I shouldn’t be surprised that as we approach Election Day the mudslinging increases and the negative campaigning and name-calling continues to overshadow the “real issues” and platforms of the major political parties.

Recognition is a key component in any business, whether it is recognition of a business owner for community service or an employee who exhibits outstanding job performance. Having that recognition is very important, but knowing how to use it is just as important for business owners who seek a marketing edge.

An HVACR contractor has experienced 100 percent growth in the past year despite an economy in flux. While many businesses have struggled to stay above water and many others have drowned, Joe Huck of Williams Comfort Air, Carmel, Ind., has gone against the grain and experienced phenomenal growth from 2007 to 2008.

A new organization has been formed to give HVACR contractors more of a say in their own success by promoting private label brand equipment. The Retail Contractor Coalition (RCC) was established earlier this year and is now accepting contractor members.

An idea occurred to me; why not bump up the price of a service agreement to include two more filter clean/changes every year? That would mean four visits to the home and the opportunity to sell additional products or services during the visits. Voila! I struck pay dirt. Or did I?

Billboard advertising is viable for businesses looking to send a simple visual message that can be read in a matter of seconds. The NEWS recently ran an online survey featuring 16 different billboard designs created by HVACR contractors. We asked respondents to pick the three that would be the most eye-catching to a consumer.

The other day I opened up my sock drawer and saw several orphan socks. But it got me thinking: Do you have time to sort socks, er, sort your inventory?

Two events recently happened that reinforced my belief that my job, my profession, and the trade I serve are just secondary plateaus in life. There is one thing that is more important - and that is life itself.

If you have ever used a layaway plan to purchase merchandise, raise your hand. Buying via layaway remains a viable option for many consumers. How about layaway for HVAC?

How do you replace an aging 1.8 million Btu boiler with a more efficient system, capable of reducing natural gas consumption by up to 60 percent? Not a problem if you have the expertise and know-how of someone like Bob Pietrangelo and his staff at K. E. Seifert Inc., Langhorne, Pa.