primecoat

primecoat

publisher HANS MUGLER

So long Kirkwood, hello Valley Park, MO! After almost 20 years in the same build-ing, we’ve packed up the offices at the World Headquarters of Mug Pub Inc and rolled the moving vans about 10 minutes west of our former location. Our move was not as dramatic as the St. Louis Football Cardinals moving to Arizona in the late 80’s, or more recently, the NFL’s Lambs leaving STL for LA (and good riddance!), but Kirkwood is losing a Fortune One Million company and its loss is Valley Park’s gain.

Gone are the days of coming into the office at the crack of dawn to discover more leaks in the roof, new gigantic cracks in the walls or ceilings, or a roach infestation (from the pizza parlor below our offices), and we won’t miss the ancient single pane leaky windows, the threadbare carpeting, the creaky heating and cooling units, another Kirkwood event that has the streets blocked off and our parking restricted, or even a train blocking the main intersection downtown blaring its horn, as if no one would

notice the big yellow Union Pacific locomotive sitting there! We will, however, miss the occasional sighting of ghostly appari-

tions of an old lady or an old doctor who floated around our space. Such was life working in a 130+ year old haunted building, the oldest commercial building in downtown Kirkwood, a seemingly tranquil, peaceful town that was anything but. Compared to a lot of places, the Wood was a fine place to do business, loaded with shopping and restaurants and a predominantly good vibe, but putting it mildly, our building had issues, and the owner had no money to keep up with the problems, so they would simply pile on top of one another and snow-ball into bigger problems.

His problems became our problems, so we put a lot of time and products into that building and much of it has stood the test of time. SmartRoof (renamed and now owned by Henry Company) sealed the deal on our flat roof, but now the pitched roof with its seven layers of roofing is the sieve. Kilz and Benny Moore’s Aura covered the outside, while everything from Devine to the now defunct Mythic to California Paints to most recently, Eco-Safety Products covered the interior walls. We applied lots of new products on the building, and about 95% of them did their jobs really well!

Life in Valley Park runs at a slower pace. Trains still roll through town, but far enough away that we don’t even hear them and they don’t stop traffic. TrampMaster, a huge trampoline manufacturer, is headquartered across the street. The Post Office is two blocks away and local icon Carol House Furniture (“Because You Like Nice Things”) is a quarter mile west. From our offices we can see the levee...oh, did I men-tion the building sits in reclaimed flood plain?

Back in early January you may have seen on national news that this area flooded heavily, flooding over Interstate 44 (Route 66) just south of us, and closing it down for a week or two, but our building stayed dry behind the massive levy and new flood gates. The hundred year flood didn’t top the levy, but a few inches more of rain and we’d have had a different story to tell.

Over the coming years, we will be putting more new products on and in our build-ing to make it our own. No one likes the grey and white paint on the interior walls or the dirty dull exterior of brick and siding, so you can bet this building will be the perfect blank canvas for multiple TPD & TPC Projects! Home is now located at 342 Marshall Road in Valley Park, MO, 63088. As Tom Bodett would say, we’ll leave the light on for you! TPD

A New Home for Our Next 20 Years

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342 Marshall RoadSt. Louis, MO 63088Toll free: 800.984.0801Main: 314.984.0800Fax: 314.984.0866www.paintdealer.com

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Associate Publisher/Editor-In-ChiefJerry Rabushka jrabushka@paintdealer.com800.984.0801 x16

Art Director Kathryn Tongay-Carr kathy@paintdealer.com 800.984.0801 x 14

Circulation ManagerShirley Schomaker800.984.0801 x 11

Sales Department

Sue Odensue@paintdealer.comPh: (417) 207-0486Fax: (314) 984-0866

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Hans Muglerhmugler@paintdealer.comPh: (314) 984-0800Cell: (314) 616-9080Fax: (314) 984-0866

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JUNE ‘16 TPDvolume 25 » no. 6themix

featurestories departments

Cover photo: Antelope Canyon, Utah

by Cassandra Summer photography.

T h e P a i n t D e a l e r ( I S S N 1 0 6 7 - 1 1 1 0 ) i s p u b l i s h e d m o n t h l y b y M u g l e r P u b l i c a t i o n s , I n c . , 3 4 2 M a r s h a l l R o a d , S t . L o u i s , M O 6 3 0 8 8 / P : 8 0 0 - 9 8 4 - 0 8 0 1 / FAX: 314-984-0866 / www.paintdealer.com / Printed in the U.S.A. All material in this magazine is Copyright © 2016 by Mugler Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. The Paint Dealer is available free of charge to retailers who sell paint and paint sundries to consumers or contractors. Subscription rate for applicants who do not qualify for free copies is $36/year in the U.S. and $100/year in foreign countries. Periodicals Postage paid at St. Louis, MO and Additional Mailing Office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Paint Dealer, 111-A N. Kirkwood Rd., Kirkwood, MO 63122-4301.

Abatron ................................................. 19 abatron.com

American Paint Paddle .......................... 27 americanpaintpaddle.com

Benjamin Moore ...................................... 5 benjaminoore.com

California Paints .................................... 15 californiapaints.com

CoverGrip ............................................. 20 covergrip.com

DecoArt ................................................ 31 decoart.com

Dizzolve ................................................ 27 dizzolvebrushcleaner.com

Festool .................................................... 3 festoolusa.com

Flood ....................................................... 9 flood.com

Franmar ................................................ 26 franmar.com

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Howard Products ................................... 12 howardproducts.com

Lift’n Buddy ........................................... 21 liftnbuddy.com

Moldex .................................................. 32 moldexbrands.com

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PPG Pittsburgh Paints .............................. 7 ppgpittsburghpaints.com/for-dealers

Richard’s Paint ....................................... 25 richardspaint.com

Santint ................................................... 13 santintusa.com

Sashco Sealants ..................................... 29 sashco.com

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2 Prime Coat Down in the Valley…

6 Paint Scene Social media faux pas.

8 Shelf Life Paints and sprays and boxes and more!

30 Mark My Words When people

look up to you and you’re a bad example.

10 Let’s Talk Purple You can scream it or whisper it too.

16 Safe Exterior Painting Great advice from Gardner-Gibson.

18 Keep it in the Safe How to survive painting, scraping,

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24 Finally, it’s Pragmatic

Manufacturing in the USA makes more sense than ever.

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© 2015 Benjamin Moore & Co. Benjamin Moore and the triangle “M” symbol are registered trademarks, licensed to Benjamin Moore & Co.

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Customer SatisfactionBenjamin Moore was ranked highest in customer satisfac-tion with both interior paints and exterior stains in J.D. Power’s 2016 Paint Satisfaction Study. The company achieved the highest numerical scores over all other brands among interior paints (836) and exterior stains (814) on a 1,000-point scale. J.D. Power measures customer satisfac-tion in the interior and exterior paint and stain market across six factors: application, design guides, durability, price, product offerings and warranty/guarantee.

