Social Media Trends: “I’ve Got 99 Problems, But a Blog Ain’t One”

Recently, Jon Dunagin, Marketing Director of CRT, and I attended a webinar hosted by the US Small Business Administration. Titled, “Helping You Get Started,” the webinar suggested tips for new and upcoming bloggers, as well as a refresher for those of us whom are already blogging.

Because a lot of bloggers experience blogger’s block, ideas were shared for topics you could potentially blog about. This included topics such as marketing campaigns, introducing your staff, interviewing an industry expert within your company, and posting solutions to problems one may be having within an industry. A thorough list of blogging ideas was provided, and can be viewed at http://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/never-run-out-blog-topic-ideas-here-are-36

Blogging is about keeping people “in the know.” You want your readers to know about upcoming events, tips, customer feedback, and current company news. However, it is never good to promote or sell directly through your blogs, and that is something all bloggers must try to stay away from. Blogging isn’t about selling a product, it is about selling your company as a whole, and then going from there.

For more ideas and information, I wanted to give you guys the chance to attend the same, informative webinar we had the pleasure of attending! You can view that webinar by clicking below, and if you have any suggestions on blogging and what to blog about, please leave a comment.

chasity
Chasity Strickland, Social Media Specialist and Marketing Assistant of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc., a research, development and manufacturing firm based in Shelby, North Carolina. CRT is an IFMA CSP, an EnergyStar Partner and manufacturer of independently-certified Green products for HVAC maintenance. Since 1986, CRT has been creating leading edge HVAC maintenance products that have become industry standards, used in thousands of commercial buildings world-wide. CRT employees are members of BOMA, ASHRAE, ASHE and the American Chemical Society. www.cleanac.com

From the Field: “Hope is not unreal, we can reach out and grab it.”

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As an ambassador for the Cleveland County Chamber, I was recently invited by the President of Membership Services, Vickie Tesseneer, to attend the Refresh Leadership Webinar. Along with Jon, Chasity and Kristen, we traveled to Gaston College to watch a live simulcast of the event. Going in I thought it would be interesting, but I was surprised by how much fun I had and how much I learned.

The Refresh Leadership Webinar was nothing short of life touching. The speakers focused on several different areas, from work to personal life. One of those speakers was Guy Kawasaki, co-founder of Alltop.com, founding partner at Garage Technology Ventures, columnist, best-selling author, and former chief evangelist for Apple. Mr. Kawasaki spoke on how to influence people’s hearts, minds, and actions for the purpose of bringing about voluntary, enduring, and delightful change.

Another speaker was Amanda Gore. For over 20 years, she has been one of America’s and Australia’s most admired professional speakers. Ms. Gore says, “The spirit in which we do anything determines the outcome, whether positive or negative.” Her expertise is in transforming the spirit of people and cultures by changing attitudes, improving relationships, connecting people, and managing change, leadership innovation, and team dynamics.

Last but not least, was Terry Bradshaw, who was our favorite speaker of the day. Mr. Bradshaw is widely known for being one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, a four-time Super Bowl Champion and two-time Super Bowl MVP, who spent his entire career with the Pittsburg Steelers.

According to Kristen, “Terry Bradshaw taught me several things at the Refresh Leadership conference, but most of all he taught me that I should take a step back and look at how I am impacting others’ lives. He taught me that success comes from loving myself and being happy in everything that I am doing.”

In Bradshaw’s own words: “Hope drives us, Hope keeps us going. Hope is not unreal, we can reach out and grab it. Our Joy cannot be impaired by anything or touched by anything, our Joy cannot be taken unless we allow it to be. I choose to be happy and I choose to absolutely love myself. I wake up every morning and I put a smile on my face because ain’t God great!”

If you have recently attended any motivational seminars, let us know. We would love to hear about your different experiences.

shandifix2Shandi Maddox, Corporate Client Services Representative of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc., a research, development and manufacturing firm based in Shelby, North Carolina. CRT is an IFMA CSP, an EnergyStar Partner and manufacturer of independently-certified Green products for HVAC maintenance. Since 1986, CRT has been creating leading edge HVAC maintenance products that have become industry standards, used in thousands of commercial buildings world-wide. CRT employees are members of BOMA, ASHRAE, ASHE and the American Chemical Society. www.cleanac.com

Product Spotlight: Pancrete – Be Proud of Your Unit

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After just a few years of service galvanized condensate pans start to corrode. Corrosion creates low spots in the pan where water can pool. This pooling accelerates the corrosion process and eventually causes the pan to leak. The standing water also promotes biological growth, blocking the drain and resulting in pan overflows. As can be imagined, both scenarios can result in extensive water damage and costly repairs.

