The Masthead

Some inter-related topics today…

1

“Elephant in the room” is an English idiom for an obvious truth that is being ignored or goes unaddressed. The idiomatic expression also applies to an obvious problem or risk no one wants to discuss. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_in_the_room

If you have any connection professionally with Manufactured Housing, these Elephants in the Room impact your business and your firm’s bottom line.

A number of public comments have already been posted on the subject of Elephants in the Room, here at my previous Masthead blog post – see link below – and at the MHC Group on LinkedIn. Even more comments have come in privately, via phone or messaging. The original Elephants in the Room post is linked here.

The response has been strongly in favor of the importance of the topic.

That said, for accuracy and balance, I need to mention that one executive I respect cautioned me not to appear to be ‘stirring the pot’ on this issue. I assured him that is not our goal, that the original post stated quite the opposite: I am not criticizing anyone, simply raising a topic of general interest and concern.

What I failed to mention then, but will hasten to add now, is that we at MHMSM.com have declined stories that I felt would serve no purpose to the Industry or would simply embarrass someone. We are not muckrakers or a tabloid.

Our mission at MHMSM.com is to be pro-industry, period.

Being pro-industry means we want to see the Industry move ahead and grow. So at times, that means we will look at what may be seen by some as tough or sensitive subjects. We will invite feedback on ways we can deal with those challenges.

Financing is critical for our future, and so we all need to be objective about this subject.

Public comments can be seen on LinkedIn or posted on the blog above. A sampling of the private-to-me, and no-names-mentioned comments include:

• One manufactured housing lender who said that this very issue has been a trouble spot for their operation and kept it from growing. He thanked me for bringing it up for discussion.
• A chattel lender who suggested this is a key topic, one that needs to be addressed for the benefit of the industry and its customers. This gent was keen on hearing about the repo resale experiences discussed in my first post on the topic, linked above.
• I was also told that VMF and 21st would very much like to see this successfully addressed. No one ‘wants’ to wholesale so long as they have a better option. They have a significant stake in the game, and performance for them helps everyone in MH lending, directly or indirectly.
• A chattel finance exec shared an example of a specific repo reseller he knew that he asserts had 85%-90% recovery rates on repo’d manufactured home loan balances. Compared to the losses on homes being wholesaled, that was interesting and positive news!
• That person also noted that a savvy LLC operator who does self-financing should be able to recover 100% of their money on the outstanding loan balance at the time of repossession.
• More than one lender expressed interest in my prior experiences reselling/re-marketing manufactured home repossessions, which was mentioned in the post above. Time will tell where such discussions may go.
• Other comments have come from retailers (including a multi-location retail operator), some from community pros, and others involved in the Industry at various levels.

Based on this sampling, one may surmise the importance of this subject to the manufactured housing Industry, its lenders and customers.

Please read or re-read the post linked above; understand, discuss and share your views, concerns, comments and most important, your thoughts on solutions. The future of our Industry grows brighter once the pachyderms in the parlor are shown their way out.

Teeing up on INR

2.

George F. Allen has suggested that he will use the time previously slotted for the now scrubbed MHARR and MHI discussion at Phoenix during the upcoming International Networking Roundtable Sept 15-17, 2010 for an open forum on industry issues instead. Based on the initial feedback noted above in the need to improve the exit strategies for lenders and customers, this may be considered as a topic worthy of discussion at INR.

3.

Topic three, all inter-related: Enhanced Marketing, industry image building and increased sales.

Do you want to achieve record results for your operation? Do you want to grow you sales through increased marketing? Do you believe that there ‘ought to be a way’ for the industry to enhance the image and acceptance of manufactured housing?

Then come to INR in Phoenix. Listen to what Joe Adams has to say on this subject, I know I plan to hear his thoughts! Then, toss a coin and decide if you will sit in on my friend, Don Westphal’s important topic of the community series homes, or if you will sit in on my talk on how to generate 150 new calls a week at a single location. I wish I could hear Don’s presentation, but I can’t do two different things in two different rooms at the same time.

