Matteson

One of the most important factors for long-term business success, especially in the contracting industry, is the ability to adapt to change. Whether it is the current market conditions, emerging technologies, evolving regulations or new business best practices, your company's future success relies on your ability to embrace the changes that are happening every day within the industry. With that said, dealing with change begins with you and learning techniques from national best-selling author and leading industry consultant Mark Matteson can help you manage the change that is swirling around us. Whether you are a manager, sales rep, director, business owner, educator or frontline staffer, you will walk away from this powerful 90-minute keynote presentation with new ideas on how to:

• Work smarter, not harder, to achieve the results that matter most.
• Stop procrastinating and get more of the right things done.
• Do "first things first", one thing at a time and finish what you start.
• Be a peak performer: think differently and soar.

Presentation

College Level Education for the Contracting Professional

Presenter:
Mike Robinson or Weldon Long

Every now and then something comes along that changes the way we do things. The iPod changed the way we listen to music. Email changed the way we communicate. EGIA is changing the way you build your contracting business and grow your income through the groundbreaking EGIA Contractor University. EGIA Contractor University is the most comprehensive and systematic way to develop business skills and develop your team to drive revenue, increase profits and create the business you've been dreaming about.

We have assembled the most experienced and dynamic faculty ever put together to cover virtually every topic related to operating a successful contracting business in today's marketplace, such as: Finance and Accounting, Pricing Strategies, Sales and Marketing, CSR Call Taking, Operational Excellence, Business Leadership and more. During this presentation, you'll learn how EGIA Contractor University is revolutionizing education in the industry with our unique blend of online and classroom programs, as well as our dollar for dollar investment match that only EGIA, the nation's leading nonprofit contractor association dedicated to contractors' success, can deliver.

Break

Opportunity to network and visit exhibitor booths.

Breakout Sessions

OPTION 1:

Home Automation: Grab Your Customers Before Google Does

Presenter:
Drew Cameron

Learn how to take the lead in your market on the exciting new world of Home Automation. Drew will share with you the product sales and recurring monthly opportunities to grow your business. 65% of homeowners say they are interested in Smart Home technology; 88% want a single app; 83% want professional installation; and 93% want comfort and savings. HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical and Home Performance contractors are in the best position to fill this need since they service the connected devices. Don't let this opportunity fall to the big box retailers, the phone, cable, security companies, or online home services lead aggregators.

Learning objectives:

• Help homeowners make sense of the confusing world of products with common language so they discover the REAL value proposition and why they NEED to buy now.
• Discover the product sales and recurring monthly opportunities to grow your business and profits.
• Bind your customers to you forever, eliminate competition, cross-promote all your services, and expand into other services your customers want, need, and want to buy from you.

OPTION 2:

Marketing Schmarketing

Presenter:
Elaina Burdick

Let's face it folks, HVAC is not a "sexy" industry (consumers get excited about buying iPads® and granite countertops – not heat pumps), so we need to be especially strategic about how we market ourselves.

Too often contractors engage in "reactive" marketing: the radio station rep tells you what an amazing deal they have if you buy a package today, or the SEO company rep scares you into thinking that you need to be number 1 in the internet search results if you want to stay in business. Or your territory manager tells you on December 1st that you need to use your marketing co-op dollars by the end of the year, or you'll lose them.

If you've tried marketing your company without an annual marketing plan, or you've found yourself rushing to place an ad because your competition is, then you are reacting. Typically, the result of reactive marketing is a lot of dollars spent, with little to no ROI. HVAC marketing works best when it's proactive, strategic and repetitive. Take your service company to the next level with a solid, strategic, marketing plan. Effective marketing of a service company follows fundamental rules, and we'll discuss them in this session.

• Learn the 7 steps to appropriate HVAC marketing
• Understand the importance of branding
• Avoid reactive marketing
• Discuss fundamentals of an effective website
• Learn how to spend advertising dollars wisely – not spend more of them

OPTION 3:

Making More and KEEPING More of Your Hard Earned Money!

Presenter:
Gary Elekes

Recognized industry thought-leader Gary Elekes will overview and demonstrate the new EGIA online comprehensive library of training and implementation resources for contractors. With over 17 years of "hands on" development and proven field success in businesses from $300,000 to $30,000,000+, this new EGIA business evaluation toolset, along with fully developed step-by-step implementation methodologies, will help you KEEP MORE OF YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY through greater profitability! During this powerful 90 minute breakout session, you will:

• Discover the most underperforming areas of your company
• Learn to set goals and prioritize those goals
• See the online materials available at your fingertips to achieve those goals

OPTION 4:

Finding & Retaining Your Most Important Investment – Your People

Presenter:
JC Shore

In a healthy market environment, even well-established contractors find it difficult to retain their employees, whether field technicians, sales staff, or office support personnel. In an accelerating economy, the challenge becomes even more difficult. EGIA surveys of company owners and executives from within our network show that the number one factor limiting growth today is an inability to find and retain the staff necessary to enable expansion.

These same owners/executives logically assume that the driver behind this market dynamic is the economy; a tight labor market means a tough and competitive hiring process. While this thought process is fair, it’s not entirely perfect. As a leader of your organization, there are non-negotiable steps you should take to change these dynamics and tilt the odds in your favor. In this session, we’ll discuss these steps and encourage a new way to think about and prioritize your most important asset – your talent.

Learning objectives:

• Understand why people work and how to build a culture of true empowerment
• Get real-world examples of how to source, identify and close the best candidates
• Learn motivation techniques based upon job type, and how to set expectations that will fire up your staff
• Learn how to implement a simple performance management & compensation review process

OPTION 5:

How to Be a Profit-Making, Cash-Flowing Financial Superstar!