To solve these problems, CRT created Pancrete pan resurfacer. Pancrete is pourable and self-leveling, providing the condensate pan with a flat, level surface that does not corrode. Additionally, Pancrete contains an anti-microbial preservative, which prohibits it from becoming a food source for microorganisms. Simply said, no food, no growth, no overflows.

For close to 15 years, Pancrete users have been thrilled with the results. Not only does Pancrete save thousands in repair and replacement, but it is easy to apply, requires limited downtime, and results in a finished product people are proud to show off. How many companies do you know that want you to look in their air handler units?

Well many of our customers are doing just that! Recently we added a section to our website showing off just a few of the thousands of Pancrete jobs performed over the years. Please visit http://www.cleanac.com/project-showcase, click on a company and see what Pancrete could do for you. And if you’ve already used Pancrete before and have a job you are proud of, please submit pictures and short description of the job to marketing@cleanac.com.

jonJonathan Dunagin, Marketing Director of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc. located in Shelby, North Carolina. More information about the company, and its products, can be found at http://www.cleanac.com and by calling (800) 766-9057.

Techical Corner: The Science of Loafing Time

Life presents all of us with choices and decisions. When it comes to work responsibilities, machines have been increasingly valuable, giving us more time to accomplish other tasks. In addition to machines, our own ingenuity allows us to modify even our procedures to lessen work and time.

Human ingenuity has provided us with many devices that take away burdensome tasks, for example dishwashers or self-lubricating equipment or “automatic” temperature controls and so on. There is no question that such devices improve our quality of life, freeing us up to accomplishing other tasks or alternately just giving us “loafing” time where we can relax.

There are many jobs that are necessary but we don’t particularly care to do, like washing dishes or cleaning air conditioning coils often are put off until the last minute. Some of us might even like to put up a curtain to cover dirty dishes so we don’t have to look at them until we run out of dishes.

It is easier to put off cleaning with coil cleaning because the coils are already inside an area that we can not see anyway. No curtain is required here!

Tales of wasted energy efficiency from dirty coils and bacteria/fungus buildup (which are true by the way) do not seem to entice the average guy to clean coils more frequently. In this case the out-of-sight and out-of-mind concept applies.

Adding to the reluctance of cleaning coils in general is the rather significant fact that almost all facilities do not have the manpower to do it. So that pretty well seals the deal of only cleaning coils when the pressure drop is so high the air flow has dropped by 30% or even more.

While no one has yet to develop an in-place automatic machine to clean coils at the push of a button, human ingenuity has provided a solution.

It is more than just “nice” thing to do than cleaning coils – the benefits are there, and are proven accurate. Less back pressure on the fan system, less restrictions by fungus or mold and bacteria on the coils make significant differences in not only energy consumption, but air quality from the odors that dead and decaying microorganisms emit. Topping those factors off, wouldn’t it be just great to look inside of the HVAC air handler unit and see a glistening interior free from odors, free of any drain pan deposits along with crystal-clear water? And most importantly, with no extra work on your part?

A dream you say? No, it is simple and economical to have this now.

At CRT, our emphasis over the past 25 years has been in developing advanced products that keep air handlers looking nice where it counts – in the interior.

The development in our in-house R&D lab of these products using the latest technology we develop and manufacture in-house insures that any air handler using CRT solutions will be and continue to be clean. Benefits of increased efficiency, freedom for microbial odors, unexpected overflows and overall cleanliness are real. It has been said you could set up your office inside the air handler it is so clean. Can you say you could do that now with your existing air handler?

Whether you can or not, it will benefit you to look at the many unique products we have created at our website http://www.cleanac.com. Or, for extending the life of your air handler, check out http://www.pancrete.com to see how this simple to use product can give you more than you expected for your HVAC air handler.

lynnLynn Burkhart is the founder and president of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc. located in Shelby, North Carolina. More information about the company, and its products, can be found at http://www.cleanac.com and by calling (800) 766-9057.

