CRA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: May 2013

CRA trade shows are a great opportunity for all.

It’s been enjoyable being able to attend all the regional trade shows over the last three months. I have found that each of the trade shows is a little different, with two common factors.

Each show features the terrific presence of our associate members. Without their participation on the floor as well as with sponsorships for social and networking events, our association would have a completely different face. Please reward these members by placing them and their companies at the beginning of your shopping list. Remember a member.

The second thing all our shows have in common is the great networking component. This was achieved in different ways at each show. The effort put forward for these events was from your own local board of directors. So a thank-you to them would be appreciated, I am sure.

Some of our shows put forth an educational component in the form of seminars. These were well-attended events and will be a mainstay of next year’s shows. I would encourage any and all members or associate members who feel they have valuable technical knowledge to share with the industry to contact their local board of directors and volunteer to put on a seminar. There is no better way to get known as an expert in your field.

For those of you who attended the regional shows, you already know the rewards. For those of you who didn’t attend, you missed out on one of the easiest ways to gather information as well as further your business and yourself. The weather did not always co-operate at this year’s shows, but it was amazing to see how many rental people braved the elements and took time out of their busy schedules to come out.

The regional shows are important for your association local and important to keeping our industry strong.

Remember, your local trade show is a great place to buy, with lots of show-only specials, as well as a great place to get information to grow your business as well as yourself. Thanks to all the people who made my travels safe as well as some of the most enjoyable rental experiences yet.  

In March, I announced that the CRA would be launching an exciting campaign to raise rental awareness across the country from May 6 to 10. By the time you read this, the big week will be right on top of us.

Springtime brings April showers and May flowers, but it also puts thoughts of home renovations and spring cleaning into many homeowners’ minds. What better way to kick off spring than with National Rental Awareness Week? By now, you should have received a package that included a media release and other materials you can use and distribute to your customer base. As well, our public relations firm, High Impact PR, will be contacting media outlets across the country to create buzz and generate media coverage for the campaign. Members across the country are tying events and announcements in to NRAW, and I encourage you to do the same. NRAW is an ideal opportunity for you to communicate your offering to your customers and the community you live in, while raising awareness for the rental industry at the same time. It isn’t too late to jump on the bandwagon and join the groundswell of rental interest we will be creating from coast to coast.