what's next for social media?

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Solid Surface on Wheels Page 16 Understanding ADA Page 20 Is Your Shop Safe and Compliant? Page 31 NEW Rules of Selling in the NEW Economy Page 32 Volume 4 • Issue 4 • sIngle Issue $14.95 A Look at soapstone for surfacing Page 24

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Page 1: What's next for Social Media?

Solid Surface on Wheels Page 16

Understanding ADA Page 20

Is Your Shop Safe and Compliant? Page 31

NEW Rules of Selling in the NEW Economy Page 32

Volume 4 • Issue 4 • sIngle Issue $14.95

A Look at soapstone for surfacing Page 24

Page 2: What's next for Social Media?

4 • Vol. 4 / Issue 4 • International Surface Fabricators Association

Letters to the EditorCountertops & Architectural Surfaces welcomes Letters to the Editor. If you have questions about the magazine, or would like to make a comment, or voice an opinion about the magazine, ISFA, or the industry in general, please feel free to write to us.

Please send letters to [email protected] or to Letters, ISFA, 165 N 1330 W Unit A3, Orem, UT 84057 or fax to (801) 341-7361 attention: Editor. Include a telephone number and address (preferable email address). Letters may be edited for clarity or space. Because of the high volume of mail we receive, we cannot respond to all letters. Send queries about Countertops & Architectural Surfaces to [email protected] or mail to ISFA, 165 N 1330 W Unit A3, Orem, UT 84057 or fax to (801) 341-7361 attention: Editor. Contacting ISFAPhone: (801) 341-7360Toll Free: (877) 464-7732Fax: (801) [email protected]

About this MagazineCountertops & Architectural Surfaces is published quarterly by theInternational Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA), with a fifth “Buyers Guide” issue publishing in August. Individual copies of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces are available at the non-member “newsstand” price of $14.95. Countertops & Architectural Surfaces is also available by individual subscription at the following rates: ISFA non-members, one year (five issues) $30.00; ISFA members, one year free with every membership renewal.

Special rates and charges apply for orders outside of the United States. Call for details. To subscribe, call (877) 464-7732. Printed in the United States of America. Copyright © International Surface Fabricators Association 2011. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without publisher’s written permission. Countertops & Architectural Surfaces and The International Surface Fabricators Association assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.

Materials will be returned only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. For change of address, please include old label with new information, including both old and new zip codes. Allow 3-6 weeks for address change to take effect. Periodicals postage rate is paid at the Lehi, Utah, post office as well as others. Opinions expressed by writers in this magazine are not necessarily the opinions of Countertops & Architectural Surfaces or the International Surface Fabricators Association, but rather those of the individual writers.

Postmaster: Send address change to Countertops & Architectural Surfaces magazine, 165 N. 1330 W., Unit A3, Orem, UT 84057.

Photography Photos in this publication may not depict proper safety procedures for creative purposes. ISFA and Countertops & Architectural Surfaces support the use of proper safety procedures in all cases and urge readers to take steps to institute such procedures.

Photography/graphics provided by: Rosskopf & Partner, Chuck Sawyer, the U.S. Access Board, The Artisan Group and J&M Lifestyles.

Magazine CreditsPublisher & Editor: Kevin ColeProofreader: Nancy Mueller-TruaxContributing Editor: Russ Lee Design: Velasco & Associates

ISFA Officers of the BoardRuss Berry, PresidentMike Langenderfer, Vice PresidentJoe Hoffman, SecretaryDave Paxton, TreasurerHunter Adams, Immediate Past President

ISFA DirectorsMike Nolan, DirectorMartin Funck, Director Jon Blasius, DirectorChristina Humiston, Director Michael Bustin, Director Mark Anderson, Associate Member Rep. Michael Astill, Associate Member Rep.

ISFA StaffKevin Cole, Communications Director Paul Wisnefski, Sales AssociateMeg Pettingill, Administrative Assistant

Cover PhotoWhile not the most common stone for surfacing applications, soapstone makes for beautiful and functional countertops, as is witnessed by this photo provided by The Artisan Group. Read the full story on Page 24.

CREDITS

Page 3: What's next for Social Media?

6 • Vol. 4 / Issue 4 • International Surface Fabricators Association

CONTENTSFeatures16 Solid Surface on WheelsGerman fabricator Rosskopf & Partner has done it again with the help of design firm Linie Zweii in giving a beautiful solid surface makeover to a Heilbronn-based bookmobile.

20 Understanding ADAAn overview of the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act as it pertains to decorative surfacing.

24 A Look at Soapstone for SurfacingWhile soapstone is not for everyone or for every design, this natural stone possesses several advantages that make it a viable competitor of more traditional countertop materials.

28 J&M Lifestyles ProfileNew Jersey-based J&M Lifestyles is a maker of concrete surfacing products that breaks all the molds.

31 Is Your Shop Safe and Compliant?If you are ignoring your legal requirement to have a Safety/HAZCOM program, be sure you know the costs before you make such a potentially costly decision.

32 NEW Rules of Selling in the NEW EconomyLet’s face it — selling in the new economy is tough. All the rules have changed. Those who won’t adapt and become better at sales will most likely not survive.

