<strong>Happy Holidays everyone!</strong>

<strong> </strong>As we look forward to the New Year, it can be a great time to step back and take a look at your current marketing plan.  Which of your efforts last year produced results, and which turned out to be less than successful?  Until you quantify these results, it can be difficult to know where to keep spending your marketing dollars.  Will there be new opportunities or threats in your local market? Whether the change is legislative, competitive, or economic - how will the playing field change and will you be prepared for it when it does?

Now that you have determined your current marketing plan's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats - it's time to use that information to increase awareness of your business, and get in the forefront of consumers' minds.

The Northeast Spa and Pool Association (NESPA) recently published an article in its quarterly magazine, The Edge, with a listing of 28 simple ways you can increase visibility in your local markets.  Though some of the list (which can be found <a>here</a>) isn't applicable unless you have a retail store, here are a few of our favorites that definitely apply to your business:
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>#2 -</strong> Promote the swimming season and summer fun early in 2012. People like hearing good news, and summer and swimming are good news.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>#5 -</strong> Follow up with a customer once the sale is made. Call them and ask them how they like their system.  Are they satisfied?  Any questions? (Try <strong>#26</strong> here - "Send a handwritten thank you notes to your customers - they love to feel special.")</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>#10 - </strong>Get your website listed on <a>Google Places for Business</a>. It can generally land you a prime spot on page one of Google's results, when local pool owners type in words like "solar pool heating" or "pool heaters."  This can end up saving you a bundle in pay-per-click ads, also.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>#13 -</strong> Promote your expertise by writing articles in your local media and speak at local schools and camps promoting solar and energy savings.  In other words, become the local expert everyone comes to with questions about solar.</p>
The tweaks you make to your plan today, will determine how well-positioned your business is in 2012.  After all, the spring season is right around the corner!

<strong> </strong>

<strong>Master Dealer Kick-Off Meetings</strong>

A formal announcement will be sent out shortly for the Eastern Regional Master Dealer Kick-off meeting in January.  It will take place in Orlando, FL at the Holiday Inn Main Gate East in Kissimmee, FL.  The meeting will be taking place on the afternoon of January 20th.

The Western Kick-off meeting will be taking place in San Diego at the Holiday Inn Downtown on the afternoon of February 9th.

A reception and awards dinner will follow each meeting.

Now for the numbers - congratulations to <strong>Stilwell Solar</strong> who claimed the top dealer spot two months in a row with 196 collectors installed for November.  What a fantastic month for Bill Long and his team! <strong>Mark Naylor Solar Specialists</strong> came in 2nd with 189 collectors - great job!  An impressive 3rd place finish goes to <strong>Central Florida Solar</strong> with 105 collectors for November.  Nice job, Bill.

<strong>Mark Naylor</strong><strong> from Mark Naylor Solar Specialists</strong> is the top salesman in the country with 25 sales for November.  Congratulations Mark! <strong>Bill Long and Scott Bologna from Stilwell Solar</strong> tied for 2nd place with 24 sales each for November. So close Bill and Scott, great finish to November.  Coming in 3rd for the month of November is <strong>Bill Park from Central Florida Solar</strong>.  Well done, Bill!

I'd like to wish you all a fabulous holiday season with your friends and families!  We thank you for your continued relationship with Aquatherm and appreciate your business. Here's to a strong start to 2012!

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