When it comes to humidity control products, how can contractors effectively convince consumers to purchase humidifiers and dehumidifiers? Everyone knows that these products aren’t necessities like furnaces and air conditioners.

What was, isn’t anymore. Why do I begin this article with a completely undiagrammable sentence? Because most things in business now aren’t following diagrams either.

The results are in and the news is good — the post-recession era for HVAC contractors has been a bright spot, at least for the first half of 2011.

Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) announced North American HVACR average distributor sales for June 2011 were up 6.8 percent from the same month last year, nearly identical to May’s results.

Everyone has been challenged (more than once) to prove why their product is better. When customers ask “why?” they really want to know: What’s in it for me?

For real-time access to key sales information through a smartphone or tablet computer, a mobile-optimized version of the online Partner Portal has been introduced.

Sometimes you may have to play mediator and ask tough questions to get homeowners communicating with each other about a furnace, an air conditioner, or a necessary plumbing repair when they can’t even agree on what’s for dinner. That’s allowing yourself to get naked with homeowners.

A cautious thinker is a person who agonizes over a buying decision, especially if there is a significant dollar amount at stake. One of the most challenging situations for a cautious thinker is when they are forced to make a decision prior to completing their psychological process. I encountered one of these situations recently.

The Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) announced North American HVACR average distributor sales for November 2011 were down 1.7 percent from the same month last year. The dip is the first such decline since October 2010.