January/February 2019 Newsletter
Together We Can Raise The Standard!
In This Newsletter
- Special Message from your CRA Ontario Associate Director, Gord Ellis!
- NEW Member Section – Can Ruby Answer? (CRA). Ask Ruby your rental questions!
- Winter Wonderland at GAL Power Systems – What You Missed!
- What’s in Store for the CRA Ontario in 2019? Mark Your Calendars!
- 2019 Pantone Color of The Year!
- February App of The Month!
- Tips & Tricks on Polishing Up Your Social Media in 2019!
- Welcome to our NEW MEMBERS!
FROM THE DESK OF YOUR CRA (ON) ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Tuesday September 17, 2019
CRA (ON) 2019 Golf Tournament
Springfield Golf and Country Club
Guelph, Ontario
VIP Preferred Registration Fees
for CRA Members Only
Thursday November 7, 2019
CRA (ON) 2019 Conference
Bingemans Conference Centre
Kitchener, Ontario
VIP Preferred Registration Fees
for CRA Members Only
Conference Line Up
· Product Expo
· Full Trade Show with Equipment
· Workshops
· CERP Information Session
· Regulatory Roundtable
· CAN/CSA-B138.1-17 and CAN/CSA-B138.2-17 Update
· More to come…
· Outdoor Demonstration Areas
· Proper Tent Set Up and Inspection
· Luncheon
· Awards Banquet with Entertainment
- Product Expo Exhibits available to CRA Associate Members Only
Watch your email after you return from the ARA Show for more information on these two “Can’t Miss” events
Canadian Rental Association (Ontario) Contact Information:
Email: contact@craontario.org Website: www.craontario.org
Gord Ellis, CRA (ON) Associate Director | Cavalier Industries Ltd.289.259.9819 | gord@cavalierind.ca
Are you the next CRA Ontario Director-At-Large?
Do you know someone who is?
The CRA Ontario Board is looking for 2 – 4 Directors-At-Large to join our fun group! Are you looking to get involved and grow in the Canadian rental industry? This is the perfect place to start! We have various rolls available with lots of room for growth and would love to chat with you about these amazing opportunities.
We meet before every member event and always have a blast putting together programming, communications and information for our membership.
Contact any of the board members HERE for more information today!
Follow our *NEW* CRA Ontario Instagram HERE to stay informed in-between Newsletters!
We look forward to seeing you in Anaheim at the Region 10 and CRA Hospitality Reception at House of Blues!
Trade associations give their members many advantages in a fast-paced, competitive world.
Each month we will be highlighting a new benefit to help you make the most of your Canadian Rental Association Ontario membership!
According to recent research, over 85% of businesses that fail are not members of a trade association, so you’re already ahead of the curve!
Don’t Miss Out on Advertising in the Upcoming Newsletter Season!
For the upcoming 2018/2019 season, we are doing things differently and want to offer you an even better value and exposure than in years past!
To Sign-up, please complete the Registration Form and fax or email this letter to:
416-252-0591 (ATTN: Michelle Nicol) Michelle@HigginsEventRentals.com
CRA Newsletter Advertising Sign Up – 2018 + 2019 Season – April 30 2018
Winter Wonderland at GAL Power Systems!
Announcing the Pantone Color of the Year 2019
PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral
An animating and life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge.
Vibrant, yet mellow PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment.
In reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media increasingly embedding into daily life, we are seeking authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy. Sociable and spirited, the engaging nature of PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity. Symbolizing our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits, PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral embodies our desire for playful expression.
Representing the fusion of modern life, PANTONE Living Coral is a nurturing color that appears in our natural surroundings and at the same time, displays a lively presence within social media.
PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral emits the desired, familiar, and energizing aspects of color found in nature. In its glorious, yet unfortunately more elusive, display beneath the sea, this vivifying and effervescent color mesmerizes the eye and mind. Lying at the center of our naturally vivid and chromatic ecosystem, PANTONE Living Coral is evocative of how coral reefs provide shelter to a diverse kaleidoscope of color.
Vibrant, yet mellow PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral embraces us with warmth and nourishment to provide comfort and buoyancy in our continually shifting environment.
In reaction to the onslaught of digital technology and social media increasingly embedding into daily life, we are seeking authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy. Sociable and spirited, the engaging nature of PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity. Symbolizing our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits, PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral embodies our desire for playful expression.
Representing the fusion of modern life, PANTONE Living Coral is a nurturing color that appears in our natural surroundings and at the same time, displays a lively presence within social media.
PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral emits the desired, familiar, and energizing aspects of color found in nature. In its glorious, yet unfortunately more elusive, display beneath the sea, this vivifying and effervescent color mesmerizes the eye and mind. Lying at the center of our naturally vivid and chromatic ecosystem, PANTONE Living Coral is evocative of how coral reefs provide shelter to a diverse kaleidoscope of color.
source: www.pantone.com
Young professionals are the future of the equipment and event rental industry. That’s why we’re excited to invest in our future leaders through the ARA Young Professionals Network (YPN). This free membership benefit is administered by the ARA Foundation.
