<div class="article-entry">Are you ready for the second half of 2021? Now is the time to tune up your team to attract and delight Quality Customers. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll maximize your status with each potential customer to increase your sales win rate, prove your pricing is based on quality and increase your referral rates.<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_427953" style="width: 229px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/Dan-Martin-SD.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-427953" class="wp-image-427953" height="211" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 219px) 100vw, 219px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/Dan-Martin-SD.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/Dan-Martin-SD.jpg 353w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/Dan-Martin-SD-300x289.jpg 300w" width="219"/></a>Dan Martin, service director extraordinaire, lights up a Diamond Certified Tune-Up Training session.</div>Diamond Certified Tune-Up Training Quality Customers are attracted to and influenced by Diamond Certified and most of your competitors haven’t earned it, so presenting your company as Diamond Certified has never been more important. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll conduct a 30-minute Diamond Certified Tune-Up Training session at your location and turbocharge you and your staff.Your Checklist Manifesto – 5 Simple Uses of Diamond Certified <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/quote.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-427949" height="175" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/quote.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/quote.jpg 1022w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/quote-300x232.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/quote-768x595.jpg 768w" width="226"/></a>I read Atul Gawande’s “Checklist Manifesto” book a few years ago and was impressed with how he identified the low-tech approach of using checklists every day as a system to create better outcomes for teams. Here’s a simple checklist for using your Diamond Certified brochures and status on the phone to increase your wins (if you qualify).<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/brochure.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427952" height="79" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/brochure.jpg" width="124"/></a>Use Your Diamond Certified Brochures <ul><li>Use your brochures with shoppers to prove quality and turn more into good margin buyers. Remember, you may be helping a “sold” family member sell her spouse on your company by showing your brochure.</li><li>Hand your brochures to regular customers to improve retention and increase the number of referrals you receive.</li><li>Have your technicians hand a brochure to each customer during service to reduce customer nervousness.</li></ul><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/phone.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427951" height="94" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/phone.jpg" width="70"/></a>Use Your Diamond Certified Status on the Phone <ul><li>Use the Diamond Certified phone script to set better appointments with fewer cancels and get prospective customers ready to buy before you meet.</li><li>Use Diamond Certified within your voicemail message so people will feel that, even though they didn’t reach you live, they’ve called the “right” place. They’ll be more likely to leave a message and wait for your call back.</li></ul></div>

Jim Stein

Are you ready for the second half of 2021? Now is the time to tune up your team to attract and delight Quality Customers. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll maximize your status with each potential customer to increase your sales win rate, prove your pricing is based on quality and increase your referral rates.
<div id="attachment_427953" style="width: 229px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Dan-Martin-SD.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-427953" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-427953" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Dan-Martin-SD.jpg" alt="" width="219" height="211" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Dan-Martin-SD.jpg 353w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Dan-Martin-SD-300x289.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 219px) 100vw, 219px" /></a>Dan Martin, service director extraordinaire, lights up a Diamond Certified Tune-Up Training session.</div>
Diamond Certified Tune-Up Training 
Quality Customers are attracted to and influenced by Diamond Certified and most of your competitors haven’t earned it, so presenting your company as Diamond Certified has never been more important. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll conduct a 30-minute Diamond Certified Tune-Up Training session at your location and turbocharge you and your staff.
Your Checklist Manifesto – 5 Simple Uses of Diamond Certified 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/quote.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-427949" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/quote.jpg" alt="" width="226" height="175" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/quote.jpg 1022w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/quote-300x232.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/quote-768x595.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 226px) 100vw, 226px" /></a>I read Atul Gawande’s “Checklist Manifesto” book a few years ago and was impressed with how he identified the low-tech approach of using checklists every day as a system to create better outcomes for teams. Here’s a simple checklist for using your Diamond Certified brochures and status on the phone to increase your wins (if you qualify).
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/brochure.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427952" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/brochure.jpg" alt="" width="124" height="79" /></a>Use Your Diamond Certified Brochures 

<ul>
<li>Use your brochures with shoppers to prove quality and turn more into good margin buyers. Remember, you may be helping a “sold” family member sell her spouse on your company by showing your brochure.</li>
<li>Hand your brochures to regular customers to improve retention and increase the number of referrals you receive.</li>
<li>Have your technicians hand a brochure to each customer during service to reduce customer nervousness.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/phone.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427951" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/phone.jpg" alt="" width="70" height="94" /></a>
Use Your Diamond Certified Status on the Phone 

<ul>
<li>Use the Diamond Certified phone script to set better appointments with fewer cancels and get prospective customers ready to buy before you meet.</li>
<li>Use Diamond Certified within your voicemail message so people will feel that, even though they didn’t reach you live, they’ve called the “right” place. They’ll be more likely to leave a message and wait for your call back.</li>
</ul>

Are you ready for the second half of 2021? Now is the time to tune up your team to attract and delight Quality Customers. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll maximize your status with each potential customer to increase your sales win rate, prove your pricing is based on quality and increase your referral rates.Dan Martin, service director extraordinaire, lights up a Diamond Certified Tune-Up Training session.Diamond Certified Tune-Up TrainingQuality Customers are attracted to and influ

Tune Up to Take Off!

tune-up-to-take-off

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/shock-face.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427548" height="84" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/shock-face.jpg" width="84"/></a>Customer quality has a huge impact on your company’s long-term success. If you just compete on price, you’ll spin your wheels with low margins and no profits. A steady diet of bad financials is tough enough to swallow, but it gets worse. Low-quality customers cause disputes and stress.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/happy-face.png"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427547" height="115" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/happy-face.png" width="116"/></a>But you know that. It’s why you’ve managed your company to attract and satisfy Quality Customers—those with integrity who want fair dealings and are willing to pay for quality work. And when your work is done, it’s the Quality Customers who stay loyal and refer their friends. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll earn and own your status of Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®, the magnet for Quality Customers.Use it and don’t lose it!I say this because during this past COVID year, 92% of Diamond Certified companies were able to keep their Diamond Certified. Unfortunately, we had to kick out 5% of these companies due to unresolved problems with license, insurance, customer complaints or satisfaction levels. We’ll be certifying more companies for sure, but I hate to see companies fall off the Diamond Certified Quality Customer pedestal and into a life of decreased profits and increased stress.Out With the Bad – In With the Good Now comes the “use it” part. Like an exercise habit that strengthens your body for the long term, using your Diamond Certified Tools every day in all areas of your company (if you qualify) flushes out bad prospective customers and injects Quality Customers. These Quality Customers give you much more than good profits—they also build team pride and create an extended community that spreads positive energy and messages to build your company.Daily deployment of “analog” Diamond Certified Tools boosts customer confidence. Pictured below from left to right: your Diamond Certified custom brochure, your printed Company Report in our directory, your expert tip in our Service Calendar, and your widget for your Expert Contribution and Profile Reprint. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/analog.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-427550" height="248" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 889px) 100vw, 889px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/analog.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/analog.jpg 889w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/analog-300x84.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/analog-768x214.jpg 768w" width="889"/></a> Flowing “digital” Diamond Certified Tools through emails, website, and social media elevates your quality position and powers your messages. Pictured below from left to right: your Diamond Certified symbol, your deep Company Report (Best Page Ever!), an emailable PDF version of your custom brochure and your widget to upgrade your website. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/digital.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-427549" height="324" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 882px) 100vw, 882px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/digital.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/digital.jpg 882w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/digital-300x110.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/digital-768x282.jpg 768w" width="882"/></a>Customer Confidence – Your 5 Useful Answers<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/gorman.png"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427546" height="150" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/gorman.png" width="243"/></a> People buy from people they trust and like. At no extra cost, we’re going to create your new 5 Useful Answers feature (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). It’s a 3- to 5-minute Zoom-style video interview that shows your company’s Helpful Expertise. Watch a sample at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDc9VcV96AY">dccert.org/5useful</a>. We do everything to create it for you and post only your best answers on your Diamond Certified Company Report page. We give you the video to use on your website, in social media and even as a link in your email signature. Your potential customers will know you and trust you before they even meet you or your team member!<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/directory.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-427545" height="270" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/directory.png" width="175"/></a>The Most Popular Quality Directory in History How popular? Only counting the Greater Bay Area, we’ve mailed 17 million of these to quality-seeking homeowners! So, here we go again. This month we’re mailing 840,000 of our popular directories to homeowners with $100,000+ in household income, select local business owners, property and apartment managers, and insurance and real estate agents. All Diamond Certified companies in good standing are included in their county’s Directory.Big Boost! Media Campaign Breaks a Few Records<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/media.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427551" height="247" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/05/media.jpg" width="164"/></a> Our new BIG BOOST! is breaking all records. So far, we’ve run 31,346 unique TV and radio spots, reaching 71% of adults an average of 14 times using a total of 43,600,000 impressions! Add this to our boosting of newspaper and web ads that have elevated all Diamond Certified companies on the pedestal of Quality and Helpful Expertise.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/shock-face.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427548" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/shock-face.jpg" alt="" width="84" height="84" /></a>Customer quality has a huge impact on your company’s long-term success. If you just compete on price, you’ll spin your wheels with low margins and no profits. A steady diet of bad financials is tough enough to swallow, but it gets worse. Low-quality customers cause disputes and stress.
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/happy-face.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427547" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/happy-face.png" alt="" width="116" height="115" /></a>But you know that. It’s why you’ve managed your company to attract and satisfy Quality Customers—those with integrity who want fair dealings and are willing to pay for quality work. And when your work is done, it’s the Quality Customers who stay loyal and refer their friends. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll earn and own your status of Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®, the magnet for Quality Customers.
Use it and don’t lose it!
I say this because during this past COVID year, 92% of Diamond Certified companies were able to keep their Diamond Certified. Unfortunately, we had to kick out 5% of these companies due to unresolved problems with license, insurance, customer complaints or satisfaction levels. We’ll be certifying more companies for sure, but I hate to see companies fall off the Diamond Certified Quality Customer pedestal and into a life of decreased profits and increased stress.
Out With the Bad – In With the Good 
Now comes the “use it” part. Like an exercise habit that strengthens your body for the long term, using your Diamond Certified Tools every day in all areas of your company (if you qualify) flushes out bad prospective customers and injects Quality Customers. These Quality Customers give you much more than good profits—they also build team pride and create an extended community that spreads positive energy and messages to build your company.
Daily deployment of “analog” Diamond Certified Tools boosts customer confidence. Pictured below from left to right: your Diamond Certified custom brochure, your printed Company Report in our directory, your expert tip in our Service Calendar, and your widget for your Expert Contribution and Profile Reprint. 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/analog.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-427550" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/analog.jpg" alt="" width="889" height="248" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/analog.jpg 889w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/analog-300x84.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/analog-768x214.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 889px) 100vw, 889px" /></a>
 
Flowing “digital” Diamond Certified Tools through emails, website, and social media elevates your quality position and powers your messages. Pictured below from left to right: your Diamond Certified symbol, your deep Company Report (Best Page Ever!), an emailable PDF version of your custom brochure and your widget to upgrade your website. 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/digital.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-427549" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/digital.jpg" alt="" width="882" height="324" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/digital.jpg 882w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/digital-300x110.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/digital-768x282.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 882px) 100vw, 882px" /></a>
Customer Confidence – Your 5 Useful Answers<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gorman.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427546" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/gorman.png" alt="" width="243" height="150" /></a> 
People buy from people they trust and like. At no extra cost, we’re going to create your new 5 Useful Answers feature (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). It’s a 3- to 5-minute Zoom-style video interview that shows your company’s Helpful Expertise. Watch a sample at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDc9VcV96AY">dccert.org/5useful</a>. We do everything to create it for you and post only your best answers on your Diamond Certified Company Report page. We give you the video to use on your website, in social media and even as a link in your email signature. Your potential customers will know you and trust you before they even meet you or your team member!
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/directory.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-427545" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/directory.png" alt="" width="175" height="270" /></a>The Most Popular Quality Directory in History 
How popular? Only counting the Greater Bay Area, we’ve mailed 17 million of these to quality-seeking homeowners! So, here we go again. This month we’re mailing 840,000 of our popular directories to homeowners with $100,000+ in household income, select local business owners, property and apartment managers, and insurance and real estate agents. All Diamond Certified companies in good standing are included in their county’s Directory.
Big Boost! Media Campaign Breaks a Few Records<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/media.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-427551" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/media.jpg" alt="" width="164" height="247" /></a> 
Our new BIG BOOST! is breaking all records. So far, we’ve run 31,346 unique TV and radio spots, reaching 71% of adults an average of 14 times using a total of 43,600,000 impressions! Add this to our boosting of newspaper and web ads that have elevated all Diamond Certified companies on the pedestal of Quality and Helpful Expertise.

Customer quality has a huge impact on your company’s long-term success. If you just compete on price, you’ll spin your wheels with low margins and no profits. A steady diet of bad financials is tough enough to swallow, but it gets worse. Low-quality customers cause disputes and stress.But you know that. It’s why you’ve managed your company to attract and satisfy Quality Customers—those with integrity who want fair dealings and are willing to pay for quality work. And when your work is done, it’s

You earned it, you own it.

you-earned-it-you-own-it

People buy from people they trust. People they like. People who care about them.
That’s why we created your new 5 Useful Answers feature. It’s a 3- to 5-minute Zoom-style video interview that helps you demonstrate your company’s Helpful Expertise®. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll do everything to create it for you and post only your best answers on your Diamond Certified Company Report page. We give you the video to use on your website, in social media and even as a link in your email signature. Your potential customers will know you and trust you before they even meet you or your team member!

<iframe width="1019" height="573" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vDc9VcV96AY" frameBorder="0"></iframe>

<img src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/5-useful.png" alt="" style="height: ;width: "/>Check it out: Go to <a href="https://dccert.org/5useful" target="_self">dccert.org/5useful </a>to see the 5 Useful Answers video we created for John Gorman of Save Energy Company. It works because it’s authentic, not slick. Because it carries the high-trust backing of Diamond Certified. Because in the past year, there has been massive adoption of video calls, and it demonstrates that you’re quick to adopt helpful tech. 
<img src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/gorman.png" alt="" style="height: ;width: "/>

People buy from people they trust. People they like. People who care about them.That’s why we created your new 5 Useful Answers feature. It’s a 3- to 5-minute Zoom-style video interview that helps you demonstrate your company’s Helpful Expertise®. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll do everything to create it for you and post only your best answers on your Diamond Certified Company Report page. We give you the video to use on your website, in social media and even as a link in your email

Your 5 Useful Answers

your-5-useful-answers

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/face-bubbles.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-425989" height="339" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 328px) 100vw, 328px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/face-bubbles.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/face-bubbles.jpg 389w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/face-bubbles-290x300.jpg 290w" width="328"/></a>Demand is demand. You can’t do much to control it. It fluctuates based on season, the economy and, nowadays, the rules around COVID. Supply is different. You can take actions that will bring you a bigger and better share of the local demand for services you supply.Each day, potential customers are choosing local companies in your industry. Sometimes it’s you; sometimes it’s a competitor. The better customers, those who are willing to pay for quality, have a choice, but only a choice between you and your local competitors. Therefore, you’ll win more and better customers when you outdo your competitors, specifically by creating a better operation and a better presentation of your company.Here are four ways to gain competitive advantages and put your company in a strong position to outperform your main competitors.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/chart.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-425990" height="1007" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 904px) 100vw, 904px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/chart.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/chart.jpg 904w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/chart-269x300.jpg 269w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/chart-768x856.jpg 768w" width="904"/></a>Massive Diamond Certified Multimedia Campaign Launches! <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/logos.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-425991" height="429" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/logos.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/logos.jpg 304w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/03/logos-199x300.jpg 199w" width="284"/></a>The 14 Greater Bay Area newspapers took the unprecedented step of putting our digital Diamond Certified Directory at the top of each local section. Readers simply click once and they’re in. Within seconds, they can find and contact you from your Diamond Certified Company Report (if you qualify). This combines sweetly with our monthly full–page newspaper ad that presents the Diamond Certified List of Top Rated Local Companies.Adding promotional fireworks, our new BIG BOOST! is underway. We’re running a record number of radio, TV and internet ads elevating all Diamond Certified companies on a pedestal of Quality and Helpful Expertise. You should take advantage of these campaigns by upping use of your Diamond Certified brochures, eBrochures, labels, signs and Expert Contributor reprints (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/face-bubbles.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-425989" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/face-bubbles.jpg" alt="" width="328" height="339" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/face-bubbles.jpg 389w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/face-bubbles-290x300.jpg 290w" sizes="(max-width: 328px) 100vw, 328px" /></a>Demand is demand. You can’t do much to control it. It fluctuates based on season, the economy and, nowadays, the rules around COVID. Supply is different. You can take actions that will bring you a bigger and better share of the local demand for services you supply.
Each day, potential customers are choosing local companies in your industry. Sometimes it’s you; sometimes it’s a competitor. The better customers, those who are willing to pay for quality, have a choice, but only a choice between you and your local competitors. Therefore, you’ll win more and better customers when you outdo your competitors, specifically by creating a better operation and a better presentation of your company.
Here are four ways to gain competitive advantages and put your company in a strong position to outperform your main competitors.
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/chart.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-425990" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/chart.jpg" alt="" width="904" height="1007" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/chart.jpg 904w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/chart-269x300.jpg 269w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/chart-768x856.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 904px) 100vw, 904px" /></a>
Massive Diamond Certified Multimedia Campaign Launches! 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/logos.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-425991" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/logos.jpg" alt="" width="284" height="429" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/logos.jpg 304w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/logos-199x300.jpg 199w" sizes="(max-width: 284px) 100vw, 284px" /></a>The 14 Greater Bay Area newspapers took the unprecedented step of putting our digital Diamond Certified Directory at the top of each local section. Readers simply click once and they’re in. Within seconds, they can find and contact you from your Diamond Certified Company Report (if you qualify). This combines sweetly with our monthly full&#8211;page newspaper ad that presents the Diamond Certified List of Top Rated Local Companies.
Adding promotional fireworks, our new BIG BOOST! is underway. We’re running a record number of radio, TV and internet ads elevating all Diamond Certified companies on a pedestal of Quality and Helpful Expertise. You should take advantage of these campaigns by upping use of your Diamond Certified brochures, eBrochures, labels, signs and Expert Contributor reprints (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).

Demand is demand. You can’t do much to control it. It fluctuates based on season, the economy and, nowadays, the rules around COVID. Supply is different. You can take actions that will bring you a bigger and better share of the local demand for services you supply.Each day, potential customers are choosing local companies in your industry. Sometimes it’s you; sometimes it’s a competitor. The better customers, those who are willing to pay for quality, have a choice, but only a choice between you 

Gaining Competitive Advantages

gaining-competitive-advantages

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/big-logo.png"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-425037" height="191" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/big-logo.png" width="166"/></a>You don’t get to choose what happens to your local economy because of Covid, but you are responsible for guiding your team to success in 2021. We’re here to help you succeed by elevating your company’s brand on the trusted Diamond Certified Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® platform.I’m pleased to announce a big upgrade in the Diamond Certified package for local companies. This year, we’re increasing the power of Diamond Certified through massive multimedia campaigns by illuminating your company’s stories and job successes and giving you access to tools for improved communication with prospective customers.Four Things We Should Absolutely Do This Year<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/feedback.png"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-425038" height="123" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/feedback.png" width="223"/></a> In this evolving environment, some company owners face too much demand while others face too little. You may need your team to implement a new strategy that changes the way you’ve been operating or focus on optimizing execution with fewer staff. Write these four things in your to-do list or calendar, and every month, commit to taking actions that advance the goal of each of them. Think how strong your company will be by year’s end.<ol><li>Get ongoing feedback from prospects and customers. You’ll use this to constantly improve operations and provide positive coaching to your team members.</li><li>Improve your systems that lead to better customer satisfaction and referrals. These include providing timely follow-ups using the customer’s preferred communication channel (phone, email, text, Zoom) and adding a good surprise to customer interactions.</li><li>Get Diamond Certified status to build prospect and customer confidence. It’s important to remind customers that despite the “strange times,” your team is delivering with a high Diamond Certified standard and is here to help them. Your quality remains high and your team takes pride in helping customers understand the best solutions for their needs.</li><li>Become antifragile by gaining from the big stressors of Covid lockdowns. Like a weight trainer shocks their system to grow stronger muscles, respond to these operating difficulties by improving your company and deliver for your customers better than ever.</li></ol>Newspapers Put Diamond Certified Directory on Front of Local Sections!<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/newspapers.png"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-425039" height="504" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 156px) 100vw, 156px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/newspapers.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/newspapers.png 156w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/newspapers-93x300.png 93w" width="156"/></a> Now, online readers of the biggest local newspapers have placed the front door of the digital Diamond Certified Directory smack dab on the front of their Local sections. Readers simply click once and they’re into the Diamond Certified website industry category pages based on the geographic location of their newspaper. Get Diamond Certified and within seconds, they can find and contact you from your Diamond Certified Company Report! Go to <a href="https://dccert.org/grow">dccert.org/grow</a> now to start.These newspapers are no small potatoes—we have SFGate.com, San Francisco Chronicle, Marin Independent Journal, Mercury News, Oakland Tribune, East Bay Times, Hayward Daily Review, Monterey Herald, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Vacaville Reporter and Vallejo Times-Herald. In addition to their web editions, we’re running full-page print ads each month in each newspaper, which includes our popular list of local companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise…and yes, get Diamond Certified and you’re on the list!BIG BOOSTS! The Biggest Diamond Certified Media Campaigns in Our History!<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/greg.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-425040" height="132" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2021/02/greg.jpg" width="132"/></a> In the last quarter, Greg has been on a relentless quest to double the value of  Diamond Certified’s status in the Bay Area by increasing the awareness and demand for companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise. He brought big cash to each negotiation and ended up with a fantastic TV, radio, newspaper, social media, and web promotion plan throughout 2021.In addition to our ongoing promotions, every quarter we’ll pulse giant-sized multimedia campaigns to break through the awareness threshold needed to gain attention and stick in the minds of consumers. There’s a reason everyone around here calls these the BIG BOOSTS! It’s the difference you feel between a light touch on the arm and a firm pinch. You should take advantage of these campaigns by getting Diamond Certified. We’ll give you  brochures, eBrochures, labels, signs and Expert reprints to build your company with Quality Customers.We Live and Breathe Stories. Your Stories are Amplified! To confidently choose your company, potential customers need to absorb your team’s compelling story. Some need a story based on mostly quantitative data, while others are attracted to the qualitative narratives of people. It’s why your web-based Diamond Certified Company Report will present your prospects with both hard data (in the form of a ratings dashboard, animated charts and a capabilities table) and evocative narratives (in the form of essential articles, a video profile, Expert Contributor profiles, tips and a photo gallery).Get Diamond Certified and you’ll also get the new Company Stories feature and a new 2- to 5-minute video interview feature titled 5 Helpful Answers. We’ll post both of these on your web-based Company Report and help you add them to your company’s website if you wish. Your Company Stories feature is a mix of project and staff photos set to music with scribbles or type added to certain scenes to make them pop with extra emphasis. To create your 5 Helpful Answers video, we’ll conduct a short Zoom interview and ask you 10 questions about your company and life. We’ll pick the best five and add some music and pizzazz to show both your expertise and approachability—a real person who cares about their customers. These are two more big reasons you should get Diamond Certified.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/big-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-425037" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/big-logo.png" alt="" width="166" height="191" /></a>You don’t get to choose what happens to your local economy because of Covid, but you are responsible for guiding your team to success in 2021. We’re here to help you succeed by elevating your company’s brand on the trusted Diamond Certified Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® platform.
I’m pleased to announce a big upgrade in the Diamond Certified package for local companies. This year, we’re increasing the power of Diamond Certified through massive multimedia campaigns by illuminating your company’s stories and job successes and giving you access to tools for improved communication with prospective customers.
Four Things We Should Absolutely Do This Year<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/feedback.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-425038" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/feedback.png" alt="" width="223" height="123" /></a> 
In this evolving environment, some company owners face too much demand while others face too little. You may need your team to implement a new strategy that changes the way you’ve been operating or focus on optimizing execution with fewer staff. Write these four things in your to-do list or calendar, and every month, commit to taking actions that advance the goal of each of them. Think how strong your company will be by year’s end.
<ol>
<li>Get ongoing feedback from prospects and customers. You’ll use this to constantly improve operations and provide positive coaching to your team members.</li>
<li>Improve your systems that lead to better customer satisfaction and referrals. These include providing timely follow-ups using the customer’s preferred communication channel (phone, email, text, Zoom) and adding a good surprise to customer interactions.</li>
<li>Get Diamond Certified status to build prospect and customer confidence. It’s important to remind customers that despite the “strange times,” your team is delivering with a high Diamond Certified standard and is here to help them. Your quality remains high and your team takes pride in helping customers understand the best solutions for their needs.</li>
<li>Become antifragile by gaining from the big stressors of Covid lockdowns. Like a weight trainer shocks their system to grow stronger muscles, respond to these operating difficulties by improving your company and deliver for your customers better than ever.</li>
</ol>
Newspapers Put Diamond Certified Directory on Front of Local Sections!<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/newspapers.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-425039" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/newspapers.png" alt="" width="156" height="504" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/newspapers.png 156w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/newspapers-93x300.png 93w" sizes="(max-width: 156px) 100vw, 156px" /></a> 
Now, online readers of the biggest local newspapers have placed the front door of the digital Diamond Certified Directory smack dab on the front of their Local sections. Readers simply click once and they’re into the Diamond Certified website industry category pages based on the geographic location of their newspaper. Get Diamond Certified and within seconds, they can find and contact you from your Diamond Certified Company Report! Go to <a href="https://dccert.org/grow">dccert.org/grow</a> now to start.
These newspapers are no small potatoes—we have SFGate.com, San Francisco Chronicle, Marin Independent Journal, Mercury News, Oakland Tribune, East Bay Times, Hayward Daily Review, Monterey Herald, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Vacaville Reporter and Vallejo Times-Herald. In addition to their web editions, we’re running full-page print ads each month in each newspaper, which includes our popular list of local companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise…and yes, get Diamond Certified and you’re on the list!
BIG BOOSTS! The Biggest Diamond Certified Media Campaigns in Our History!<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/greg.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-425040" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/greg.jpg" alt="" width="132" height="132" /></a> 
In the last quarter, Greg has been on a relentless quest to double the value of  Diamond Certified’s status in the Bay Area by increasing the awareness and demand for companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise. He brought big cash to each negotiation and ended up with a fantastic TV, radio, newspaper, social media, and web promotion plan throughout 2021.
In addition to our ongoing promotions, every quarter we’ll pulse giant-sized multimedia campaigns to break through the awareness threshold needed to gain attention and stick in the minds of consumers. There’s a reason everyone around here calls these the BIG BOOSTS! It’s the difference you feel between a light touch on the arm and a firm pinch. You should take advantage of these campaigns by getting Diamond Certified. We’ll give you  brochures, eBrochures, labels, signs and Expert reprints to build your company with Quality Customers.
We Live and Breathe Stories. Your Stories are Amplified! 
To confidently choose your company, potential customers need to absorb your team’s compelling story. Some need a story based on mostly quantitative data, while others are attracted to the qualitative narratives of people. It’s why your web-based Diamond Certified Company Report will present your prospects with both hard data (in the form of a ratings dashboard, animated charts and a capabilities table) and evocative narratives (in the form of essential articles, a video profile, Expert Contributor profiles, tips and a photo gallery).
Get Diamond Certified and you’ll also get the new Company Stories feature and a new 2- to 5-minute video interview feature titled 5 Helpful Answers. We’ll post both of these on your web-based Company Report and help you add them to your company’s website if you wish. Your Company Stories feature is a mix of project and staff photos set to music with scribbles or type added to certain scenes to make them pop with extra emphasis. To create your 5 Helpful Answers video, we’ll conduct a short Zoom interview and ask you 10 questions about your company and life. We’ll pick the best five and add some music and pizzazz to show both your expertise and approachability—a real person who cares about their customers. These are two more big reasons you should get Diamond Certified.