Benjamin Moore scored highest in the application, durabil-ity and product offerings factors within the interior paint brand segment of the study. The brand achieved the highest score in all six study factors within the exterior stain brand segment. benjaminmoore.com

DEALER EVENTPACOA DEALER MARKET

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Minwax Launches DIY CampaignMinwax® has begun its new ‘Made With Love. Finished With Minwax’ campaign. The campaign celebrates the meaningful stories captured and preserved through creat-ing, finishing, personalizing and gifting wood furniture and decorative pieces.

The campaign will run throughout 2016 and will highlight how Minwax allows individuals to not only create new furnishings and restore family heirlooms with a beautiful new finish, but to personalize pieces for themselves, friends and family.

To help start inspired DIYers on a new project, Minwax has created a digital hub at Minwax.com/MadeWithLove.

Content will be updated on a regular basis and will include the latest

campaign news as well as how-to videos that will

help educate DIYers on how to complete projects large and small. Minwax will continue to share inspirational content aimed to bring

people together and to capture the importance of

creating and gifting items from the heart.

Don’t Be A BoorBy Marc Gordon

While social media can be a great tool for building loyalty to your business, it can be just as great a tool for squashing that

loyalty if not handled correctly. Here are five bad habits that can turn people off to your business.

1. Never respond. Too often companies go silent after posting something they know will attract a significant response. This demonstrates a lack of interest or caring towards their follow-ers. If you’re not prepared to respond to feedback from your own posts, perhaps you should stop posting.

2. Only promote. Yes, we know you’re having a sale, releas-ing a new product, and just closed a huge deal. After a while though, this all gets a little boring. Instead of only promoting your company, how about sharing some fun stuff? Pull back the curtain once in a while and show the world what makes you unique. Share some stories of your success, failures, and the people that make your company awesome.

3. Be passive. I recently reached out to an airline through Twitter about being overcharged. After asking me for all the details, they gave me the link to their website’s customer inquiry form. They should have proactively taken the matter to the right department and had someone get back to me. Not using social media as a customer service gateway is a missed opportunity to demonstrate how much you value your customers.

4. #hashtag everything. Companies will often use hashtags in an attempt to get greater exposure or to be cute and funny. The fact is, they are distracting when inserted too often and inauthentic when used to ride the coattails of a trending topic. If a hashtag does not add value to the post, leave it out.

5. Don’t share. For some, the very thought of posting another company’s content on their social platform could get them fired. But what’s the issue? If a non-competing company has something that you think your audience would appreciate, share it.

Marc Gordon is a recognized marketing expert, speaker and strategist. His articles appear in over 200 publications worldwide. Visit marcgordon.ca or his online show at marctv.net for more business tips.

GROW WITH US. WE’LL HELP YOU SUCCEED.With a complete line of products designed exclusively for independent, locally owned retailers, PPG’s

expertise and the best color program, it’s a winning combination every time.

Visit ppgpittsburghpaints.com/for-dealers to � nd out more about this exclusive offering.

Always Working For You is a trademark and The Voice of Color, PPG Pittsburgh Paints and the Drippy P Design are registered trademarks of PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc. Wonder-Pro is a trademark of AkzoNobel. ©2016 PPG Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Tough Goingdunnedwards.com

Dunn-Edwards Paints New and Improved Duraflo Premium (50) Semi-gloss and (60) Gloss paints lines are interior enamels formulated with ad-vanced waterborne alkyd technology. Recommended

for interior walls, trim, mould-ing, cabinets, doors, kitchens, baths and high traffic areas. The coatings develop hard, du-rable finishes that have excellent adhesion, hide, block resistance and reduced yellowing. These paints have less odor and dry faster than traditional oil-based paints.

Pet Pee is a Pet Peevezinsser.com

Zinsser Odor Killing Primer is a clear, low odor, water-base primer that kills existing odors on painted or unpainted sur-faces. It seals odors from pets (including urine), food, cigarette and cigar smoke to fire and smoke damage. The product ap-plies white and quickly dries to a clear, low

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Get a Boostzinsser.com

Zinsser PaintBooster extends paint wet edge time by ten to 15 minutes, improves paint flow, and helps eliminate brush and roller marks. Available in both water and oil-based formulas, PaintBooster is four times more concentrated than competing brands. Just one quart treats 15 gallons of paint. The product is formulated to ensure it won’t affect topcoat color, sheen or flexibility. PaintBooster water base is ideal for low VOC paints add-ing only 1 g/L VOC to a typical gallon of paint. Available in quarts and gallons.

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Mi-T-M’s new Work Pro Series Air Compressors are designed to

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Stay Cool with Colornationwidecoatings.com

Nationwide Protective Coating Mfrs., Inc. has introduced Cool Colors with ColorActiv® Technology, a new color pigment system of highly reflective, energy saving colorants with excellent fade resistance. These color pigments were originally designed for military applications. Some dark colored roofing can attain a temperature of 190°F or higher because these materials absorb a large portion of the infrared radiation from the sun. This heat buildup transfers inside the structure, increasing cooling costs. ColorActiv® Technology now allows for dark colors to have more reflectivity than ever before. This lowers the surface temperatures, thus lowering heat transfer into the structure. These highly reflective coatings come in a variety of colors and custom color matching is also available. Depending on color choice these coatings provide a reflectivity from 23% to 77%.

www.paintdealer.com 9

You Be the Judgegardco.com

Paul N. Gardner’s Judge QC light booth offers an economical and effective way to judge color, anywhere color quality needs to be evaluated, helping to improve quality control operations. Benefits include: • Achieve better color evaluation of materials and products with consistent lighting. • Robust, industrial construction that will last for many years. • Always know exactly how functional the Judge QC lamps are with its new convenient lamp service indicator. • Take advantage of multiple options for lamp replacement, designed to be as convenient as pos-sible and ensure maximum up-time.

Flood Your Shelvesflood.com

The PPG Flood Pro Series is introducing two new products: Flood Pro Series CWF-UV 5 is a translucent finish with a hint of natural color, so the natural wood grain and texture shows. Flood Pro Series

Solid Color Stain is more like a paint, and totally opaque, hiding imperfections. Key features of the Flood Pro Series include: • Penetrating protection: formulated to drive protection below the surface of the wood for lasting color throughout the season and the rest of the year. • UV resistance: includes pigments and UV absorbers to protect against fading and sun damage. • Water repellency: durable blend protects against rain and snow.