Why join? Our mission is to help you learn about the industry, advance your career and establish relationships that will not only help you grow personally and professionally, but also ensure a vibrant industry for future generations. Benefits include:
- Invitations to exclusive YPN annual events — including the YPN networking reception at The ARA Show and the Young Professionals Conference.
- Monthly communications with professional development resources, YPN-only news and other information to build your career.
- Access to the online directory, listing all YPN members and their contact information.
- Details on The ARA Show seminars that are geared toward young professionals.
- A free subscription to Rental Management, the award-winning monthly magazine dedicated to the success of your equipment rental business.
Have a question that you are eager to get other Industry Professionals take on? Now’s your chance! Can Ruby Answer (CRA) is here to help!
Send us your questions to contact@craONTARIO.org for your question to be featured in the upcoming newsletter!
Dear Ruby Rental,
I am a small company and rely on hiring summer students. I haven’t had great success in the past. How do you hire students and how do you find them?
Signed,
Hot and staffless this summer
Hi Hot and Staffless,
Thank you for your email. Many companies face the greater staffing needs each summer and look for incredible students and seasonal help to get them through our busiest time of year. Remember YOU ARE NOT ALONE! There are a number of ways in Ontario to find great summer help. Post an ad at your local youth employment centre. These are run by the Province of Ontario and often have youth programs for employment running. The great thing about these is they also try to link people to the industry you are in. If they have a student interested in trades or construction, a job opportunity at a Construction or Industrial Rental company is a great way to begin learning about the industry as a whole. Likewise, if they are interested in events and festival planning or community relations, an Event Rental company is a wonderful training opportunity. High Schools often offer job postings for students in their guidance departments. They are great for marginalized kids to find meaningful employment. The guidance counsellors are excellent at finding the right person for the job and really know the student looking. When in doubt there are always on-line job boards. Make sure you are accurate outlining the job and the duties to be completed. Our youth like to know what their responsibilities are upfront. Keep true to the job you are looking for. Don’t promise something that won’t be delivered on. Always remember an engaged youth is likely to be back again and sometimes they bring good friends that will also be an asset to your team.
Good luck and hopefully this will give you a cool summer.
Ruby
Welcome To Our NEW Members! |
ABC Rentals Cambridge Ltd., Cambridge ON
Little Electric, Cambridge ON
Two for-profit companies tackle food insecurity in Mississauga community
Two for-profit companies – Higgins Event Rentals and Ripple Farms Inc. – have partnered to create a microfarm that addresses food insecurity by donating its harvest to The Mississauga Food Bank.
The microfarm has been in the works since 2017 and been harvested three times this summer, providing over 80 pounds in fresh food to the food bank.
The donation has contributed to more than 70 meals of food for the bank, director of programs and agencies, Zeeshan Sumrani, told the Mississauga News.
The company has been a family-run, owned and operated business since 1982. “We have always been very community-oriented,” Higgins added. According to chief operating officer and co-founder of Ripple Farms Inc., Brandon Hebor, the microfarm serves as a template for similar future projects. Hebor says this project aligns very well with the company’s ability to bring more community impact, especially to the west end of the Greater Toronto Area.
“We made it extremely simple for them to manage the water through the automatic watering system,” he said. Someone from Ripple Farms Inc. checks on the microfarm once or twice a week to ensure everything is going smoothly. “For a garden project, it’s one thing to be productive and it’s another to be appealing and attractive,” Hebor said. “We try to blend both worlds.”
The microfarm planting and preparation starts in May and will only run through the summer months. The final harvest is in October. Produce that is harvested includes kale, swiss chard, kohlrabi, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, arugula, mustard, as well as some herbs. “I think it’s extremely important (for businesses to do projects like this) because a company understands that its operations impacts its community,” Hebor said. “For Higgins, they happened to have this extra space and they knew somebody who was interested, so they’re doing their part.” Any business, he added, should look to Higgins as an example and say – why can’t we do this, too.
“It’s not an extremely expensive project and it showed how two for-profit businesses can collaborate to give back to the community through food,” he said. “There’s really no reason or excuse why any other company can’t do that.”
Crosby named ARA Regional Person of the Year!
Crosby has been the heart and soul of the Atlantic Canadian Rental Association for many years, working tirelessly on its trade show and golf tournament.”Nancy brings her unique perspective and passion for rental and the Atlantic region wherever she goes,” commented Mike Maltby, CRA national president. “It’s been a pleasure having her on the CRA board of directors, and I look forward to working with her in the future as we continue to better the equipment and event rental industry in Canada.”
Crown Verity is having their Annual End of Season Sale for their Rental Dealers Only!
Contact Rachael Caron at Crown Verity today to check out the amazing deals!
Higgins is Having an End-Of-Season SALE!
We want to CELEBRATE with YOU!
Do you have an upcoming Anniversary? Grand Opening? Demo Day? Warehouse Sale? Industry Event? New Hires or Milestones? Do you just have something you want to share with us and your fellow membership?
The CRA Ontario wants to support you and your business and help you grow!
Let us share your successes with fellow industry professionals. In addition to recognition in our newsletters, We would love to represent the CRA Ontario at your special event and congratulate you in person on behalf of your association.
