11.04.2009 — What do hiring an internal "inspector" for service, having a devout devotion to QuickBooks, using in-the-field worksheets, and selling digital signage systems into car washes all have in common?

Not much on the surface, but these are just three business success secrets shared by members of the CE Pro 100.

To coincide with the CE Pro 100 Integrators Summit in Los Angeles, dealers were asked to share advice in the areas of:

• Operations
• Sales and marketing
• Human capital/labor allocation
• Performance evaluations
• Recognition

Put Digital Signage Systems in Car Washes

There might be no more captive audience than people waiting at a car wash. That's why they all sell accessories like fuzzy dice and Christmas tree air fresheners. It's also why Logic Integration of Centennial, Colo. is having success selling digital signage systems in car washes. They are tailor-made for advertising.

"We hang digital signage at car washes, provide the equipment at no charge, selling advertising," says president Shawn Hansson, who says half of the revenue goes to Logic and the other half goes to the car wash.

"We then put our own company slides in the slide mix and have received leads and projects from this along with branding," he adds. "Car washes have about 8,000 to 10,000 people each month passing through and it brings $5,000 to $10,000 a year in advertising to us."

Use Social Networks to Market Events

Boca Theater & Automation (BTA) in Boca Raton, Fla. holds three separate networking events in its showroom. All three are heavily promoted with direct mail, e-mail, word of mouth and online social networking. Its quarterly American Institute of Architects (AIA) seminar series averages about 30 people, allowing architects to collect free continuing education units.

In addition to the seminar series, BTA opens its doors on the last Thursday of every month and holds a monthly wine and cheese networking event for builders, architects and designers. It also holds an annual technology open house catered event for existing clients, prospects, vendors, builders, architects and designers. This year's event attendance had more than 100 people.

The events are posted on the company's Facebook page, MeetUp.com, and other online postings, according to Brad Bergoine of Boca. "BTA has become a valuable consultant to several architect companies," he says. "With three seminars under our belts, BTA is now starting to generate several opportunities within the community."

Don't Hire Project Managers

Wouldn't it be great not to have "a boss" that micromanages your every move? Seth Jacoby at Showtime Audio & Video in Miami thinks so. That's why technicians at the company also act as project managers.

The extra layer of management is not there. The first technician on the job site automatically becomes the project manager for the job. Installers are encouraged to have open communication with each other, which leads to better resolutions of problems. Decisions do not have to be filtered by management.

"[Technicians] are not required to go through a manager at any given time, unless it is a higher priority issue," Jacoby says. The reason the first technician on a job gets to be the project manager is "because they are typically better briefed, spending more time and simply more aware of the details on the project," he explains. "This does lay more responsibility on each individual, but they excel because of the higher level of responsibility that certainly makes them feel more important to the team."

		CE Pro 100 Reports 12% Decline in Revenue Average company earned $6.59 million in 2008, down from $7.4 million. Average number of installations drops 5 percent. Crunching the Numbers Trends, takeaways and trite observations about the CE Pro 100 integration companies. How the Top 3 Companies Remained the Same Guardian Home Technologies, Modia and Audio Command Systems once again are the top three companies in the CE Pro 100. Download the Complete CE Pro 100 List Get the list and find out who made this year's most prestigious custom installation ranking. Verifying the CE Pro 100: How It's Done This year, 87 of the 100 companies provided verification in the form of copies of tax returns or letters from an outside CPA. Positive Signs from the CE Pro 100 How many other industries would be elated to be down just 12 percent during this "great recession"? Integrators Reveal Favorite Brands The CE Pro 100 highest-revenue-earners indicate their top brands in each of 34 custom electronics categories. Inside the CE Pro 100 Brand Analysis We're taking the CE Pro 100 Brand Analysis one step further, looking at some of the products from manufacturers in several of the 34 product categories. 6 Secrets to Success CE Pro 100 companies were asked to offer advice on marketing and employee management. Some (hire a CFO) are easy to understand and some (what's this about a car wash?) aren't so simple.