THE NEW FLOOD® PRO SERIES

FORMULAS FOR SUCCESSFlood wood care has success down to a science. New products are precisely formulated with the features pros need and customers demand. Each stain and sealant offers distinct advantages to make every project a success. Choose Flood stains for your next project.

The PPG Logo is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. Penetrol, Flood and Flood & Paintbrush Design are registered trademarks of the PPG Group of Companies. © 2016 PPG Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

fl ood.com A product of PPG Architectural Coatings.

TRANSOXIDE PIGMENTS AND UV ABSORBERS PROTECT AGAINST FADING AND SUN DAMAGE

UV RESISTANCE

DURABLE RESIN BLEND PROTECTS WOOD AGAINST RAIN AND SNOW

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PENETRATING PROTECTION

10 TPD › 6.16

K ristin Summer loves purple. Not everyone does, and a lot of people love it who are afraid to speak up because of the backlash from people who

don’t. So The Paint Dealer will be the voice for those who have been shamed into silence. Because purple can be outspoken—and even controversial—by just sitting there being its purple self, homeowners and designers can paint some powerful thoughts onto a wall that’s previously said very little of consequence.

Kristen is a color consultant and mural artist, based in Massachusetts, and regular readers have seen her insights in this magazine for the past two or three years. Find her company, Colors with Kristin, on the web at colorswithkristin.com. When we asked her to pick a Color of the Month she chose purple, so that tells you a lot right there. And yep, because it can sometimes speak loudly, some customers won’t like what it has to say. They’ll run from purple because of its ability to be that picture that says 1,000 words instead of that picture that says “we didn’t know what to paint here so we picked white.”

“White s soooo safe!” said Summer. “I love white in so many ways, but purple says something. It’s a very powerful color—full of energy! When someone makes a choice for purple in their home it will always create conversation.” Summer notes that purple is basically a power-struggle, pitting the energy of red against the calm of blue. “Some people are afraid of the energy it gives off.”

The Business of Purple You won’t see a lot of business in purple, but if you

do, you’ll remember. “There is a lighting store in Mas-sachusetts called The Purple Building.” said Summer. You can find that online too, it’s called Light N Leisure, with a very purple website and three prominent purple locations. “It’s a huge eye catching building, for sure!” Summer reports. “And it makes you think. I’ve always loved the combination that it’s a lighting store and that purple is such a powerful color.”

Why did they paint it purple? Someone wanted to. “Light ‘n Leisure, ‘The Purple Buildings,’ were born in 1970 to one Renee Greenberg who loved purple and put up the paint to prove it,” says the company history.

Turns out, though, that purple people might be an oppressed majority. Most people actually like it, said Summer. A study was done where approximately 75% of children chose purple over most other colors, she reported. That carries on into adulthood, if it’s not beaten out of you. “As we get older we develop stronger opinions of color,” she said. “Purple is one of those colors that some people may appreciate in nature but not necessarily in their home.”

Two ways you can go here if someone is vacillating on purple: for one, if they like purple outside—iris, violets, sunsets—why not enjoy it inside as well? Also, if they’re open to interior purples, Summer surmises, it can tell you that they are willing to be brave and open minded to other choices.

If needed, purple can also be safe; it can speak quietly as well and still make its point. Some people who don’t think purple is appropriate in an institutional setting might be dead wrong—we asked specifically: purple in a funeral home? Don’t forget, we’re the magazine that asks about brown in the bathroom. In both cases it came back…yes! “It’s back to the association and combo,” said Kristin. “Purple in the right shade would be stunning in a funeral home. Especially with a mix of blues, it brings the calm of the color in.”

Three Out of Four Dentists AgreeIf you recommend purple, it looks like you have a 75%

There’s more to it than you think.

www.paintdealer.com 11

chance that you’ve either got the right color, or perhaps you’ll send someone back to their childhood in search the good times. “Purple is a good turning point for the conversation with a client,” Kristin recommended. “If I walk into their home or space and see purple somewhere, it’s a great place to start the conversation about what they like. People are very passionate about purple—they like or they do not.” If they do, she suggested, it can be a great “risk taking” color. Perhaps start with the front door, or if they don’t want it to be the first thing someone sees, try it as an accent.

For a more neutral approach, you can marry up a bit of purple with the increasingly popular gray. “A subtle purple can add a lot of class and style when paired up with gray.”

Good LuckFrom a psychological and emotional standpoint, there

are a lot of benefits to purple, said Kristin, and even where you put it in the room can make the difference “Purple helps people gain creativity, peace, wisdom, growth, good luck, prosperity, power, dignity, and mystery,” she said. All that for the price of a gallon? It’s a can’t miss! Kristin’s visitors get all that from the gitgo, since she painted her own front door purple. “Purple invites opportunity and actives energy in the entry way, which is where chi enters your home. A full entry in purple may be too powerful, but you can paint an object purple and place it there.”

As much grief as the editor of The Paint Dealer took for putting purple in the break room, Summer recommends it as a good office color. You don’t have to go all out hit-over-the head Barney the Dinosaur or Hanna Montana purple, either. “Lavender can be soothing as well,” she said. “It’s all about the mix. Bring in some fresh whites in a room with lavender.” Your safe white will tone down your risky purple, and even the most condescending visi-tor will have to admit that you know what you’re doing! Here are a few ways purple can make life better:

• When a child is suffering from a health issue it is said to be beneficial to paint purple on an east wall.

• West wall for creativity.• South to be noticed.

• In feng shui, it’s one color that is suitable in any direction.

• Purple in the bedroom? Of course! It improves luck and chi.

Like it or not, she predicts, you’ll be seeing more purple in 2017 and 2018, but in lighter shades. “Hope-fully you like it,” she said. “I worry about people who don’t like it.”

Is it 2017 already?If you’re still on the fence, or you’re holding your

breath until you turn purple, the world’s largest coatings company just came along last week to prove Kristin right. PPG Paints™ and PPG The Voice of Color reports that Violet Verbena (PPG1169-5), due to some distinctive qualities, was unanimously selected as the PPG Paints brand 2017 color of the year by PPG’s global color experts.

“Violet Verbena is a unique, grayed-off, moody purple with a chameleon-like presence, allowing it to work perfectly with many different shades, surroundings and aesthetics,” said Dee Schlotter, senior color marketing manager, PPG. “While developing the 2017 trends forecast, PPG’s color experts identified that consumers are drawn to the galactic dark colors that combine deep purples, blues and grays to create an intriguing futur-istic vibe. Consumers now embrace the middle ground between masculine and feminine, young and old, and work and leisure. Violet Verbena’s blending of gray and violet reflects that middle ground.”

Schlotter suggested various ways to incorporate the color into a scheme, depending on how dedicated your customers might be to using a purple—even though its place as a Color of the Year might give them a lot more confidence with it. “Violet Verbena provides enough color to make a statement as an accent wall or on a piece of furniture for homeowners who might not want to fully commit to painting the entire room,” she said.