There is plenty of star power lined up for Phoenix, starting with Randy Rowe – of Greene Courte Partners fame, State of the Asset Class address, other top presenters, round table discussions and networking/deal making opportunities. Contact George F. Allen at Phone (317) 346-7156; FAX: 346-7158 or email: gfa7156@aol.com to reserve your spot. 200 max attendance. GFA tells me he is nearing the mark! # #

L.A. ‘Tony’ Kovach, MHM – publisher, editor and The Masthead blogger at
Manufactured Home Marketing Sales Management trade journal at
www.MHMarketingSalesManagement.com aka www.MHMSM.com
tony@mhmsm.com
847-730-3692

And remember! Tony also does contract marketing and coaching for industry clients. Marketing that doesn’t ‘cost;’ it pays off on your bottom line. Enough said! # #

Another New Record! 30,300 readers here in July 2010 know what’s right! That’s 3700+…

…more readers than July.

We have THE MOST:

• top-featured writers,
• industry news including exclusive PODCASTS of NEWS AT NOON–fast, insightful business and market reports you can benefit from every biz day. Sign up now free and enjoy.
• Plus exclusive INdustry in Focus Reports.

More great features…read all about it below.

All across the country schools and businesses are closed for vacation, while state legislatures are adjourning and federal government offices are taking a recess – BUT here in the Manufactured Housing Industry, we completed one Call to Action…

• By August 5: LET’S GO GREEN! YOUR assistance was needed to support MHI’s call to ensure that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee favorably reports the Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act (S. 1320) sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT).

…and THERE ARE STILL TWO TO GO:

• By August 23: LET’S EXPAND EXISTING MARKETS AND OPEN NEW ONES! YOUR assistance is needed to support the On-Site Completion of Construction of Manufactured Homes published by HUD on June 23, 2010, with key clarifications and modification proposed by MHARR.
• By September 30: LET’S UTILIZE SOME AVAILABLE MONEY for Retailers! YOUR assistance is needed to contact members of Congress and ask them to support the Dealer Floor Plan Program Extension and Improvement Act of 2010. This can benefit retailers, communities and manufacturing.

THE MORE WHO RESPOND, THE GREATER OUR IMPACT WILL BE!

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The Revolution Spreads! Here’s the action one company is taking. Because the Home Idea Factory and Lifestylist® Suzanne Felber (www.LifeStylist.com) are committed to the growth and success of our industry, they took action to send out this message to their readers:

“I got the best gift in the mail the other day – a copy of The Manufactured Housing Revolution – a new book that was edited by L.A. ‘Tony’ Kovach. It was really exciting to see the article I wrote, “I Only Decorate Houses I Want To Sell,” was included in the book and we had a quote on the back cover! Tony really has been helping spread the word about why factory built housing is the preferred form of construction on his www.mhmsm.com site, and putting some of the better articles from his site in book form was a great idea. You can get a copy of this at:
http://www.manufacturedhousingrevolution.com.”

You are either going to catch this wave or miss it. Show YOUR commitment! Get copies for yourself and your organization today, and join the Revolution! Spread the word!

Note: this book is also reviewed in George F. Allen’s Feature Article in this issue (see below).

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Be sure to tune in to Erin Patla’s redesigned Podcasts of the Factory-built Housing News at Noon–including Industry–specific Markets news-and well as Podcasts of our outstanding Featured Articles; Eric Miller’s ground-breaking, exclusive INdustry in Focus Reports, and your favorite industry experts and related pros who return to bring you this month’s new Featured Articles. The accent is on more green – in financing, income and energy-efficient products and practices.

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Featured Articles
and Reports for August 2010

Once again, we bring you “All the Best:” Top-Talent professionals from A for Adams to Z for Ziglar! Let’s get started with your big August line up…

Joe Adams – Marketing
• A Journey in Successful Marketing: Identifying and Correcting Ten MH Marketing Mistakes. If you think the role of marketing is to make sales – wrong. Think again.