You don’t get to choose what happens to your local economy because of Covid, but you are responsible for guiding your team to success in 2021. We’re here to help you succeed by elevating your company’s brand on the trusted Diamond Certified Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® platform.I’m pleased to announce a big upgrade in the Diamond Certified package for local companies. This year, we’re increasing the power of Diamond Certified through massive multimedia campaigns by illuminating your

Big Upgrade Begins!

big-upgrade-begins

<div class="article-entry">On behalf of our Diamond Certified Resource team, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. It was a year like none other. Together, we endured intermittent lockdowns and chaotic conditions. And when you’re responsible for running a local company, you have to adapt and look out for your customers and staff. I’m pleased to report that our Diamond Certified companies excelled at both. Now, we prepare for the big step forward.For our part, we’re determined to build your company in 2021 by investing heavily in presenting you in more places, in more ways and with more power than ever before (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).Pulsing Media Campaigns – TV, Radio, Newspaper, Search, Web, Social, Email When given lemons, make lemonade. So they say. So, we did. It turns out that by using big cash on the barrelhead and a bit of creative give and take, Greg has been able to negotiate some massive media buys to promote Diamond Certified companies in the coming year. We’ll give you the details by medium in January. We’ll be running ongoing daily advertising, and every quarter we’ll pulse massive multimedia campaigns to break through the awareness threshold in each media channel. Sound cool?<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/12/Expert-Contributor-Profile2.png"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-424260" height="475" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/12/Expert-Contributor-Profile2.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/12/Expert-Contributor-Profile2.png 256w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/12/Expert-Contributor-Profile2-162x300.png 162w" width="256"/></a>It’s Always a Story About People Over the past 19 years, we’ve seen millions of calls go to our top rated companies from fans of the Diamond Certified Resource. Yes, consumers who care about quality love the fact that earning Diamond Certified means a company has passed the toughest rating for quality and Helpful Expertise® in America. They love that we back each transaction with our Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee. Those two facts get you in the game, but what gets you the business and super-glues the loyalty of Quality Customers are the stories you give them.It’s why your Diamond Certified Video Profile tells an intro story about your company, and it’s why your status as a Diamond Certified Expert Contributor gives people confidence and pride in buying from a local hero (if you qualify).People buy from people, and they want to feel good about buying from you. It’s why we just mailed 33,000 Diamond Certified Home Service Calendars to high-income families in your area. They feature a photo and helpful tip from each of our expert contributors.In 2021, we’ll add to your story. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll present you and your company in more ways and in more places.The Rise of the Digital Diamond Certified Company As consumers continue their shift to digital media and tools, you have to be there as well. Don’t worry—in 2021, we’ll help you rise to the occasion by setting you up with new digital features that connect you with new customers.</div>

On behalf of our Diamond Certified Resource team, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. It was a year like none other. Together, we endured intermittent lockdowns and chaotic conditions. And when you’re responsible for running a local company, you have to adapt and look out for your customers and staff. I’m pleased to report that our Diamond Certified companies excelled at both. Now, we prepare for the big step forward.
For our part, we’re determined to build your company in 2021 by investing heavily in presenting you in more places, in more ways and with more power than ever before (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).
Pulsing Media Campaigns – TV, Radio, Newspaper, Search, Web, Social, Email 
When given lemons, make lemonade. So they say. So, we did. It turns out that by using big cash on the barrelhead and a bit of creative give and take, Greg has been able to negotiate some massive media buys to promote Diamond Certified companies in the coming year. We’ll give you the details by medium in January. We’ll be running ongoing daily advertising, and every quarter we’ll pulse massive multimedia campaigns to break through the awareness threshold in each media channel. Sound cool?
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Expert-Contributor-Profile2.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-424260" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Expert-Contributor-Profile2.png" alt="" width="256" height="475" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Expert-Contributor-Profile2.png 256w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Expert-Contributor-Profile2-162x300.png 162w" sizes="(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px" /></a>It’s Always a Story About People 
Over the past 19 years, we’ve seen millions of calls go to our top rated companies from fans of the Diamond Certified Resource. Yes, consumers who care about quality love the fact that earning Diamond Certified means a company has passed the toughest rating for quality and Helpful Expertise® in America. They love that we back each transaction with our Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee. Those two facts get you in the game, but what gets you the business and super-glues the loyalty of Quality Customers are the stories you give them.
It’s why your Diamond Certified Video Profile tells an intro story about your company, and it’s why your status as a Diamond Certified Expert Contributor gives people confidence and pride in buying from a local hero (if you qualify).
People buy from people, and they want to feel good about buying from you. It’s why we just mailed 33,000 Diamond Certified Home Service Calendars to high-income families in your area. They feature a photo and helpful tip from each of our expert contributors.
In 2021, we’ll add to your story. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll present you and your company in more ways and in more places.
The Rise of the Digital Diamond Certified Company 
As consumers continue their shift to digital media and tools, you have to be there as well. Don’t worry—in 2021, we’ll help you rise to the occasion by setting you up with new digital features that connect you with new customers.

On behalf of our Diamond Certified Resource team, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. It was a year like none other. Together, we endured intermittent lockdowns and chaotic conditions. And when you’re responsible for running a local company, you have to adapt and look out for your customers and staff. I’m pleased to report that our Diamond Certified companies excelled at both. Now, we prepare for the big step forward.For our part, we’re determined to build your company

Strong Plans for 2021!

strong-plans-for-2021

<div class="article-entry">This year has been like none other. Our Diamond Certified company owners have been working hard to make lemonade from lemons, staying strong to help employees while securing the long-term future of their companies.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/12/thanksgiving.png"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-424258" height="237" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/12/thanksgiving.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/12/thanksgiving.png 414w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/12/thanksgiving-300x237.png 300w" width="300"/></a>This is the time of year to thank special people and reflect on outstanding deeds—an ideal precursor for personal and business planning. Besides focusing on family members and friends, I’m pleased to report that on the whole, Diamond Certified companies have done better than most during the COVID-induced changes to our operating environment. Almost all have hung in there, with only a handful failing or picking this time to retire.We are very proud of our Diamond Certified company owners, managers and teams. You have risen to the challenge and delivered for your customers under difficult conditions. Our entire team at American Ratings Corporation wishes you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving season.Optimism and Aggressive Growth Plans for 2021 Some people say you make your own luck. There’s some truth to that. Perseverance and good decisions will take you far. Add some creativity and a knack for adaptation and you can weather most storms. In fact, tough situations (wild storms, shall we say) can draw the best from us and our team. We can come out of this better and stronger than ever. We’ll make our companies antifragile, so they actually gain from disorder.A Winning Plan We’re in the final stages of planning for next year, and we’re developing powerful plans to build your company with Quality Customers. We will launch new Diamond Certified promotions and add new Diamond Certified features. We’re going to help you have a great 2021! We’ll announce our winning plan in our January letter.Next year, you’ll see an increase in both the power of the Diamond Certified Resource and the number of new, quality-seeking customers you generate because of your top rated Diamond Certified status (if you qualify). As always, our philosophy is to add significant value to your Diamond Certified Resource without tacking on any additional charges.</div>

This year has been like none other. Our Diamond Certified company owners have been working hard to make lemonade from lemons, staying strong to help employees while securing the long-term future of their companies.
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/thanksgiving.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-424258" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/thanksgiving.png" alt="" width="300" height="237" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/thanksgiving.png 414w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/thanksgiving-300x237.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>This is the time of year to thank special people and reflect on outstanding deeds—an ideal precursor for personal and business planning. Besides focusing on family members and friends, I’m pleased to report that on the whole, Diamond Certified companies have done better than most during the COVID-induced changes to our operating environment. Almost all have hung in there, with only a handful failing or picking this time to retire.
We are very proud of our Diamond Certified company owners, managers and teams. You have risen to the challenge and delivered for your customers under difficult conditions. Our entire team at American Ratings Corporation wishes you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving season.
Optimism and Aggressive Growth Plans for 2021 
Some people say you make your own luck. There’s some truth to that. Perseverance and good decisions will take you far. Add some creativity and a knack for adaptation and you can weather most storms. In fact, tough situations (wild storms, shall we say) can draw the best from us and our team. We can come out of this better and stronger than ever. We’ll make our companies antifragile, so they actually gain from disorder.
A Winning Plan 
We’re in the final stages of planning for next year, and we’re developing powerful plans to build your company with Quality Customers. We will launch new Diamond Certified promotions and add new Diamond Certified features. We’re going to help you have a great 2021! We’ll announce our winning plan in our January letter.
Next year, you’ll see an increase in both the power of the Diamond Certified Resource and the number of new, quality-seeking customers you generate because of your top rated Diamond Certified status (if you qualify). As always, our philosophy is to add significant value to your Diamond Certified Resource without tacking on any additional charges.

This year has been like none other. Our Diamond Certified company owners have been working hard to make lemonade from lemons, staying strong to help employees while securing the long-term future of their companies.This is the time of year to thank special people and reflect on outstanding deeds—an ideal precursor for personal and business planning. Besides focusing on family members and friends, I’m pleased to report that on the whole, Diamond Certified companies have done better than most durin

Giving Thanks

giving-thanks

<div class="article-entry">Times have changed, and so have consumers. The pandemic has made them cautious of interacting outside of their family circle. So, in order to win their trust and earn their business, you need to make them feel comfortable and show them that you prioritize health safety in every aspect of your operations. That’s where your HealthSafety Qualified (HSQ) advantage comes in.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/HSQ-symbol.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-423881" height="218" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/HSQ-symbol.png" width="176"/></a>We introduced HSQ back in June, and the results have been impressive! HSQ works well for companies like yours because a third-party certification showing that a company follows best practices for health safety makes people feel more confident about working with you.Dr. James R. Mattingly says HSQ gives his practice extra credibility because “it assures the public that we’re doing the right things on their behalf.”Angel Garcia of Gar-Cal Corporation says HSQ works well because “people trust us right away and know we’re doing our best to deal with what’s going on.”Albert Nahman of Albert Nahman Plumbing and Heating says it “puts our customers’ minds at ease and differentiates us from our competitors.”Gerry Reyes of Aren Electric Co, Inc. shares that HSQ helps his company set a good example for its clients. “They always say, ‘Thank you for doing this.’”Less than 1 Hour! A Streamlined Process to Earn Your HealthSafety Qualified I’m pleased to announce that we further streamlined the HSQ certification process. Now, you can earn HealthSafety Qualified in less than one hour. And if you qualify for Diamond Certified, you get priority sign-up, receive top-level support and never pay any additional fees for HSQ.To start the process, simply go to <a href="http://www.healthsafetyqualified.org/register">www.healthsafetyqualified.org/register</a> and enter your info.<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_423884" style="width: 174px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/HealthSafety-Qualified-Brochure_7.5x7.5_CUSTOMIZED_Page_1.png"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-423884" class="wp-image-423884" height="164" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/HealthSafety-Qualified-Brochure_7.5x7.5_CUSTOMIZED_Page_1.png" width="164"/></a>Hand your custom HSQ brochures to customers to prove that you truly care about health safety.</div>Over the next hour, you’ll watch a nine-minute video, read a two-page table and a requirements document, take a 12-minute test, and upload a photo of your PPE from your phone or laptop. That’s all it takes.<div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_423882" style="width: 200px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-scaled.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-423882" class="wp-image-423882" height="79" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-scaled.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-300x124.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-1024x425.jpg 1024w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-768x319.jpg 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-1536x637.jpg 1536w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-2048x850.jpg 2048w" width="190"/></a>We’ll give you a variety of health safety signs to hang up at your facility so customers feel more at ease.</div>Once you’re certified, we’ll create your HSQ brochures and send you signs and labels that you’ll use to increase your customers’ confidence. Get started! For questions, call David Pak, Director of Ratings, at (415) 710-6333 or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#254144534c4155444e65414c44484a4b41464057514c434c40410b4a5742">[email protected]</a>.<div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_423886" style="width: 208px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot.png"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-423886" class="wp-image-423886" height="198" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot.png 3000w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-300x300.png 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-1024x1024.png 1024w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-150x150.png 150w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-768x768.png 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-1536x1536.png 1536w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-2048x2048.png 2048w" width="198"/></a>Joy Lanzaro, Director of Mediation and Compliance</div>A Mediator’s Heart and Head Joy Lanzaro has been our Director of Mediation and Compliance for 10 years, and she has developed unique insights about the mediation process. Recently, she mediated a case that involved an unpaid invoice for a well on a property to be sold. As a lifelong horse rider, Joy likened the blowback from the upset homeowner to the unpredictable rage of a bucking horse. However, even as the situation veered out of her control, she stopped and reminded herself to “relax, lean back and ride it out.” You can read more about this story and learn how Joy resolved the issue at <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/info/heart-and-head">diamondcertified.org/info/heart-and-head</a>.How to Handle a Bad Online Review Joy coaches company owners on how to respond to negative write-ups on review sites. She recently encountered one that “involved a wild conspiracy theory and was filled with attention-seeking statements, claims, and assumptions.” Joy says the best way to combat these types of reviews is to leave a rational, reflective and reassuring response. “How you respond to a bad review can reveal more about your company’s character than numerous perfect reviews. Use the opportunity to shine.” A recent study showed that consumers preferred companies that responded well to a bad review over companies with perfect scores. To read more of Joy’s tips for responding to negative reviews, go to <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/info/handle-bad-review">diamondcertified.org/info/handle-bad-review</a>.</div>

Times have changed, and so have consumers. The pandemic has made them cautious of interacting outside of their family circle. So, in order to win their trust and earn their business, you need to make them feel comfortable and show them that you prioritize health safety in every aspect of your operations. That’s where your HealthSafety Qualified (HSQ) advantage comes in.
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/HSQ-symbol.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-423881" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/HSQ-symbol.png" alt="" width="176" height="218" /></a>We introduced HSQ back in June, and the results have been impressive! HSQ works well for companies like yours because a third-party certification showing that a company follows best practices for health safety makes people feel more confident about working with you.
Dr. James R. Mattingly says HSQ gives his practice extra credibility because “it assures the public that we’re doing the right things on their behalf.”
Angel Garcia of Gar-Cal Corporation says HSQ works well because “people trust us right away and know we’re doing our best to deal with what’s going on.”
Albert Nahman of Albert Nahman Plumbing and Heating says it “puts our customers’ minds at ease and differentiates us from our competitors.”
Gerry Reyes of Aren Electric Co, Inc. shares that HSQ helps his company set a good example for its clients. “They always say, ‘Thank you for doing this.’”
Less than 1 Hour! A Streamlined Process to Earn Your HealthSafety Qualified 

I’m pleased to announce that we further streamlined the HSQ certification process. Now, you can earn HealthSafety Qualified in less than one hour. And if you qualify for Diamond Certified, you get priority sign-up, receive top-level support and never pay any additional fees for HSQ.
To start the process, simply go to <a href="http://www.healthsafetyqualified.org/register">www.healthsafetyqualified.org/register</a> and enter your info.
<div id="attachment_423884" style="width: 174px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/HealthSafety-Qualified-Brochure_7.5x7.5_CUSTOMIZED_Page_1.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-423884" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-423884" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/HealthSafety-Qualified-Brochure_7.5x7.5_CUSTOMIZED_Page_1.png" alt="" width="164" height="164" /></a>Hand your custom HSQ brochures to customers to prove that you truly care about health safety.</div>
Over the next hour, you’ll watch a nine-minute video, read a two-page table and a requirements document, take a 12-minute test, and upload a photo of your PPE from your phone or laptop. That’s all it takes.
<div id="attachment_423882" style="width: 200px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-scaled.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-423882" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-423882" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="190" height="79" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-300x124.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-1024x425.jpg 1024w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-768x319.jpg 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-1536x637.jpg 1536w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Maximum-Number-of-People-Allowed-in-Building_In-Building-2048x850.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 190px) 100vw, 190px" /></a>We’ll give you a variety of health safety signs to hang up at your facility so customers feel more at ease.</div>
Once you’re certified, we’ll create your HSQ brochures and send you signs and labels that you’ll use to increase your customers’ confidence. Get started! For questions, call David Pak, Director of Ratings, at (415) 710-6333 or email <a href="mailto:davidpak@diamondcertified.org">davidpak@diamondcertified.org</a>.
<div id="attachment_423886" style="width: 208px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-423886" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-423886" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot.png" alt="" width="198" height="198" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot.png 3000w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-300x300.png 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-1024x1024.png 1024w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-150x150.png 150w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-768x768.png 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-1536x1536.png 1536w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Joy-Lanzaro-Circular-Headshot-2048x2048.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px" /></a>Joy Lanzaro, Director of Mediation and Compliance</div>
A Mediator’s Heart and Head 
Joy Lanzaro has been our Director of Mediation and Compliance for 10 years, and she has developed unique insights about the mediation process. Recently, she mediated a case that involved an unpaid invoice for a well on a property to be sold. As a lifelong horse rider, Joy likened the blowback from the upset homeowner to the unpredictable rage of a bucking horse. However, even as the situation veered out of her control, she stopped and reminded herself to “relax, lean back and ride it out.” You can read more about this story and learn how Joy resolved the issue at <a href="http://www.diamondcertified.org/info/heart-and-head">diamondcertified.org/info/heart-and-head</a>.
How to Handle a Bad Online Review 
Joy coaches company owners on how to respond to negative write-ups on review sites. She recently encountered one that “involved a wild conspiracy theory and was filled with attention-seeking statements, claims, and assumptions.” Joy says the best way to combat these types of reviews is to leave a rational, reflective and reassuring response. “How you respond to a bad review can reveal more about your company’s character than numerous perfect reviews. Use the opportunity to shine.” A recent study showed that consumers preferred companies that responded well to a bad review over companies with perfect scores. To read more of Joy’s tips for responding to negative reviews, go to <a href="http://www.diamondcertified.org/info/handle-bad-review">diamondcertified.org/info/handle-bad-review</a>.

Times have changed, and so have consumers. The pandemic has made them cautious of interacting outside of their family circle. So, in order to win their trust and earn their business, you need to make them feel comfortable and show them that you prioritize health safety in every aspect of your operations. That’s where your HealthSafety Qualified (HSQ) advantage comes in.We introduced HSQ back in June, and the results have been impressive! HSQ works well for companies like yours because a third-pa

Your HealthSafety Qualified Advantage

your-healthsafety-qualified-advantage

<div class="article-entry">Your team is competing for the hearts, minds and budgets of local families. You’ve done well so far. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, your award will be proof. Most companies can’t qualify, and even some that do can’t maintain the standard of Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®. In these stressful times of COVID-19 and wildfires, people want reassurance. They genuinely want helpful expertise—help that’s customized to their situation and personality. Once the job begins, they want an empathetic relationship and a quality outcome. Recharge Your Team Start at the front line—those who are dealing directly with customers. Conduct a meeting with a single agenda item: How are we providing Helpful Expertise? Get the discussion going. Each member must contribute. What are the techniques? Retell customer success stories that demonstrate how your team provided customized help for a specific type of customer and job. Hand out your Diamond Certified brochures (if you qualify) that show your top rated score for Helpful Expertise. Recharge your team by refocusing each customer-facing member on their role in delivering the highest level of Helpful Expertise.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/09/brochure.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-422954" height="175" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/09/brochure.png" width="239"/></a>Next, meet with those who do the work that’s ultimately judged by customers. How clear are your quality standards? What principles should your team be following to do it right with high quality the first time? How is your work checked and what happens if low-quality work is discovered? Ask these questions and listen. Clarify and improve written and video instructions. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/09/dccr.png"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-422955" height="207" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/09/dccr.png" width="262"/></a>Hand out your Diamond Certified brochures (if you qualify) that show your top rated score for Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty based on Quality. Recharge your team by refocusing each customer-facing member on their role in delivering the highest level of Quality.If you qualify for Diamond Certified, use your top rated advantage every day to focus your team to do their best by providing Helpful Expertise and performing Quality work.</div>

Your team is competing for the hearts, minds and budgets of local families. You’ve done well so far. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, your award will be proof. Most companies can’t qualify, and even some that do can’t maintain the standard of Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®. In these stressful times of COVID-19 and wildfires, people want reassurance. They genuinely want helpful expertise—help that’s customized to their situation and personality. Once the job begins, they want an empathetic relationship and a quality outcome.
 
Recharge Your Team 
Start at the front line—those who are dealing directly with customers. Conduct a meeting with a single agenda item: How are we providing Helpful Expertise? Get the discussion going. Each member must contribute. What are the techniques? Retell customer success stories that demonstrate how your team provided customized help for a specific type of customer and job. Hand out your Diamond Certified brochures (if you qualify) that show your top rated score for Helpful Expertise. Recharge your team by refocusing each customer-facing member on their role in delivering the highest level of Helpful Expertise.<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/brochure.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-422954" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/brochure.png" alt="" width="239" height="175" /></a>
Next, meet with those who do the work that’s ultimately judged by customers. How clear are your quality standards? What principles should your team be following to do it right with high quality the first time? How is your work checked and what happens if low-quality work is discovered? Ask these questions and listen. Clarify and improve written and video instructions. <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/dccr.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-422955" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/dccr.png" alt="" width="262" height="207" /></a>Hand out your Diamond Certified brochures (if you qualify) that show your top rated score for Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty based on Quality. Recharge your team by refocusing each customer-facing member on their role in delivering the highest level of Quality.
If you qualify for Diamond Certified, use your top rated advantage every day to focus your team to do their best by providing Helpful Expertise and performing Quality work.