Since it has a gray nuance, and since gray is fast becom-ing an “it” neutral, Schlotter also suggested the color can also be considered a neutral with a tint of purple. With this interpretation, it’s great for use as a transitional color

BY editorJERRY RABUSHKAThere’s more to it than you think.

12 TPD › 6.16

in areas such as hallways or stair-ways. “The great thing about Violet Verbena is that it works perfectly with so many dif-

ferent surroundings, like that of a chameleon, so it can be used

throughout the home to complement modern interiors and furnishings, as well

as traditional designs,” she said.

Purple ChillIt’s a great stress reducer as well, and may be just

the thing for your business accounts. “In other spaces and buildings, such as commercial spaces or healthcare facilities, Violet Verbena can bring a calming ambience to patient waiting areas and exam rooms,” said Schlotter. “The shade’s warmth and Bohemian attitude can also be paired with blues to instill this feeling of relaxation in spas or salons.”

For a smooth and on trend transition, Dee notes that Violet Verbena pairs very nicely with the 2016 PPG Paints Color of the Year, Paradise Found (PPG1135-5), an orgaic, aloe shade of green. Seems like it’s a pretty versatile color—accents, walls, furniture, business, institutions, and it’s partnering with the 2016 winner instead of kicking it off stage—no wonder it’s the color of the year! Another bonus: for the first time, this color can be found in all of the company’s trend themes. “Its prevalence allows it to live in every story thanks to its ability to complement a variety of hues and décor themes,” said Schlotter.

Trend to the End“It is the focal point to PPG’s four global color trend

stories for 2017, which are centered around the theme of

Pendulum: earth, water, fire and air. Examples of the colors in the Pendulum color stories include rich, royal colors like Burgundy Wine (PPG1053-7), Old Mill Blue (PPG1171-6) and Castle Stone (PPG1128-7); muted neutral tones like Willow Tree (PPG1112-6), Gray Violet (PPG1014-5) and Silver Screen (PPG1014-3); and space-inspired hues such as Black Flame (PPG1043-7), Cavalry (Calvary 549-7) and Witchcraft (PPG1037-7).”

Why in June, why so soon? Well, why not? Announcing a color of the year early puts you and your designers that much ahead of the curve for next year.

Most importantly, we had to ask Kristin Summer the question we all wonder: Is the Purple People Eater of the 1958 hit song a purple creature that eats people, or a creature that eats purple people? “My father talked so much about the purple people eater when we were young,” she said. “I’ve always envisioned him as a huge purple creature!” TPD

These photos from PPG show how its color

of the year, Violet Verbena, can be a good fit in a dining

room or a living room. Or just a dab of color!

This purple pairs up well with white walls

and accessories . These rooms show a

sleek modern design, elegant and calm.

Butterfly photo on page 10 by

Tiffany Summer.

www.paintdealer.com 13

Purple Reign?When using purple in a space, dark purples offer a dramatic and sophisticated

appeal. In fact, rich purples are often associated with luxury and creativity, said the color experts at PPG. When used as an accent or secondary color, darker purples give a room’s color scheme more depth. Lighter shades of purple, including laven-

ders and lilacs, bring a feeling of rest and peacefulness to areas in the home such as bedrooms and nurseries. Reign Over Me (PPG1248-7) is a top pick from PPG Paints.

ppgvoiceofcolor.com

14 TPD › 6.16

Purple Daze, from Santint’s Dave Christiansen.

• Purple = a hue between violet and red. It is not on the color wheel and is not one of the colors of the rainbow, as defined by Isaac Newton.

• It is the color of creativity, a mix of red and blue, which is both stimulating and serene.

• Purple is traditionally the color of royalty, piety-faith-theology, luxury, magic and mystery.

• In China, purple is the color of luck and fame. • In Thailand, widows in mourning wear purple,

not black!• Purple culture: Purple Heart (medal), “Pur-

ple Rain” (song), Deep Purple (band), “Purple Haze” (song).

• Purples can be pale or dark; amethyst, bur-gundy, claret, lavender, magenta, mulberry, peri-winkle, plum or wine. The warmest and coolest color, purple can be ideal for your customers’ paint! santintusa.com

Santint’s A4 automatic dispenser and MS3 combo dispenser-shaker can get you that perfect purple!

California Paints Super-Scrub full page ad.indd 1 5/13/16 4:41 PM

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W ith home improvement super stores in just about every city in America, it’s

no wonder that more and more home-owners are willing to take on all kinds of “do it yourself” projects. Exterior painting is no exception. It seems

easy enough—just pres-sure clean the house and start painting, right? Well, if you’ve painted

a house before, you know that there’s a lot more to it. For customers that haven’t, make sure they are aware of the safety precautions that should be observed when using the equipment, primers, paints and chemicals necessary to do the job.

Let’s take painting buildings located in the south-eastern United States for this example. The south is exposed to subtropical weather conditions for at least six months out of each year. These conditions expose buildings to high humidity, high temperatures, extreme UV exposure, high winds, and salt air sea breezes. The cumulative effects of these climate conditions deterio-

rate the existing paint, leaving an oxidized or “chalky” residue that absorbs moisture and breeds mildew and algae.

Ask your customers these questions to learn about the condition of the building:

• How long has it been since it was last painted? • Is the existing paint peeling? • Is there mildew and algae growing on the surfaces? • Are repairs needed before painting, such as wood

replacement, concrete or stucco repairs?• Will a ladder be required? • Are there power lines close to the building that may

impede the use of a ladder? • Will you being using a power sprayer to paint or will

you be applying the primers and paint manually with brush and roller?

It Comes Out in the WashAs you evaluate the current conditions of the building,

you begin to become mindful of safety concerns that might exist. Okay, you have developed a plan of action and you know that you have to pressure-clean the entire building because there is mildew and algae present. How do you clean the building properly to remove the contamination?

The proper procedure requires the application of a chlorine solution or other cleaning additive to presoak the affected areas. A manual method to accomplish this is to use a pump up “garden sprayer” filled with bleach or an over-the-counter fungicide to soak the area affected by mildew and algae, then pressure wash. A mechanical and more thorough method would be to use a chemical injector attached to a pressure washer with chlorine syphoned through the spray wand. The chemical injector dilutes the chlorine at a 10:1 ratio with water. Once presoaked, you then pressure wash the walls with a high pressure hydro-blast.

What are the safety concerns here? Chlorine, when

BY contributorTHOMAS PENMANTechnical Sales Consultant, Sun Paints & Coatings/Dyco Paints

How to Survive to Your Next Project.