George Allen – MH Housing Book Reviews
• New Manufactured Housing Book Reviews! Are you the first or the last to know about these must-reads?

Chad Carr – Management
• Pillar Four-Getting the Numbers Right. Do you know the ten steps you need to take to make sure you know exactly how much money you have and where it is to sustain profitable operations?

Tim Connor – Management
• Empowering Employees. Will empowering employees improve performance and increase organizational effectiveness or create stress and havoc?

Tim Connor – Sales
• Common Sales Myths. Do you know the five “truths” that actually sabotage your MH sales success?

Nadeen Green – Legal, Fair Housing
• Fair Housing Is Not All Black and White. How can iguanas, “hellos” and food stamps put your MH community at risk?

Mike Hourigan – MH Business Practice
• When you think about it: A novel approach. Are you “flying the plane” of your MH business or crashing it?

Susan Knowles – MH Community Service Provider Resources
• Why Settle? Exploring your MH community’s service provider options. Feel like there is just something missing from your relationship with the cable company?

L.A. ‘Tony’ Kovach – MH Industry Reporting
• Builders of Mods and HUDs-Can They Get Along? Yes or no? Build up the industry or tear it down. Choose your future.

Stephen Lefler – Energy-efficient MH homes and appliances
• Plunge into the “Green” Pool. How can the manufacturing and modular home building industry surpass the conventional home builders during this economic window of opportunity in the house construction business?

Greg McClanahan – Soft Skills and Personal Development
• Everything You Do Matters. How do butterflies affect the future of the Manufactured Housing Industry?

Eric Miller – MH Industry Reporting
• Fleetwood Enterprises Liquidates, Products Live On. Is the MH Industry giant totally gone?

Eric Miller – MH Industry Reporting
• Legacy Housing, LTD Aims at Quality, Affordable Homes Sold by Independent Retailers. “This will make you proud to be an American when you see how everything comes together.”

George Porter – MH Historical Perspective
• Vanishing Americana. Are you aware of the colorful origins of the MH industry and the families that disappeared when the early homes did?

Kenneth Rishel – MH Industry Finance Commentary
• Credit Matrixes can be a Plan for Success or a Plan for Failure. What kind of credit matrix can create sustainability?

Dave Shanklin – MH Industry Financing
• California Expects More Banks to Provide Loans for Manufactured Homes in Communities. Is there evidence of new stability for the MH chattel finance industry?

Bob Stovall – Online Marketing
• Online Marketing 1-2-3, Part 2 – eMail Marketing. Knowing the “do’s and don’t's” of email marketing can make or break your business.

Don Westphal – MH Community Planning
• Going Green? Green is good – financially and ecologically.

Zig Ziglar – Motivation & Inspiration
• Zig on… Problems vs. Opportunities. What can you learn from boxing-great Gene Tunney?

If you want to grow your results, stay informed and get ahead, make us your top stop online every work day, or catch up on weekends like thousands already do!

Two distinct topics today.  First, a brief reminder that next week is the MHI Summer Meeting, held in Washington, DC.   The dates are July 13-July 15th.  This will be my first to attend, and I am looking forward to it.  I hope to see you there, here is a photo from April that will help you spot me in the crowd.  I always enjoy a good conversation about INdustry related issues.

Next, I want to talk to you about the second set of eyes and their importance.  George F.  Allen’s recent blog post is part of the spark, but more immediate was this true tale of two cities.

An email came in earlier this week.  Actually dozens come in daily, but I am thinking about a specific one…then another.  They came within an hour or so of one another.  But the contrast between the two messages is what struck me.

The one message was telling me how well their Manufactured Housing Industry business was doing.  Those types of messages are easy to enjoy.  Knowing the person and firm, I can tell you the operation has positive leadership and goal orientation. The next message, about an hour later, was from someone whose business was going through some ‘struggles.’  Those are more common.

