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The first annual Deck Specialist Symposium was a success as deck builders and outdoor living professionals around the country rallied together in a virtual setting to hear from industry leaders and product experts.
“This is just what we needed to get encouraged as things start to go back to normal. What a cool way for builders to share ideas. We’re honored to be here,” said builder Shane Chapman.
The day kicked off with renowned builder and contractor Bobby Parks who gave an industry forecast and talked about business progression. Drawing on some experiences of his own, Parks encouraged builders to be the best they can be, despite a tumultuous year.
The event then went into an exclusive live Q&A episode of The Ultimate Deck Show, where hosts Wade and Shane, founders of the Ultimate Deck Shop, fielded questions from the audience while sharing some colorful information about their own hometown.
Day one ended with The Decking Game Show. Due to network errors, The BroLaws were unable to attend as hosts, but they did send in a special video to attendees that you can view here. Three lucky winners went home with a CAMO Pro Kit, the Ultimate Deck Package from FastenMaster, and a Telesteps Telescopic Tactical ladder courtesy of Regal Ideas.
The second day of the event saw just as much excitement when The Carey Brothers took center stage to talk about branding. The duo spent their time encouraging builders to hold themselves to a high standard and to understand their worth. “Be selective about your projects. Know your value and go after those big jobs,” said James Carey.
The symposium then moved into a segment on social media. Dr. Decks (aka Jason Russell) and Mark King, founder of Infinite Decks, sat down with Deck Specialist editor Stephanie Ornelas and talked about how social media has impacted their businesses. “I’ve connected with so many builders on Instagram, many who have become some of my best friends,” said King. “It’s really helped changed the way I share my projects and get inspiration,” he added.
Emphasizing that it’s never too late to get into the social media game, Russell, who’s been diving into video creation as well, explained, “you just need to set deadlines for yourself and stay consistent. Take pictures, post the best photos you’ve got and a sentence or two that’s compelling. Social media is so important in so many ways.”
The event ended with the Elite Builder Profile moderated by Brendan Casey, owner of Casey Fence and Deck. Casey sat down with Deck Specialist of the Year award winners Scott Kelly, Precision Construction, Leif Wirtanen, Cascade Fence & Deck, and Michael Scott, Simcoe Decks. The builders talked about leveraging elite product brands, what’s in store for their businesses and the evolving world of digital marketing.
The first annual symposium was designed to bring the industry together in a virtual setting for two-days of education and fun. Builders logged off at the end of the night fueled with insight and encouragement.
“I want to take a minute to complement 526 Media Group for doing such a fantastic job of putting on this Symposium over the past two days,” said Charlie Jourdain, The Mendocino Companies.
Mission accomplished.
Couldn’t make the show? We’ll have a full recording of the event at sympoium.526events.com soon! Stay tuned!
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