Safe Exterior PAINTING

www.paintdealer.com 17

mixed with water produces an acidic pH level; less than 7. As it is applied, it is airborne. It is therefore prudent to wear safety goggles or a full face mask to protect your eyes and face, protective clothing or rain gear to protect your skin, and an activated carbon respirator to protect your lungs from inhaling the chlorine vapors. This may seem a bit extreme, but when chlorine enters the body as a result of breathing, swallowing, or skin contact, the acids are corrosive and damage cells in the body on contact.

The proper use of pressure cleaning equipment also involves following safety procedures. Most pressure cleaners required to clean a building effectively produce at least 2500 psi. If you have to use an extension ladder while pressure washing, it is prudent to have a “helper” to secure the ladder as you clean the high areas of the building. Your helper should also be protected against the chlorine. When using the pressure wand, be mindful not to direct it toward yourself or your helper.

The Former or the LadderSpeaking of ladders, it’s really important to make sure

your customers know how to use them safely. Some additional safety rules for the use of extension ladders include knowing that the weight rating of the ladder is sufficient to hold your weight—including any paint and supplies. Here are a few more points for safe sailing:

• Inspect the ladder to be sure none of the rungs are broken.

• Clear the area around the base of the ladder before attempting to secure it against the building.

• Make sure the length of an extension ladder is at least one foot longer than the height it is to be used.

• Keep two feet and one hand on the extension ladder while in use.

• Always face the ladder when climbing up or down and be mindful of power lines, especially if your ladder is aluminum.

Take Safety SeriouslyDepending on what kind of project your customers are

involved in, you’ll want to inform them on a few safety tips such as these—ignoring them can lead to serious injury!

Safety Tips When Using Airless Sprayers: Someone who is new to the use of airless spray equip-

ment should spend as much time as is necessary to read the instruction manual thoroughly and become familiar with the unit before actually using it. If you rent the unit, ask the rental agent to train you on the use also. Once you feel that you are familiar with the airless spray

system, test the machine as instructed to be sure it is in good working order.

There are two major safety hazards to be mindful of with airless sprayers. The first is that fire and/or an explosion can occur if spraying a solvent borne coating or paint in an area that has poor ventilation and sparks or open flame is present. This is also true while cleaning the equipment with solvents after use.

The second safety hazard is the injection of spray material into the skin. As the paint is transferred from the bucket through the spray gun, it creates a high speed stream of atomized fluid which is powerful enough to penetrate through your skin and into your bloodstream.

Always aim the spray gun “away” from your hands and body when spraying. Do not grab a leaking spray hose that is under pressure. Even with gloves or a rag, the atomized pressure of the paint may pierce your skin. In the event of an injection wound, get immediate medical treatment.

Roof Painting: Ceramic tile roof shingles are generally a paintable

surface. The rules of painting roofs are very similar to painting vertical walls, except, because you are working above ground at all times, safety should be the number one concern. The following are a few common sense safety precautions that should be considered before beginning:

• Paint the roof in cooler air temperatures if possible. Rooftop temperatures in direct sunlight are much higher than shaded or overcast conditions.

• If you must paint in the direct sunlight, be sure to hydrate with water often.

• Check the weather! The summer is also the “rainy season” in Florida, so thunderstorms can develop out of nowhere with high winds and lightning. Both pose a danger that most people don’t think about until it’s too late.

Clean Up Time:When cleaning up your work area, equipment, and

tools; be sure to wear appropriate safety glasses and respirators as needed when using cleaning agents and solvents. Read labels on all product containers for specific clean up information. Waterborne products, such as latex or acrylic primers and paints should generally be cleaned with warm soapy water, while solvent borne primers and paints should be cleaned with the solvent that is used to thin the materials.

Remember, if your customers paint safely, they’ll be back to purchase paint and supplies for their next project! www.sunpaintsandcoatings.com TPD

Safe Exterior PAINTING

18 TPD › 6.16

Painting is easier than ever before, and it has been for awhile—so much so that folks may have for-gotten the days of “open the windows and move

into a hotel for a week,” because everyone was using smelly high VOC oils. Even so, it is still important to

exercise some caution during a painting project. Contrac-tors who paint every day just

need a gentle reminder now and then, but DIYers who don’t paint as often might not be aware of some things they can do to make sure they make it safely from one room to the other and from one project to the next.

Keep it Sharp C a n ’ t p a i n t

without prep, and there are plenty of opportunities for injury while scrap-ing or using other prep tools. It takes some work to get paint off the wall, and many prep activities include sharp edges, flying paint chips, and replacing a blade.

The folks at Warner Tool know this and make every effort to keep their customers safe; they are continually updating their labelling in order to keep safety top of mind. “When using scraping tools, we recommend wearing safety glasses. We include it on the labeling whenever we have space on the packaging,” said David Henke, Warner’s VP of Engineering and Product Development. “When the scraping tools have replace-able blades, we place a warning on the packaging to use caution when changing blades—we use an icon showing a finger with a bandage.” Also, he suggests, recommend the appropriate gloves so customers can protect their

hands from shavings, cuts and pinching.Part of safety is selling a product that is comfortable

and easy to use. If it’s not, customers are more apt to take shortcuts. “The handles and grips on our scrapers are ergonomically designed to help users hold the scrapers properly in order to prevent muscle fatigue and tendon strain,” Henke pointed out.

Keep The Lead InIn the “use as directed” category, Henke notes that some

products are not recommended for use with lead paint, and those are clearly labeled. “We include a Lead Paint Warning on our paint scrapers that are designed specifi-cally for removing paint (Carbide, 4 edge and 2 edge),” he said. “The warning says ‘not recommended for lead paint removal’ and to call 1-800-424-LEAD (5323) with any questions.” He encourages you to remind customers not to scrape lead-based paint, as they can expose themselves and others to its dangers. Future packaging on some Warner tools will include the epa.gov/lead website, said Henke. “This is to make our customers aware that lead paint is still an issue and to contact a professional if there is a possibility of lead paint in their project.”

Fortunately, the company has had very few customer complaints or safety issues with its hand tools. “Changing and replacing blades is the one area we have received feed-

back that people have been cut changing blades,” said Henke. Remind your DIY customers to take extra care —Henke adds that pro painters might still need encouragement to wear safety protection. Cutting into a hand can cut into that hand’s produc-tion as well.

BY editorJERRY RABUSHKA

Keep it in the Safe

www.paintdealer.com 19

Bright IdeasWarner also supplies the

Bull Dog Power Products line of lighting, and safety

matters here as well. Just

as it’s not wise to work in the

dark, the light-ing needs to be

correct for best, and safest results.

I t ’s very important for users to

read the instructions on this kind of equipment.