Departments 8 From the Editor

10 President’s Letter

11 Calendar Of Events

12 Industry News

14 Education Connection

15 Shop Management Matters

34 ISFA Fabricator Directory

40 ISFA News

44 Product News

49 Reader Service Form

50 Classifieds/Ad Index

16

20

24

28 31

Page 4: What's next for Social Media?

ISFA MEMBERSHIP

Itʼs more than just learning how to be more profitable, saving money on the bottom line

and getting great referrals and discounts.

Call ISFA today and find out how to make your world a better place.

Toll Free: (877) 464-7732www.ISFAnow.org

Page 5: What's next for Social Media?

International Surface Fabricators Association • Vol. 4 / Issue 4 • 15

In a previous article, “Using Social Networking to

your advantage,” I encouraged folks to get onboard with social media. The results have been outstanding! Many have made YouTube videos, started a Facebook page and learned how to tweet. It takes some effort, but when you think about it, what choice do you have? This is how businesses are getting messages out, so if you’re not in, you’re going to be out.

Social media is more like a salesperson than ever. Here’s a little experiment. Go to a job-seeking site like indeed.com and type in the job description “social media manager.” It seems like everyone is looking for one. Why? Social media brings in sales. So the old excuse “I don’t have time for this” just doesn’t hold water. You need social media. If managed correctly, it will play a key role within your company for years to come.

Let’s look at some current sites more closely:

TwitterI love Twitter; I can’t get enough of it. In fact, I have a separate monitor on my desk that runs an app called Tweetdeck all day. I can watch posts of those I follow and monitor the solid surface world. Being informed enables me to help my company succeed. You can do the same.

Using Twitter helps build up your networking. Twitter has helped me establish contacts all across the United States and the world. I’m not only gaining experience from others, but building the company brand and finding leads, tweet by tweet.

Something really cool has developed from Twitter called Tweet chats (tweetchat.com). Using hashtags you can find specific topics to connect with people talking about the same thing. One that I particularly like is held every Wednesday from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST called Kitchen&Bath Chat (#kbtribechat). Each week kitchen and bath trends are discussed. Come see for yourself.

FacebookWhat value does a Facebook (FB) page have? I’m not going to guarantee sales from a FB page. It’s a way to educate and inform potential

customers, not a venue for spam. You want to let folks know you’re out there and ready to do their work, but you need to bring something that will be fresh, so people will want to follow you. Look at some of the more successful business pages. They have pictures, blogs and interaction. Many successful sites run contests giving away items potential customers will value. You’ll have a better chance for sales if you run your site that way. When a salesman goes out and visits potential customers, what do they do? They show pictures, talk about their company and engage their clients in conversation. That’s what FB is for. Instead of beating the pavement, you’re beating your keyboard.

Let’s look at some up-and-coming sites:

Google+Google is trying to get into the social media scene. Currently it’s not on the same level as other places, but there are a few reasons you should be part of it:

n Most of us have a Google e-mail account (gmail.com). Starting with your gmail account, Google+ is free and easy to set up. n Why are we doing any of this social media stuff? The big reason is the interacting. You want to be found and Google has primarily been a search engine. It stands to reason that Google is going to promote those using their stuff. n Google is loaded and they don’t like to lose, so no doubt Google+ will become a key site to be on in the future.

There are some things I like about Google+. You can arrange your contacts very cleanly using their “circle” app. I also like the way pictures look when uploaded.

FoursquareFoursquare is a marketing tool made for those that have smart phones. At first it was a way to inform friends where your location around town was, or to leave reviews of restaurants, etc., but now companies are finding ways to use it as a promotional tool. I haven’t used it yet for promotions, but it has been a great way to make it into Google searches. I’m not stopping, as I want Google to find my companies. If you

have a 3G phone, you should get a Foursquare account. You’ll be glad you did.

PinterestThis is a very new site. It’s kind of like Flickr (a photo sharing site) on steroids. The company describes it as:

“Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the Web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.”

This site serves many purposes. You can search for inspiration, but you can also post your work in the hopes someone will contact you. Photos really drive this site, and I can’t stress enough just how important good images are.

PhotographyOne of the best ways to get your message out is having outstanding photos of your work. Pictures sell products. On a typical countertop website, the most viewed section is the photo gallery. Photos are a great way to make a splash in your social media efforts.

I know for many the challenge is the cost of photography, but as we change to a more Internet-based way of doing business, it has to be part of your business plan. I encourage you to set aside money in your budget for this. At the least, make sure you have a good camera that someone on your staff knows how to use, and you take photos of all of your work.

I hope you will take an honest look at how social media can help your company. While it’s true that what works for one company may not be perfect for you, see what aspects of social media will be of value to your particular business.

About the AuthorJon Olson is the online marketing and sales, social media, market development and communications manager at Sterling Surfaces/Kitchen Associates. A solid surface fabricator since 1982, he has gained experience in all phases of fabrication, specializing in 3-D solid surface thermoforming. Jon is a past recipient of the ISFA Fabricator of the Year award and the ISFA Innovator of the Year. He can be reached at [email protected].

From the desk of Jon Olson

Shop Management MattersWhat’s next for Social Media?