Your team is competing for the hearts, minds and budgets of local families. You’ve done well so far. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, your award will be proof. Most companies can’t qualify, and even some that do can’t maintain the standard of Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®. In these stressful times of COVID-19 and wildfires, people want reassurance. They genuinely want helpful expertise—help that’s customized to their situation and personality. Once the job begins, they want an e

Highest Quality and Helpful Expertise

highest-quality-and-helpful-expertise

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/08/pedastal-e1596476148318.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-422171" height="259" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/08/pedastal-e1596476148318.png" width="127"/></a>Feeling like you belong. Belonging. It’s a sense of acceptance in a group. Your self-identity is derived from being a member in many groups. You have a role, sometimes several, in each group—a position. You may be a parent in a family group, a business manager in a company group, a friend in a bowling group and so on. As your activities and thoughts change during a single day, you jump from group to group, filling different roles in each. You’re inclined to think about and engage more often in groups where you feel a greater sense of belonging.You have status within each group. Status is our position relative to others. You gain in status when you do good things as judged by the group. “But I don’t seek status!” Yes, you do. We’re hardwired to unconsciously calculate our status and act to defend or change it. Sometimes earning a membership in one group elevates your position in other groups. It’s an example of where status and belonging overlap. Belonging lifts status.Earning Diamond Certified means you belong to a group of local companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®. As you maintain your high rating and your Diamond Certified group membership becomes known, your status elevates in many of your other groups: with your employees, your customers, your prospective customers, your vendors, and even your family and community groups. Belonging lifts status.Your work group includes many people.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/08/card.png"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-422174" height="143" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/08/card.png" width="226"/></a> You know from experience that team members who feel a greater sense of belonging perform better and are more loyal. Customers who belong return and refer. Prospective customers become regular customers if they sense their status will be improved by joining your customer group. We have 182,000 Diamond Certified Preferred Consumers in our group who love Diamond Certified companies. Belonging lifts status.Elevate Your Group’s Status—Add to Your Members’ Sense of Belonging Think about your past, present and future customer group. Each member belongs to their own family, friend and work groups. Improving their sense of belonging in your group influences members (your potential customers) in their other groups. Here’s how you can do it.<ol><li>Meaningful Purpose. While member benefits make your group attractive, a meaningful group purpose elevates each member.</li><li>Personal Invitations. In a world of bots, your team’s personal touch makes a new member feel wanted, which connects inviter and invitee.</li><li>Rituals and Celebrations. Honoring members with acts that are unique to your group shapes your group brand in each member’s heart.</li><li>Do Good Deeds. As a group, do something of goodwill. Invite members to participate. All members will feel the lift in their status, even those who didn’t participate. Report on the outcome to plant a valuable seed: “My group did this good thing.”</li><li>Communicate and Engage. It’s been said that 90% of success is just showing up. In this context, being a caring, consistent communicator wins the day. Most companies don’t consistently communicate, and those that do often spoil it with a deluge of company promotions.</li></ol>How would it be if you improved your group’s fundamentals and helped them build your company for the future? It doesn’t happen overnight. Start implementing these fundamental components of your group’s framework. Take a mental “before” snapshot now and think how the richness of your customer group will improve during the next two years. We don’t know what the economy will look like in two years, yet we can agree that through thick and thin, it will be wonderful to have your customer group more engaged and solidly on your side.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/pedastal-e1596476148318.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-422171" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/pedastal-e1596476148318.png" alt="" width="127" height="259" /></a>Feeling like you belong. Belonging. It’s a sense of acceptance in a group. Your self-identity is derived from being a member in many groups. You have a role, sometimes several, in each group—a position. You may be a parent in a family group, a business manager in a company group, a friend in a bowling group and so on. As your activities and thoughts change during a single day, you jump from group to group, filling different roles in each. You’re inclined to think about and engage more often in groups where you feel a greater sense of belonging.
You have status within each group. Status is our position relative to others. You gain in status when you do good things as judged by the group. “But I don’t seek status!” Yes, you do. We’re hardwired to unconsciously calculate our status and act to defend or change it. Sometimes earning a membership in one group elevates your position in other groups. It’s an example of where status and belonging overlap. Belonging lifts status.
Earning Diamond Certified means you belong to a group of local companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®. As you maintain your high rating and your Diamond Certified group membership becomes known, your status elevates in many of your other groups: with your employees, your customers, your prospective customers, your vendors, and even your family and community groups. Belonging lifts status.
Your work group includes many people.<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/card.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-422174" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/card.png" alt="" width="226" height="143" /></a> You know from experience that team members who feel a greater sense of belonging perform better and are more loyal. Customers who belong return and refer. Prospective customers become regular customers if they sense their status will be improved by joining your customer group. We have 182,000 Diamond Certified Preferred Consumers in our group who love Diamond Certified companies. Belonging lifts status.
Elevate Your Group’s Status—Add to Your Members’ Sense of Belonging 
Think about your past, present and future customer group. Each member belongs to their own family, friend and work groups. Improving their sense of belonging in your group influences members (your potential customers) in their other groups. Here’s how you can do it.
<ol>
<li>Meaningful Purpose. While member benefits make your group attractive, a meaningful group purpose elevates each member.</li>
<li>Personal Invitations. In a world of bots, your team’s personal touch makes a new member feel wanted, which connects inviter and invitee.</li>
<li>Rituals and Celebrations. Honoring members with acts that are unique to your group shapes your group brand in each member’s heart.</li>
<li>Do Good Deeds. As a group, do something of goodwill. Invite members to participate. All members will feel the lift in their status, even those who didn’t participate. Report on the outcome to plant a valuable seed: “My group did this good thing.”</li>
<li>Communicate and Engage. It’s been said that 90% of success is just showing up. In this context, being a caring, consistent communicator wins the day. Most companies don’t consistently communicate, and those that do often spoil it with a deluge of company promotions.</li>
</ol>
How would it be if you improved your group’s fundamentals and helped them build your company for the future? It doesn’t happen overnight. Start implementing these fundamental components of your group’s framework. Take a mental “before” snapshot now and think how the richness of your customer group will improve during the next two years. We don’t know what the economy will look like in two years, yet we can agree that through thick and thin, it will be wonderful to have your customer group more engaged and solidly on your side.

Feeling like you belong. Belonging. It’s a sense of acceptance in a group. Your self-identity is derived from being a member in many groups. You have a role, sometimes several, in each group—a position. You may be a parent in a family group, a business manager in a company group, a friend in a bowling group and so on. As your activities and thoughts change during a single day, you jump from group to group, filling different roles in each. You’re inclined to think about and engage more often in g

Where Status and Belonging Overlap

where-status-and-belonging-overlap

<div class="article-entry">Your company is engaged in a battle of suppliers. It doesn’t create demand; it competes locally to supply demand that already exists. Many of your competitors are striving to win a bigger share of this demand or trying to capture its most profitable segments. What happens when market demand is suddenly changed by the shelter-in-place (SIP) order and gradual reopening?<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/07/pie.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-421850" height="138" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/07/pie.png" width="152"/></a>Playing for a bigger piece of a (sometimes) smaller pie. As your neighbors come out of hibernation, in some industries total demand will lag behind pre-SIP levels while others will be strong due to pent-up demand. If you’re in a lagging industry, you’re competing for your share of a smaller pie…for now. A drop in consumer demand may become obvious while the downward spiral of one or two local competitors might be invisible at first. Here lies an opportunity.Your competitors are run by local people, many of whom changed their own life rhythm and daily schedule during SIP. We’re all humans. We’re subject to biases, distorted perceptions, negative emotions and a natural inclination to take the least effort-requiring path. It’s easy to justify some sloth as a means to deal with this passing crisis. In some ways, we’ve all been thrown off our game. Some of your competitors will still be lagging as the game picks up pace. You have the opportunity to come back stronger, smarter and faster—to adapt to a new environment better than your competitors and build out a bigger and better piece of what may be a smaller pie for the near future.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/07/bear.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-421849" height="95" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/07/bear.png" width="91"/></a>I’m reminded of an old joke. A bear is fast approaching two hikers. One guy starts to sprint and his friend says, “You can’t outrun a bear!” The guy responds, “I just have to outrun you.” The threat of lower demand for our services is that bear running at you and your local competitors. You and your competitors were strolling down the path together. Now you see the bear and quickly realize the new marketplace reality. While your competitor is frozen in his tracks, you immediately go UP-TEMPO! Here’s how.Turn up the tempo inside your company for the benefit of customers. Focus on quickly creating better customer care, deeper customer relationships and extra customer value. You already do that? Do even better and do it fast. When was the last time you called all your past customers? Impossible, you say? OK. Can each member of your team call five past customers this week and ask how they’re feeling coming out of SIP? Each call signals that you want to deepen the relationship, which sets you apart from competitors.Hold a weekly team meeting and share customer stories. Your customer outreach creates a virtuous cycle of deepening customer relationships which stir up customer value-add ideas. Your team’s quicker pace on behalf of customers demonstrates they care, and this in itself adds value.Talk to your team about going UP-TEMPO to stand out from your competitors. Tap their ideas on creating extra value-adds and super-service type of treatment for customers. Lead by example. Get your whole team to operate quicker, with more value for customers. Attitude is the first strong signal your company sends your marketplace. It starts with you.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/07/extra-value.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-421851" height="109" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/07/extra-value.png" width="180"/></a>While your competitors may be operating the old way, you will now create three new customer value-adds and launch one each month during the next three months. The quick pace of your team’s delivery of bonus customer value will signal to your team, your competitors, and your potential customers that your company is not weak and tentative coming out of SIP. You’re strong, smart and UP-TEMPO for the benefit of customers. The best customers want this now. Start today.</div>

Your company is engaged in a battle of suppliers. It doesn’t create demand; it competes locally to supply demand that already exists. Many of your competitors are striving to win a bigger share of this demand or trying to capture its most profitable segments. What happens when market demand is suddenly changed by the shelter-in-place (SIP) order and gradual reopening?Playing for a bigger piece of a (sometimes) smaller pie.As your neighbors come out of hibernation, in some industries total demand

Go UP-TEMPO!

go-up-tempo

<div class="article-entry">Novato, CA: American Ratings Corporation (ARC), creator of the popular Diamond Certified Resource, is proud to announce the digital release of the <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/plan-ahead/">2020 Diamond Certified Plan Ahead Directory</a>. The first-of-its-kind free directory, specifically designed for residents of the Greater Bay Area who are following COVID-19 “Shelter in Place” mandates, features enhanced listings of Diamond Certified companies in a wide variety of service industries (auto, health, home services and improvement, etc.), articles about preparing for life after coronavirus, helpful local resources, planning checklists and more.“In a time of uncertainty, we’ll naturally feel more risk-averse when we leave Shelter in Place, and that’s why we’re publishing the first Plan Ahead edition of our popular Diamond Certified Directory,” says Greg Louie, founder and CEO of ARC. “Bay Area consumers who seek safety, quality, and high trust in relationships will use it to find and schedule with high-quality local companies that are backed by the <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/performance-guarantee/">Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee</a>. This will help everyone return to normalcy, albeit a new normal, as quickly as possible.”“We have deep ties to our community here in our Bay Area home,” adds Olivia Bustos, ARC’s Vice President of Service and Finance. “During the past 18 years, in addition to our ongoing ratings for the Diamond Certified Resource, we’ve researched and created special resource directories for wildfires, droughts, and other natural disasters. Once again, we’re providing our extended community with in-depth information and listings of top rated companies that are available for Plan Ahead consultations and scheduling.”The 2020 Diamond Certified Plan Ahead Directory is now available for free download <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/plan-ahead/">here</a>. Every Diamond Certified company has been independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® in one of the most <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/our-certification/">accurate rating processes in the country</a>.About American Ratings Corporation Since 2001, American Ratings Corporation has been defining excellence and identifying for consumers the highest quality local companies in the Greater Bay Area. In addition to the Diamond Certified Directory, consumers can access in-depth ratings, researched articles and hundreds of expert tips at <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org">www.diamondcertified.org</a>.</div>

GregLouie

Novato, CA: American Ratings Corporation (ARC), creator of the popular Diamond Certified Resource, is proud to announce the digital release of the <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/plan-ahead/">2020 Diamond Certified Plan Ahead Directory</a>. The first-of-its-kind free directory, specifically designed for residents of the Greater Bay Area who are following COVID-19 “Shelter in Place” mandates, features enhanced listings of Diamond Certified companies in a wide variety of service industries (auto, health, home services and improvement, etc.), articles about preparing for life after coronavirus, helpful local resources, planning checklists and more.
“In a time of uncertainty, we’ll naturally feel more risk-averse when we leave Shelter in Place, and that’s why we’re publishing the first Plan Ahead edition of our popular Diamond Certified Directory,” says Greg Louie, founder and CEO of ARC. “Bay Area consumers who seek safety, quality, and high trust in relationships will use it to find and schedule with high-quality local companies that are backed by the <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/performance-guarantee/">Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee</a>. This will help everyone return to normalcy, albeit a new normal, as quickly as possible.”
“We have deep ties to our community here in our Bay Area home,” adds Olivia Bustos, ARC’s Vice President of Service and Finance. “During the past 18 years, in addition to our ongoing ratings for the Diamond Certified Resource, we’ve researched and created special resource directories for wildfires, droughts, and other natural disasters. Once again, we’re providing our extended community with in-depth information and listings of top rated companies that are available for Plan Ahead consultations and scheduling.”
The 2020 Diamond Certified Plan Ahead Directory is now available for free download <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/plan-ahead/">here</a>. Every Diamond Certified company has been independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® in one of the most <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/our-certification/">accurate rating processes in the country</a>.
About American Ratings Corporation 
Since 2001, American Ratings Corporation has been defining excellence and identifying for consumers the highest quality local companies in the Greater Bay Area. In addition to the Diamond Certified Directory, consumers can access in-depth ratings, researched articles and hundreds of expert tips at <a href="http://www.diamondcertified.org">www.diamondcertified.org</a>.

Novato, CA: American Ratings Corporation (ARC), creator of the popular Diamond Certified Resource, is proud to announce the digital release of the 2020 Diamond Certified Plan Ahead Directory. The first-of-its-kind free directory, specifically designed for residents of the Greater Bay Area who are following COVID-19 “Shelter in Place” mandates, features enhanced listings of Diamond Certified companies in a wide variety of service industries (auto, health, home services and improvement, etc.), art

Press Release: The 2020 Diamond Certified Plan Ahead Directory is Now Available

press-release-the-2020-diamond-certified-plan-ahead-directory-is-now-available

<div class="article-entry"><img alt="chain links" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-416131" height="576" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/03/chain-links-1024x576.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/03/chain-links-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/03/chain-links-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/03/chain-links-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/03/chain-links.jpg 1280w" width="1024"/>As the coronavirus pandemic becomes an increasing concern, it’s vital to keep your employees and customers informed on what to do and where to go if they need help. Here’s a list you can distribute to help people find information and resources in their specific counties. <h2>Coronavirus Information and Resources (by County)</h2><a href="http://www.acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx">Alameda County Public Health Department</a><a href="https://www.contracostahealth.org/">Contra Costa Health Services</a><a href="https://www.marinhhs.org/coronavirus">Marin Health &amp; Human Services</a><a href="https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/health/environmental-health/covid-19">Monterey County Health Department</a><a href="https://www.countyofnapa.org/2739/Coronavirus">Napa County – Coronavirus</a><a href="https://www.saccounty.net/COVID-19/Pages/default.aspx">Sacramento County – Coronavirus</a><a href="https://hhsa.cosb.us/publichealth/communicable-disease/coronavirus/">San Benito County Health &amp; Human Services Agency</a><a href="https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/coronavirus.asp">San Francisco Department of Public Health</a><a href="https://www.smchealth.org/coronavirus">San Mateo County Health</a><a href="https://www.sccgov.org/sites/phd/Pages/phd.aspx">Santa Clara County Public Health</a><a href="https://www.santacruzhealth.org/HSAHome/HSADivisions/PublicHealth/CommunicableDiseaseControl/Coronavirus.aspx">Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency</a><a href="http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/ph/ncov.asp">Solano County Public Health Department</a><a href="https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/">Sonoma County Emergency</a> <h2>Getting Tested for Coronavirus</h2>If your employees are members of Kaiser Permanente or Blue Shield of California, make sure they know that both organizations have announced they’ll waive subscriber cost sharing for COVID-19 screening/testing prescribed by a physician.Learn more:<a href="https://news.blueshieldca.com/2020/03/06/update-members-coronavirus">Blue Shield of California</a><a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/northern-california/alerts/p1/2019-novel-coronavirus-feb-2020">Kaiser Permanente</a> <h2>Resources for California Workers and Employers</h2>If your business has been affected by coronavirus, refer to the following resources.<a href="https://www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm">California Employment Development Department</a><a href="https://www.labor.ca.gov/coronavirus2019/">California Labor &amp; Workforce Development Agency</a> <h2>General Coronavirus Information</h2>For news and general information about COVID-19, visit the following links: World Health Organization (WHO)<a href="http://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019">www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019</a> Centers for Disease Control (CDC)<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html">www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a> CDC Fact Sheet: What You Need to KnowEnglish: <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf">www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf</a>Spanish: <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet-sp.pdf">www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet-sp.pdf</a> California Department of Public Health (CDPH)<a href="http://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx">www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx</a> Coronavirus Global Cases GIS Map by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU)<a href="https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6">gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6</a></div>

<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-416131" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chain-links-1024x576.jpg" alt="chain links" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chain-links-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chain-links-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chain-links-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chain-links.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
As the coronavirus pandemic becomes an increasing concern, it’s vital to keep your employees and customers informed on what to do and where to go if they need help. Here’s a list you can distribute to help people find information and resources in their specific counties.
&nbsp;
<h2>Coronavirus Information and Resources (by County)</h2>
<a href="http://www.acphd.org/2019-ncov.aspx">Alameda County Public Health Department</a>
<a href="https://www.contracostahealth.org/">Contra Costa Health Services</a>
<a href="https://www.marinhhs.org/coronavirus">Marin Health &amp; Human Services</a>
<a href="https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/health/environmental-health/covid-19">Monterey County Health Department</a>
<a href="https://www.countyofnapa.org/2739/Coronavirus">Napa County &#8211; Coronavirus</a>
<a href="https://www.saccounty.net/COVID-19/Pages/default.aspx">Sacramento County &#8211; Coronavirus</a>
<a href="https://hhsa.cosb.us/publichealth/communicable-disease/coronavirus/">San Benito County Health &amp; Human Services Agency</a>
<a href="https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/coronavirus.asp">San Francisco Department of Public Health</a>
<a href="https://www.smchealth.org/coronavirus">San Mateo County Health</a>
<a href="https://www.sccgov.org/sites/phd/Pages/phd.aspx">Santa Clara County Public Health</a>
<a href="https://www.santacruzhealth.org/HSAHome/HSADivisions/PublicHealth/CommunicableDiseaseControl/Coronavirus.aspx">Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency</a>
<a href="http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/ph/ncov.asp">Solano County Public Health Department</a>
<a href="https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/">Sonoma County Emergency</a>
&nbsp;
<h2>Getting Tested for Coronavirus</h2>
If your employees are members of Kaiser Permanente or Blue Shield of California, make sure they know that both organizations have announced they’ll waive subscriber cost sharing for COVID-19 screening/testing prescribed by a physician.
Learn more:
<a href="https://news.blueshieldca.com/2020/03/06/update-members-coronavirus">Blue Shield of California</a>
<a href="https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/northern-california/alerts/p1/2019-novel-coronavirus-feb-2020">Kaiser Permanente</a>
&nbsp;
<h2>Resources for California Workers and Employers</h2>
If your business has been affected by coronavirus, refer to the following resources.
<a href="https://www.edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm">California Employment Development Department</a>
<a href="https://www.labor.ca.gov/coronavirus2019/">California Labor &amp; Workforce Development Agency</a>
&nbsp;
<h2>General Coronavirus Information</h2>
For news and general information about COVID-19, visit the following links:
&nbsp;
World Health Organization (WHO)
<a href="http://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019">www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019</a>
&nbsp;
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html">www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html</a>
&nbsp;
CDC Fact Sheet: What You Need to Know
English: <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf">www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf</a>
Spanish: <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet-sp.pdf">www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet-sp.pdf</a>
&nbsp;
California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
<a href="http://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx">www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx</a>
&nbsp;
Coronavirus Global Cases GIS Map by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU)
<a href="https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6">gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6</a>

As the coronavirus pandemic becomes an increasing concern, it’s vital to keep your employees and customers informed on what to do and where to go if they need help. Here’s a list you can distribute to help people find information and resources in their specific counties.Coronavirus Information and Resources (by County)Alameda County Public Health DepartmentContra Costa Health ServicesMarin Health & Human ServicesMonterey County Health DepartmentNapa County – CoronavirusSacramento County – Corona

Coronavirus in the Bay Area: Helpful Links to Local Resources for Diamond Certified Companies

coronavirus-in-the-bay-area-helpful-links-to-local-resources-for-diamond-certified-companies

<div class="article-entry">In times of stress, consumers become very risk-averse. They look to Diamond Certified® companies as beacons of quality, safety and fairness, rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® and backed by the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee.As the manager of a high-trust Diamond Certified company, you play a valuable role in your community during this trying time. You are a strong leader and will make stressed customers feel more confident by your positive actions, helping your community and providing your company’s highly rated services during this COVID-19 outbreak.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-directory-cover.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-416899" height="183" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-directory-cover.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-directory-cover.png 210w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-directory-cover-190x300.png 190w" width="116"/></a>Are you familiar with the expression, “the medium is the message,” made popular by Marshall McLuhan, a prophet of the electronic age? <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/wine-bottle.png"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-416900" height="189" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/wine-bottle.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/wine-bottle.png 304w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/wine-bottle-203x300.png 203w" width="128"/></a>What does it mean and why is it so relevant now? It means that the medium alters the message and in many cases is bigger or more powerful than the message itself. Visualize pouring your guest a glass of wine out of a giant plastic water jug instead of from a beautifully labeled wine bottle. For most people, the medium (in this case, the container) alters the message (the wine), which results in a different assessment of a wine drinking experience and even the appreciation of the actual wine.Because of these uncertain times, it has never been more important for you to understand how “the medium is the message” impacts your company right now. When consumers are concerned about the economy, they become more careful and greatly emphasize trust in each commercial relationship decision. This is where the Diamond Certified Resource is so powerful for your company. The Diamond Certified message is, “Increase your confidence and choose a trusted Diamond Certified company rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®.” <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/homepage.png"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-416901" height="462" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/homepage.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/homepage.png 872w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/homepage-300x181.png 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/homepage-768x464.png 768w" width="764"/></a>Each month, thousands of Quality Consumers visit <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org">www.diamondcertified.org</a> Why? We keep hearing two main reasons. First, consumers know we spend a lot of time and money conducting the most accurate ratings of customer satisfaction available and back them with our Performance Guarantee. They trust that only companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® earn Diamond Certified and are presented on our website. So, the Diamond Certified medium creates a quality halo that is seen by your potential customers as they check out your company’s info. This “medium is the message” dynamic adds significantly to your company’s position as the best choice and speeds up your conversion process of turning shoppers into buyers.Second, we figure about half the time your potential customer has found you somewhere else and is narrowing down their choice from two or three companies to one. They do a quick search on each company to gain the last bit of info and confidence to make their final decision. They see your Diamond Certified top rated status in Google search and click to review your page. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/google-stars.png"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-416902" height="116" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/google-stars.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/google-stars.png 974w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/google-stars-300x54.png 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/google-stars-768x138.png 768w" width="645"/></a> That’s where your Diamond Certified Company Report, within the context of our high-trust website, helps close the deal. As they research your company within our medium, their trust and confidence grow. No other medium has our unbiased ratings. None contains the organized depth of Deep Info on each top rated company. None provides the safety of our local help by a real person, plus a guarantee. It works because in this context, your Deep Info reaches their heart and mind and they feel confident in their decision to choose you. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example.png"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-416903" height="353" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 578px) 100vw, 578px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example.png 1018w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example-300x183.png 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example-768x469.png 768w" width="578"/></a> Consumers are Picking WINNERS and Avoiding LOSERS <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-416904" height="265" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 413px) 100vw, 413px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape.jpg 849w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape-300x192.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape-768x492.jpg 768w" width="413"/></a>In the wake of COVID-19, revenues in some local industries will be hit by dropping consumer demand. When industry revenues decline, don’t panic. You’re now in for a supply side battle. The pie may shrink for a bit, so it’s critical that you win the competitive battle for quality positioning and increase your market share with the best customers while competitors “bury their marketing in the sand,” disappearing from public view. We’ll do our part by presenting your company every day to quality-seeking customers through Diamond Certified Media. Make sure you work closely with your team to maximize your use of your custom Diamond Certified brochures and Diamond Certified logo in all communications.Dealing With Uncertainty: Keep Communicating Confidence <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-416905" height="191" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 277px) 100vw, 277px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891.jpg 1200w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891-300x207.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891-1024x707.jpg 1024w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891-768x531.jpg 768w" width="277"/></a>To win in this environment, have some fun with it. Use the difficulty! Consumers are feeling nervous, but you have the Diamond Certified Resource to maximize their trust. So, use Diamond Certified aggressively on the phone and in-person to prove that when the going gets tough, you perform well for your customers. Remember, high trust makes the difference. Right now, customers want to deal with Diamond Certified company staff who are highly confident in their company’s performance. So, first reinforce your company’s message within your team and then to your potential customers.Use Diamond Certified aggressively in all of your contacts with potential customers. We’ve invested more money this year in building the Diamond Certified brand for quality, safety and high trust. You’ve earned it and you should aggressively use it every day. It positions your team at the top of your industry.</div>

In times of stress, consumers become very risk-averse. They look to Diamond Certified® companies as beacons of quality, safety and fairness, rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® and backed by the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee.
As the manager of a high-trust Diamond Certified company, you play a valuable role in your community during this trying time. You are a strong leader and will make stressed customers feel more confident by your positive actions, helping your community and providing your company’s highly rated services during this COVID-19 outbreak.
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-directory-cover.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-416899" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-directory-cover.png" alt="" width="116" height="183" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-directory-cover.png 210w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-directory-cover-190x300.png 190w" sizes="(max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px" /></a>Are you familiar with the expression, “the medium is the message,” made popular by Marshall McLuhan, a prophet of the electronic age? <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wine-bottle.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-416900" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wine-bottle.png" alt="" width="128" height="189" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wine-bottle.png 304w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wine-bottle-203x300.png 203w" sizes="(max-width: 128px) 100vw, 128px" /></a>What does it mean and why is it so relevant now? It means that the medium alters the message and in many cases is bigger or more powerful than the message itself. Visualize pouring your guest a glass of wine out of a giant plastic water jug instead of from a beautifully labeled wine bottle. For most people, the medium (in this case, the container) alters the message (the wine), which results in a different assessment of a wine drinking experience and even the appreciation of the actual wine.
Because of these uncertain times, it has never been more important for you to understand how “the medium is the message” impacts your company right now. When consumers are concerned about the economy, they become more careful and greatly emphasize trust in each commercial relationship decision. This is where the Diamond Certified Resource is so powerful for your company. The Diamond Certified message is, “Increase your confidence and choose a trusted Diamond Certified company rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®.” 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/homepage.png"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-416901" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/homepage.png" alt="" width="764" height="462" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/homepage.png 872w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/homepage-300x181.png 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/homepage-768x464.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px" /></a>
Each month, thousands of Quality Consumers visit <a href="http://www.diamondcertified.org">www.diamondcertified.org</a> 
Why? We keep hearing two main reasons. First, consumers know we spend a lot of time and money conducting the most accurate ratings of customer satisfaction available and back them with our Performance Guarantee. They trust that only companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® earn Diamond Certified and are presented on our website. So, the Diamond Certified medium creates a quality halo that is seen by your potential customers as they check out your company’s info. This “medium is the message” dynamic adds significantly to your company’s position as the best choice and speeds up your conversion process of turning shoppers into buyers.
Second, we figure about half the time your potential customer has found you somewhere else and is narrowing down their choice from two or three companies to one. They do a quick search on each company to gain the last bit of info and confidence to make their final decision. They see your Diamond Certified top rated status in Google search and click to review your page. 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/google-stars.png"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-416902" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/google-stars.png" alt="" width="645" height="116" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/google-stars.png 974w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/google-stars-300x54.png 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/google-stars-768x138.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px" /></a> 
That’s where your Diamond Certified Company Report, within the context of our high-trust website, helps close the deal. As they research your company within our medium, their trust and confidence grow. No other medium has our unbiased ratings. None contains the organized depth of Deep Info on each top rated company. None provides the safety of our local help by a real person, plus a guarantee. It works because in this context, your Deep Info reaches their heart and mind and they feel confident in their decision to choose you. 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example.png"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-416903" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example.png" alt="" width="578" height="353" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example.png 1018w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example-300x183.png 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/dccr-example-768x469.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 578px) 100vw, 578px" /></a> 
Consumers are Picking WINNERS and Avoiding LOSERS 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-416904" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="265" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape.jpg 849w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape-300x192.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/brochure-landscape-768x492.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 413px) 100vw, 413px" /></a>In the wake of COVID-19, revenues in some local industries will be hit by dropping consumer demand. When industry revenues decline, don’t panic. You’re now in for a supply side battle. The pie may shrink for a bit, so it’s critical that you win the competitive battle for quality positioning and increase your market share with the best customers while competitors “bury their marketing in the sand,” disappearing from public view. We’ll do our part by presenting your company every day to quality-seeking customers through Diamond Certified Media. Make sure you work closely with your team to maximize your use of your custom Diamond Certified brochures and Diamond Certified logo in all communications.
Dealing With Uncertainty: Keep Communicating Confidence 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-416905" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891.jpg" alt="" width="277" height="191" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891.jpg 1200w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891-300x207.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891-1024x707.jpg 1024w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2bb2ef2d6f095c00907389be5a00-1573891-768x531.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 277px) 100vw, 277px" /></a>To win in this environment, have some fun with it. Use the difficulty! Consumers are feeling nervous, but you have the Diamond Certified Resource to maximize their trust. So, use Diamond Certified aggressively on the phone and in-person to prove that when the going gets tough, you perform well for your customers. Remember, high trust makes the difference. Right now, customers want to deal with Diamond Certified company staff who are highly confident in their company’s performance. So, first reinforce your company’s message within your team and then to your potential customers.
Use Diamond Certified aggressively in all of your contacts with potential customers. We’ve invested more money this year in building the Diamond Certified brand for quality, safety and high trust. You’ve earned it and you should aggressively use it every day. It positions your team at the top of your industry.