“We attach warning labels to our halo-gen lights. They warn that the light is hot and can cause fire and burns,” said the company’s Keith Herwig. “Warn-ings require the user to plug the unit into a GFCI protected circuit and never submerse the light when using outdoors.”

Like mama always said, don’t stare. “It is never safe to look directly into the light,” Keith emphasized. “We are now offering LED lights which generate much lower heat and are safer to use. They also come with recharge-able batteries, which are safer to use outdoors because they do not need direct power.”

It’s important to put the light in the right place—just like hands and arms can get tired from scraping and brush-ing, eyes can get tired if they can’t “see the light” in the right way. “If the light is too bright or the reflection off of the work surface is too bright, the eye fatigues quickly,” said Herwig. “Shadows can make it difficult to see detail, so users should not place the light directly behind them; it should be placed back and off to the side or above them. They should never place the light in front of themselves to where it’s shining directly in their eyes.”

Again, he pointed to an increase in

the use of LED lights. “Contractors like the versatility of our rechargeable work lights, as they are just the right size for job site inspection.”

warnertool.com, bulldogpower.com

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As Good a Time As AnyOur paint company experts had some advice on safety

both during the prep and the painting itself. Vageesh Bakhshi, Pratt and Lambert Product Manager, says that just about any time during your selling process is a good time to remind your customer about various body parts that need protection. “This may include advice on skin protection, eye protection, and/or lung protection,” he said. “For instance, they can wear impermeable gloves

to protect their skin when sanding or scraping walls, and when painting with a water-based or solvent-based product. They can also wear goggles, glasses, or a face mask to protect their eyes while sanding and painting. In addition, cus-

Learn more at Covergrip.com

These photos, courtesy of 3M, show some of the company’s wide variety of safety equimpment that can be used on a professional or DIY project. 3m.com

www.paintdealer.com 21

tomers should protect their lungs by wearing anti-dust masks while sanding. They should ensure that the area being painted is ventilated, and remove or turn off all sources of ignition.”

One issue you might have is just turning someone’s mind to safety when they’re finally ready to dip and roll. They might be tired after spending 36 hours trying to decide on a color, and you might be ready for them to go home! “Since the focus isn’t necessarily on safety, many homeowners are unaware of some common misconceptions people have while painting,” said Bakhshi. Let’s say they slide a plastic drop on the counter. “A cloth drop stays in place better than plastic and is less slippery,” Bakhshi pointed out. “Another safety issue is that many homeowners simply take the electrical covers off electrical outlets and paint around them. Instead, advise them to turn off the power to the room being painted and cover the electrical outlets with painters’ tape.”

A Two Part ProcessMary Ellen Shivetts, senior product

stewardship manager, PPG’s architec-tural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada, suggests that people should not only read the directions, but then…follow them! “PPG recommends using products only as described on our labels, Technical Data Sheets (TDS) and Safety Data Sheets (SDS),” she

said. “Always apply as recommended, for example, with a brush or roller, and on the recommended sub-strate such as wood, drywall, or metal. Follow the recommended surface preparations and overall safety precautions. In addition, any leftover product should be disposed of according to local regulations.”

Safety doesn’t end after the job is over, either. Remind your customers to take care in disposing of some possibly dangerous product. “Leftover paint, thinner

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or other chemicals should never be poured down the drain or otherwise disposed of carelessly,” said Shivetts. “PPG recommends becoming familiar with the disposal procedures recommended in your municipality. Some make regular, scheduled pickups of household hazardous waste or have approved recycling programs such as Paint Care.” If people can bring old paint back to your store, awesome! It means they’ll see you one more time. But a lot of folks don’t know what to do about old coatings products, so they sit on a shelf for half a century while they try to figure it out or pretend that they’ll need it again. You can do them a service by letting them know how to get rid of unused coatings safely, and accord-ing to law.

“In many states, cans with dried latex paint may be discarded with household trash, but it is important to be famil iar with regulations in your area,” Shivetts contin-ued. “Empty cans, or those with a small amount of water-based paint in them, should be left open and allowed to dry in a well-ventilated area, out of the reach of children and pets. Oil-based or alkyd paints should be allowed to dry by adding absorbent material, such as kitty litter, when recycling is not an option. To determine if old paint is still usable, stir it with a paint stick and if the paint is smooth, it is still good to use.”

Blame the MediaWhile the media is a great resource, remind your

customers that they need to make sure the information they read pertains to them. No point in disposing of product according to New Jersey regulations if you live in Manitoba. “With an abundance of online resources and access to instantaneous information, safety and product information is readily available to painters, contractors and consumers,” said Shivetts. “However, with this vast collection of information, it’s important to be mindful of the regulations in your area. Not all products can be used everywhere across the United States, and products should always be used for their intended purpose. For example, exterior products

should only be used on outside surfaces and never on an interior surface.”

Educational TVThe good news, says Vageesh Bakhshi, is that safety

is becoming more top of mind. “With the ‘fixer-upper’ trend consuming many homeowners’ thoughts, we have found that painters and contractors have become more in tune with safety issues, especially those that plague older homes,” he said. “With over 165 years of experience, Pratt & Lambert has met the needs of its consumers by going above and beyond the federal regu-

lations set for the paint industry.”

Shivetts agrees, a n d r e m i n d s us that you can always ask your paint company about safety issues. “At PPG, safety is our number one priority. PPG has been and always will be commit-ted to providing safe products that meet the needs of our customers and partners, while complying with regulatory guide-lines and indus-try,” she said.

ppgpaints.com, prattandlambert.com

No Bone of ContentionIt used to be pretty funny in an old movie or cartoon

when someone slipped on a banana peel, but if it’s you, you know it’s no laughing matter—and you never know where danger lurks. John Barry, a co-founder of CoverGrip™ Slip Resistant Drop Cloths, says that a conventional drop can pose a safety hazard, and he’s heard the stories. “Accidents with conventional drops is a very big problem,” he said. “When we are at shows, painters share their tragic story all the time. There is always a broken bone!” After all, your drop is supposed to keep your carpet and furniture safe, so why shouldn’t it keep you safe as well? Barry’s CoverGrip drop was designed to make painting safer, because his drop cloth stays where you put it.

“CoverGrip drop cloths are manufactured with thousands of tiny, rubberized dots, firmly attached to the bottom of each protective cloth,” he describes. “These dots are slightly rounded, which is what makes them

www.paintdealer.com 23

so effective. There’s nothing in the dots themselves that causes them to stick to a slippery floor, but once pressure is applied, the rubber dots grab and hold firm like sneakers on a basketball court. Because they’re rounded, the dots continue to hold, gripping tight even when under a shifting load.”

People are impressed; Barry says it’s one of those palm-to-forehead reactions. “Painters and DIYers love it! Their first reaction is ‘why didn’t I think of that?’”

