Flexible Solutions has been manufacturing liquid solar pool covers under the brand names of Heatsavr and Ecosavr for 20+ years now, and consumers are becoming more and more aware of the benefits they offer. BUT...many people still wonder just exactly how liquid pool covers work. This post will discuss the finer points of covering a swimming pool with a liquid, and hopefully resolve many of the questions you may have thought of yourself. 

Whenever you start to consider adding a new product to your pool routine, you want to know the costs associated with it just as much as you want to know how it is going to benefit you. We share all sorts of information about how much heat you can retain, water you can conserve, and money you can save on your heating bills, but we don't discuss 'price" often. 

There is a very good reason for that! Actually, there are a few really good reasons. I'll go over a few here, and if I miss anything, you are welcome to leave your questions in the comments section below the post. 

You've heard cliches about "Fishing for" various things - complements, information, etc. I'm sure you're also familiar with the analogies that often happen between sales and sports - home run customer, "scoring" a sale, etc.

While most sales people wouldn't necessarily want their customers to know that they view their job like a game or a competition - there are many ways in which calling attention to the similarities can actually help us increase our "A-Game."

Let's start with Fishing. 
 
Some people will spend hours out on a lake with a single rod, just waiting to be at the right place at the right time. For the most part, in a lake that has fish (a market that has buyers) you will inevitably catch something, if you are patient enough, but you only have the ability to catch one fish at a time.
 
Others, however, will spread out a net and leave it up to catch everything that comes by, to be collected at an opportune time.
 
I want to clarify that I am NOT condoning any specific type of fishing, I am simply using my limited knowledge of fishing styles as analogies. 
 
Both methods have their merits, but I am sure you can imagine the difference in potential success rates. As a sales strategy, you probably want to have a net out on a daily basis.
 
Your metaphorical net could be your web presence, your warehouse, your sales team - anything that is ready and available to help your customers when they are looking for you. 
 
The strength of your net will depend on how available you are perceived to be. If you have a website, but it isn't very visible or doesn't have enough information, you will have a net with large holes - lots of fish will swim right through without being caught.
 
On the other hand, if you have a very informative website, a regular presence on social media forums, and a sales team that is constantly reaching out to interact with potential customers, than your net will retain a wide range of customers, from large to small. 
 
Regardless of who your customer is, there is a universal truth that you will not make the sale until the customer is ready to buy. On any given day, however, there are many, many customers who will be ready to buy.
 
By creating a strong net for yourself, you will effectively be ready to catch your customers exactly when they are ready to buy. 
 
This strategy will be great for your sales and helpful for the customer because they won't have to waste time wondering where the will get the best service at the best price. Win-win.
 
For more sports analogies, keep reading. If you'd like to share your favorites, leave your comments below!

The Game Plan: Just as a talented football coach will put together strong plays that complement the strengths of his players, so do you have to create a plan of action that will lead all the members of your team to a success. Each member will have strengths that you should lean on, and a detailed list of goals will create the focus that leads to a winning season.
 
Home run: Most often made by those who practice their skill, but occasionally a fluke from a newbie. If you want to make the home run sales consistently, practicing your sales technique regularly can't hurt!

Hit the bullseye: When you aim for a specific target, you are more likely to achieve it. 
He Shoots, He Scores! In sales you will always have to overcome the defenses of your competition, and even those of your customers. But, with persistence and focus, you are sure to win.

Note: I thought of these analogies myself, with the help of years of various sales training, but I also found a GREAT post online with a lot more. If you are interested, check it out: Never Let a Good Sports Analogy Go to Waste

With the ADA Compliancy deadline coming nearer and nearer, I am sure you are hearing all about it on a regular basis. 

I am going to assume that you know what your facility needs, and are taking the measures necessary - you certainly don't need me to tell you about it. 

What I would like to talk about, however, is the various benefits that you may or may not have considered in regards to building your business with renewed vigor. I hope you find the following intriguing, if nothing else.

The ADA was created to ensure accessibility of public places to all persons, regardless of disabilities, and it is enforced for the benefit of society as a whole. The fact that you legally must comply does not alter the fact that a) it is a socially responsible action that you may or may not have been planning to implement anyways or b) that, as a business, you have the opportunity to capitalize on the accessibility of your facility. 
 
As an empathetic human being, you know it is a very progressive measure and I'm sure you're very happy that people across America will have better access to facilities that can make their lives more enjoyable and healthy. 
 
As a business owner / operator, you are sure to be aware of the new market that is opening up. 
 
For example, by having a fully accessible facility, you can create aquatics programs for disabled persons - perhaps specific swimming lessons, or therapy sessions, or targeted school and community center scheduling. Your facility will be well loved and appreciated by the new crowd, and it will present you with a potentially new stream of income to help continue to provide your entire community with top-of-the-line service. 
 
By creating new programs, you may also be introducing new employment opportunities for staff with niche training, which will be great for your community's economy.
 
Everybody wins!
 
Even if you don't add new programs to your center, you will nevertheless be able to potentially increase the attendance at your facility. 
 
There is a heartwarming article in the January issue of Recreation Management that delves into the many other benefits that come along with an accessible facility - inclusion, friendship, education, community appreciation and so much more. Read the article here: 
 
>> RecManagement.com: Programming Inclusiveness

How has ADA Compliancy added benefits to your aquatics facility? If you would like to share your story, please email monique@flexiblesolutions.com

Every aquatics facility faces daily maintenance tasks.That will come as no surprise to you. Going through your routine of checking chemical feeders, chemical levels, equipment inspections, fixing minor (or major) malfunctions, prepping new staff, getting the facilities ready for swim meets...the list goes on and on. Right? 

It has to get done, all of it, and it undoubtedly adds a dose of stress to your day. Add to that concerns about the budget, about ADA and VGB compliance, the summer swimming season around the corner, and I am sure that your days are filled to the brim. Multi-tasking may be your middle name, but wouldn't it be nice if a few things were crossed off your daily litany of chores?

I find inspiration in the work of others. When I write, I reference trade magazines, online sources, and even things that are completely unrelated that happen in my everyday life. 
 
In fact, I refer to many of the same sources for guidance and inspiration within my everyday life!
 
I am sure that you do that as well, perhaps without even thinking about it. There are many, many other aquatics centers out there who face the same daily tasks as you do, and there are quite a few that have found ways to make their facilities more efficient. 
 
I will freely admit that I have never walked a day in your shoes, and I couldn't imagine ONE-TENTH of the work you do. But I do constantly read about what is happening in the Commercial Aquatics Industry. I spend quite a bit of time learning about what folks just like you are doing to make their jobs more enjoyable and profitable. 
 
I was flipping through Parks & Rec Business Magazine when I found the inspiration for this very email. The December issue focused on their 2012 Project Portfolio. I noted a trend in regards to the swimming pool facilties included:

• The 10-lane competition pool at Hollywood Aquatic Center was built with eco-friendly concepts in mind, using recycled materials
• The Las Cruces Regional Aquatic Center is seeking LEED Certification
• The Muensterberg Plaza was designed using efficient LED lights
• Brentwood City Park used sustainable site measures, such as bio-swales, vine screen, pervious paving, green roof and underground detention and infiltration planters for water quality maintenance

You can read more about these projects and others online: http://www.northstarpubs.com/articles/prb/project-portfolio
 
Did you notice the same theme I did? Becoming more environmentally focused is not just a fad, but a very efficient way of reducing your costs by conserving resources. 
 
Continue reading for some suggestions that would help these facilities - AND YOURS - become even more efficient.