I guarantee you that the first business is reading the tea leaves, making adjustments and are doing whatever it takes to make it happen!  The second?  No doubt the other firm needs a second set of eyes to look at what is going right and what is going wrong.

In Allen’s blog, his topic was telephone protocols.  GFA does mystery shopping as part of his array of services, primarily to manufactured home land lease community operators.  The report hit what both he and I see similarly, that the basic rules are ignored so often, that it no doubt costs people business. When a company’s business is down, vacancies are up, etc., you’d think such a firm would do what my friend and expert writer, Tim Connor speaks about.  Namely, ask yourself, what are your lost sales and vacancies costing you?

Do the math.

Then give the right pro a call.

Our pages are filled month after month with articles by various Industry experts and pros!  Does your e-marketing program lack?  Or is it non existent?  Call on Bob Stovall, from Socialnomics (social network marketing), to a wide variety of web based solutions, Bob is the man I have turned to for years.  He gets the job done right!  It is no accident that we at Manufactured Home Marketing Sales Management aka MHMSM.com are growing so rapidly and a good part of the credit goes to Bob!  859-544-9005.

Does your community need a makeover?  Are you going to hire the local gardener, or will you make the right call to speak to someone like Don Westphal?! When you need surgery you could go to a butcher shop, or you could go to a specialist! Don’t cut corners on your business unless you want to cut your own results!

“If you think it is expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire amateur.” – Red Adair

Good help is easier to find than you may think.  But you don’t haggle with your surgeon, what you care about is the outcome!  Hire the right person for the right results.

Do you have one or more locations that are plagued by vacancies?  Can’t get a particular location or area turned around?  Please give me a call.  From Texas to Canada’s border and back, I’ve been privileged to be a part of multiple turn arounds.  Marketing, PR, image building, growth and turn arounds services…these have put bread on my table in this Industry going back to the 1980′s.  More important to some of you whose businesses have one or more locations that are struggling, the work my team and I do doesn’t ‘cost,’ it pays dividends in the form of higher bottom line results.

Just look at the vast array of talents and expertise found at MHMSM.com.

From A for Adams to Z for Ziglar, we bring you the most top talent and the most news and views you can use every day on our pages.  You can do it yourself in many cases.  When you are successful with that, it’s great.  But if you’ve tried the do it yourself or the local butcher approaches and it hasn’t worked, consider the value of a second set of eyes.  You get a second opinion before you go for surgery, doesn’t your business deserve the same second look?

I’ll bet every one reading this post has at some point in your life walked into someone else’s business, observed what was taking place, and rapidly identified what was right and what was wrong.  Maybe it was a restaurant, a retailer or some other enterprise.  That fresh look, that second set of eyes, is priceless.

You might call a friend or a local to do it.  Or you could call a pro.

I am not walking in your shoes.  You are.  Once you are in them, it is easier for some else to see your shoes than you can!

There are many reasons why people hesitate to go to the doctor or dentist, and many reasons why business people may hesitate to call in an outside coach or consultant.  If you value your health, you finally make the decision to go to the MD.  if you value the health of your business, you call in a pro to give you that second set of eyes.  If you don’t know who to call, call me confidentially, tell me your issues, and I’ll provide some options for your consideration.

A second set of eyes…if they are the right pair looking at your challenges, it can make all the difference to growth for your business.  There are firms making money today and growing today.  if you are’t in that group, pick up the phone and call. # #

L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach

Manufactured Home Marketing Sales Management aka MHMSM.com

voice 847-730-3692

iPhone 832-689-1729

tony@mhmsm.com

The facts. Just simply the facts. 24,680 readers here in May 2010 can’t be wrong! We have THE MOST: top-featured writers, from Adams to Ziglar! The most industry news, including PODCASTS of NEWS AT NOON. Podcasts are already among our top accessed pages, perhaps why we are starting June 20% higher than May! More great features…

…are coming this month, with the start of our exclusive INdustry in Focus Reports.