But since they didn’t, you’ll need to find a way to get the concept into their heads. “The best way to display it is with our sample swatch so that people can feel our product and understand what those black dots do,” he said. “Once a customer uses our slip resistant drop cloth, they don’t use conventional drops anymore. We have had painters tell us that they replaced all their drop

cloths with CoverGrips.”You can use it anywhere,

but especially where there will be more foot traffic. “Hall-ways, entrances and staircases are a must,” he says. And sure, you might be careful, your cus-tomer might be careful, but anyone with dogs, kids and teens knows that you can’t always keep these creatures from running through the house. An extra measure of safety literally can’t hurt.

Barry notes that his drop functions with the same capac-ity as other drops; the dots are an added benefit. “Our product is just like all the other canvas drop cloths as far as longev-ity, spills and drips. We are protecting people from hurting themselves while doing what a canvas drop cloth has always done.” covergrip.com TPD

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John Barry of CoverGrip shows how his product helps you navigate stairs safely. Left: CoverGrip helps you keep safe in a high traffic area.

24 TPD › 6.16

Who doesn’t love imports? French wine, Japa-nese cars, Canadian bacon, English muffins; it’s not always easy to know what’s made in

America and what isn’t! It’s no secret that American manufacturing and production took a hit for awhile. Some companies voluntarily sent production overseas, and others were forced to either follow suit or go out of business.

“Made in America” is starting to make sense again. Realistically, nobody’s going to risk going out of busi-ness to make product in this country. And very few

are going to pay more for an inferior domestic product. Along with

the emotional factor, the decision to bring it on home comes down to a few important issues: quality control, quicker distribution, proximity to colleagues, and not having to wait for a barge to cross the Pacific.

Right at Their Doorstep Bloomington, IL is home to Fran-

mar, a manufactuer of safer strippers.The company has always found it advantageous to make product domes-tically. “Our decision to be a Made in the USA model company is driven by a couple of factors,” said Scott Sarver, the company’s marketing director. “First of all, we have the ability to employ work-ers right here in our community, which encourages the local economy. The second factor is that of having quality goods readily available with shorter lead times.”

Franmar’s business model benefits from domestic manufacture. “Early on, Franmar adopted an aggressive just-in-time production model that lets us both meet and exceed our customers’ needs without being burdened by excessive overhead material costs,” Sarver explained. Plus, they have raw materials right at their doorstep! “Franmar sits in the middle of some of the best farmland in America, so it makes sense that we would use North American soy, since soy ester is one of the primary raw materials we use in manufacturing.”

While manufacturing overseas might have saved a few yen, yuan, pounds or drachmas, it might cost more in terms of your confidence in the company’s getting prod-uct to market. Maybe they could have done it cheaper oversease, but Sarver isn’t convinced. “Outsourcing outside of the US would lead to greater lead times and Franmar not being able to meet and exceed the expecta-tions that our customers have come to appreciate about both our products and our service,” he said.

Working within the country has made things easier in terms of quality control and distribution, Sarver emphasized. “We have developed relationships with

our providers that understand our model of busi-ness and that in turn benefits our customers. Our

just-in-time model of sales and delivery extends into a lean and agile operation for our production side. Without being burdened with excessive inventory, we are able to transition to meet

customers’ needs easily. The quick delivery system from stateside vendors allows us to thrive without a delay to customers.”

Emotion plays into this as well, as most folks see “homemade” as positive. How many times have you called up and con-gratulated someone for making product in Oman? “The responses we have received from our customers indicate that they appreciate the commitment to US made products,” said Sarver. “Our products are made for a services based industry; it’s a group of men and women making their living here in the US. I think they appreci-ate knowing that they are helping support other workers right here in the US.”

Scott left us with one more selling point: the products work! “If I can make

a shameless plug, we have the advantage of having products that perform superbly in the roles for which they were designed,” he said. “So there is the added benefit of choosing a USA made product that is also the best product for the task at hand.” franmar.com

Ship ShapeBercom, based in Minnesota, is the manufacturer

of the HANDy line of paint products. CEO Mark Bergman has a similar list of reasons to make it at

BY editorJERRY RABUSHKA

Quality, timeliness, and relationships reignite American manufacturing. Finally, It’s Pragmatic!

www.paintdealer.com 25

home. “Quality of materials, pricing, ease of shipping, and the ability to have relationships with local manufactur-ers all contribute to our decision to make HANDy Paint Products in the USA,” he said. “We don’t consider it easier or cheaper to make our products overseas. A lot of our products are on the bulky side, therefore expensive to ship. Although the materials may be less expensive overseas, we save a significant amount on shipping by having our products made in the USA. Addition-ally, it is much easier to communicate with a manufacturer that is one state away versus on the other side of the world.”

He’s been doing this since 2002, and no one’s complained—no one’s said why can’t you make this stuff in Siberia or Timbuktu? “We have received only positive feedback about our products being Made in the USA,” said Bergman. “It also seems that the importance of products being made domestically has increased over the past 14 years—both among retailers and painters—and only continues to gain strength,” he noticed.

And yes, people will pay a bit more

Quality, timeliness, and relationships reignite American manufacturing. Finally, It’s Pragmatic!

26 TPD › 6.16

for a locally made products. For all you know, they’re keeping their cousins employed and off their own couches, but whatever reason, there’s certainly a pride returning to this country about what it can contribute to itself. “I think the main advantage to the consumer is a higher quality product,” Bergman concluded.

handypaintproducts.com

It Just Feels RightFor some manufactures, making a product at home is

just the right thing to do. Darci Kunard, Brand Manager at Sashco Sealants, says it’s part of her company’s values. “We manufacture all of our products in our facility located in Brighton, CO,” she said. “It’s important to keep manufacturing jobs in the US, and tightly control the quality of our products. We can’t control our quality if it isn’t made in the USA. Even our merchandising racks are Made in the USA.”

You can make cheaper products overseas, sure, but cheap is not on the agenda. “That’s not what Sashco is about,” said Kunard. “Sashco is about Products that Work—that means products that work right the first time, every time. At the end of the day, that speaks to quality.”

Kunard’s feedback is that Made in USA makes a difference; retailers and their customers—your custom-ers —are more and more willing to support it. “We hear that it matters to our retailers what products they sell, and that they support USA manufacturers,” she said. “Furthermore, painters appreciate the quality and performance that come with products made in the USA. Our data shows that people are seeking out high-performance products and are willing to pay a bit more for that performance.”

Quality matters, but particularly in a paint job. If you get a nasty chicken sandwich, you’ll be eating again in a few hours anyway, but who wants to caulk more often than they have to? “We know caulking isn’t exactly the most fun activity, so who wants to do it again and aga in , all because a c h e a p product was u s e d a n d

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the caulking is now cracked and has to be replaced?” Darci asks. “What a hassle! If you hate to caulk, or you just really want to do it once—use Sashco caulking products. We have high-performance sealants for every application.”