In times of stress, consumers become very risk-averse. They look to Diamond Certified® companies as beacons of quality, safety and fairness, rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® and backed by the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee.As the manager of a high-trust Diamond Certified company, you play a valuable role in your community during this trying time. You are a strong leader and will make stressed customers feel more confident by your positive actions, helping your community a

The Medium is the Message

the-medium-is-the-message

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/DC-Resource-logo.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-416894" height="135" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/DC-Resource-logo.png" width="113"/></a>We have exciting news: You’ve been upgraded! Your Diamond Certified Resource just got even better. This year, you’ll be found by even more Bay Area consumers via new search engines on the websites of several leading media outlets. We’re also expanding our reach into Sacramento, which means a larger service area and more exposure to quality-seeking prospects. We’re making it easier for your customers to answer surveys about your company by providing them with text and email options. And Quality Customers will experience your Helpful Expertise® every time they look at their 2020 Diamond Certified Home Service Calendar, which was just mailed to Diamond Certified Preferred Consumers throughout the Bay Area. These upgrades will make 2020 your best year ever!New Online Search Engines Make it Even Easier for Consumers to Find You Starting next month, people who visit KTVU’s website will see something new on the homepage: A Diamond Certified search engine that they can use to immediately connect with top rated companies. This is a permanent change to KTVU.com, which means your company will benefit from increased exposure to quality-seeking consumers for the long term.<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_416895" style="width: 177px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-416895" class="wp-image-416895" height="267" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 167px) 100vw, 167px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3.jpg 750w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3-188x300.jpg 188w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3-640x1024.jpg 640w" width="167"/></a>Here’s a sneak peek at what the Diamond Certified search engine will look like. Please note that this image is a draft, so there may be some changes to the final design.</div>KTVU’s website continues to see year-to-year increases in site traffic—in fact, the period of September 2018 to September 2019 saw a 22 percent gain in total page views and total users. These are educated, affluent people who have the purchasing power to take on a variety of projects throughout the year. With the addition of our search engine, you’ll be able to reach them and harness the power of KTVU.com’s 9.9 million combined annual page views. We’re also in the process of completing similar deals with sfgate.com and sfchronicle.com, so stay tuned for details.We’re Expanding Our Reach Into the Sacramento Area Last year, one of our main goals was getting Diamond Certified companies to organically show up in online searches in Sacramento. We launched our plan with a small amount of Diamond Certified companies that currently service that area with the hopes that Google would recognize our SEO efforts. I’m pleased to announce that in 2020, we are actively growing our Sacramento market for the future. We have a lot of confidence in Sacramento—the demographics are getting stronger and it’s a quality, sizable market (500,000+ residents) for all kinds of service companies. If you work within the Sacramento area or you want to expand your exposure within Diamond Certified media, contact your Service Director for more information.Your Customers Can Now Respond to Surveys by Text or Email <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_416896" style="width: 254px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/phone.png"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-416896" class="wp-image-416896" height="167" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/phone.png" width="244"/></a>Now, your customers can respond to our ongoing Diamond Certified surveys via text message.</div>For the past 19 years, all of the confidential surveys that we use in the Diamond Certified Rating Process have been conducted by telephone. This system has worked very well for us—by actually speaking to people, we’re able to verify that only real customers are surveyed from a large, random sample of each company’s actual customer base. This year, we’re expanding on that principle by including text messages and emails in our survey options. By making the process more convenient for consumers, we’ll be able to continually update your survey results throughout the year, which means you’ll be able to track your customer satisfaction levels in real time. And even though our response options are expanding, we will still take the time to verify that every person who rates your company is an actual past customer. We’ll be testing this new system during the first portion of the year, and we won’t roll out the finished product until we feel confident that this will be a good experience for both consumers and Diamond Certified companies.The 2020 Diamond Certified Home Service Calendar Brings Your Helpful Expertise® to Your Neighborhood’s Affluent Homes <div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_416897" style="width: 348px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-416897" class="wp-image-416897" height="259" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 338px) 100vw, 338px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar.jpg 1154w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar-300x230.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar-1024x785.jpg 1024w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar-768x589.jpg 768w" width="338"/></a>Quality-seeking consumers will use the Diamond Certified Home Service Calendar throughout 2020. Each calendar features highlighted holidays and important events, helpful tips from Diamond Certified Expert Contributors, and more.</div>Two years ago, we introduced the Diamond Certified Home Service Calendar, which features seasonal checklists, detailed information about the Diamond Certified Resource, helpful tips from Diamond Certified Expert Contributors and more. We’re pleased to announce that the 2020 calendars were just mailed to Diamond Certified Preferred Consumers. These are consumers who are loyal to the Diamond Certified Resource—they’ll use the calendars throughout the year and constantly be reminded of your status as a helpful local expert who cares about giving back to your community.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/DC-Resource-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-416894" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/DC-Resource-logo.png" alt="" width="113" height="135" /></a>We have exciting news: You’ve been upgraded! Your Diamond Certified Resource just got even better. This year, you’ll be found by even more Bay Area consumers via new search engines on the websites of several leading media outlets. We’re also expanding our reach into Sacramento, which means a larger service area and more exposure to quality-seeking prospects. We’re making it easier for your customers to answer surveys about your company by providing them with text and email options. And Quality Customers will experience your Helpful Expertise® every time they look at their 2020 Diamond Certified Home Service Calendar, which was just mailed to Diamond Certified Preferred Consumers throughout the Bay Area. These upgrades will make 2020 your best year ever!
New Online Search Engines Make it Even Easier for Consumers to Find You 
Starting next month, people who visit KTVU’s website will see something new on the homepage: A Diamond Certified search engine that they can use to immediately connect with top rated companies. This is a permanent change to KTVU.com, which means your company will benefit from increased exposure to quality-seeking consumers for the long term.
<div id="attachment_416895" style="width: 177px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-416895" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-416895" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3.jpg" alt="" width="167" height="267" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3.jpg 750w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3-188x300.jpg 188w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/chronical-ad_2019_cl3-640x1024.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 167px) 100vw, 167px" /></a>Here’s a sneak peek at what the Diamond Certified search engine will look like. Please note that this image is a draft, so there may be some changes to the final design.</div>
KTVU’s website continues to see year-to-year increases in site traffic—in fact, the period of September 2018 to September 2019 saw a 22 percent gain in total page views and total users. These are educated, affluent people who have the purchasing power to take on a variety of projects throughout the year. With the addition of our search engine, you’ll be able to reach them and harness the power of KTVU.com’s 9.9 million combined annual page views. We’re also in the process of completing similar deals with sfgate.com and sfchronicle.com, so stay tuned for details.
We’re Expanding Our Reach Into the Sacramento Area 
Last year, one of our main goals was getting Diamond Certified companies to organically show up in online searches in Sacramento. We launched our plan with a small amount of Diamond Certified companies that currently service that area with the hopes that Google would recognize our SEO efforts. I’m pleased to announce that in 2020, we are actively growing our Sacramento market for the future. We have a lot of confidence in Sacramento—the demographics are getting stronger and it’s a quality, sizable market (500,000+ residents) for all kinds of service companies. If you work within the Sacramento area or you want to expand your exposure within Diamond Certified media, contact your Service Director for more information.
Your Customers Can Now Respond to Surveys by Text or Email 

<div id="attachment_416896" style="width: 254px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/phone.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-416896" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-416896" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/phone.png" alt="" width="244" height="167" /></a>Now, your customers can respond to our ongoing Diamond Certified surveys via text message.</div>
For the past 19 years, all of the confidential surveys that we use in the Diamond Certified Rating Process have been conducted by telephone. This system has worked very well for us—by actually speaking to people, we’re able to verify that only real customers are surveyed from a large, random sample of each company’s actual customer base. This year, we’re expanding on that principle by including text messages and emails in our survey options. By making the process more convenient for consumers, we’ll be able to continually update your survey results throughout the year, which means you’ll be able to track your customer satisfaction levels in real time. And even though our response options are expanding, we will still take the time to verify that every person who rates your company is an actual past customer. We’ll be testing this new system during the first portion of the year, and we won’t roll out the finished product until we feel confident that this will be a good experience for both consumers and Diamond Certified companies.
The 2020 Diamond Certified Home Service Calendar Brings Your Helpful Expertise® to Your Neighborhood’s Affluent Homes 

<div id="attachment_416897" style="width: 348px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-416897" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-416897" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar.jpg" alt="" width="338" height="259" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar.jpg 1154w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar-300x230.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar-1024x785.jpg 1024w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2020-calendar-768x589.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 338px) 100vw, 338px" /></a>Quality-seeking consumers will use the Diamond Certified Home Service Calendar throughout 2020. Each calendar features highlighted holidays and important events, helpful tips from Diamond Certified Expert Contributors, and more.</div>
Two years ago, we introduced the Diamond Certified Home Service Calendar, which features seasonal checklists, detailed information about the Diamond Certified Resource, helpful tips from Diamond Certified Expert Contributors and more. We’re pleased to announce that the 2020 calendars were just mailed to Diamond Certified Preferred Consumers. These are consumers who are loyal to the Diamond Certified Resource—they’ll use the calendars throughout the year and constantly be reminded of your status as a helpful local expert who cares about giving back to your community.

We have exciting news: You’ve been upgraded! Your Diamond Certified Resource just got even better. This year, you’ll be found by even more Bay Area consumers via new search engines on the websites of several leading media outlets. We’re also expanding our reach into Sacramento, which means a larger service area and more exposure to quality-seeking prospects. We’re making it easier for your customers to answer surveys about your company by providing them with text and email options. And Quality C

You’ve Been Upgraded!

youve-been-upgraded-2020

<div class="article-entry">On behalf of our Diamond Certified Resource team, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. When you look back on your company’s performance in 2019, you should be proud. You’ve led your team to consistently deliver very high customer satisfaction, which qualified you to earn and maintain your Diamond Certified status. Your performance isn’t ordinary or average—it’s exceptional. I’d say that’s worthy of a gift or two!Luckily, the Diamond Certified Resource is designed to provide your company with numerous gifts throughout the year. So, as we head into 2020, make sure you’re prepared to use your Diamond Certified gifts to: 1) build a stronger brand for quality; 2) beat competitors on the web, in search and on mobile; 3) increase your transaction rate with quality-seeking shoppers; and 4) generate an ongoing flow of Quality Customers who are quick to refer your company to others.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/gift-1.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-414881" height="115" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/gift-1.jpg" width="111"/></a>Gift #1: Stronger Brand—Build Your Company’s Brand for Quality and Expertise Your brand’s meaning and power determine your revenue stream and the long-term value of your company. To build a valuable company, it’s crucial to constantly elevate your brand by building its meaning and power in your marketplace. We methodically build your brand’s meaning and awareness by presenting your company as Diamond Certified on our high-trust website; in our Diamond Certified Directories; in our newspaper list of top rated companies; via TV, radio and online ads; and much more. Your team further strengthens your brand by using the Diamond Certified symbol next to your brand wherever it’s displayed: in advertising, on the web, in your office, and on vehicles and print materials (business cards, letters).Gift #2: Digital Advantage—Beat Rivals in Web, Mobile and Search Performance<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/gift-2.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-414882" height="114" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/gift-2.jpg" width="110"/></a> We’ve made it our mission to build great digital for your company, giving you a crucial digital advantage without distracting you from your main business. We’ve accomplished this by:<ul><li>Creating your Diamond Certified Company Report, which provides prospective customers with all the info they need to choose you: accurate ratings, researched articles, a captivating video profile and photo gallery, and more.</li><li>Displaying your Company Report in search results with 4-5 rating stars based on a high number of surveys, so prospects feel confident every time they search your company name.</li><li>Revamping the Diamond Certified Portal, which you can now use to download marketing tools, connect with other Diamond Certified company owners, see real-time analytics of how your website is performing and more.</li><li>Helping you set up your Facebook and Twitter accounts and then giving you a feed of verified survey responses from satisfied customers and high-quality tips.</li></ul><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/gift-3.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-414883" height="119" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/gift-3.jpg" width="107"/></a>Gift #3: Increased Transaction Rate—Turn Quality-Centric Shoppers Into Buyers We’ve given you several trust-building Diamond Certified Tools to influence both the emotional and logical assessment of your company’s likely future performance. Use your custom Diamond Certified Brochures with each potential customer to increase trust and prove your team’s top rated performance. The gold-embossed Diamond Certified symbol on the cover is designed to lift each prospect’s emotional confidence in your company. Hand out your Diamond Certified Expert Contributor reprints to signal your Helpful Expertise®. Use the Diamond Certified labels and symbol on all of your estimates and within communications with prospects to signal your team’s commitment to customer satisfaction.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/gift-1.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-414881" height="115" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/gift-1.jpg" width="111"/></a>Gift #4: Better Customers—Gain an Ongoing Flow From Referrals and DC Media Who you do business with matters, and Diamond Certified attracts the best customers to your company. When we mail our popular Diamond Certified Directories to homeowners with household incomes above $100,000 per year, we are choosing to present your company to households that have the financial resources to pay for quality. When a consumer chooses to use our Diamond Certified website or shops in our Diamond Certified Directory, they’re making a choice to go with a quality company they can trust.</div>

On behalf of our Diamond Certified Resource team, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. When you look back on your company’s performance in 2019, you should be proud. You’ve led your team to consistently deliver very high customer satisfaction, which qualified you to earn and maintain your Diamond Certified status. Your performance isn’t ordinary or average—it’s exceptional. I’d say that’s worthy of a gift or two!
Luckily, the Diamond Certified Resource is designed to provide your company with numerous gifts throughout the year. So, as we head into 2020, make sure you’re prepared to use your Diamond Certified gifts to: 1) build a stronger brand for quality; 2) beat competitors on the web, in search and on mobile; 3) increase your transaction rate with quality-seeking shoppers; and 4) generate an ongoing flow of Quality Customers who are quick to refer your company to others.
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/gift-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-414881" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/gift-1.jpg" alt="" width="111" height="115" /></a>Gift #1: Stronger Brand—Build Your Company’s Brand for Quality and Expertise 
Your brand’s meaning and power determine your revenue stream and the long-term value of your company. To build a valuable company, it’s crucial to constantly elevate your brand by building its meaning and power in your marketplace. We methodically build your brand’s meaning and awareness by presenting your company as Diamond Certified on our high-trust website; in our Diamond Certified Directories; in our newspaper list of top rated companies; via TV, radio and online ads; and much more. Your team further strengthens your brand by using the Diamond Certified symbol next to your brand wherever it’s displayed: in advertising, on the web, in your office, and on vehicles and print materials (business cards, letters).
Gift #2: Digital Advantage—Beat Rivals in Web, Mobile and Search Performance<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/gift-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-414882" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/gift-2.jpg" alt="" width="110" height="114" /></a> 
We’ve made it our mission to build great digital for your company, giving you a crucial digital advantage without distracting you from your main business. We’ve accomplished this by:
<ul>
<li>Creating your Diamond Certified Company Report, which provides prospective customers with all the info they need to choose you: accurate ratings, researched articles, a captivating video profile and photo gallery, and more.</li>
<li>Displaying your Company Report in search results with 4-5 rating stars based on a high number of surveys, so prospects feel confident every time they search your company name.</li>
<li>Revamping the Diamond Certified Portal, which you can now use to download marketing tools, connect with other Diamond Certified company owners, see real-time analytics of how your website is performing and more.</li>
<li>Helping you set up your Facebook and Twitter accounts and then giving you a feed of verified survey responses from satisfied customers and high-quality tips.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/gift-3.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-414883" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/gift-3.jpg" alt="" width="107" height="119" /></a>Gift #3: Increased Transaction Rate—Turn Quality-Centric Shoppers Into Buyers 
We’ve given you several trust-building Diamond Certified Tools to influence both the emotional and logical assessment of your company’s likely future performance. Use your custom Diamond Certified Brochures with each potential customer to increase trust and prove your team’s top rated performance. The gold-embossed Diamond Certified symbol on the cover is designed to lift each prospect’s emotional confidence in your company. Hand out your Diamond Certified Expert Contributor reprints to signal your Helpful Expertise®. Use the Diamond Certified labels and symbol on all of your estimates and within communications with prospects to signal your team’s commitment to customer satisfaction.
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/gift-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-414881" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/gift-1.jpg" alt="" width="111" height="115" /></a>Gift #4: Better Customers—Gain an Ongoing Flow From Referrals and DC Media 
Who you do business with matters, and Diamond Certified attracts the best customers to your company. When we mail our popular Diamond Certified Directories to homeowners with household incomes above $100,000 per year, we are choosing to present your company to households that have the financial resources to pay for quality. When a consumer chooses to use our Diamond Certified website or shops in our Diamond Certified Directory, they’re making a choice to go with a quality company they can trust.

On behalf of our Diamond Certified Resource team, I want to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. When you look back on your company’s performance in 2019, you should be proud. You’ve led your team to consistently deliver very high customer satisfaction, which qualified you to earn and maintain your Diamond Certified status. Your performance isn’t ordinary or average—it’s exceptional. I’d say that’s worthy of a gift or two!Luckily, the Diamond Certified Resource is designed to pro

The Season of Giving

the-season-of-giving

<div class="article-entry">Recently, my family and I went to a restaurant and there was a short wait for a table. While we were waiting, the host offered us and a few other patrons some complimentary coffee or water. As someone who pays very close attention to customer service, I observed what kind of responses the offer received. Everyone seemed very appreciative and it was clear that this little touch had made a big impression.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/server.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-414878" height="284" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/server.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/server.jpg 335w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/server-300x254.jpg 300w" width="335"/></a>The drinks came out immediately and made the wait go by much quicker. In fact, this simple gesture prompted many of us to start talking to each other. It began with general pleasantries (“That’s so nice!”) and turned into further conversation (“Have you eaten here before? What do you usually order?”). By the time we all shared our experiences, the tables started clearing and everyone got seated.So, what’s the moral of the story? Take the time to surprise your customers. Research shows that providing a customer with something unexpected improves their overall perception of the service they received. It could be as simple as a follow-up call to make sure they were happy with your work or as forward as a post-project gift basket. And remember, as a Diamond Certified company, you have access to a wide variety of digital and print tools that prove to your customers that you truly care about their satisfaction.Use Your Diamond Certified Tools to Stand Out Take your custom Diamond Certified brochures, for example. You already know they increase trust, prove your team’s top rated performance and lift emotional confidence in your company, so why not use them as referral gifts as well? Just write the customer’s name on a brochure and tell them if they pass it on to a friend or family member, you’ll send them a thank-you gift. You can do the same thing with the Diamond Certified Directory and your Diamond Certified Expert Contributor reprints.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/brochure.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-414879" height="222" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/brochure.jpg" width="255"/></a>Of course, you don’t need physical gifts to surprise your customers—you can also do it with your actions. Don’t shy away from issues that may come up on a job. Not every project goes perfectly, but the way you handle a problem can determine whether the customer leaves upset or remains loyal to your company. If you prioritize the issue and give it more attention than what’s expected, the customer will be less angry and may even be surprised and impressed by your approach.After implementing some of these techniques, take a look at your ongoing Diamond Certified research reports and see what kinds of comments you’ve been getting from happy customers. It won’t take long to see if you’re on the right track.</div>

Recently, my family and I went to a restaurant and there was a short wait for a table. While we were waiting, the host offered us and a few other patrons some complimentary coffee or water. As someone who pays very close attention to customer service, I observed what kind of responses the offer received. Everyone seemed very appreciative and it was clear that this little touch had made a big impression.
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/server.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-414878" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/server.jpg" alt="" width="335" height="284" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/server.jpg 335w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/server-300x254.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 335px) 100vw, 335px" /></a>The drinks came out immediately and made the wait go by much quicker. In fact, this simple gesture prompted many of us to start talking to each other. It began with general pleasantries (“That’s so nice!”) and turned into further conversation (“Have you eaten here before? What do you usually order?”). By the time we all shared our experiences, the tables started clearing and everyone got seated.
So, what’s the moral of the story? Take the time to surprise your customers. Research shows that providing a customer with something unexpected improves their overall perception of the service they received. It could be as simple as a follow-up call to make sure they were happy with your work or as forward as a post-project gift basket. And remember, as a Diamond Certified company, you have access to a wide variety of digital and print tools that prove to your customers that you truly care about their satisfaction.
Use Your Diamond Certified Tools to Stand Out 
Take your custom Diamond Certified brochures, for example. You already know they increase trust, prove your team’s top rated performance and lift emotional confidence in your company, so why not use them as referral gifts as well? Just write the customer’s name on a brochure and tell them if they pass it on to a friend or family member, you’ll send them a thank-you gift. You can do the same thing with the Diamond Certified Directory and your Diamond Certified Expert Contributor reprints.
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/brochure.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-414879" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/brochure.jpg" alt="" width="255" height="222" /></a>Of course, you don’t need physical gifts to surprise your customers—you can also do it with your actions. Don’t shy away from issues that may come up on a job. Not every project goes perfectly, but the way you handle a problem can determine whether the customer leaves upset or remains loyal to your company. If you prioritize the issue and give it more attention than what’s expected, the customer will be less angry and may even be surprised and impressed by your approach.
After implementing some of these techniques, take a look at your ongoing Diamond Certified research reports and see what kinds of comments you’ve been getting from happy customers. It won’t take long to see if you’re on the right track.