Issue number 9 is here! The podcasts of the new feature articles will start next week! If you haven’t signed up yet for our podcasts, do it now at this link. Check it out free, and see why industry pros like you are listening to MHMSM.com podcasts while they shave, get ready, are in their car, at their desks… wherever they want to take their IPods or MP3 players!

I get pretty jazzed as I think about all that is taking place and coming up here at MHMSM.com. We will introduce you to our featured writers for June and their topics in a few moments. But let’s look each other in the virtual eye, clasp hands and understand this. We need each other. 24,680 industry pros like you are here, many logging on daily or multiple times a week! Why?

Because you find Industry News and Views You Can Use. If you care about the Factory-built housing industry, you are here, period. If you want to grow or improve, personally or professionally, there are great places to be, and this is one of them. We care – our expert writers, podcaster, reporter, editors, IT and staff care! So we are bringing ALL THE BEST to you.

Let’s review. The most:

• Top industry expert writers
• Feature writers who are industry association members
• Podcasts of featured articles
• Podcasts of factory-built housing NEWS AT NOON on each regular business day

Plus:

• The start of INdustry in Focus Reports, exclusive added insights or entirely unique stories brought to you here at MHMSM.com
• A record 24,680 readers in May, plus June starting 20%+ higher
• Podcasts, NEWS AT NOON and our sign up/registration page are now all in the top 10 pages on our busy Industry Ezine site

If you want to grow your results, stay informed and get ahead, make us your top stop online every work day, or catch up on weekends like thousands already do!

With no further ado, let’s look at our big June issue’s new featured articles.

Featured Articles
and Reports for June, 2010

Once again, we bring you “All the Best:” Top-Talent professionals from A for Adams to Z for Ziglar! Let’s get started with your big June line up…

Joe Adams – Marketing
• A Journey in Successful Marketing

Chad Carr – Management
• The Second Pillar: Getting the Deals Right

Tim Connor – Management
• Training – Investment or Cost?

Tim Connor – Sales
• Do You Have a Lost Sales Strategy?

Nadeen Green – Legal, Fair Housing
• Neologisms

Edward Hicks – Financing
• Title I HUD Code Home Financing Reform?

Chrissy Jackson – Land Lease Community Management
• Upgrading Your Community – Part 3

L.A. ‘Tony’ Kovach – A Cup of Coffee…
• A Cup of Coffee with… Richard Weinert

L. A. ‘Tony’ Kovach – Post May 2010 WHA Meeting Photo Report
• Overcoming Challenges and Difficult Times

Greg McClanahan – Soft Skills and Personal Development
• Be the Change

Mike Moore – Sales
• Buyers and Sellers – A Dysfunctional Relationship

George Porter – Manufacturing
• The Future

Ken Rishel – Industry Finance Commentary
• Manufactured Housing Finance Summit

Dave Shanklin – Finance, Lending
• Mixed Signals: Are the Manufactured Home Lenders Loosening or Tightening Their Guidelines?

Bob Stovall – Online Marketing
• Squeezing Out a Lead

John Underwood – Sales
• To Train or Not to Train

Donald Westphal, ASLA – Community Corner
• Attractive Garage Additions

Zig Ziglar – Motivation
• Zig on Success: What It Is and Isn’t

Last week, Don Westphal sent us an Industry Voices Guest Blog post on the topic of HR 5019. The bill past the House and is now headed on to the Senate for action.

I personally picked up the phone and my watch. It took me a total of 3 minutes to call the Capitol Switchboard’s number at (202) 224-3121, get the phone number to my representative here in IL, then call his office’s number and ask for my congressman to vote for HR 5019. They took my name and address. Painless! No apathy! No fear!