Case In Point: Strategic Filtration’s Success

Over the three years I have been at CRT, I have had the honor of working with valued clients Bobby Mantle and Todd Swearingen of Strategic Filtration. I am honored to call them colleagues as well as friends. Year after year they continue to promote our products at the highest level. Take a look at what Bobby has to say about Strategic Filtration’s success of V570 (Vertical Resurfacer) and Pancrete (Permanent Resurfacer).

Strategic V570 & PC Rec. Letter

For more info on the two brilliant products, feel free to contact me and also check out our website: http://www.cleanac.com/pans-basins-a-metal-surfaces/resurface

Also, here is a link to our video application of the products. Check it out, see if you are as amazed as our clients are.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahS67W-KJDw&context=C4812622ADvjVQa1PpcFPh9yD82Wy2qhzp5Z7lxqj-OYCCT-Devm8=

kdKristen Davis, Preferred Client Services of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc., a research, development and manufacturing firm based in Shelby, North Carolina. CRT is an IFMA CSP, an EnergyStar Partner and manufacturer of independently-certified Green products for HVAC maintenance. Since 1986, CRT has been creating leading edge HVAC maintenance products that have become industry standards, used in thousands of commercial buildings world-wide. CRT employees are members of BOMA, ASHRAE, ASHE and the American Chemical Society. www.cleanac.com

Technical Corner: Do you have an effective HVAC Hygiene program in place?

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Most end users seldom look inside their HVAC air handler. Why?

In some cases the unit is out of the way, and hard to get to. However, in many cases the user is just plain afraid to open up the access door to look in. One home owner even told me that he was afraid he would damage something if he opened the door, or see lots of moving equipment he might get entangled in.

The facts are there is only one moving part within the air handler that might pose a threat and that is the fan and fan belt. Over the past decades though, few units have exposed fans, as even these are enclosed and out of the way. Like any equipment though, shut off the unit before opening.

Looking into the air handler on occasion is a good idea. In this case, what you don’t see can effect you.

First, keep in mind that all of the air you breathe in passes through the air handler unit, whether you are at home or at work in a building. HVAC air handlers, big and small in size, have mold fungus and bacteria actively living, and dying, within them. These microorganisms thrive in the damp and dark interior environment of an air handler, amplifying and growing to occupy an increasing amount of space.

Bacteria and fungus grows on top of interior insulation, and within the insulation where it is difficult if not impossible to remove. Water from the condensation on coils provides vital moisture for growth, resulting in a biological “soup” of all kinds of bacteria. Often, growth gets so bad it partially plugs up drain lines or plugs them up entirely. At that point, water overflows.

Fungus and bacteria grow on and within cooling coils as well. Some of the spores and fungus are physically removed by passing air and travel into occupied room areas where they can be breathed in. Furthermore, bacteria and fungus are the primary source of odors coming out of the air handler.

So, could a program to keep the insides of your air handler clean be beneficial? Yes, it definitely would be helpful. I have yet to find one person who states he would rather breath in air passed over bacteria and fungus than not.

CRT’s easy, work-free program can achieve interior air handler cleanliness without maintenance attention. See our website at http://www.cleanac.com or check out our sustainability solutions to keep your unit running for years to come at http://www.pancrete.com

lynn1Lynn Burkhart is the founder and president of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc. located in Shelby, North Carolina. More information about the company, and its products, can be found at http://www.cleanac.com and by calling (800) 766-9057.

From the Field: “A picture is worth a thousand words”

Recently, Guarantee Service Team, a new client of Controlled Release Technologies, purchased and applied Pancrete and V570 – Condensate Pan Resurfacer (Pancrete)/ Vertical Pan Resurfacer (V570).

After application and I following up with Guarantee Service Team, I received confirmation that, “the job went pretty great!”

Bo Dunn of Guarantee Service Team kindly shared before and after pictures of the Pancrete and V570 application with me. I say, “Job well done!!”

So, I would like to share these pictures with you guys as well. You can view these pictures in the gallery below. As always, if you have any questions or comments you would like to add; please feel free to do so.

chasityChasity Strickland, Social Media Specialist and Marketing Assistant of Controlled Release Technologies, Inc., a research, development and manufacturing firm based in Shelby, North Carolina. CRT is an IFMA CSP, an EnergyStar Partner and manufacturer of independently-certified Green products for HVAC maintenance. Since 1986, CRT has been creating leading edge HVAC maintenance products that have become industry standards, used in thousands of commercial buildings world-wide. CRT employees are members of BOMA, ASHRAE, ASHE and the American Chemical Society. www.cleanac.com

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