Please email Michelle Nicol, CERP (Incoming CRA Ontario 2nd Vice President) at michelle@Higginseventrentals.com with the details.
6 Tips to Strengthen Your Social Media Strategy for 2019
2018 has flown by, and we’re now fast approaching the new year. In this post, I wanted to give you all a simple breakdown on how you can get ready for 2019 with six steps that you can take to strengthen your social media strategy.
It’s important to update and upgrade your strategy in alignment with the latest trends and shifts. Hopefully these notes will help you stay on track, and in line with the evolving digital landscape.
1. Review How You Current Use Social Media
The first step in strengthening your social media strategy, at any point, is to review how you’re currently using social media.
Really take a step back here – remove yourself and get an outsiders perspective. You can ask yourself the following questions:
- Which social media networks are you currently on?
- Are they still relevant to your brand goals?
- Which social media networks are driving the most relevant traffic or conversions for you?
- Which social media networks are a time suck?
As hard as it may seem, it may be time to give some networks up. It’s better to concentrate on the ones that are working, and using their features to your best advantage, as opposed to wasting time, energy, and possibly money on useless ones. Consider quitting a social media network if:
- It’s been a while, and you’re still talking to yourself – Building a strong social media following is a process, and it takes time, but if everything else has taken off and one network’s lagging, you may not have an audience there.
- You’ve tried strategies from A-Z – Nothing changes. Sometimes, one platform lags because you’re posting in the wrong format, or the wrong time etc., but if you’ve worked out all those kinks, and experimented with your strategy (and given it time) and still nothing, it could be time to say “bye”.
- Not even an expert can help – if you’ve hired a qualified expert and even they can’t work out the problem – definitely spend your time on something else.
To find out what networks you should actually be spending your time on there are a few things you can do:
- Ask your audience where they hang out. You can do this via a survey or via social media posts.
- Check out where your competition is active
- Pay attention to the networks giving you the best results
- Think about which social media networks align with the type of content you have the capacity to create. For example, if you don’t have the capacity to create videos – maybe YouTube isn’t the best option for you.
Another aspect of reviewing how you use social media is to determine things you would like to change or explore. Whether that be re-branding your accounts, giving them a new theme or trying out new forms of visual content there are always aspects to play with when it comes to your online presence. Don’t forget to include these when you plan your social media strategy for 2019.
2. Optimize Your Social Media Networks
The next thing you want to take a look at to strengthen your social media strategy in the new year may seem over simple: optimize your social media profiles and create a good social media bio.
Make sure that your profile and header images are clear and up to date, include keywords in your “about” sections, and make sure any links in your bio are relevant and working.
It’s simple, and a basic staple of social media marketing, but you’d be surprised how often such details are overlooked.
3. Identify Your Future Goals
After you’ve taken a look at what you’re currently doing, and you’ve decided what networks to keep and which to cut, it’s time to set some goals for yourself.
Take some time to look at your analytics (which you probably already did to determine which social media networks are working). From there, you can asses where you’re at, and set goals for where you want to be by year’s end.
Goals don’t have to be super complicated – one might be “going from posting 3 times a week to 4 times a week”, or maybe driving more downloads from social media.
It’s important to set realistic, achievable goals based on your current situation, but also some that will push you to achieve.
4. Set Up a Content Schedule
A big part of creating a social media strategy that works for your business is figuring out what your core social media schedule will look like.
A social media or content schedule will help you with consistency and retention, as well as assisting with content gaps and figuring out what works and what doesn’t for your audience. It’ll also ensure you don’t end up tearing your hair out in frustration when looking for what to post.
You can learn about even more benefits to creating a content schedule here: Why You Should Create A Core Social Media Schedule (And How To Do It)
5. Don’t Forget Video Content
One thing you cannot forget to include to strengthen your social media strategy for 2019 is creating more videos.
In 2019, there’ll be an even stronger emphasis on videos, but more specifically on Instagram Stories and IGTV. This is because making your way into your follower’s feeds has become a little more difficult, and I don’t know about you, but Instagram Stories are just so easy to see and digest – they are short and sit at the top of the homepage, and you can easily tap your way through a bunch of them.
Another aspect I really like about Instagram Stories is just like the name implies – the tool enables you to really tell a story and go more in depth. It gives you the opportunity to connect with your audience. What I like about IGTV is that it also lets you provide deeper content for your audience.
6. Analyze, Rinse Repeat
Last but not least, to have a strong social media strategy you’ll have to keep up recording on your analytics.
If you know me in my professional life, you know I’m absolutely obsessed with analytics, and you’d be surprised as to how often they’re overlooked. You’ll want to keep track of your followers, but more importantly, keep track of reach, impressions and engagement.
These are six simple ways you can get on the path to strengthening your social media strategy for 2019. Hopefully these tips will help set you on the right path, or at least prompt some relevant reminders of key elements you may have easily overlooked in your planning.
source: www.socialmediatoday.com
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The service is available on the iPhone today. Support for other mobile platforms will come soon.
Thank you to our 2018/2019 Newsletter Sponsors!