Recently, my family and I went to a restaurant and there was a short wait for a table. While we were waiting, the host offered us and a few other patrons some complimentary coffee or water. As someone who pays very close attention to customer service, I observed what kind of responses the offer received. Everyone seemed very appreciative and it was clear that this little touch had made a big impression.The drinks came out immediately and made the wait go by much quicker. In fact, this simple ges

What a Surprise!

what-a-surprise

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/component-1.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-414874 size-full" height="274" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/component-1.jpg" width="216"/></a>I say it all the time but it bears repeating: Your Diamond Certified Company Report is the absolute best presentation of your company anywhere on the internet. Where else can consumers see your company’s accurate ratings, researched articles, expert tips, video profile, photo gallery and verbatim survey responses all in one place? It’s a one-stop shop that proves your quality and helps you stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace, which ultimately turns prospective clients into committed buyers of your services.Your prospects already visit <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org</a> to view your Diamond Certified Company Report, but wouldn’t it be great if you could also show them this comprehensive info on your own website and social media accounts? That’s where our latest innovation comes into play. Now, you can take components of your Company Report and add them to your own online pages, thus extending the influence of your Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® status.Let’s look at some of these components and see how they can help you attract and keep more Quality Customers:1. Researched Articles Quality Customers want to read about your history, business philosophy, areas of expertise, warranties and other key attributes that differentiate your company from local competitors. With your expertly researched articles, that’s exactly what they get. These articles are your company’s most relevant, highest quality and most trusted available anywhere on the web.2. Diamond Certified Ratings Dashboard<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/component-2.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright size-full wp-image-414875" height="875" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 184px) 100vw, 184px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/component-2.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/component-2.jpg 184w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2020/01/component-2-63x300.jpg 63w" width="184"/></a> Nowadays, consumers judge a webpage in a few seconds. Fail this test and they’re gone. Pass and they go deeper to get what they want. That’s why what they don’t see is just as critical as what they do see. They don’t see spammy ad-photos, clickbait links or other obvious signs of a compromised website. Consumers instantly gain confidence in your company when they see the four charts of your Diamond Certified Ratings Dashboard.3. Diamond Certified Video Profile Life is a story about people, and your company’s video profile tells the story of you and your team. Quality Customers get to hear you talk about your business philosophy and the services you provide. They even see examples of your work and get a look at your vehicles or facility. All of this makes them more comfortable and subconsciously reduces risk. They feel like they already know you before they make that initial phone call.4. Diamond Certified Photo Gallery Your photo gallery is designed to get potential customers emotionally involved in your company. People want to see who they’re going to do business with and how they operate. That’s why your photo gallery showcases your company’s staff, facilities, vehicles and work.5. Diamond Certified Experts When considering a purchase, consumers are more trustful of people they know. As a Diamond Certified Expert, you’re introduced as a local expert who truly cares about helping your community, which increases your trust factor and the likelihood that you’ll get a new client. Your Expert Articles and Video build their familiarity with you and your company.6. Verbatim Survey Responses Quality Customers depend on the Diamond Certified Resource to provide them with survey responses from your actual customers, which is the opposite of gamed review sites.All of these components of your Diamond Certified Company Report can be found right in your Diamond Certified Portal, so I encourage you to log in and start spreading the proof of your quality everywhere your company has an online presence. If you have any questions or need help utilizing these components, please contact your Service Director.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/component-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-414874 size-full" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/component-1.jpg" alt="" width="216" height="274" /></a>I say it all the time but it bears repeating: Your Diamond Certified Company Report is the absolute best presentation of your company anywhere on the internet. Where else can consumers see your company’s accurate ratings, researched articles, expert tips, video profile, photo gallery and verbatim survey responses all in one place? It’s a one-stop shop that proves your quality and helps you stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace, which ultimately turns prospective clients into committed buyers of your services.
Your prospects already visit <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org</a> to view your Diamond Certified Company Report, but wouldn’t it be great if you could also show them this comprehensive info on your own website and social media accounts? That’s where our latest innovation comes into play. Now, you can take components of your Company Report and add them to your own online pages, thus extending the influence of your Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® status.
Let’s look at some of these components and see how they can help you attract and keep more Quality Customers:
1. Researched Articles 
Quality Customers want to read about your history, business philosophy, areas of expertise, warranties and other key attributes that differentiate your company from local competitors. With your expertly researched articles, that’s exactly what they get. These articles are your company’s most relevant, highest quality and most trusted available anywhere on the web.
2. Diamond Certified Ratings Dashboard<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/component-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-full wp-image-414875" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/component-2.jpg" alt="" width="184" height="875" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/component-2.jpg 184w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/component-2-63x300.jpg 63w" sizes="(max-width: 184px) 100vw, 184px" /></a> 
Nowadays, consumers judge a webpage in a few seconds. Fail this test and they’re gone. Pass and they go deeper to get what they want. That’s why what they don’t see is just as critical as what they do see. They don’t see spammy ad-photos, clickbait links or other obvious signs of a compromised website. Consumers instantly gain confidence in your company when they see the four charts of your Diamond Certified Ratings Dashboard.
3. Diamond Certified Video Profile 
Life is a story about people, and your company’s video profile tells the story of you and your team. Quality Customers get to hear you talk about your business philosophy and the services you provide. They even see examples of your work and get a look at your vehicles or facility. All of this makes them more comfortable and subconsciously reduces risk. They feel like they already know you before they make that initial phone call.
4. Diamond Certified Photo Gallery 
Your photo gallery is designed to get potential customers emotionally involved in your company. People want to see who they’re going to do business with and how they operate. That’s why your photo gallery showcases your company’s staff, facilities, vehicles and work.
5. Diamond Certified Experts 
When considering a purchase, consumers are more trustful of people they know. As a Diamond Certified Expert, you’re introduced as a local expert who truly cares about helping your community, which increases your trust factor and the likelihood that you’ll get a new client. Your Expert Articles and Video build their familiarity with you and your company.
6. Verbatim Survey Responses 
Quality Customers depend on the Diamond Certified Resource to provide them with survey responses from your actual customers, which is the opposite of gamed review sites.
All of these components of your Diamond Certified Company Report can be found right in your Diamond Certified Portal, so I encourage you to log in and start spreading the proof of your quality everywhere your company has an online presence. If you have any questions or need help utilizing these components, please contact your Service Director.

I say it all the time but it bears repeating: Your Diamond Certified Company Report is the absolute best presentation of your company anywhere on the internet. Where else can consumers see your company’s accurate ratings, researched articles, expert tips, video profile, photo gallery and verbatim survey responses all in one place? It’s a one-stop shop that proves your quality and helps you stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace, which ultimately turns prospective clients into committed

The Components of Your Success

the-components-of-your-success

<div class="article-entry"> <h5><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2014/09/The_21_Most_Popular_Uses_of_Diamond_Certified_ms1.pdf">Click HERE to download a PDF of “The 21 Most Popular Uses of Diamond Certified”</a></h5><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/08/21.png"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-397716" height="718" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 823px) 100vw, 823px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/08/21.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/08/21.png 823w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/08/21-300x262.png 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/08/21-768x670.png 768w" width="823"/></a></div>

Click HERE to download a PDF of “The 21 Most Popular Uses of Diamond Certified”

The 21 Most Popular Uses of Diamond Certified

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/07/read.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-409971" height="176" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 352px) 100vw, 352px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/07/read.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/07/read.jpg 562w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/07/read-300x150.jpg 300w" width="352"/></a>People love stories. That’s why we spend so much time with movies, TV shows, books, video games, and news and entertainment websites. But that’s still not nearly enough. We need even more stories! That’s why more than a billion of us tune in to watch our friends’ and families’ stories unfold on Facebook; and for most, part of the attraction is that we even get to tell our own stories. So, as a business manager, it shouldn’t surprise you that your potential customers are taking the data points they collect about your company and converting them into stories. It’s the way our brains are wired. Since this is the human process, it’s wise to make sure your company’s stories elevate your position. Here are some thoughts on how you can guide the story process in your company to better attract and retain customers.THE STARS OF YOUR STORIES: Your Staff, Your Company and You There are three main stars in your company’s stories: your staff, your company and you (the business owner or senior manager). By understanding the stories that are being told about each of these stars and identifying new and improved true stories, you’ll elevate your company’s position within prospects’ and customers’ minds.YOUR STAFF: What’s the story with this staff member I’m talking to as I evaluate your company? Why does he work here? What did he do before? Where is he from? Where has he been? Do we have any shared interests? Does he have kids or live in my town? Is he kind, funny, trustworthy, a braggart, inconsiderate or a bore? Does any of this matter? Maybe. I’m sure you can think of several times when your connection and empathy with a staff member was a basis for becoming a repeat customer with a company. Or, conversely, the lack of connection or repulsion caused you to quit the company as its customer or prospective customer.YOUR COMPANY: What scenes from your company “movie” highlight your values? Many of your company’s interesting vignettes include helping your customers and community. What are the stories behind your company’s achievement of scoring Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® and earning Diamond Certified? You can (and should) tell these stories through your social media feeds, but we also tell them through our multimedia content and the positive survey responses we gather from your satisfied customers, all of which can be found on your Diamond Certified Company Report page at <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org">www.diamondcertified.org</a>.YOU: Potential customers understand that the leader of the company sets the pace and helps create the company culture. Stories that demonstrate your integrity, quality focus and fairness help potential customers develop a strong belief in your company. We tell human interest stories about Diamond Certified Expert Contributors at <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/find-expert-advice/">www.diamondcertified.org/find-expert-advice</a>. Take a look—you’ll see hundreds of interesting stories about local company owners. Call your service director to participate if you haven’t already.<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_409972" style="width: 729px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/07/insta.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409972" class="wp-image-409972" height="346" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 719px) 100vw, 719px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/07/insta.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/07/insta.jpg 935w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/07/insta-300x144.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/07/insta-768x370.jpg 768w" width="719"/></a>Instagram is a great way to share your company’s stories and engage with both current and potential customers. Follow us @diamondcertified to see examples of how we tell Diamond Certified companies’ stories. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2019</div>Story Themes and Meaning Except for identical twins, people don’t look the same. That’s how we recognize thousands of unique faces and know stories about hundreds of them. We tend to like and connect better with people when we attach “good” stories to them, and we tend to avoid people with “bad” stories. What we deem good or bad is open to interpretation. We unconsciously judge these stories/people based on our own sense of virtues. Simply put, stories that illuminate a virtue (like integrity) are good, while those that demonstrate immorality (like dishonesty) are bad.Whether you like it or not, stories are being disseminated from your team all the time. They may not be aware of it, so rather than leave good and bad stories to chance, you should educate your team about stories and their effect on customer relationships to give your company an advantage.Step 1: Educate your team about the concept of this letter—how your stories affect the perceptions of customers and prospects and, consequently, their buying behavior.Step 2: Create a “story month” so team members can share positive stories about their lives that highlight any of their virtues. Tell each other stories about moments in the company’s history that were emblematic of what your company stands for. Share stories about your life. Have staffers give feedback and discuss how each story is likely to positively or negatively affect customers and prospects. Which were the most relevant? Which gave you a warm feeling? Which virtues or negatives does each story display? Remember, Diamond Certified is part of your story. It proves that these stories illuminate company values that lead to great customer outcomes, as judged by a very high percentage of your past customers.Step 3: Deploy your stories in person and through social media. Give feedback and improve these stories. If you keep doing this with your team, you’ll gain confidence that the true stories disseminated from your company illuminate the best of your team, your company and you.Step 4: Your customer has a story to tell. Do you know it? The simple act of telling you or your staff member their story deepens the customer-company relationship. If your company knows more about your customers and prospects than your competitors, you win.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/read.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-409971" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/read.jpg" alt="" width="352" height="176" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/read.jpg 562w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/read-300x150.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 352px) 100vw, 352px" /></a>People love stories. That’s why we spend so much time with movies, TV shows, books, video games, and news and entertainment websites. But that’s still not nearly enough. We need even more stories! That’s why more than a billion of us tune in to watch our friends’ and families’ stories unfold on Facebook; and for most, part of the attraction is that we even get to tell our own stories. So, as a business manager, it shouldn’t surprise you that your potential customers are taking the data points they collect about your company and converting them into stories. It’s the way our brains are wired. Since this is the human process, it’s wise to make sure your company’s stories elevate your position. Here are some thoughts on how you can guide the story process in your company to better attract and retain customers.
THE STARS OF YOUR STORIES: Your Staff, Your Company and You 
There are three main stars in your company’s stories: your staff, your company and you (the business owner or senior manager). By understanding the stories that are being told about each of these stars and identifying new and improved true stories, you’ll elevate your company’s position within prospects’ and customers’ minds.
YOUR STAFF: What’s the story with this staff member I’m talking to as I evaluate your company? Why does he work here? What did he do before? Where is he from? Where has he been? Do we have any shared interests? Does he have kids or live in my town? Is he kind, funny, trustworthy, a braggart, inconsiderate or a bore? Does any of this matter? Maybe. I’m sure you can think of several times when your connection and empathy with a staff member was a basis for becoming a repeat customer with a company. Or, conversely, the lack of connection or repulsion caused you to quit the company as its customer or prospective customer.
YOUR COMPANY: What scenes from your company “movie” highlight your values? Many of your company’s interesting vignettes include helping your customers and community. What are the stories behind your company’s achievement of scoring Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® and earning Diamond Certified? You can (and should) tell these stories through your social media feeds, but we also tell them through our multimedia content and the positive survey responses we gather from your satisfied customers, all of which can be found on your Diamond Certified Company Report page at <a href="http://www.diamondcertified.org">www.diamondcertified.org</a>.
YOU: Potential customers understand that the leader of the company sets the pace and helps create the company culture. Stories that demonstrate your integrity, quality focus and fairness help potential customers develop a strong belief in your company. We tell human interest stories about Diamond Certified Expert Contributors at <a href="http://www.diamondcertified.org/find-expert-advice/">www.diamondcertified.org/find-expert-advice</a>. Take a look—you’ll see hundreds of interesting stories about local company owners. Call your service director to participate if you haven’t already.
<div id="attachment_409972" style="width: 729px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/insta.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409972" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-409972" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/insta.jpg" alt="" width="719" height="346" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/insta.jpg 935w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/insta-300x144.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/insta-768x370.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 719px) 100vw, 719px" /></a>Instagram is a great way to share your company’s stories and engage with both current and potential customers. Follow us @diamondcertified to see examples of how we tell Diamond Certified companies’ stories. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2019</div>
Story Themes and Meaning 
Except for identical twins, people don’t look the same. That’s how we recognize thousands of unique faces and know stories about hundreds of them. We tend to like and connect better with people when we attach “good” stories to them, and we tend to avoid people with “bad” stories. What we deem good or bad is open to interpretation. We unconsciously judge these stories/people based on our own sense of virtues. Simply put, stories that illuminate a virtue (like integrity) are good, while those that demonstrate immorality (like dishonesty) are bad.
Whether you like it or not, stories are being disseminated from your team all the time. They may not be aware of it, so rather than leave good and bad stories to chance, you should educate your team about stories and their effect on customer relationships to give your company an advantage.
Step 1: Educate your team about the concept of this letter—how your stories affect the perceptions of customers and prospects and, consequently, their buying behavior.
Step 2: Create a “story month” so team members can share positive stories about their lives that highlight any of their virtues. Tell each other stories about moments in the company’s history that were emblematic of what your company stands for. Share stories about your life. Have staffers give feedback and discuss how each story is likely to positively or negatively affect customers and prospects. Which were the most relevant? Which gave you a warm feeling? Which virtues or negatives does each story display? Remember, Diamond Certified is part of your story. It proves that these stories illuminate company values that lead to great customer outcomes, as judged by a very high percentage of your past customers.
Step 3: Deploy your stories in person and through social media. Give feedback and improve these stories. If you keep doing this with your team, you’ll gain confidence that the true stories disseminated from your company illuminate the best of your team, your company and you.
Step 4: Your customer has a story to tell. Do you know it? The simple act of telling you or your staff member their story deepens the customer-company relationship. If your company knows more about your customers and prospects than your competitors, you win.

People love stories. That’s why we spend so much time with movies, TV shows, books, video games, and news and entertainment websites. But that’s still not nearly enough. We need even more stories! That’s why more than a billion of us tune in to watch our friends’ and families’ stories unfold on Facebook; and for most, part of the attraction is that we even get to tell our own stories. So, as a business manager, it shouldn’t surprise you that your potential customers are taking the data points th

Once Upon a Time…

once-upon-a-time-2

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/trophy2.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-409070" height="264" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 170px) 100vw, 170px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/trophy2.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/trophy2.jpg 4149w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/trophy2-193x300.jpg 193w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/trophy2-768x1196.jpg 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/trophy2-658x1024.jpg 658w" width="170"/></a>It’s playoff season in the NBA and NHL, and as of this writing, both Bay Area teams are still in the running for their respective championships. No matter what happens over the next few weeks, this is an exciting time for the Golden State Warriors, the San Jose Sharks and their loyal fans. After all, every athlete wants to play for a championship team, just as every professional wants to feel pride in their work.It’s natural—when business is booming and morale is high, it’s easier to acquire and retain staff because everyone feels like they’re part of a well-oiled machine. This is especially true for your company. You’ve Diamond Certified and been independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®, so you can always rely on the fact that you’ve achieved something truly special.Just as a championship trophy represents countless hours of hard work and dedication, your Diamond Certified award is much more than just a rating—it’s a promise to consumers that their satisfaction comes first. They know that when they choose you over your competition, they can expect to receive top-quality service. They see that a trustworthy third party has surveyed your past customers and made sure you have all the necessary licenses and insurance coverage. And, most importantly, they feel like they know and trust you before they even meet you.Sometimes, professional sports teams get so obsessed with gaining small competitive advantages that they lose focus of the fundamentals that made them successful in the first place. No matter what your competition is doing, it’s important to remember that you’ve earned Diamond Certified and they haven’t. Here are some reminders of why that’s important:Diamond Certified companies succeed. As a Diamond Certified company, you have unlimited access to digital and print marketing tools that are designed to help you attract more quality-seeking customers. We provide you with inclusion in the quarterly Diamond Certified Directory; researched articles and a video profile; full-color brochures; a powerful report page on <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org</a>; digital, print and TV advertising; and much more. Go to <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org</a> and sign in to your online portal to download a Diamond Certified logo that’s right for any marketing situation.<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_409071" style="width: 695px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/materials.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409071" class="wp-image-409071" height="213" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/materials.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/materials.jpg 1245w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/materials-300x93.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/materials-768x239.jpg 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/materials-1024x318.jpg 1024w" width="685"/></a>As a Diamond Certified company, you have access to a wide range of marketing tools that prove your top rated status. Access them in your portal at <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/portal/">diamondcertified.org/portal</a>.</div>Diamond Certified companies perform better digitally. Google Stars appear next to your company name in online search, which automatically makes your page more credible than others in your industry and attracts more people to your website. Attach the Diamond Certified symbol anywhere people can find your company online. More potential clients will click and learn about how you’re keeping your customers happy.Diamond Certified companies’ marketing efforts perform better. When you utilize our Diamond Certified tools, you differentiate your company with the best branding anywhere. Use the Diamond Certified symbol on all your marketing materials to bring in clients who feel it’s justifiable to pay for your high-quality services.Diamond Certified companies sell more, faster. Diamond Certified attracts quality-seeking consumers via the Diamond Certified Directory and the highly trafficked <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org</a> website, which means you can cherry-pick the most profitable jobs and increase your transaction rate.People love Diamond Certified. We know that’s a bold statement, but we confidently stand by it. We see it time and time again—once a company earns Diamond Certified, its employees feel prouder, its profit margins improve, it performs better digitally and, best of all, it finally knows what its customers are thinking.<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_409072" style="width: 696px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/group-shot.png"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409072" class="wp-image-409072" height="228" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 686px) 100vw, 686px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/group-shot.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/group-shot.png 1196w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/group-shot-300x100.png 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/group-shot-768x256.png 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/06/group-shot-1024x341.png 1024w" width="686"/></a>Remember, your company has earned Diamond Certified, so you and your staff can always rely on the fact that you’ve achieved something truly special. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2019</div></div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/trophy2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-409070" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/trophy2.jpg" alt="" width="170" height="264" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/trophy2.jpg 4149w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/trophy2-193x300.jpg 193w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/trophy2-768x1196.jpg 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/trophy2-658x1024.jpg 658w" sizes="(max-width: 170px) 100vw, 170px" /></a>It’s playoff season in the NBA and NHL, and as of this writing, both Bay Area teams are still in the running for their respective championships. No matter what happens over the next few weeks, this is an exciting time for the Golden State Warriors, the San Jose Sharks and their loyal fans. After all, every athlete wants to play for a championship team, just as every professional wants to feel pride in their work.
It’s natural—when business is booming and morale is high, it’s easier to acquire and retain staff because everyone feels like they’re part of a well-oiled machine. This is especially true for your company. You&#8217;ve Diamond Certified and been independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®, so you can always rely on the fact that you’ve achieved something truly special.
Just as a championship trophy represents countless hours of hard work and dedication, your Diamond Certified award is much more than just a rating—it’s a promise to consumers that their satisfaction comes first. They know that when they choose you over your competition, they can expect to receive top-quality service. They see that a trustworthy third party has surveyed your past customers and made sure you have all the necessary licenses and insurance coverage. And, most importantly, they feel like they know and trust you before they even meet you.
Sometimes, professional sports teams get so obsessed with gaining small competitive advantages that they lose focus of the fundamentals that made them successful in the first place. No matter what your competition is doing, it’s important to remember that you’ve earned Diamond Certified and they haven’t. Here are some reminders of why that’s important:
Diamond Certified companies succeed. 
As a Diamond Certified company, you have unlimited access to digital and print marketing tools that are designed to help you attract more quality-seeking customers. We provide you with inclusion in the quarterly Diamond Certified Directory; researched articles and a video profile; full-color brochures; a powerful report page on <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org</a>; digital, print and TV advertising; and much more. Go to <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org</a> and sign in to your online portal to download a Diamond Certified logo that’s right for any marketing situation.
<div id="attachment_409071" style="width: 695px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/materials.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409071" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-409071" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/materials.jpg" alt="" width="685" height="213" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/materials.jpg 1245w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/materials-300x93.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/materials-768x239.jpg 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/materials-1024x318.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" /></a>As a Diamond Certified company, you have access to a wide range of marketing tools that prove your top rated status. Access them in your portal at <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/portal/">diamondcertified.org/portal</a>.</div>
Diamond Certified companies perform better digitally. 
Google Stars appear next to your company name in online search, which automatically makes your page more credible than others in your industry and attracts more people to your website. Attach the Diamond Certified symbol anywhere people can find your company online. More potential clients will click and learn about how you’re keeping your customers happy.
Diamond Certified companies’ marketing efforts perform better. 
When you utilize our Diamond Certified tools, you differentiate your company with the best branding anywhere. Use the Diamond Certified symbol on all your marketing materials to bring in clients who feel it’s justifiable to pay for your high-quality services.
Diamond Certified companies sell more, faster. 
Diamond Certified attracts quality-seeking consumers via the Diamond Certified Directory and the highly trafficked <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org</a> website, which means you can cherry-pick the most profitable jobs and increase your transaction rate.
People love Diamond Certified. 
We know that’s a bold statement, but we confidently stand by it. We see it time and time again—once a company earns Diamond Certified, its employees feel prouder, its profit margins improve, it performs better digitally and, best of all, it finally knows what its customers are thinking.
<div id="attachment_409072" style="width: 696px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/group-shot.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409072" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-409072" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/group-shot.png" alt="" width="686" height="228" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/group-shot.png 1196w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/group-shot-300x100.png 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/group-shot-768x256.png 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/group-shot-1024x341.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 686px) 100vw, 686px" /></a>Remember, your company has earned Diamond Certified, so you and your staff can always rely on the fact that you’ve achieved something truly special. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2019</div>

It’s playoff season in the NBA and NHL, and as of this writing, both Bay Area teams are still in the running for their respective championships. No matter what happens over the next few weeks, this is an exciting time for the Golden State Warriors, the San Jose Sharks and their loyal fans. After all, every athlete wants to play for a championship team, just as every professional wants to feel pride in their work.It’s natural—when business is booming and morale is high, it’s easier to acquire and