Now if HR 5019 passes the Senate and is signed into law, at this point here is how the legislation looks. H.R. 5019 would authorize a total of $6.6 billion, primarily for a new Home Star Retrofit Rebate Program. This would be run by the Department of Energy (DOE) and would provide rebates to contractors for energy-efficient remodeling on existing homes. Contractors would give discounts to consumers for the retrofits and the contractors would be reimbursed by the federal government via rebates. The manufactured housing amendment by Rep. Baron Hill of Indiana would offer $7,500 rebates which may be used to facilitate the purchase of a new Energy Star qualified home. Hill’s amendment also adds a ‘decommissioning grant’ up to $2,500 to cover the cost of removing the old home.

Think major dollars that would flow into our industry.

My point is simple. Pick up the phone. Call your Senator’s offices this week. Take the 5 to 10 minutes and then get others to do the same! Pass the link on to this blog post,

http://www.mhmarketingsalesmanagement.com/blogs/tonykovach/practical-politics-pickup-the-phone/

or to the related stories for background, which I’m posting below.

http://www.mhmarketingsalesmanagement.com/blogs/industryvoices/house-vote-expected-thursday-600-million-to-replace-outdated-mobile-homes-with-energy-star-homes/

The link to the MHI news story about this topic posted on our site is:

http://www.mhmarketingsalesmanagement.com/mhi-news/560-mhi-energy-efficient-manufactured-housing-legislation-passes-house

Or if you don’t need to know more than the fact that this could trigger the sale of 6000 new Energy Star HUD Code home homes, then just cut to the chase and dial for dollars!

Now some are going to lament this as another government handout in the long train of multi-billion dollar handouts since the new Administration took office. I’m sympathetic to that perspective. Good people with that viewpoint can and should work to change the tax and spend dynamics of Washington come the November mid-term elections.

Until then, we had better be practical. Let’s be smart business people and industry professionals! Let’s get the dollars those added dollars our industry needs! Every other industry is lobbying for big bucks in Washington, and we are foolish if we don’t get ‘our fair share.’ Let’s get real. This bill’s passage could be a significant move for our Industry. This bill is especially useful as it relates to residents without older houses in MHCs, their Community operators and those who serve land lease communities.

Think about all those pre-HUD Code homes in MHCs that need to be ‘retired’ and ‘decommissioned.’ Think about how the sale of new Energy Star rated homes to those residents would improve the lives of those involved. Think about how some 600 million dollars (or more) could represent the sale of 6000 new HUD Code homes. Think about the jobs, the economic flow that would create. Think if it isn’t coming to our industry, it will just go to someone else’s industry. That’s the practical reality of the scene today.

So pick up the phone and call. I did and you can too. This week, dial for dollars again.

The Capitol Switchboard’s number (202) 224-3121. Ask your Senator to support HR 5019 as amended by Rep. Baron Hill of Indiana. The Industry that you are in will be glad you did. You should feel good about making such a call too. Then get others involved. Together, we can make a difference. Working together, we can turn around the fortunes of our great Industry. ##

They say that “All good things must come to an end.” It is never fun for me to talk about endings. When the Manufactured Home Merchandiser Magazine closed last summer, it was painful. I feel pain too at the news this week that The Grissim Report (TGR) has closed due to insufficient numbers of subscribers. George Allen has stepped into the breach with a very thoughtful offer of ‘finishing up’ the balance of the subscription terms for TGR readers with his own Allen Letter.

We wish John Grissim the best, and truly hope there will be a decision or means for him to continue writing about Manufactured Housing Industry news. Regardless, the bottom line is that we as an industry have lost another publisher, just as we hear periodic word about the closing of a plant or retail center, etc.

Every loss is a wake up call. It is a reminder to focus on what matters most and not let little things drag your time and attention away.

Last weekend in his blog, George Allen reported on our meeting in Springfield last Wednesday with him, Ken Rishel and myself present to discuss ways to collaborate on Industry reporting. I think this is not only a noble effort, but a wise one.