Presenter:
Ellen Rohr

From "The Plumber's Wife" to the president of ZOOM DRAIN franchising, Ellen Rohr has lived and learned what it takes to create cash and profits in our industries. Ellen says, "It's easy to be a Superstar Financial Manager. Create a compelling game and keep score. Invite your team to play, and they will fix everything." Her interactive breakout session will focus on Making Money…

• The REAL reason you aren't as successful as you would like to be. Oooh, this is some tough love.
• How to make money every month. It takes offense, defense and a willingness to let go of what (and who) doesn't work.
• The 3 minute budget. No-fuss goal setting.
• The FEW numbers that make ALL the difference. The simpler you make your financial systems, the more money and cash you can make.
• No arguments reporting. End the never-caught-up accounting excuses.
• How to open the books. Do's and Don'ts for getting your team in on the game.
• "If I were a rich man…" What a day, week, month, year in the life of a Contracting Superstar looks like!
• Building wealth. There are only 4 ways to grow your assets…and two of them stink.

BONUS! Ellen will share her one-page financial report – The Financial Quick Check – the key to better, faster, more profitable decisions!

This is NOT dry-as-dust accounting. This is "street smart" strategy for creating real wealth in business. You won't learn this in college.

OPTION 6:

How to Enjoy a 75% Close Ratio; Sales Success Strategies

Presenter:
Mark Matteson

Just what do the very best sales professionals do? How would you like to consistently enjoy a 75% close ratio and become the top producer in your company or region? Sales is an art AND a science. You need both to lead the field. During this breakout session, national best-selling author and leading industry consultant Mark Matteson will uncover the common denominators of sales success and provide you with the tools you need to close more sales and be more profitable. You'll discover:

• Why qualifying your prospects is key and what strategies are effective for doing so
• Five closes that flat out work
• How to develop "breakthrough relationships" and "endless referrals"
• The #1 business skill no one talks about

Breakout Session

All breakout sessions are repeated.

Break/Transition

Opportunity to network, visit the exhibitor booths and move back to the main ballroom.

Presentation

U.S. & Global Economic Outlook

Presenter:
Anika R. Khan or Mark Vitner

There is no doubt about it, the overall success of the home improvement industry will always be closely tied to the state of the current economy. In most cases, a contracting business's long-term financial stability relies on their ability to adjust their overall strategy based on current market conditions. While remaining versatile is key, so is having an understanding of the changing economic landscape and being prepared for the future. During this presentation, Senior Economists from Wells Fargo will provide a detailed look at the current state of the US economy and provide an outlook for what the future holds as it relates to overall economic growth, inflation, interest rates, energy prices and local economic conditions.

Reception

Complimentary open bar (beer, wine & spirits) and Hors d'oeuvres will be served. This will be another great opportunity to network and visit the exhibitor booths.

Continental Breakfast

Opportunity to network, visit exhibitor booths and enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast.

Keynote Presentation

Business Un-Complicated: How to Get What You Want out of Business and Life

Presenter:
Ellen Rohr

Are you making things too complicated? Discover how to simplify and amplify your business and UN-leash your life.

Ellen Rohr suggests, "We are too old to waste time. You can't work twice as hard to be more successful. Instead, intensify your focus and take fewer, faster steps!"

In this lively Keynote, we'll explore a simple, six-step approach to UN-planning…

• Set Sight. Who do you want to be…and why? Time to ask the BIG questions!
• Build the Team. End the "I can't find good people" problem.
• Make Money. There are only a few numbers that matter. Quit making it so hard!
• Get it Sold. How to create a sales-focused culture…without insulting your soul.
• Get it Done. Developing sure-fire systems for getting stuff done.
• Make Sure. When is enough enough? What does the finish line look like?

BONUS! Ellen will share the #1 most powerful time-saver she's uncovered in over 20 years of in-the-trenches contracting.

In 90 minutes, you could have a whole new business strategy! Ready to shake things up? Why not!

Break/Transition

Opportunity to network, visit the exhibitor booths and move to breakout rooms.

Breakout Sessions

All breakout sessions are repeated.

Lunch

Complimentary boxed lunch, an opportunity to network and visit exhibitor booths.

SEO & SEM: Better Together

Presenter:
Nadia Romeo, CEO of iMarket Solutions

In this digital age, mobile has taken over the consumer journey, making the path to purchase more complex. Understanding the full digital strategy is so important to establishing a company’s identity and how it can work in tandem with SEO. Learn how pairing SEO & SEM together can make the most out of your brand in order to take full advantage of Search through incremental click volume.

• Pair SEO & SEM in order to take full advantage of Search through incremental click volume.
• Prioritize mobile and build a clear strategy in order to keep current customers and gain new ones.
• Make the most out of your brand real estate and be present for both brand and non-brand queries.

How to Crush Revenue Goals with Data-Driven Marketing

Presenter:
Ian Simpson, Director of Alliances for ServiceTitan

Marketing used to be simple - we paid for a yellow pages ad and leads came in. Today there are hundreds of channels to invest your marketing dollars in. Do you feel like you're throwing darts at the wall to determine where to spend your money? Ian will show you how to get out of that pattern and use data-driven marketing to strategically plan your campaigns, choose your opportunities, and drive new sales.

• Understand the implications of not using data driven marketing
• Develop a framework for thinking about data-driven marketing
• Take the initial steps to start gathering the right data right now
• Gain practical applications that you can start using right away