More Than Just a Rating

more-than-just-a-rating

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-406206" height="191" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T.jpg 5184w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T-1024x683.jpg 1024w" width="287"/></a>Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The other day, I was driving to a meeting when I hit unexpected traffic on the 580. Bay Area residents know this feeling all too well—you managed to make it out of the house 10 minutes early and you’re on track for a speedy arrival, but your plans are upended by an impenetrable block of vehicles that stretches as far as the eye can see.As I was sitting in my car, waiting my turn in the stop-and-go river, I started thinking: is there such a thing as good traffic? Obviously not if you have somewhere to be, but when it comes to your company’s presence online, the answer is a resounding “YES.” In today’s digital world, your best potential customers judge your company by your website and what they find about you online before they even meet you. Simply put, if you don’t have a strong web presence, you won’t be able to compete in a crowded marketplace. Thankfully, if your company earns Diamond Certified, you’ll have a huge advantage in that department.We’ve spent the past decade developing online tools and building our expertise in order to put your company at the forefront of the digital world. We’ve created custom content that makes your website more robust, improved your SEO so more people can find you and added Google Stars to your search results. We also purchased Nu-Designs Digital, a 20-year-old digital marketing company that has greatly improved our online marketing, SEO and website creation expertise. Year after year, we’ve been getting better at maximizing your online presence, and 2018 saw us make huge leaps in three crucial categories:Organic Google Search We saw a significant increase in organic Google search impressions in 2018. For years, we’ve hovered around 50,000 impressions per month, but last year, we saw that number slowly double until it reached a total of 22,993,867. This is important for two reasons: 1) it’s a sign that our redesigned website is performing well and 2) it proves that our focus on improving Diamond Certified companies’ online presence is working. This massive swell in organic search impressions has resulted in more clicks, more traffic to our website and, most importantly, more visibility for your company on Google.<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_406207" style="width: 675px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/impressions.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-406207" class="wp-image-406207" height="172" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/impressions.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/impressions.jpg 955w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/impressions-300x78.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/impressions-768x199.jpg 768w" width="665"/></a>Our organic Google search impressions doubled in 2018, which has led to increased traffic to diamondcertified.org and more Google visibility for Diamond Certified companies. Source: Google Search Console</div>Diamond Certified Website Page Views We’ve always had great traffic on diamondcertified.org, but 2018 was a record year for us in terms of page views: 1,640,141. As usual, we saw a dip around the holiday season, but January 2019 started strong with 186,593 page views, which is a 124 percent increase (83,191) over January 2018. It’s clear that Bay Area consumers are visiting diamondcertified.org whenever they need to find top rated companies, Helpful Expertise® and researched advice.<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_406209" style="width: 675px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/page-views.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-406209" class="wp-image-406209" height="175" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/page-views.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/page-views.jpg 965w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/page-views-300x79.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/page-views-768x202.jpg 768w" width="665"/></a>Page views on diamondcertified.org hit a new record in 2018: more than 1.6 million. Bay Area consumers know to visit the Diamond Certified website whenever they need to find quality companies. Source: Google Analytics</div>Mobile Web Traffic This is the area where we’ve seen the most significant improvements, undoubtedly because it has received a lot of attention from our entire team. The changes we made to our website in 2018 helped mobile traffic steadily grow as the year progressed. Overall, our focused approach led to a 42 percent increase in traffic, the majority of which was in Q4, which saw a 133 percent gain compared to Q4 2017.<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_406208" style="width: 675px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-406208" class="wp-image-406208" height="149" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph.jpg 1001w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph-300x67.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph-768x172.jpg 768w" width="665"/></a>Mobile traffic to diamondcertified.org was up 42% in 2018, most of which was in the last four months of the year. We expect to see big growths again in 2019 with the expansion of our mobile site.</div>This data shouldn’t come as much of a surprise—in today’s digital world, mobile plays an important role in our daily lives. According to Statista, 52 percent of all worldwide online traffic in 2018 was generated through mobile phones, which is up from 50 percent in 2017. In fact, BrightEdge reports that 57 percent of all online traffic in the United States now comes from smartphones and tablets. Your customers are turning to their mobile devices when they need help from local experts, so it’s absolutely critical that your company is easy to find in search.The success of our mobile web traffic efforts has informed many of our plans for 2019. This year, we’ll continue to improve the mobile experience for users, which will lead to more Quality Customers finding and choosing your company. We’re currently developing and testing major enhancements to both our mobile and desktop sites, and we’re excited to share what we have in store. I’ll announce more news about the designs and additional features in the coming months.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-406206" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T.jpg" alt="" width="287" height="191" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T.jpg 5184w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/StockSnap_OEP6DXZE7T-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" /></a>Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The other day, I was driving to a meeting when I hit unexpected traffic on the 580. Bay Area residents know this feeling all too well—you managed to make it out of the house 10 minutes early and you’re on track for a speedy arrival, but your plans are upended by an impenetrable block of vehicles that stretches as far as the eye can see.
As I was sitting in my car, waiting my turn in the stop-and-go river, I started thinking: is there such a thing as good traffic? Obviously not if you have somewhere to be, but when it comes to your company’s presence online, the answer is a resounding “YES.” In today’s digital world, your best potential customers judge your company by your website and what they find about you online before they even meet you. Simply put, if you don’t have a strong web presence, you won’t be able to compete in a crowded marketplace. Thankfully, if your company earns Diamond Certified, you&#8217;ll have a huge advantage in that department.
We’ve spent the past decade developing online tools and building our expertise in order to put your company at the forefront of the digital world. We’ve created custom content that makes your website more robust, improved your SEO so more people can find you and added Google Stars to your search results. We also purchased Nu-Designs Digital, a 20-year-old digital marketing company that has greatly improved our online marketing, SEO and website creation expertise. Year after year, we’ve been getting better at maximizing your online presence, and 2018 saw us make huge leaps in three crucial categories:
Organic Google Search 
We saw a significant increase in organic Google search impressions in 2018. For years, we’ve hovered around 50,000 impressions per month, but last year, we saw that number slowly double until it reached a total of 22,993,867. This is important for two reasons: 1) it’s a sign that our redesigned website is performing well and 2) it proves that our focus on improving Diamond Certified companies’ online presence is working. This massive swell in organic search impressions has resulted in more clicks, more traffic to our website and, most importantly, more visibility for your company on Google.
<div id="attachment_406207" style="width: 675px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/impressions.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-406207" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-406207" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/impressions.jpg" alt="" width="665" height="172" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/impressions.jpg 955w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/impressions-300x78.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/impressions-768x199.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px" /></a>Our organic Google search impressions doubled in 2018, which has led to increased traffic to diamondcertified.org and more Google visibility for Diamond Certified companies. Source: Google Search Console</div>
Diamond Certified Website Page Views 
We’ve always had great traffic on diamondcertified.org, but 2018 was a record year for us in terms of page views: 1,640,141. As usual, we saw a dip around the holiday season, but January 2019 started strong with 186,593 page views, which is a 124 percent increase (83,191) over January 2018. It’s clear that Bay Area consumers are visiting diamondcertified.org whenever they need to find top rated companies, Helpful Expertise® and researched advice.
<div id="attachment_406209" style="width: 675px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/page-views.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-406209" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-406209" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/page-views.jpg" alt="" width="665" height="175" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/page-views.jpg 965w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/page-views-300x79.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/page-views-768x202.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px" /></a>Page views on diamondcertified.org hit a new record in 2018: more than 1.6 million. Bay Area consumers know to visit the Diamond Certified website whenever they need to find quality companies. Source: Google Analytics</div>
Mobile Web Traffic 
This is the area where we’ve seen the most significant improvements, undoubtedly because it has received a lot of attention from our entire team. The changes we made to our website in 2018 helped mobile traffic steadily grow as the year progressed. Overall, our focused approach led to a 42 percent increase in traffic, the majority of which was in Q4, which saw a 133 percent gain compared to Q4 2017.
<div id="attachment_406208" style="width: 675px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-406208" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-406208" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph.jpg" alt="" width="665" height="149" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph.jpg 1001w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph-300x67.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/mobile-traffic-graph-768x172.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px" /></a>Mobile traffic to diamondcertified.org was up 42% in 2018, most of which was in the last four months of the year. We expect to see big growths again in 2019 with the expansion of our mobile site.</div>
This data shouldn’t come as much of a surprise—in today’s digital world, mobile plays an important role in our daily lives. According to Statista, 52 percent of all worldwide online traffic in 2018 was generated through mobile phones, which is up from 50 percent in 2017. In fact, BrightEdge reports that 57 percent of all online traffic in the United States now comes from smartphones and tablets. Your customers are turning to their mobile devices when they need help from local experts, so it’s absolutely critical that your company is easy to find in search.
The success of our mobile web traffic efforts has informed many of our plans for 2019. This year, we’ll continue to improve the mobile experience for users, which will lead to more Quality Customers finding and choosing your company. We’re currently developing and testing major enhancements to both our mobile and desktop sites, and we’re excited to share what we have in store. I’ll announce more news about the designs and additional features in the coming months.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The other day, I was driving to a meeting when I hit unexpected traffic on the 580. Bay Area residents know this feeling all too well—you managed to make it out of the house 10 minutes early and you’re on track for a speedy arrival, but your plans are upended by an impenetrable block of vehicles that stretches as far as the eye can see.As I was sitting in my car, waiting my turn in the stop-and-go river, I started thinking: is there such a thing as good t

When is Traffic Good?

when-is-traffic-good

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/tablet.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-399871" height="287" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 341px) 100vw, 341px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/tablet.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/tablet.jpg 382w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/tablet-300x253.jpg 300w" width="341"/></a>The other night, I was watching one of my new favorite TV shows, “Black Mirror.” If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it features stories that explore the social implications of how technology might be used in the not-too-distant future. Usually, it’s about how certain technology can lead to disastrous situations when misused, but some episodes take a more optimistic perspective.The episode I watched, “Nosedive,” is about a society where every individual gets rated on an app based on each encounter they have with a person or business. Their overall rating dictates their socioeconomic status and allows them to earn certain benefits. The main character is a woman who wants a high score in order to qualify for a luxury apartment, but due to circumstances beyond her control, she keeps receiving low ratings from people and is forced to resort to drastic measures in order to “level up.”<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/sarah.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-399872" height="241" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 292px) 100vw, 292px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/sarah.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/sarah.jpg 331w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/sarah-300x247.jpg 300w" width="292"/></a>The show was very entertaining, but it also made me stop and think about the parallels to our current society. Even though it’s exaggerated for narrative effect, the premise of this episode isn’t much different than what happens today with many review sites. Often, consumers will review a company online without ever using its services, which unfairly deters some people from using that company and negatively impacts its overall reputation. And the worst part is, companies can’t do much to stop it from happening.Thankfully, if you qualify for Diamond Certified, your company won’t have that problem. There won’t be a single review on your Diamond Certified Company Report that doesn’t come from a verified customer, so consumers who are considering working with you can see real feedback about your high-quality work and dedication to customer service, which will make them more confident in their choices. It may not be an omnipresent star rating like in the “Black Mirror” episode I watched, but the Diamond Certified brand is still an invaluable way to signal your quality and build your company every day.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/graph-1.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-399873" height="283" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 243px) 100vw, 243px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/graph-1.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/graph-1.jpg 298w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/graph-1-258x300.jpg 258w" width="243"/></a>It beats other resources in attracting and influencing Quality Customers because: 1) it’s based on the most accurate, statistically reliable ratings, not gamed reviews; and 2) it’s backed by local help and a powerful Performance Guarantee.The Power of the Diamond Certified Digital Advantage Of course, Diamond Certified helps attract Quality Customers to your company (if you qualify), but it’s up to you to keep them satisfied. Your prospects and customers often view and interact with your company digitally, so the way you and your competitors are digitally presented plays a big role in prospect choice and even customer retention. That’s why gaining and keeping a digital advantage over your competitors is absolutely crucial.It’s easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about all you should be doing digitally, so try narrowing it down to a single aspect: communication. To whom does your website communicate? How does your team communicate via email and text? Do your web videos and pictures communicate your brand’s meaning? When prospects search for your name, how does it appear in Google Search? Is it easy to find important information, photos, ratings and videos about your company when prospects look for you on their smartphones? Do you have a compelling Facebook or Twitter account?We know you’re too busy running your company to become an expert on all things digital. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to build great digital tools for your company, giving you a decisive advantage without forcing you to take your eye off your main goals (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). To learn more about Diamond Certified, get your questions answered and lock up a slot, please call Jasmin Singh at (415) 580-1863. If you qualify, it will likely be the best business decision you make the entire year.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/tablet.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-399871" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/tablet.jpg" alt="" width="341" height="287" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/tablet.jpg 382w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/tablet-300x253.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 341px) 100vw, 341px" /></a>The other night, I was watching one of my new favorite TV shows, “Black Mirror.” If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it features stories that explore the social implications of how technology might be used in the not-too-distant future. Usually, it’s about how certain technology can lead to disastrous situations when misused, but some episodes take a more optimistic perspective.
The episode I watched, “Nosedive,” is about a society where every individual gets rated on an app based on each encounter they have with a person or business. Their overall rating dictates their socioeconomic status and allows them to earn certain benefits. The main character is a woman who wants a high score in order to qualify for a luxury apartment, but due to circumstances beyond her control, she keeps receiving low ratings from people and is forced to resort to drastic measures in order to “level up.”
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sarah.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-399872" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sarah.jpg" alt="" width="292" height="241" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sarah.jpg 331w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sarah-300x247.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 292px) 100vw, 292px" /></a>The show was very entertaining, but it also made me stop and think about the parallels to our current society. Even though it’s exaggerated for narrative effect, the premise of this episode isn’t much different than what happens today with many review sites. Often, consumers will review a company online without ever using its services, which unfairly deters some people from using that company and negatively impacts its overall reputation. And the worst part is, companies can’t do much to stop it from happening.
Thankfully, if you qualify for Diamond Certified, your company won’t have that problem. There won’t be a single review on your Diamond Certified Company Report that doesn’t come from a verified customer, so consumers who are considering working with you can see real feedback about your high-quality work and dedication to customer service, which will make them more confident in their choices. It may not be an omnipresent star rating like in the “Black Mirror” episode I watched, but the Diamond Certified brand is still an invaluable way to signal your quality and build your company every day.<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/graph-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-399873" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/graph-1.jpg" alt="" width="243" height="283" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/graph-1.jpg 298w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/graph-1-258x300.jpg 258w" sizes="(max-width: 243px) 100vw, 243px" /></a>It beats other resources in attracting and influencing Quality Customers because: 1) it’s based on the most accurate, statistically reliable ratings, not gamed reviews; and 2) it’s backed by local help and a powerful Performance Guarantee.
The Power of the Diamond Certified Digital Advantage 
Of course, Diamond Certified helps attract Quality Customers to your company (if you qualify), but it’s up to you to keep them satisfied. Your prospects and customers often view and interact with your company digitally, so the way you and your competitors are digitally presented plays a big role in prospect choice and even customer retention. That’s why gaining and keeping a digital advantage over your competitors is absolutely crucial.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about all you should be doing digitally, so try narrowing it down to a single aspect: communication. To whom does your website communicate? How does your team communicate via email and text? Do your web videos and pictures communicate your brand’s meaning? When prospects search for your name, how does it appear in Google Search? Is it easy to find important information, photos, ratings and videos about your company when prospects look for you on their smartphones? Do you have a compelling Facebook or Twitter account?
We know you’re too busy running your company to become an expert on all things digital. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to build great digital tools for your company, giving you a decisive advantage without forcing you to take your eye off your main goals (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). To learn more about Diamond Certified, get your questions answered and lock up a slot, please call Jasmin Singh at (415) 580-1863. If you qualify, it will likely be the best business decision you make the entire year.

The other night, I was watching one of my new favorite TV shows, “Black Mirror.” If you’re unfamiliar with the series, it features stories that explore the social implications of how technology might be used in the not-too-distant future. Usually, it’s about how certain technology can lead to disastrous situations when misused, but some episodes take a more optimistic perspective.The episode I watched, “Nosedive,” is about a society where every individual gets rated on an app based on each encou

Level Up!

level-up

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/handshake.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-399866" height="174" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 261px) 100vw, 261px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/handshake.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/handshake.jpg 1122w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/handshake-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/handshake-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/handshake-1024x683.jpg 1024w" width="261"/></a>One-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand, four-one thousand. That’s how quickly prospective clients judge your company. In just four seconds, your company has made a first impression, and after four minutes, that impression has solidified. And although this impression can change during the course of an interaction, getting the first impression right gives you a huge competitive advantage. In the first four minutes, your potential customers are quickly answering these subconscious questions about your company:<ol><li>Kind or mean?</li><li>Understanding or oblivious?</li><li>Expert or fool?</li><li>For me or against me?</li></ol> Where do people first interact with your brand? It could be on the web, through an ad, on the phone, by email or in person. Within four minutes, they’ve formed a first impression. Knowing this, check these first contact points and see how you can up your “First Four” game. Use the table below to get your marketing signals right (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/signals.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-399868" height="978" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 892px) 100vw, 892px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/signals.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/signals.jpg 892w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/signals-274x300.jpg 274w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/signals-768x842.jpg 768w" width="892"/></a></div>

One-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand, four-one thousand. That’s how quickly prospective clients judge your company. In just four seconds, your company has made a first impression, and after four minutes, that impression has solidified. And although this impression can change during the course of an interaction, getting the first impression right gives you a huge competitive advantage. In the first four minutes, your potential customers are quickly answering these subconscious q

The First Four

the-first-four-2

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/blackboard.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-399839" height="207" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 317px) 100vw, 317px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/blackboard.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/blackboard.jpg 364w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/blackboard-300x196.jpg 300w" width="317"/></a>In my family, August has always meant “back to school” time. Now that one of my daughters is in college and on the quarter system, she doesn’t start until September, but that doesn’t change the fact that August is still a great time to plan for the rest of the year. I think this is common for most families. People are back from their summer vacations and starting to plan their projects for the upcoming months. Whether it’s major car repairs, home remodeling jobs or health checkups they’ve been putting off, this is the time of year when people make the calls.If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll be in a unique position because you’ll have access to tools that make your company stand out from your competitors and help you capture the best consumers who will keep you busy through the typically slower months of the fall and winter.We know you probably have plenty of work at the moment, but it’s still important to make sure you’re ready for the last months of the year so you can ensure long-term retention of Quality Customers. Just as continuous studying is better than last-minute cramming for students, so is consistently using Diamond Certified tools for Diamond Certified companies.Here’s a list of some of the Diamond Certified marketing tools you should be using to ensure your company has a great rest of the year (if you qualify):<ul><li>Diamond Certified Brochures: Your Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® reputation is reinforced every time you give out your custom Diamond Certified brochures and eBrochures.</li><li>Diamond Certified Experts: Remember, 2018 is the year we’re bringing your Helpful Expertise® to more places than ever before. If you’re a Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, that means Quality Customers in your community see you more often as a local expert who cares.</li><li>Diamond Certified Digital Advantage: The Diamond Certified Digital Advantage helps you build a better online presence while saving time and avoiding the fees charged by digital marketing agencies. We make your website faster, more secure, more visual and better loved by Google.</li><li>Diamond Certified Homepage: Our newly redesigned website provides all the Deep Info potential customers need to choose your company. Your Diamond Certified Company Report is the best presentation of your company anywhere on the web because it provides prospects with accurate ratings, researched articles, a captivating video profile and photo gallery, and much more. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/materials.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-399840" height="260" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/materials.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/materials.jpg 665w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/materials-300x117.jpg 300w" width="665"/></a></li></ul></div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/blackboard.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-399839" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/blackboard.jpg" alt="" width="317" height="207" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/blackboard.jpg 364w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/blackboard-300x196.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 317px) 100vw, 317px" /></a>In my family, August has always meant “back to school” time. Now that one of my daughters is in college and on the quarter system, she doesn’t start until September, but that doesn’t change the fact that August is still a great time to plan for the rest of the year. I think this is common for most families. People are back from their summer vacations and starting to plan their projects for the upcoming months. Whether it’s major car repairs, home remodeling jobs or health checkups they’ve been putting off, this is the time of year when people make the calls.
If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll be in a unique position because you’ll have access to tools that make your company stand out from your competitors and help you capture the best consumers who will keep you busy through the typically slower months of the fall and winter.
We know you probably have plenty of work at the moment, but it’s still important to make sure you’re ready for the last months of the year so you can ensure long-term retention of Quality Customers. Just as continuous studying is better than last-minute cramming for students, so is consistently using Diamond Certified tools for Diamond Certified companies.
Here’s a list of some of the Diamond Certified marketing tools you should be using to ensure your company has a great rest of the year (if you qualify):
<ul>
<li>Diamond Certified Brochures: Your Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise® reputation is reinforced every time you give out your custom Diamond Certified brochures and eBrochures.</li>
<li>Diamond Certified Experts: Remember, 2018 is the year we’re bringing your Helpful Expertise® to more places than ever before. If you’re a Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, that means Quality Customers in your community see you more often as a local expert who cares.</li>
<li>Diamond Certified Digital Advantage: The Diamond Certified Digital Advantage helps you build a better online presence while saving time and avoiding the fees charged by digital marketing agencies. We make your website faster, more secure, more visual and better loved by Google.</li>
<li>Diamond Certified Homepage: Our newly redesigned website provides all the Deep Info potential customers need to choose your company. Your Diamond Certified Company Report is the best presentation of your company anywhere on the web because it provides prospects with accurate ratings, researched articles, a captivating video profile and photo gallery, and much more. 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/materials.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-399840" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/materials.jpg" alt="" width="665" height="260" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/materials.jpg 665w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/materials-300x117.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px" /></a></li>
</ul>

In my family, August has always meant “back to school” time. Now that one of my daughters is in college and on the quarter system, she doesn’t start until September, but that doesn’t change the fact that August is still a great time to plan for the rest of the year. I think this is common for most families. People are back from their summer vacations and starting to plan their projects for the upcoming months. Whether it’s major car repairs, home remodeling jobs or health checkups they’ve been p

Making the Grade

making-the-grade

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/graph.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-399836" height="249" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/graph.jpg" width="240"/></a>This year, I’ve been talking a lot about how we’re featuring Diamond Certified Expert Contributions in more places than ever before. From more experts on our homepage to geo-specific Expert Banners on KTVU.com to Expert Ads in Bay Area News Group (BANG) newspapers, we’ve worked hard to expand the reach of Diamond Certified Experts and make sure consumers throughout the Greater Bay Area have access to the Helpful Expertise® of Diamond Certified companies. Indeed, providing Helpful Expertise® is crucial for the long-term success of your company, but have you thought about what the phrase really means?Nowadays, there’s so much information pouring forth from the internet that consumers feel they should know more about the subjects that impact them. So, before they buy from you, they want to feel that you have the specific expertise to both help them understand the topic and give them confidence in how your company will actually perform the work.Helpful Expertise® must be helpful to the person being helped. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/faces-1.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-399834" height="167" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/faces-1.jpg" width="169"/></a>The first key is to understand and embrace the definition. “Helpful” is in the eye of the person being helped, not the person providing the help. Let’s say I’m providing a bid for Mary Smith at her house and she asks me about the possibility of noise coming from new pipes. In a misguided attempt at providing her with Helpful Expertise®, I launch into a technical discussion of tinsel strength, pipe materials, vibration studies and pressure gauge readings. Ten minutes later, she’s looking at me like I’m speaking Latin. In her mind, “Helpful” has disappeared from my company’s brand meaning.Helpful Expertise® is customized for the individual. Your potential customer has to feel that the expertise you provide really is helpful to their exact situation and is provided in a manner that suits both their personality and experience with the subject. So, part of the process of providing Helpful Expertise® is discovering each customer’s knowledge and assumptions about the topic and getting a feel for their personality.Ask two types of questions and adjust your advice based on the answers. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/faces-2.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-399835" height="89" loading="lazy" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/faces-2.jpg" width="205"/></a>As you provide Helpful Expertise®, intersperse your advice with two types of questions: those that help you determine your potential customer’s knowledge of their specific situation and those that generate feedback from them, which lets you know whether or not they understand the key points you’re making. Then, explain aspects of your topics by matching their verbal pacing and language and frequently making comparisons using metaphors that they’ll likely relate to based on their own experiences and interests. You’ll know whether your expertise is being helpful when you ask them if they’re finding it so. “Was my answer helpful to you or should I explain it differently? Where can I be clearer with my explanation? That probably brings up another question for you, which I’d be happy to help you with.”Does your company provide Helpful Expertise®? That’s the big question. I suppose the only true answer is provided by your prospects and customers, but as manager, you can bring up this topic with your staff and make it a theme for 2018 and beyond. Gather your employees for a meeting and ask them to discuss what Helpful Expertise® is and why it’s important. Then, give examples of scenarios where providing the same expertise to two different customers satisfies one while frustrating the other. For your next meeting, challenge each employee to bring one story where they felt they successfully provided Helpful Expertise® and got feedback from the customer that they had indeed been helpful. By exploring these Helpful Expertise® stories over time, your staff will be attuned to providing it better than your competitors when they engage with prospects and customers.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/graph.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-399836" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/graph.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="249" /></a>This year, I’ve been talking a lot about how we’re featuring Diamond Certified Expert Contributions in more places than ever before. From more experts on our homepage to geo-specific Expert Banners on KTVU.com to Expert Ads in Bay Area News Group (BANG) newspapers, we’ve worked hard to expand the reach of Diamond Certified Experts and make sure consumers throughout the Greater Bay Area have access to the Helpful Expertise® of Diamond Certified companies. Indeed, providing Helpful Expertise® is crucial for the long-term success of your company, but have you thought about what the phrase really means?
Nowadays, there’s so much information pouring forth from the internet that consumers feel they should know more about the subjects that impact them. So, before they buy from you, they want to feel that you have the specific expertise to both help them understand the topic and give them confidence in how your company will actually perform the work.
Helpful Expertise® must be helpful to the person being helped. 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/faces-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-399834" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/faces-1.jpg" alt="" width="169" height="167" /></a>The first key is to understand and embrace the definition. “Helpful” is in the eye of the person being helped, not the person providing the help. Let’s say I’m providing a bid for Mary Smith at her house and she asks me about the possibility of noise coming from new pipes. In a misguided attempt at providing her with Helpful Expertise®, I launch into a technical discussion of tinsel strength, pipe materials, vibration studies and pressure gauge readings. Ten minutes later, she’s looking at me like I’m speaking Latin. In her mind, “Helpful” has disappeared from my company’s brand meaning.
Helpful Expertise® is customized for the individual. 
Your potential customer has to feel that the expertise you provide really is helpful to their exact situation and is provided in a manner that suits both their personality and experience with the subject. So, part of the process of providing Helpful Expertise® is discovering each customer’s knowledge and assumptions about the topic and getting a feel for their personality.
Ask two types of questions and adjust your advice based on the answers. 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/faces-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-399835" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/faces-2.jpg" alt="" width="205" height="89" /></a>As you provide Helpful Expertise®, intersperse your advice with two types of questions: those that help you determine your potential customer’s knowledge of their specific situation and those that generate feedback from them, which lets you know whether or not they understand the key points you’re making. Then, explain aspects of your topics by matching their verbal pacing and language and frequently making comparisons using metaphors that they’ll likely relate to based on their own experiences and interests. You’ll know whether your expertise is being helpful when you ask them if they’re finding it so. “Was my answer helpful to you or should I explain it differently? Where can I be clearer with my explanation? That probably brings up another question for you, which I’d be happy to help you with.”
Does your company provide Helpful Expertise®? 
That’s the big question. I suppose the only true answer is provided by your prospects and customers, but as manager, you can bring up this topic with your staff and make it a theme for 2018 and beyond. Gather your employees for a meeting and ask them to discuss what Helpful Expertise® is and why it’s important. Then, give examples of scenarios where providing the same expertise to two different customers satisfies one while frustrating the other. For your next meeting, challenge each employee to bring one story where they felt they successfully provided Helpful Expertise® and got feedback from the customer that they had indeed been helpful. By exploring these Helpful Expertise® stories over time, your staff will be attuned to providing it better than your competitors when they engage with prospects and customers.