We need more efforts like this in our industry. I’d love to see The Journal, Automated Builder and others join into such an effort. I’ve made such outreaches in the past, perhaps the fall of TGR will give people pause and cause them to think anew of how ‘teaming up’ can be done for the good of all concerned – most especially, the Manufactured Housing Industry.

Here at www.MHMSM.com we feel fortunate – blessed as it where – that our readership continues to grow at a rapid pace. We are happy to see new advertisers coming on board. But this doesn’t seem like an appropriate time to celebrate, when we have lost another publication in our industry; when we’ve lost another ‘one of our own.’ What this does for me is spark anew this thought – the wisdom of teaming up whenever possible – and the crying need for solution orientation in our industry.

I spoke to a gent today who was very excited about the ‘good news’ about the Chicago area redeveloper I blogged about some weeks back. This caller then shared the joys of the first years in their family owned retail business that opened about 7 years ago. That has more recently been followed by a period of painful realities for them as a lack of financing is steadily hurting their business. I shared some resources and ideas.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a magical solution to all that ails their firm and others too? I‘ve digressed, back to his story…

There was a number of things I liked about this enthusiastic professional’s approach. First, he wasn’t just sitting on his hands. They have a strategy in mind that they are working to keep revenue flowing in. This gent believes in positive thinking and goal orientation. All of these are good things, and these are marks that are needed to turn the corner when times are tough!

What is certain is that a failure to change from what isn’t working to what can or will work is a recipe for business closure. Don Westphal passed along a timely message for Industry Voices this week that I think we all should take a few minutes and follow up on.

If you want a boost for your business, follow Don’s advice, see the blog post linked above!

MHARR and MHI have in their own ways come out with statements on the pressing needs in our industry, and financing tops the list of both associations. Leaders from both national associations assure our readers that they have and will focus on issues such as finance, implementation of MHIA 2000 and work to protect pre-emption.

Every business if unique. Perhaps you have financing readily available, and I know of firms who do. Perhaps your needs are different. If you can get financing for your clients, but need marketing. Then seek out marketers or get tips on how to ‘do it yourself.’ If you have customers but aren’t closing, make the adjustments yourself or with the help of professionals who train or coach in that area, seek to move ahead.

Some of you will find resources for such services such as www.MHMSM.com/Solutions.

But whatever segment of the industry you are in, whatever your challenges, the key is to focus on identifying what is wrong and working to fix it. Easier said than done? Perhaps. But what alternative does a struggling enterprise have?

Let me go back to the top. All good things…if it is good, then work to keep it!

If it isn’t good, if it is dying, then work to prune what needs pruning and save what you can. Just as the publishers of 5 Industry publications have decided to collaborate more in the months ahead, so too other forms of collaboration can be found that can effect the turn-around for those who need that.

Not to be overlooked, there are those who are doing well today. Some are growing. Last week, at the Great Southwest Home Show, I spoke with a man who shared with me the growth his Texas based firm is experiencing. They are looking to expand again. They are profitable. Dare I say it? I’m told his firm is debt free. As I’ve heard this from a number of sources, I have no reason to doubt the veracity of this statement.

Another caller recently shared his plan to OPEN a new retail center! Is his firm in a boom area? Frankly, no. But that pro has is the right stuff in every sense, and has formed a creative plan to tap into the business that is available in his target market. With a long history of success, that quiet giant of a man will no doubt make it happen in his market with his new venture.

In every period of economic turbulence there will historically be ‘winners and losers.’ The winners are not always the biggest, although that often helps. The losers are not always the smallest.

What is common to the winners in difficult times is that they don’t lose their heads, they maintain their composure as they work to solve problems and take advantage of opportunities. The winners feed their minds with helpful insights. The winners don’t bury their heads in the sand. Winners may not call it the Silver Bullet Challenge, but they are precisely the ones who know they need to grow and so they read and look for new insights, new information and the ideas, tools and people to keep them moving ahead.

