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CURRENT NEWSLETTER
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Lindemann Chimney Supply sells wholesale only to the chimney and hearth industry.
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 April 2006
What's It worth?
 How about a picture, what could that be worth? If you believe in the old “Chinese proverb” which first appeared as a streetcar advertisement, and said: “One picture is worth ten thousand words.” In fact the literal translation is: A Picture's Meaning Can Express Ten Thousand Words.
It is widely believed that it was originally written by an advertising executive to attract clients to his firm. Various misattributions and misquotations of the phrase are in wide circulation. The maxim, which is popular today, was first known as “One look is worth a thousand words.”
With today's digital technology, visual messages have reasserted their position as an important communication medium. With the correct interpretation of the proverb, words and pictures live in harmony as they must in order to communicate a true understanding of your message.
Verbally trying to communicate to a customer about a crack in their chimney crown or one in the fifth tile above the smoke chamber is difficult without a picture. However, by using a digital camera or simply scanning the flue, these pictures and your words will “work in harmony” to more clearly communicate your message.
Along with the pictures and your words, how about bringing an unbiased third party? Who could that be? It doesn't have to be a person, how about a reprinted copy of NFPA 211, section 13-9 which states “If a liner in a chimney has softened, cracked, or otherwise deteriorated so that it no longer has the continued ability to contain the products of combustion, i.e., “heat, moisture, creosote, and flue gases,” it shall either be removed and replaced, repaired, or relined…”
Combining your verbal words with both the pictures, and the aforementioned NFPA 211 reprint, along with your professionally prepared written proposal, clearly will prove that words and pictures working together will deliver excellent results.
Almost Free
For many of us, when we're working “in the field” it always seems like that's when we need a phone number and of course don't have a phone book in our vehicle. If you're like most of us you probably can't stand the thought of paying 75 cents to $3 for directory assistance, but fear not, there is an answer.
For some time now, Jingle Networks Inc. has sponsored free directory assistance simply by calling 800-FREE-411. You will have to listen to a short commercial message, but that's the only thing you'll have to do.
Important Protection
Protect your reputation like your businesses future depends on it. It does! There is nothing more important than your reputation.
Your reputation is what people trust, believe in, and ultimately buy or not buy, dependent upon the reputation. Your reputation is what you're known for and what others believe you to be. A great reputation earns respect and creates opportunities. While on the other hand, a poor reputation chases all good things away. Stellar customers and organizations don't want to do business with a person or company that's anything less than trustworthy and reputable.
There will always be opportunities to “fudge” on a local or national code or to tell just one “little white lie,” but you'll just be “shooting yourself in the foot.” Once you've damaged your company's reputation, it may never be rebuilt.
You might be able to pretend like everything is okay, and try to conduct business as you should, but a bad reputation will “rear it's ugly head” at the worst time and will continue to haunt you.
Developing a plan to protect your reputation is an integral step for your company, but there is no definitive way to go about doing it. Companies often spend many years and a lot of money to create and establish a certain image and reputation. The most important component of a plan to protect reputation is a good communication strategy. More than anything, reputation is spread by word of mouth, so it is important to have some control over what that word will be. Keep everyone who comes in contact with your company informed, it will prevent the spread of damaging rumors that may or may not be true. It only takes one incident to significantly impair the public's perception of image and really damage your reputation.
Treat your reputation as if it is one of the most important assets in your business. It Is!
“Life is what happens when you are making other plans”
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