This year, I’ve been talking a lot about how we’re featuring Diamond Certified Expert Contributions in more places than ever before. From more experts on our homepage to geo-specific Expert Banners on KTVU.com to Expert Ads in Bay Area News Group (BANG) newspapers, we’ve worked hard to expand the reach of Diamond Certified Experts and make sure consumers throughout the Greater Bay Area have access to the Helpful Expertise® of Diamond Certified companies. Indeed, providing Helpful Expertise® is c

Helpful Expertise®

helpful-expertise-2

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/card.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-399827" height="317" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 244px) 100vw, 244px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/card.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/card.jpg 279w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/card-231x300.jpg 231w" width="244"/></a>When I was in school, it was always exciting when the first semester report cards came out. Some of my friends dreaded this time of year, but I liked it because it gave me an idea of how I was performing and what I could do to improve. I kept that mindset with my two daughters—as they went through high school, first semester report cards were good indicators of what college opportunities would be available for them.So, what does the first semester report card of 2018 look like for Diamond Certified? As you’ll see in this letter, we’re proud that we’ve met our goals for continually improving the Diamond Certified Resource. In January, I made a simple but ambitious promise: this year, we would focus on bringing Diamond Certified Experts to more places than ever before. We’d go beyond the <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org website</a>, where owners of top rated companies share their industry expertise and personal stories with consumers. We’d even outdo the Diamond Certified Directory, which now features county-specific Expert Tips in the back of every edition. This was a challenging goal, but we were determined to succeed.Six months later, I’m pleased to report that we’ve kept all of these promises and then some. Here are a few of the achievements we’ve made with Diamond Certified Experts:<ul><li>More experts are featured on the diamondcertified.org home page (12 rotating per week).</li><li>Each company’s Diamond Certified Expert Contributions are now featured on its Diamond Certified Company Report page.</li><li>Diamond Certified Expert banners (geo-specific) are featured at the top of KTVU.com.</li><li>Diamond Certified Expert Ads are featured in Bay Area News Group (BANG) newspapers, including the East Bay Times, the Mercury News and the Vallejo Times-Herald.</li><li>Our newly redesigned Diamond Certified Portal makes it easy to sign up for Diamond Certified Experts and order Diamond Certified Expert Tip reprints.</li></ul><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_399824" style="width: 166px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/cliff.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-399824" class="wp-image-399824" height="488" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 156px) 100vw, 156px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/cliff.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/cliff.jpg 343w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/cliff-96x300.jpg 96w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/10/cliff-327x1024.jpg 327w" width="156"/></a>Diamond Certified Expert Ads are seen by hundreds of thousands of San Francisco Chronicle readers each week.</div> Expanding the Reach of Diamond Certified Experts I’d say that’s a report card to be proud of! However, even though there’s plenty to celebrate, we’re not finished with our plan to expand the reach of Diamond Certified Experts. So, as a bonus to this six-month review, I’m excited to announce the next phase of the plan. We received such a positive response to our BANG newspaper ads that we decided to add another publication to our distribution of Expert information. Starting this month, Diamond Certified Expert Ads will be prominently displayed in one of the largest and most respected publications in the Bay Area: the San Francisco Chronicle!Take a look at the Diamond Certified Expert Ad example on the right. We’ll be running these ads in the Chronicle twice per week (Tuesday and Thursday) in four geographic zones: San Francisco (daily readership of 170,129), the Peninsula/Santa Clara (daily readership of 105,603), the North Bay (daily readership of 65,663) and the East Bay (daily readership of 163,309). Each ad will appear in Section D of the newspaper, which is commonly known as the “Bay Area” section. Picture it: your potential customers and current clients pick up their morning papers, and in the midst of catching up on the day’s local news, they see your Expert Tip, read a portion of your Human Interest story and put a friendly face to your company name. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, this type of exposure will be invaluable for positioning you and your company as helpful local experts who care about your community.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/card.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-399827" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/card.jpg" alt="" width="244" height="317" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/card.jpg 279w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/card-231x300.jpg 231w" sizes="(max-width: 244px) 100vw, 244px" /></a>When I was in school, it was always exciting when the first semester report cards came out. Some of my friends dreaded this time of year, but I liked it because it gave me an idea of how I was performing and what I could do to improve. I kept that mindset with my two daughters—as they went through high school, first semester report cards were good indicators of what college opportunities would be available for them.
So, what does the first semester report card of 2018 look like for Diamond Certified? As you’ll see in this letter, we’re proud that we’ve met our goals for continually improving the Diamond Certified Resource. In January, I made a simple but ambitious promise: this year, we would focus on bringing Diamond Certified Experts to more places than ever before. We’d go beyond the <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/">diamondcertified.org website</a>, where owners of top rated companies share their industry expertise and personal stories with consumers. We’d even outdo the Diamond Certified Directory, which now features county-specific Expert Tips in the back of every edition. This was a challenging goal, but we were determined to succeed.
Six months later, I’m pleased to report that we’ve kept all of these promises and then some. Here are a few of the achievements we’ve made with Diamond Certified Experts:
<ul>
<li>More experts are featured on the diamondcertified.org home page (12 rotating per week).</li>
<li>Each company’s Diamond Certified Expert Contributions are now featured on its Diamond Certified Company Report page.</li>
<li>Diamond Certified Expert banners (geo-specific) are featured at the top of KTVU.com.</li>
<li>Diamond Certified Expert Ads are featured in Bay Area News Group (BANG) newspapers, including the East Bay Times, the Mercury News and the Vallejo Times-Herald.</li>
<li>Our newly redesigned Diamond Certified Portal makes it easy to sign up for Diamond Certified Experts and order Diamond Certified Expert Tip reprints.</li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_399824" style="width: 166px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cliff.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-399824" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-399824" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cliff.jpg" alt="" width="156" height="488" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cliff.jpg 343w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cliff-96x300.jpg 96w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/cliff-327x1024.jpg 327w" sizes="(max-width: 156px) 100vw, 156px" /></a>Diamond Certified Expert Ads are seen by hundreds of thousands of San Francisco Chronicle readers each week.</div>
 
Expanding the Reach of Diamond Certified Experts 
I’d say that’s a report card to be proud of! However, even though there’s plenty to celebrate, we’re not finished with our plan to expand the reach of Diamond Certified Experts. So, as a bonus to this six-month review, I’m excited to announce the next phase of the plan. We received such a positive response to our BANG newspaper ads that we decided to add another publication to our distribution of Expert information. Starting this month, Diamond Certified Expert Ads will be prominently displayed in one of the largest and most respected publications in the Bay Area: the San Francisco Chronicle!
Take a look at the Diamond Certified Expert Ad example on the right. We’ll be running these ads in the Chronicle twice per week (Tuesday and Thursday) in four geographic zones: San Francisco (daily readership of 170,129), the Peninsula/Santa Clara (daily readership of 105,603), the North Bay (daily readership of 65,663) and the East Bay (daily readership of 163,309). Each ad will appear in Section D of the newspaper, which is commonly known as the “Bay Area” section. Picture it: your potential customers and current clients pick up their morning papers, and in the midst of catching up on the day’s local news, they see your Expert Tip, read a portion of your Human Interest story and put a friendly face to your company name. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, this type of exposure will be invaluable for positioning you and your company as helpful local experts who care about your community.

When I was in school, it was always exciting when the first semester report cards came out. Some of my friends dreaded this time of year, but I liked it because it gave me an idea of how I was performing and what I could do to improve. I kept that mindset with my two daughters—as they went through high school, first semester report cards were good indicators of what college opportunities would be available for them.So, what does the first semester report card of 2018 look like for Diamond Certif

Taking Stock of Diamond Certified Experts

taking-stock-diamond-certified-experts

<div class="article-entry"><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_396786" style="width: 316px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/welcome.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-396786" class="wp-image-396786" height="287" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 306px) 100vw, 306px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/welcome.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/welcome.jpg 1024w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/welcome-300x281.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/welcome-768x719.jpg 768w" width="306"/></a>Diamond Certified companies know a strong community is built on quality relationships. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2018</div>Recently, I discovered an app that allows me to interact with people in my neighborhood who are looking to buy or sell things like electronics, furniture and clothing. The concept isn’t exactly groundbreaking (craigslist has been around for a while, after all), but there’s something about this app that sets it apart from the others I’ve tried: the community aspect. Since everyone who uses it lives and/or works in the same area, there’s a real sense of fellowship in the interactions I’ve seen. I mostly use the app to share Diamond Certified companies with neighbors who have specific needs. For example, if someone is looking for window coverings, I’ll give them a link to a nearby company’s Diamond Certified Company Report page—it makes them feel confident in my referral and I usually get thanked for my advice.This got me thinking about the community aspects of the Diamond Certified Resource, which we’re currently expanding in numerous ways. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll be part of something special: a community of local businesses that have been independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise. And what’s the best way to foster positivity in your community? By being there for your neighbors and doing whatever you can to help them.I’m excited to announce a powerful tool that will help you do just that: the newly redesigned Diamond Certified Portal. We’ve had this Portal for several years, but our plan has always been to expand it beyond its initial capabilities and turn it into a social platform for Diamond Certified companies to use for a variety of purposes. That’s exactly what we’ve accomplished with this new design. Now, if you qualify for Diamond Certified, you can use the Portal to network with other Diamond Certified companies, which will lead to more business and closer professional relationships.<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_396788" style="width: 172px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/phone.png"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-396788" class="wp-image-396788" height="325" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 162px) 100vw, 162px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/phone.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/phone.png 900w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/phone-150x300.png 150w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/phone-768x1540.png 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/phone-511x1024.png 511w" width="162"/></a>The Diamond Certified Portal makes it easy to connect with your Diamond Certified community wherever you are.</div>A Portal to Your Community We all know how important networking is, but sometimes it’s difficult to set aside the time to attend meetings and follow through with appointments. That’s why this Portal is so useful: Everything you need to effectively network with top rated companies is available digitally, which greatly simplifies the process. Also, if you end up working with another Diamond Certified company or refer leads back and forth, you’ll feel confident because you know the company has been through the same rigorous ratings program that you’ve been through.In addition to sharing leads with other Diamond Certified companies, you’ll be able to use the Portal to:<ul><li>Market to each other for special promotions</li><li>Find subcontractors for projects</li><li>Upload photos of your recent work</li><li>Update your Diamond Certified Company Report articles</li><li>Post links to articles or blogs about your company</li><li>See detailed analytics on your Call Tracking Number(s) and web traffic to your Diamond Certified Company Report page</li><li>Watch training videos on how to use various aspects of the Diamond Certified Resource</li></ul> Diamond Certified Helps Build the Long-Term Value of Your Company You know how important it is to bring in new customers who appreciate your services and recommend you to their friends and family. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll receive a steady flow of new customers who care about quality and are willing to pay for it. We spend more than $1 million every year to make sure Bay Area shoppers can find you through newspaper, radio, TV and online ads. You’ll also be featured in the Diamond Certified Directory (which generates new calls every quarter) and the newly redesigned Diamond Certified website (which has all the information consumers need to choose your company). You’ll receive call and web tracking that proves customers are using the Diamond Certified Resource to find you, web tools that improve your SEO, and marketing tools that generate referrals. And as a Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, you’ll be positioned as a helpful industry leader, which will attract more consumers to your company. Most importantly, you’ll build the value of your company for the long term.</div>

<div id="attachment_396786" style="width: 316px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/welcome.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-396786" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-396786" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/welcome.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="287" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/welcome.jpg 1024w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/welcome-300x281.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/welcome-768x719.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 306px) 100vw, 306px" /></a>Diamond Certified companies know a strong community is built on quality relationships. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2018</div>
Recently, I discovered an app that allows me to interact with people in my neighborhood who are looking to buy or sell things like electronics, furniture and clothing. The concept isn’t exactly groundbreaking (craigslist has been around for a while, after all), but there’s something about this app that sets it apart from the others I’ve tried: the community aspect. Since everyone who uses it lives and/or works in the same area, there’s a real sense of fellowship in the interactions I’ve seen. I mostly use the app to share Diamond Certified companies with neighbors who have specific needs. For example, if someone is looking for window coverings, I’ll give them a link to a nearby company’s Diamond Certified Company Report page—it makes them feel confident in my referral and I usually get thanked for my advice.
This got me thinking about the community aspects of the Diamond Certified Resource, which we’re currently expanding in numerous ways. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll be part of something special: a community of local businesses that have been independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise. And what’s the best way to foster positivity in your community? By being there for your neighbors and doing whatever you can to help them.
I’m excited to announce a powerful tool that will help you do just that: the newly redesigned Diamond Certified Portal. We’ve had this Portal for several years, but our plan has always been to expand it beyond its initial capabilities and turn it into a social platform for Diamond Certified companies to use for a variety of purposes. That’s exactly what we’ve accomplished with this new design. Now, if you qualify for Diamond Certified, you can use the Portal to network with other Diamond Certified companies, which will lead to more business and closer professional relationships.
<div id="attachment_396788" style="width: 172px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/phone.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-396788" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-396788" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/phone.png" alt="" width="162" height="325" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/phone.png 900w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/phone-150x300.png 150w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/phone-768x1540.png 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/phone-511x1024.png 511w" sizes="(max-width: 162px) 100vw, 162px" /></a>The Diamond Certified Portal makes it easy to connect with your Diamond Certified community wherever you are.</div>
A Portal to Your Community 
We all know how important networking is, but sometimes it’s difficult to set aside the time to attend meetings and follow through with appointments. That’s why this Portal is so useful: Everything you need to effectively network with top rated companies is available digitally, which greatly simplifies the process. Also, if you end up working with another Diamond Certified company or refer leads back and forth, you’ll feel confident because you know the company has been through the same rigorous ratings program that you’ve been through.
In addition to sharing leads with other Diamond Certified companies, you’ll be able to use the Portal to:
<ul>
<li>Market to each other for special promotions</li>
<li>Find subcontractors for projects</li>
<li>Upload photos of your recent work</li>
<li>Update your Diamond Certified Company Report articles</li>
<li>Post links to articles or blogs about your company</li>
<li>See detailed analytics on your Call Tracking Number(s) and web traffic to your Diamond Certified Company Report page</li>
<li>Watch training videos on how to use various aspects of the Diamond Certified Resource</li>
</ul>
 
Diamond Certified Helps Build the Long-Term Value of Your Company 
You know how important it is to bring in new customers who appreciate your services and recommend you to their friends and family. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll receive a steady flow of new customers who care about quality and are willing to pay for it. We spend more than $1 million every year to make sure Bay Area shoppers can find you through newspaper, radio, TV and online ads. You’ll also be featured in the Diamond Certified Directory (which generates new calls every quarter) and the newly redesigned Diamond Certified website (which has all the information consumers need to choose your company). You’ll receive call and web tracking that proves customers are using the Diamond Certified Resource to find you, web tools that improve your SEO, and marketing tools that generate referrals. And as a Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, you’ll be positioned as a helpful industry leader, which will attract more consumers to your company. Most importantly, you’ll build the value of your company for the long term.

Diamond Certified companies know a strong community is built on quality relationships. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2018Recently, I discovered an app that allows me to interact with people in my neighborhood who are looking to buy or sell things like electronics, furniture and clothing. The concept isn’t exactly groundbreaking (craigslist has been around for a while, after all), but there’s something about this app that sets it apart from the others I’ve tried: the community aspect. Sinc

Welcome to the Neighborhood!

welcome-to-the-neighborhood

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/bum.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-396782" height="338" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 242px) 100vw, 242px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/bum.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/bum.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/bum-215x300.jpg 215w" width="242"/></a>Spring is a season of renewal. In nature, new grasses grow, flowers bloom and birds nest. For consumers, moods brighten, home improvement projects are planned and winter-delayed health appointments are booked. For company managers, it’s a time to achieve performance numbers, optimize employee skills and generate more referrals.For the Giants and A’s, spring is a great opportunity to work on perfecting the fundamentals. As the MLB season gets underway, I can’t help but reminisce about my own history with America’s pastime. Here’s something you might not know about me: from the age of 19 to 25, I was a semi-professional baseball player. It seems like a lifetime ago, but it’s true—I played on a number of tournament teams that competed across the United States and even played against international teams like Australia and Japan. I was mostly an infielder and outfielder, but I occasionally did some relief pitching as well.Throughout my baseball career, I was surrounded by dedicated coaches who helped me sharpen my skills and taught me about the intricacies of the game. Although they were all working toward the same goal (helping our team win), each specialized in his own area: hitting, fielding, pitching, etc. That got me thinking about how the Diamond Certified Resource works for top rated companies. In the game of attracting Quality Customers and increasing sales, we are your head marketing coach, and we’re always ready to utilize our vast amounts of experience to bring your company to the next level (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_396783" style="width: 348px"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959.jpg"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-396783" class="wp-image-396783" height="225" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 338px) 100vw, 338px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959.jpg 5184w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959-1024x683.jpg 1024w" width="338"/></a>If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll have access to a highly experienced team of consultants who know what it takes to bring your company to the next level. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2018</div>If baseball isn’t your cup of tea, you can also think of the Diamond Certified Resource as a consultant—a specialist who acts as a highly skilled temporary employee to help you solve problems. Consultants tend to work with many different companies, which means they have experience working through specific problems and can provide a valuable perspective based on what they’ve seen work (and not work) in the past. Your company might have an important problem that needs to be solved, but what if you don’t have the in-house resources to focus on it? After all, you still need to concentrate on your day-to-day operations, and a new problem-solving project will likely require you to reprioritize some employees’ core job responsibilities. On the other hand, hiring new employees to fill these gaps isn’t always the best solution either.This is precisely where the Diamond Certified Resource comes in. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll have access to an entire team of consultants who have wide-ranging expertise in all types of marketing strategies, from our experienced and knowledgeable Service Directors to our videographers, writers, editors and SEO experts who are ready to help you grow your influence throughout the Bay Area. And the best part is, you don’t need to do anything—it’s all included with your certification. Talk about a winning formula!More Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to be Featured on Our Home Page In 2018, we’ll be featuring Diamond Certified Expert Contributions in more places than ever before. The first step of this plan was revealed in February with our KTVU.com banner ads, and I’m happy to announce the next phase: Starting this month, we’ll be showing 12 Diamond Certified Experts on our highly trafficked <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org">diamondcertified.org</a> home page, which is eight more than are currently shown. These Diamond Certified Experts will be prominently featured for seven days, after which point they’ll rotate to another set of 12. This will be a great way for Quality Customers to see you as the owner of a top rated company and a noted authority in your field (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/bum.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-396782" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/bum.jpg" alt="" width="242" height="338" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/bum.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/bum-215x300.jpg 215w" sizes="(max-width: 242px) 100vw, 242px" /></a>Spring is a season of renewal. In nature, new grasses grow, flowers bloom and birds nest. For consumers, moods brighten, home improvement projects are planned and winter-delayed health appointments are booked. For company managers, it’s a time to achieve performance numbers, optimize employee skills and generate more referrals.
For the Giants and A’s, spring is a great opportunity to work on perfecting the fundamentals. As the MLB season gets underway, I can’t help but reminisce about my own history with America’s pastime. Here’s something you might not know about me: from the age of 19 to 25, I was a semi-professional baseball player. It seems like a lifetime ago, but it’s true—I played on a number of tournament teams that competed across the United States and even played against international teams like Australia and Japan. I was mostly an infielder and outfielder, but I occasionally did some relief pitching as well.
Throughout my baseball career, I was surrounded by dedicated coaches who helped me sharpen my skills and taught me about the intricacies of the game. Although they were all working toward the same goal (helping our team win), each specialized in his own area: hitting, fielding, pitching, etc. That got me thinking about how the Diamond Certified Resource works for top rated companies. In the game of attracting Quality Customers and increasing sales, we are your head marketing coach, and we’re always ready to utilize our vast amounts of experience to bring your company to the next level (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).
<div id="attachment_396783" style="width: 348px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-396783" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-396783" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959.jpg" alt="" width="338" height="225" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959.jpg 5184w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IMG_0959-1024x683.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 338px) 100vw, 338px" /></a>If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll have access to a highly experienced team of consultants who know what it takes to bring your company to the next level. Photo: American Ratings Corporation ©2018</div>
If baseball isn’t your cup of tea, you can also think of the Diamond Certified Resource as a consultant—a specialist who acts as a highly skilled temporary employee to help you solve problems. Consultants tend to work with many different companies, which means they have experience working through specific problems and can provide a valuable perspective based on what they’ve seen work (and not work) in the past. Your company might have an important problem that needs to be solved, but what if you don’t have the in-house resources to focus on it? After all, you still need to concentrate on your day-to-day operations, and a new problem-solving project will likely require you to reprioritize some employees’ core job responsibilities. On the other hand, hiring new employees to fill these gaps isn’t always the best solution either.
This is precisely where the Diamond Certified Resource comes in. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll have access to an entire team of consultants who have wide-ranging expertise in all types of marketing strategies, from our experienced and knowledgeable Service Directors to our videographers, writers, editors and SEO experts who are ready to help you grow your influence throughout the Bay Area. And the best part is, you don’t need to do anything—it’s all included with your certification. Talk about a winning formula!
More Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to be Featured on Our Home Page 
In 2018, we’ll be featuring Diamond Certified Expert Contributions in more places than ever before. The first step of this plan was revealed in February with our KTVU.com banner ads, and I’m happy to announce the next phase: Starting this month, we’ll be showing 12 Diamond Certified Experts on our highly trafficked <a href="http://www.diamondcertified.org">diamondcertified.org</a> home page, which is eight more than are currently shown. These Diamond Certified Experts will be prominently featured for seven days, after which point they’ll rotate to another set of 12. This will be a great way for Quality Customers to see you as the owner of a top rated company and a noted authority in your field (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).

Spring is a season of renewal. In nature, new grasses grow, flowers bloom and birds nest. For consumers, moods brighten, home improvement projects are planned and winter-delayed health appointments are booked. For company managers, it’s a time to achieve performance numbers, optimize employee skills and generate more referrals.For the Giants and A’s, spring is a great opportunity to work on perfecting the fundamentals. As the MLB season gets underway, I can’t help but reminisce about my own hist

Spring Training for Your Team!

spring-training-team-5

<div class="article-entry"><a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/making-of.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-396773" height="309" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/making-of.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/making-of.jpg 520w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/making-of-217x300.jpg 217w" width="223"/></a>The other day, I watched a documentary about the making of Pink Floyd’s groundbreaking 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. It’s an album I’ve heard countless times over the course of my life, but as I watched the band members go into detail about the techniques they used to record those classic songs, it occurred to me that I only knew part of the story. Sure, I know most of the words to “Money,” but I didn’t know that in order to achieve the cash register sounds at the beginning, they had to stretch their reel-to-reel tape across the studio to make it fit with the song’s unusual time signature. And I’ve always loved “The Great Gig in the Sky,” but I never knew Clare Torry recorded her iconic vocal performance in just two takes with almost no preparation.Now that I’m aware of these details, it gives me a deeper appreciation for the album that I never would’ve had if I didn’t watch the documentary. It also makes me realize that as the owner of a local business, you’re in a similar position. Think about it: Your customers see the results of your high-quality work and excellent customer service, but they don’t always see the hard work and sacrifice it took you and your team to get there. They know you’re great, but they might not know why. That’s where the Diamond Certified Resource comes in.If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll have your own behind-the-scenes documentary team available to you at all times—a dedicated group of videographers, writers, editors and marketing professionals who are ready to work on The Making of Your Helpful Expertise®. By contributing your expertise in the form of articles, tip sheets and video tips, you’ll be seen as the owner of a local, top rated company and a noted authority in your field. Also, when potential customers read the human interest story that we write about you, it’ll give them a better perspective of your expertise and humanize you so they identify with you even more. And just like a great album, these Quality Customers will recommend you to their friends and family, further growing your influence throughout the Bay Area.New Diamond Certified Experts Banner on KTVU.com I’m pleased to announce the first phase of our plan to present Diamond Certified companies’ Helpful Expertise in more places than ever before: for the next two years, Diamond Certified Experts will be prominently displayed in a banner ad at the top of KTVU’s home page! And it’s not just any ad—each one is geo-coded, which means if you’re a Diamond Certified Expert, your picture and expert tip will show at the top of KTVU.com for every web visitor who lives or works in your local area. Also, when they click the banner ad, they’re taken directly to the Diamond Certified Experts section of your Diamond Certified Company Report page, so they’ll be able to further research your company and learn how you’ve been independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®. We’ll be rotating this banner throughout the year, so every Diamond Certified Expert Contributor will be able to capitalize on this valuable real estate. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/banner.png"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-396778" height="772" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 6101px) 100vw, 6101px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/banner.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/banner.png 6101w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/banner-300x38.png 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/banner-768x97.png 768w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/06/banner-1024x130.png 1024w" width="6101"/></a>Here are some noteworthy stats about the KTVU banner ads, which we expect to have a big impact on your company’s ability to attract Quality Customers (if you qualify for Diamond Certified):<ul><li>In 2017, KTVU’s home page had almost 8.7 million page views.</li><li>More adults visit KTVU.com than any other Bay Area TV station sites. (Source: Marshall Marketing San Francisco DMA 2017, Target: Adults 18+)</li><li>More adults use KTVU’s live streaming service than any other Bay Area TV station. (Source: Marshall Marketing San Francisco DMA 2017, Target: Adults 18+)</li><li>Nearly one in five adults has the KTVU app. (Source: Marshall Marketing San Francisco DMA 2017, Target: Adults 18+)</li><li>In 2017, our Diamond Certified banner ad on KTVU’s home page garnered almost 7.2 million impressions.</li></ul>We’re excited to begin this journey of presenting your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions in more places than ever (if you qualify). Quality Customers in your community will see you more often as a local expert who cares. When Quality Customers find you interesting and relatable, they feel that they know, like and trust you before they even meet you, which naturally leads to more business and referrals.</div>

<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/making-of.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-396773" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/making-of.jpg" alt="" width="223" height="309" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/making-of.jpg 520w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/making-of-217x300.jpg 217w" sizes="(max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px" /></a>The other day, I watched a documentary about the making of Pink Floyd’s groundbreaking 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. It’s an album I’ve heard countless times over the course of my life, but as I watched the band members go into detail about the techniques they used to record those classic songs, it occurred to me that I only knew part of the story. Sure, I know most of the words to “Money,” but I didn’t know that in order to achieve the cash register sounds at the beginning, they had to stretch their reel-to-reel tape across the studio to make it fit with the song’s unusual time signature. And I’ve always loved “The Great Gig in the Sky,” but I never knew Clare Torry recorded her iconic vocal performance in just two takes with almost no preparation.
Now that I’m aware of these details, it gives me a deeper appreciation for the album that I never would’ve had if I didn’t watch the documentary. It also makes me realize that as the owner of a local business, you’re in a similar position. Think about it: Your customers see the results of your high-quality work and excellent customer service, but they don’t always see the hard work and sacrifice it took you and your team to get there. They know you’re great, but they might not know why. That’s where the Diamond Certified Resource comes in.
If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll have your own behind-the-scenes documentary team available to you at all times—a dedicated group of videographers, writers, editors and marketing professionals who are ready to work on The Making of Your Helpful Expertise®. By contributing your expertise in the form of articles, tip sheets and video tips, you’ll be seen as the owner of a local, top rated company and a noted authority in your field. Also, when potential customers read the human interest story that we write about you, it’ll give them a better perspective of your expertise and humanize you so they identify with you even more. And just like a great album, these Quality Customers will recommend you to their friends and family, further growing your influence throughout the Bay Area.
New Diamond Certified Experts Banner on KTVU.com 
I’m pleased to announce the first phase of our plan to present Diamond Certified companies’ Helpful Expertise in more places than ever before: for the next two years, Diamond Certified Experts will be prominently displayed in a banner ad at the top of KTVU’s home page! And it’s not just any ad—each one is geo-coded, which means if you’re a Diamond Certified Expert, your picture and expert tip will show at the top of KTVU.com for every web visitor who lives or works in your local area. Also, when they click the banner ad, they’re taken directly to the Diamond Certified Experts section of your Diamond Certified Company Report page, so they’ll be able to further research your company and learn how you’ve been independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise®. We’ll be rotating this banner throughout the year, so every Diamond Certified Expert Contributor will be able to capitalize on this valuable real estate. 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/banner.png"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-396778" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/banner.png" alt="" width="6101" height="772" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/banner.png 6101w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/banner-300x38.png 300w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/banner-768x97.png 768w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/banner-1024x130.png 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 6101px) 100vw, 6101px" /></a>
Here are some noteworthy stats about the KTVU banner ads, which we expect to have a big impact on your company’s ability to attract Quality Customers (if you qualify for Diamond Certified):
<ul>
<li>In 2017, KTVU’s home page had almost 8.7 million page views.</li>
<li>More adults visit KTVU.com than any other Bay Area TV station sites. (Source: Marshall Marketing San Francisco DMA 2017, Target: Adults 18+)</li>
<li>More adults use KTVU’s live streaming service than any other Bay Area TV station. (Source: Marshall Marketing San Francisco DMA 2017, Target: Adults 18+)</li>
<li>Nearly one in five adults has the KTVU app. (Source: Marshall Marketing San Francisco DMA 2017, Target: Adults 18+)</li>
<li>In 2017, our Diamond Certified banner ad on KTVU’s home page garnered almost 7.2 million impressions.</li>
</ul>
We’re excited to begin this journey of presenting your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions in more places than ever (if you qualify). Quality Customers in your community will see you more often as a local expert who cares. When Quality Customers find you interesting and relatable, they feel that they know, like and trust you before they even meet you, which naturally leads to more business and referrals.