Let’s cut to the chase. We sell affordable housing! We can offer ‘All good things…’ to good people who need what you have! With affordable housing, there are ways to position yourself for success.

Don’t ignore the bad, you probably can’t anyway. But look at the good things. Look at how you can tackle the real issues and overcome them. See how you can move from where you are to where you want to be.

“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda, a fictional character in the original Star Wars trilogy.

“The fate is largely in our hands, provided that we know clearly what we want and we are determined to get it”.

Enzo A. Ferrari (Driver and Entrepreneur, Founder of the Automaker that bears his name)

“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you are right.” – Henry Ford, (Entrepreneur, Founder of the Automaker that bears his name)
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We have what will no doubt be our strongest line up ever at www.MHMSM.com. Let’s rephrase that, this will be the Manufactured Housing INdustry’s strongest line up of articles ever in a single publication.

Innovation – Information – Inspiration for Industry Professionals

That’s a strong claim, but see who’s coming to these pages in 72 hours. Check out any other publisher now or ever, and see when you’ve had more star power, more serious topics and more insights in one issue. Never before!

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First – exclusive ‘one on one’ interviews.

A Cup of Coffee with…
• Bill Matchneer
• Don Westphal
• Ken Rishel
• Eddie Hicks
• Cheryl Hardee
Our A Cup of Coffee with… are unique interviews that give you insights into the PERSON as well as digging into HOT TOPICS like Industry leadership, financing, image building and the Industry’s future. You’ll want to read each one and make sure others do too.

We now literally have authors from (last name) A to Z! From Adams to Ziglar and others in between!

Joe Adams – Marketing
Market Research and Your Customer

Rachel Biermann – PR & Marketing
Thrive During a Recession

Amy Bliss – Associations
Flight, fight or freeze

Chad Carr – Management Corner
10 Downside Tips

Tim Connor – Sales and Management
Tough Questions
Sales Strategies of Six Figure Income Salespeople

Nadeen Green – Attorney
FAIR HOUSING IS AS EASY AS ABC (Part 2 of 2)

Sue Frost – Financing
NEW GAME New Rules

Tony Kovach – Growing the Industry in 2010
Innovate or Duplicate
How Everyone Involved Wins

Susan Knowles – Development profit Center
Community Owners and Fiber Optics

Steven Lefler – Green factory-built home building
How we are changing the factory built home for the public one at a time

Shawn Mullins – Engineer and management
Process Analysis and Design – A Marketing and Management Perspective (Part 2)

Ricardo Morganti – Retailer
Attitude or Badittude

Greg McClanahan – Retailer and People Skills
Fact’s Verses Meanings

George Porter – Installation
Footing Forward

Ray Schmitt – Upscale Retailer
Yanee Point

Dave Shanklin – Community and Finance

Recession-Proof Housing in California MHPs

Kent Stichter – Design and Marketing
Riddle Solved

Bob Stovall – Marketing and Internet
PR-lead-generation

John Underwood – Sales
the Power of the Present, the Power of Now

Don Westphal – Community Corner

First Impressions

Stephen Wheeler – LLCs: Tapping Gov’t Funds for Rehabing Used MHs.
Financial Assistance for MH Renter & Homeowners

Zig Ziglar – Motivation
Zig On Good choices

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Our writers and INdustry Pros like you have made www.MHMSM.com #1. On the eve of our 6 issue, just about 72 hours away, we thank you for your support and encouragement!

Download those February articles now. Resolve now for you and your team members to take 10-15 minutes a day, every work day, and learn something new that will make your business stronger for the balance of 2010.

Learning and Applying an article a day will help keep the bill collectors at bay! Don’t forget our other blogs, with our new look.  Also keep in mind our 24/7/365 Industry and Housing news with star power of its own, Danny Ghorbani and Thayer Long to name but two …Bob our IT Manager has made it handier than ever. Take a look. ##