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Monthly Professionals Update
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April 2017
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Many business owners strive to be more successful, but often lose track of key goals in the heat of the season. This year, commit to a strategy that will help you improve your net profit as you go:
Tip 1:
Find better customers and projects. Referral customers are generally the most profitable. Plan referral marketing and follow-up fast on sales opportunities from referrals.
Tip 2: Stop cutting your price to win work or "be nice". There's plenty of work out there, so don't drop price because you're nervous or you're trying to win a new friend. You owe your clients a great job, not a great job at a giveaway price.
Tip 3: Stop using lousy subcontractors or suppliers. You risk your productivity and your reputation by cutting corners with second-rate business partners. Avoid potential issues and losses by choosing wisely.
Tip 4: Stop giving away extras. Demanding customers are good at covering you with special requests. Be sure you are recording these and charging for them. Do not allow your team members to give extra services for free. That's your decision as an owner.
Take action to get the results you need and you deserve. Let us know how we can help.
The Team at CPS Distributors
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New Extended Hours for Spring and Summer
 CPS spring and summer hours will begin on Monday, April 3rd. Extended hours provide you with more flexibility to pick-up materials on your way to the job site.
We will be open Saturdays beginning on April 8th.
Visit us 7:00am to 4:30pm Monday - Friday
8:00am to NOON on Saturdays
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CPS Spring Fling - Record Attendance!
CPS would like to extend a heartfelt "Thank You" to everyone that attended and presented at our event. This year, we had a record number of attendees at Spring Fling on the trade show floor and in our classrooms. We were also blessed with another warm and sunny day, setting the stage for a great 2017 landscape season.
Click here for a slideshow of images from the event
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 Dave was awarded posthumously The Stanley J. Brown Associate Member Distinguished Service Award for 2016 at the ALCC Elite Awards Reception on March 29, 2017.
Established in 2008, the Stanley J. Brown Associate Member Distinguished Service Award is presented to an individual associate member who has helped make the industry more professional; or promoted professionalism to the public and other industry stakeholders; has held a variety of volunteer positions in ALCC; is known for outstanding association service and the contribution of ideas, programs, and/or educational endeavors; and who has been a loyal supporter of ALCC and Colorado's landscape industry.
Accepting the award on behalf of Dave Nelson were l
eft to right - Lowell Kaufhold, Patti Nelson (Dave's wife), Cathy Smith (Dave's sister) and Pat Nelson (Dave's Son)
Click Here to donate to the Dave Nelson Scholarship Fund
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NIBCO 2Q Economic Forecast for Contractors
 This quarter's forecast points out that forward-thinking contractors should grow sales and profits in 2017.
Leading industry supplier NIBCO has commissioned nationally-recognized economist Andrew Duguay to provide us with regional forecasts specifically targeted to the landscape and irrigation professional.
Click here to review the report PDF
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| Must Have Problem Solver for Electrical Problems
Need to work around bad or broken field wires without digging up an entire landscape? Now you can control 2 valves with only one good wire pair with Add-A-Zone.
Exclusive features:
- Both valves connected to Add-A-Zone are independently timed and controlled.
- The two valves can be set to separate watering schedules and programs in the controller.
- No disruption of the landscape to repair problems.
Solve these problems:
- Divide existing zones stations with a new valve to correct pressure problems. Permits the addition of an additional valve to systems that have an open station on the controller.
- Work around broken field wires and maintain full system functionality.
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Bull BBQ - The Story Behind the Industry's Best
 In 1992, Mark Nureddine & his partner began with an idea to develop a business creating the deliverable "Outdoor Kitchen Concept" out of their garage. Today, over 23 years later, Bull Outdoor Products Inc. has grown immensely, and reached widespread prominence in the grilling industry.
Of the many reasons for Bull's success is that they have thoroughly researched the grill industry to bring to the consumer products that are 'second to none!' Bull's AWARD WINNING GRILLS are designed engineered and master crafted with the finest materials available. All of the grills are CSA Gas Certified.
Bull's research in the grill industry has become even more cutting-edge, utilizing engineering experts at California Polytechnic to create the new ReliaBULL technology. Typical grills feature unpredictable heating across the surface. New ReliaBULL technology was created to eliminate uneven heating on your grill, making your outdoor grilling experience extraordinary. With its superior products, facilities, and team, Bull pioneered the concept of outdoor barbecue islands, recognizing the need for backyard barbecue enthusiasts to bring their grilling talents to match those of professional chefs!
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 Atlantic Water Gardens University
Atlantic Water Gardens University is a free online educational resource that offers great information on all aspects of water features for every audience, from beginning waterscapers to seasoned professionals with years of experience.
AWG is divided into four Colleges - Construction, Pumps, Filtration, and Biology - which in turn are organized into Departments or categories of
water feature information, each with levels from beginner to advanced. For example, in the College of Construction, students can choose from Departments of Ponds, Pond-free, or Decorative
Water Features, then dig into basic definitions and types, compare advantages of different styles, examine equipment in depth, then find step-by-step instructions that outline actual construction.
After finishing each section, students are encouraged to test themselves and are awarded a Certificate of Completion after passing the final examination of each College.
Atlantic Water Gardens University is constantly adding information. Recently added, a new Business College with information on estimating costs, time to construct, materials, along with updates to existing colleges.
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Toro Introduces WiFi Enabled Controllers
 Toro introduces SMRT Logic™ and SMRTscape™ for mobile landscape control anywhere, anytime.
SMRT Logic works in harmony with the SMRTscape app to enable mobile wireless control of irrigation systems, outdoor lighting and more using a smart phone, tablet or PC.
Installation is easy. Simply plug in the SMRT Logic device and let it sync to the cloud-based SMRTscape app. SMRT Logic uses proprietary RF technology to securely access irrigation system information from SMRTscape. This technology allows the device to operate at a range up to three times greater than other "wi-fi" irrigation systems. It also means that SMRT Logic does not need to tap into a homeowner wi-fi network, so there is never a need to share private network passwords or passkeys with the contractor or landscape service provider. Contractors can operate the system on a homeowner's behalf and the owner's network remains secure.
Even more convenient,
SMRT Logic works with new or existing Toro® EVOLUTION®, TMC-424, TMC-212 and Custom Command Controllers, as well as Irritrol® Kwik Dial®, Rain Dial® and Total Control®. Therefore, contractors can stick with a proven professional irrigation controller that they know and trust. A single account on SMRTscape can control up to 10 different locations with multiple irrigation and landscape control devices at each location, making SMRT Logic one of the most economical and versatile mobile landscape control units on the market.
The SMRTscape companion app is available for Android and iOS devices. It can also be accessed at
SMRTscape.com. The program allows users to enter information about a property's irrigation system, upload photos, customize settings, and then manipulate the irrigation program.
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LASCO Tip: Why Do Threaded Connections Fail?
 In this helpful technical article from Lasco Fittings, discover the forces that cause failure in threaded pipe connections and how to take steps to control them in your installations.
Click here to download the full article PDF
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