It all comes down to this company’s commitment to quality—and if making a product in America makes

that commitment a jif more expensive, perhaps in the long run everyone benefits.

Kunard is very proud of Sashco’s philosophy. “Qual-ity is never easy—if it was, everyone would do it! At Sashco, quality is job #1. You see that from our ship case to our cartridge, and from our customer service to our manufacturing. Our delivery to retailers and distributors is outstanding. We’ve implemented spe-cific practices that ensure we are always producing a quality product in a timely manner, and delivering that to the retailer as efficiently as possible. I don’t believe it’s gotten easier; we have a system that works. The big winner is the consumer—quality products, epic service, accessibility and availability of the products they need. That’s what separates the good from the great.” sashco.com

Home SafeDon O’Brien of O’Brien Distrib-

uting, recently introduced Dizzolve, a new type of brush cleaner and

conditioner. The product is billed as a lightning fast,

effective and non-toxic paint thin-ner replacement f o r c l e a n i n g paint brushes a n d a i r l e s s pumps/sprayers for commercial painters.

It works fast, he says, and it’s also non-toxic, earth-friendly, bio-degradable,

sustainable and reusable, with no fumes & no solvents. At the National Hardware show he was turning heads with product demonstra-tions. It’s not always easy to turn heads when there’s so much competition.

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28 TPD › 6.16

USA Q&A A talk with David Clifford, Executive Vice President of Development at

DecoArt, a manufacturer of the high quality acrylic paints and craft supplies. The company’s product lines include Americana®, Americana Decor® Chalky Finish, and DecoArt Media®.

Q. What drives your decision to make product in the USA? A. Quality ingredients, domestic availability, production capabilities and

then cost. Those are the priorities of our decisions. All of our paints are made and bottled domestically because of the quality requirements of our product formulations.

Q. Are all your containers and materials made in the USA? A. Our raw materials are domestically sourced with only a few exceptions. Some

specialty ingredients come from Europe and one of our bottle caps is produced in Asia. Our brushes and specialty tools come from Asia also.

Q. Would it have been cheaper/easier to make your product overseas? A. Regarding paint? No! If we made very inexpensive paint that does not have the quality and consistency that

we expect, the answer would be yes. DecoArt’s product lines are unique. The ingredients we use are also unique and not available overseas.

Q. How do retailers and painters react to the product being made in USA, and how so? A. I think painters realize the quality you can expect from the USA is far better than the low priced Asian

version. Europe, however, has many fine manufacturers of paint products. Q. What are the advantages to the consumer? A. We produce over 2000 different paint products. Quality consistency from batch to batch can only be

controlled when we have close controls over the process. Tinting, opacity, gloss, and viscosity adjustments are a real time process. decoart.com

A description like this is a lot to live up to, so Don knows that customers need to be able to trust his product. For that, he needs to be able to trust his own suppliers, and part of that is he needs to know where his materials are coming from. “Our product is advertised as safe for your skin and inhalation and safe on the environment,” he said. “This makes quality control a must. We know our local producer well. Turning over production to strangers whose primary selling point is price would be unwise, to say the least.”

Like other manufactures, logistics matter. You need it when you need it, and you don’t need 100 boxes when 10 will do. “Overseas production requires large lot purchases and you often have shipping delays,” he said.

“Production in the USA means we can order only what we need when we need it.”

O’Brien agrees that many of today’s American con-sumers are willing to pay a little extra for quality. “Though price remains the driving force behind pur-chases, more and more people are concerned about quality, especially where potential toxicity is concerned,” said Don. dizzolvebrushcleaner.com

If you sell products made in the USA, let your customers know. Perhaps a special section in our store will bring in customers who find it important. And don’t forget manufacturers mentioned in our previous Made in the USA stories such as Corona, Gardner-Gibson, and Preval.

It’s catching on! TPD

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contributing writer

MARK LIPTON

When my daughter was about six, she came running up to me one day when I walked in the door from work. She was so excited, screaming, “DADDY, DADDY, DADDY!!!” Back in those days she used to beat my

Brittany spaniel to the door to greet me. Now they both stay on the couch and wait for me to come to them!! Anyway, back that day; she stops right in front of me and with a huge smile and a chest full of enthusiasm she starts to tell me her big news. “You know Freddie?” she screams; speaking of our dear family friend Fred-die Levinson.

“Of course baby, he’s one of my closest friends, what about him?”

“He’s dead!” she says with a huge puff of joy!

It was terrible that Freddie had passed away so young but for me it was worse, since based on my daughter’s delivery I was expecting Freddie to pull up in a limo and start handing out some of the millions he had just won in the lotto! From that point on, every time my daughter says, “Hey Dad, guess what?” I remind her to make sure her delivery matches the news!

I’m not sure that there’s a lesson here that relates to the life of independent paint retailers, but I love that story! I do though feel strongly that words and deeds should be connected and send the same message. I try hard to make sure that mine all line up correctly, whether in my personal life or in my world as an independent paint retailer.

I had a similar conversation just today with a district manager from one of our larger vendors. I often reach out to him in circumstances where I need more than a sales rep for support in some way. Often it can take two weeks to hear back from him and even then, usually only after I send him a text asking “you dead?”

In this day and age, that’s about 13 days, 23 hours

and 30 minutes too long! I explained to him that if his words don’t match his deeds then it’s hard to deal with him and therefore his company. So if you say you want more of my business, but you don’t do the things that earn that business, don’t be surprised when you don’t get the sale. Like all of us, I am running a business and my goal is to maximize profits or otherwise improve the quality of my life. Where I can exercise control in a way that does either of those two things, I will. Sometimes, that requires a little back and forth; good ol’ customer service.

During the back and forth we had on a few different topics, he mentioned that he was disappointed to learn that his rep was not doing a better job of following up with prospects that we had cold called for. I hope he wasn’t too insulted when I told him that the rep was just learning from his boss: monkey see, monkey do! If it takes you forever to get back and follow up with me, who is teaching your rep to do more regular or better follow up with sales prospects?

I find that people are the hardest to deal with when they feel let down or put off. It’s easier, I feel, to tell a customer when their delivery will actually arrive then to promise them what they want and deal with the yelling when you don’t come through. If you want to keep your customers, pick up the phone and call them—or better yet, get in front of them! It’s a good opportu-nity and way to remind them what you do for them.

Mark Lipton is the 4th generation owner of Tremont Paint in New York City as well as a consul-tant to the coatings industry. mdlipton@me.com TPD

30 TPD › 6.16

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