The other day, I watched a documentary about the making of Pink Floyd’s groundbreaking 1973 album, The Dark Side of the Moon. It’s an album I’ve heard countless times over the course of my life, but as I watched the band members go into detail about the techniques they used to record those classic songs, it occurred to me that I only knew part of the story. Sure, I know most of the words to “Money,” but I didn’t know that in order to achieve the cash register sounds at the beginning, they had to

The Making of Your Helpful Expertise®

making-helpful-expertise

<div class="article-entry">We have exciting news! This year, if you qualify for Diamond Certified, your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions will be presented in more places, so Quality Customers in your community will see you more often as their (famous) local top rated expert who cares. You can see we’re determined to help you beat your competitors by giving you a big Deep Info advantage. <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/symbol.png"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-392699" height="183" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 154px) 100vw, 154px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/symbol.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/symbol.png 629w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/symbol-252x300.png 252w" width="154"/></a>We’ll help you get the best articles, photos, videos, ratings, tables and your project presentations, boosting your company with Quality Customers. Your company website is a must check-in point for potential customers shopping your business. So, we’re going to help you upgrade your own website by adding Diamond Certified Deep Info inside your key pages to prove your team delivers High Quality and Helpful Expertise, giving shoppers extra confidence to choose you in the critical moments that they’re on your website. If you qualify, these Diamond Certified upgrades will make 2018 your best year ever!BONUS: Your Expert Contributions Elevate Your Brand in More Places! <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/local-experts.png"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-392700" height="770" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 703px) 100vw, 703px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/local-experts.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/local-experts.png 703w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/local-experts-274x300.png 274w" width="703"/></a>Your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions Build Your Brand in NEW Places <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/chart.png"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-392701" height="808" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/chart.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/chart.png 592w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/chart-220x300.png 220w" width="592"/></a>Your Deep Info Drives Decisions and Creates Winners and Losers The only way Quality Customers get to know you and your staff—the only way they find, see, understand, and form strong opinions about you and your company—is through info they find. The totality of info available on you and your company is your Deep Info. Thus, interaction with some piece of your Deep Info is the sole reason for consumers’ positive or negative belief in your company, your brand, you, your team and the quality of the work you do. The same goes for your key competitors and how your potential customers compare you to them. You must win the Deep Info matchup to win in the marketplace. If you create better Deep Info than your competitors and get it found more often by the best potential customers, you’ll win more often. If not, you’ll lose more often. Our in-house team of writers, editors, video creators, social media mavens and digital marketing experts are committed to helping you improve your Deep Info (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).Improve Your Diamond Certified Company Report and Improve Your Website Go to any Diamond Certified Company Report page on our website. Review each section as you scroll down the page. The company’s Deep Info is powerfully presented on this page. This year, we’re going to 1) make it even better and 2) bring key components of what you see here to your own website, which will turn prospective customers into committed buyers of your services.As one example, think about putting your Diamond Certified Ratings Dashboard and Diamond Certified Video Profile right on your website’s home page so shoppers know you’re top rated (if you qualify). Plus, add your Diamond Certified Video Profile so potential customers who are checking out your website get to meet you through video and trust you before they even meet your staff in person. To make your website more powerful, we’ll help you add powerful Diamond Certified Deep Info Components directly to your site: your top ratings, selected verbatim survey responses, essential articles, expert tips and other highly influencing components. </div>

We have exciting news! This year, if you qualify for Diamond Certified, your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions will be presented in more places, so Quality Customers in your community will see you more often as their (famous) local top rated expert who cares. You can see we’re determined to help you beat your competitors by giving you a big Deep Info advantage. <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/symbol.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-392699" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/symbol.png" alt="" width="154" height="183" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/symbol.png 629w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/symbol-252x300.png 252w" sizes="(max-width: 154px) 100vw, 154px" /></a>We’ll help you get the best articles, photos, videos, ratings, tables and your project presentations, boosting your company with Quality Customers. Your company website is a must check-in point for potential customers shopping your business. So, we’re going to help you upgrade your own website by adding Diamond Certified Deep Info inside your key pages to prove your team delivers High Quality and Helpful Expertise, giving shoppers extra confidence to choose you in the critical moments that they’re on your website. If you qualify, these Diamond Certified upgrades will make 2018 your best year ever!
BONUS: Your Expert Contributions Elevate Your Brand in More Places! 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/local-experts.png"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-392700" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/local-experts.png" alt="" width="703" height="770" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/local-experts.png 703w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/local-experts-274x300.png 274w" sizes="(max-width: 703px) 100vw, 703px" /></a>
Your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions Build Your Brand in NEW Places 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/chart.png"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-392701" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/chart.png" alt="" width="592" height="808" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/chart.png 592w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/chart-220x300.png 220w" sizes="(max-width: 592px) 100vw, 592px" /></a>
Your Deep Info Drives Decisions and Creates Winners and Losers 
The only way Quality Customers get to know you and your staff—the only way they find, see, understand, and form strong opinions about you and your company—is through info they find. The totality of info available on you and your company is your Deep Info. Thus, interaction with some piece of your Deep Info is the sole reason for consumers’ positive or negative belief in your company, your brand, you, your team and the quality of the work you do. The same goes for your key competitors and how your potential customers compare you to them. You must win the Deep Info matchup to win in the marketplace. If you create better Deep Info than your competitors and get it found more often by the best potential customers, you’ll win more often. If not, you’ll lose more often. Our in-house team of writers, editors, video creators, social media mavens and digital marketing experts are committed to helping you improve your Deep Info (if you qualify for Diamond Certified).
Improve Your Diamond Certified Company Report and Improve Your Website 
Go to any Diamond Certified Company Report page on our website. Review each section as you scroll down the page. The company’s Deep Info is powerfully presented on this page. This year, we’re going to 1) make it even better and 2) bring key components of what you see here to your own website, which will turn prospective customers into committed buyers of your services.
As one example, think about putting your Diamond Certified Ratings Dashboard and Diamond Certified Video Profile right on your website’s home page so shoppers know you’re top rated (if you qualify). Plus, add your Diamond Certified Video Profile so potential customers who are checking out your website get to meet you through video and trust you before they even meet your staff in person. To make your website more powerful, we’ll help you add powerful Diamond Certified Deep Info Components directly to your site: your top ratings, selected verbatim survey responses, essential articles, expert tips and other highly influencing components.
&nbsp;

We have exciting news! This year, if you qualify for Diamond Certified, your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions will be presented in more places, so Quality Customers in your community will see you more often as their (famous) local top rated expert who cares. You can see we’re determined to help you beat your competitors by giving you a big Deep Info advantage. We’ll help you get the best articles, photos, videos, ratings, tables and your project presentations, boosting your company with Qu

youve-been-upgraded

<div class="article-entry">We’re really excited about our plans to build your company in 2018 (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). We’re doing it by heavily investing in four main areas:1. Your Company Report Page Crushes Competitors with Design and Deep Info <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/dccr.png"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-392688" height="215" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/dccr.png" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/dccr.png 634w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/dccr-300x196.png 300w" width="330"/></a>Who your company appears to be is completely driven by your Deep Info. It’s the totality of info accessible about you and your company. Optimally presenting your best Deep Info is key to your success. Your Deep Info presentation influences every potential customer to choose you or…someone else. That’s why we’ve newly designed each Diamond Certified Company Report page to beat all other presentations on the web, giving potential customers all the info they need in the format they want to maximize their confidence in choosing.During 2018, we’re going to go deeper with your company. Our editorial, photography and video experts will help you collect, create, and enhance your Deep Info, further growing your Diamond Certified competitive advantage (if you qualify).2. Your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions are Featured in More Places People buy from people. Consciously, we may even believe that all we want are the cold, hard facts and we’ve taken the “human” out of our decision process. But, that’s not the way our brains work. We are intuitively capturing and processing info on who we’re dealing with, and we have to FEEL that we trust them before we say YES. That’s why the stories about you and your team as “local experts who care” are strong drivers in all buying decisions. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, your Expert Contributor status will be a key positioning tool, demonstrating Helpful Expertise.During 2018, we’re going BIG TIME with your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions and your owner profile when we present them in new places, further growing your Diamond Certified competitive advantage (if you qualify).3. Your Website and Social Media are Strengthened with NEW Deep Info <a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/group.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-392693" height="203" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 329px) 100vw, 329px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/group.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/group.jpg 582w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2018/02/group-300x185.jpg 300w" width="329"/></a>Your company’s website and social media feed can be better, and we intend to help you do just that. During 2018, our team will help you get your enhanced Deep Info onto your own website and social media feed (if you qualify).4. Meet, Gain Referrals, Talk Talent and Build Friendships with Owners Together, the owners of the 750+ Diamond Certified companies employ upwards of 10,000 here in our Greater Bay Area. They care about great management and Quality Customers, and they’re empathetic and understanding about what you’re going through running your company. During 2018, we’ll launch a digital platform to connect you to Diamond Certified company owners and managers so you can build friendships, refer customers, gain insight, and start doing more business together (if you qualify).</div>

We’re really excited about our plans to build your company in 2018 (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). We’re doing it by heavily investing in four main areas:
1. Your Company Report Page Crushes Competitors with Design and Deep Info 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/dccr.png"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-392688" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/dccr.png" alt="" width="330" height="215" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/dccr.png 634w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/dccr-300x196.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px" /></a>Who your company appears to be is completely driven by your Deep Info. It’s the totality of info accessible about you and your company. Optimally presenting your best Deep Info is key to your success. Your Deep Info presentation influences every potential customer to choose you or…someone else. That’s why we’ve newly designed each Diamond Certified Company Report page to beat all other presentations on the web, giving potential customers all the info they need in the format they want to maximize their confidence in choosing.
During 2018, we’re going to go deeper with your company. Our editorial, photography and video experts will help you collect, create, and enhance your Deep Info, further growing your Diamond Certified competitive advantage (if you qualify).
2. Your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions are Featured in More Places 
People buy from people. Consciously, we may even believe that all we want are the cold, hard facts and we’ve taken the “human” out of our decision process. But, that’s not the way our brains work. We are intuitively capturing and processing info on who we’re dealing with, and we have to FEEL that we trust them before we say YES. That’s why the stories about you and your team as “local experts who care” are strong drivers in all buying decisions. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, your Expert Contributor status will be a key positioning tool, demonstrating Helpful Expertise.
During 2018, we’re going BIG TIME with your Diamond Certified Expert Contributions and your owner profile when we present them in new places, further growing your Diamond Certified competitive advantage (if you qualify).
3. Your Website and Social Media are Strengthened with NEW Deep Info 
<a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/group.jpg"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-392693" src="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/group.jpg" alt="" width="329" height="203" srcset="https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/group.jpg 582w, https://www.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/group-300x185.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 329px) 100vw, 329px" /></a>Your company’s website and social media feed can be better, and we intend to help you do just that. During 2018, our team will help you get your enhanced Deep Info onto your own website and social media feed (if you qualify).
4. Meet, Gain Referrals, Talk Talent and Build Friendships with Owners 
Together, the owners of the 750+ Diamond Certified companies employ upwards of 10,000 here in our Greater Bay Area. They care about great management and Quality Customers, and they’re empathetic and understanding about what you’re going through running your company. During 2018, we’ll launch a digital platform to connect you to Diamond Certified company owners and managers so you can build friendships, refer customers, gain insight, and start doing more business together (if you qualify).

We’re really excited about our plans to build your company in 2018 (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). We’re doing it by heavily investing in four main areas:1. Your Company Report Page Crushes Competitors with Design and Deep InfoWho your company appears to be is completely driven by your Deep Info. It’s the totality of info accessible about you and your company. Optimally presenting your best Deep Info is key to your success. Your Deep Info presentation influences every potential customer 

Your Bonuses for 2018!

your-bonuses-for-2018

<div class="article-entry"><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/logo-and-pie-chart/" rel="attachment wp-att-2906"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-2906" height="223" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/logo-and-pie-chart.jpg" width="609"/></a> Strength matters. Your strong quality brand attracts those who care about quality and are willing to pay for it.Your strong customer loyalty bear hugs your customers so they return and refer you.Your strong digital helps your best prospects find and engage with you on their smartphones.Your strong Deep Info makes more of your best prospects choose you over your competitors.<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/callout/" rel="attachment wp-att-2904"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-2904" height="121" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/callout.jpg" width="127"/></a>Your company will run strong if you’re strong in these four areas. Conversely, allow them to weaken and you’ll suffer the consequences of low customer retention; difficult-to-please, thin-margin customers; and a “lost in the woods” business. Neglect causes weakness with painful results. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, the stakes are high and we will not let you weaken, because you’re top rated for Quality and Helpful Expertise and we care about you and your team. The Strong Influence of the Diamond Certified Resource and Tools will help your company thrive for years to come. Here’s how.<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/influence-pie/" rel="attachment wp-att-2905"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-2905" height="300" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/influence-pie.jpg" width="221"/></a>Strong Brand Influence Diamond Certified strengthens your brand by<ol><li>Increasing trust in your company</li><li>Positioning you as a local expert hero who cares</li><li>Elevating your brand onto the Quality Pedestal</li><li>Presenting your company in the prestigious Diamond Certified Directory, Diamond Certified Directory Updates and Diamond Certified Resource website</li></ol>Strong Deep Info Wealth Influence <a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/new-dccr/" rel="attachment wp-att-2908"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-2908" height="639" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/new-dccr.jpg" width="316"/></a>Diamond Certified strengthens your Deep Info by<ol><li>Conducting ongoing Accurate Research and presenting your essential Ratings Graphs and Verbatim Survey Responses in the most compelling format</li><li>Creating and updating your Researched Articles, Diamond Certified Video Profile, Expert Tips, Key Staff Photos, Capabilities Table, and External Feed to Everything About Your Company</li></ol>Strong Digital Advantage Influence Diamond Certified strengthens your Digital by<ol><li>Creating and updating the Web Home for your Deep Info within your high-trust Diamond Certified Company Report</li><li>Mobile-optimizing and running the best Smartphone presentation of your company anywhere</li><li>Increasing your company’s search results by giving you 4+ Google Search Review Stars based on a large number of trusted surveys</li><li>Conducting annual Digital Audits of your website to help you remove malicious code, optimize keywords and speed things up</li></ol><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/magnet-directory-brochure/" rel="attachment wp-att-2907"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-2907" height="415" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/magnet-directory-brochure.jpg" width="321"/></a>Strong Quality Customer Influence Diamond Certified strengthens your Influence with Quality Customers by<ol><li>Making your custom Diamond Certified Brochures and eBrochures, which you use in the shopping process to prove your top rated status</li><li>Backing you with the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee</li><li>Annually mailing 1,556,000 Diamond Certified Directories to local households with $100,000+ incomes and key decision-makers at companies</li><li>Conducting ongoing TV, radio, newspaper, and web campaigns that position you as a Diamond Certified company that’s top rated for Quality and Helpful Expertise</li></ol></div>

jim-stein@att.net

<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/logo-and-pie-chart/" rel="attachment wp-att-2906"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-2906" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/logo-and-pie-chart.jpg" alt="" width="609" height="223" /></a> 
Strength matters. 
 
Your strong quality brand attracts those who care about quality and are willing to pay for it.
Your strong customer loyalty bear hugs your customers so they return and refer you.
Your strong digital helps your best prospects find and engage with you on their smartphones.
Your strong Deep Info makes more of your best prospects choose you over your competitors.
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/callout/" rel="attachment wp-att-2904"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-2904" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/callout.jpg" alt="" width="127" height="121" /></a>Your company will run strong if you’re strong in these four areas. Conversely, allow them to weaken and you’ll suffer the consequences of low customer retention; difficult-to-please, thin-margin customers; and a “lost in the woods” business. Neglect causes weakness with painful results. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, the stakes are high and we will not let you weaken, because you’re top rated for Quality and Helpful Expertise and we care about you and your team. The Strong Influence of the Diamond Certified Resource and Tools will help your company thrive for years to come. Here’s how.
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/influence-pie/" rel="attachment wp-att-2905"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-2905" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/influence-pie.jpg" alt="" width="221" height="300" /></a>Strong Brand Influence 
Diamond Certified strengthens your brand by
<ol>
<li>Increasing trust in your company</li>
<li>Positioning you as a local expert hero who cares</li>
<li>Elevating your brand onto the Quality Pedestal</li>
<li>Presenting your company in the prestigious Diamond Certified Directory, Diamond Certified Directory Updates and Diamond Certified Resource website</li>
</ol>
Strong Deep Info Wealth Influence 
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/new-dccr/" rel="attachment wp-att-2908"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-2908" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/new-dccr.jpg" alt="" width="316" height="639" /></a>Diamond Certified strengthens your Deep Info by
<ol>
<li>Conducting ongoing Accurate Research and presenting your essential Ratings Graphs and Verbatim Survey Responses in the most compelling format</li>
<li>Creating and updating your Researched Articles, Diamond Certified Video Profile, Expert Tips, Key Staff Photos, Capabilities Table, and External Feed to Everything About Your Company</li>
</ol>
Strong Digital Advantage Influence 
Diamond Certified strengthens your Digital by
<ol>
<li>Creating and updating the Web Home for your Deep Info within your high-trust Diamond Certified Company Report</li>
<li>Mobile-optimizing and running the best Smartphone presentation of your company anywhere</li>
<li>Increasing your company’s search results by giving you 4+ Google Search Review Stars based on a large number of trusted surveys</li>
<li>Conducting annual Digital Audits of your website to help you remove malicious code, optimize keywords and speed things up</li>
</ol>
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/strong-influence/magnet-directory-brochure/" rel="attachment wp-att-2907"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-2907" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/magnet-directory-brochure.jpg" alt="" width="321" height="415" /></a>Strong Quality Customer Influence 
Diamond Certified strengthens your Influence with Quality Customers by
<ol>
<li>Making your custom Diamond Certified Brochures and eBrochures, which you use in the shopping process to prove your top rated status</li>
<li>Backing you with the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee</li>
<li>Annually mailing 1,556,000 Diamond Certified Directories to local households with $100,000+ incomes and key decision-makers at companies</li>
<li>Conducting ongoing TV, radio, newspaper, and web campaigns that position you as a Diamond Certified company that’s top rated for Quality and Helpful Expertise</li>
</ol>

Strength matters.Your strong quality brand attracts those who care about quality and are willing to pay for it.Your strong customer loyalty bear hugs your customers so they return and refer you.Your strong digital helps your best prospects find and engage with you on their smartphones.Your strong Deep Info makes more of your best prospects choose you over your competitors.Your company will run strong if you’re strong in these four areas. Conversely, allow them to weaken and you’ll suffer the con

Strong Influence

strong-influence

<div class="article-entry"><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/launch/rocket/" rel="attachment wp-att-2893"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-2893" height="336" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/rocket.jpg" width="215"/></a>With the launch of your newly designed Diamond Certified Company Report page, your “Best Page Ever” just got even better (if you qualify for Diamond Certified)! It beats all other presentations of your company for high trust and influence, so you’ll attract and sell more to quality-seeking customers. Starting on the very first page view of your Company Report, your prospective customers instantly see that you’re top rated and guaranteed, and they connect emotionally with your company through your video and lead article. Plus, this gives them easy scroll-down or simple NAVIGATION menu access to Deep InfoTM on your company.<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/launch/new-webpage-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-2895"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-2895" height="329" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/new-webpage-1.jpg" width="410"/></a> On your second page view, your company’s RESEARCHED CAPABILITIES are presented to engage the logical, fact-based part of the brain. It provides consumers with a table and lists of what you do, the products and manufacturers you represent, and a map of the areas you serve. Certain personality types love using this type of detailed presentation of key data to underpin their decision to choose your company.On your third page view, your company’s RESEARCHED ARTICLES are presented because most Quality Customers want to read about your company before choosing you. These five essential articles are your company’s most relevant, highest quality and most trusted available anywhere on the web. Together, they’re indispensable to understanding your company’s history, philosophy, expertise and other key attributes.On your fourth page view, your company’s PHOTO GALLERY is presented so potential customers get to see who they’re going to do business with and how you work. This View Section gets people emotionally involved in your company as they scroll through large, elegant photos of your work and action shots of your friendly staff.On your fifth page view, your company’s EXPERT CONTRIBUTIONS are presented because when Quality Customers find you interesting and relatable, they feel that they know, like and trust you before they even meet you. You’re seen as the owner of a top rated company and a noted authority in your field—an author published in the prestigious Diamond Certified Resource. And so, your personal recommendations become more influential.On your sixth page view, your company’s WEBSITE &amp; FEED are provided so everything about your company is accessible on this single high-trust report page: your company’s website, blog posts, social media activities and other positive articles about you. It’s a trusted portal for consumers who still want to gather more info on your company before they choose you. It gives them confidence that they have the most up-to-date info on you from all over the web.Intelligent consumers are skeptical of review sites littered with fake and cherry-picked reviews. That’s why on your seventh page view, your company’s RATINGS are presented in the web’s most accurate and powerful format. Quality Customers love these four rating boxes that prove your top rated performance and the verbatim survey responses that illuminate each surveyed transaction. Shoppers experience how your company performed before, during and after the work process.Your new Company Report page gives you a significant competitive advantage and new power to turn shoppers into customers of your company. Here’s why:BELIEVABILITY – It’s on the most trusted ratings website, the Diamond Certified Resource, not on your company-owned site or a gamed review site, both of which most consumers feel are biased to promote your company.RELEVANCE – Before they buy, the number one thing Quality Consumers need is real proof that a company delivers. As the page opens, their eyes can’t help but track the animating movement of your rating charts, each of which expands to prove your top rated status. Your company’s reputation as top rated has been instantly planted in your potential customer’s mind.SAFETY – Quality Consumers feel safe choosing your company because Diamond Certified has their backs if something goes wrong and isn’t fixed. The Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee helps them feel secure and provides another signal that Diamond Certified ratings are the most accurate available.DEEP INFO – Quality Consumers quickly realize that all the information needed to choose your company is right here, and no other web page can match this depth of information on your company. This realization greatly boosts their confidence because although they rarely want to read every word and look at every picture, Quality Consumers pride themselves on making rational, data-driven decisions based on verified facts.STORIES – We all love stories about people—they’re how we relate to the world. That’s why we tell a series of stories about you and your company, which come to life in articles, rating charts, videos, photos and tables. Together, they illuminate your company’s distinctive character and high-performance track record, helping Quality Consumers get to know and trust you before they even meet you.NAVIGATION – Web users like to feel in control, and this page puts them in the driver’s seat. They can scroll down for more info, click on a navigation menu word to jump to the section that most interests them or contact your company at the moment of their choosing.Deep Info Drives Decisions and Creates Winners and Losers In today’s world, your best potential customers are on their smartphones and computers all day, interacting with all types of info and people. So, until they actually get to know you and your staff, the only way they find, see, understand, and form strong opinions about you and your company is through info they find. The totality of info available on you and your company is your Deep Info. Thus, interaction with some piece of your Deep Info is the sole reason for consumers’ positive or negative belief in your company, your brand, you, your team and the quality of the work you do. The same goes for your key competitors and how your potential customers compare you to them. Do you get it? You must win the Deep Info matchup to win in the marketplace. If you create better Deep Info than your competitors and get it found more often by the best potential customers, you’ll win more often. If not, you’ll lose more often.</div>

<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/launch/rocket/" rel="attachment wp-att-2893"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-2893" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/rocket.jpg" alt="" width="215" height="336" /></a>With the launch of your newly designed Diamond Certified Company Report page, your “Best Page Ever” just got even better (if you qualify for Diamond Certified)! It beats all other presentations of your company for high trust and influence, so you’ll attract and sell more to quality-seeking customers. Starting on the very first page view of your Company Report, your prospective customers instantly see that you’re top rated and guaranteed, and they connect emotionally with your company through your video and lead article. Plus, this gives them easy scroll-down or simple NAVIGATION menu access to Deep InfoTM on your company.
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/launch/new-webpage-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-2895"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-2895" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/new-webpage-1.jpg" alt="" width="410" height="329" /></a> 
On your second page view, your company’s RESEARCHED CAPABILITIES are presented to engage the logical, fact-based part of the brain. It provides consumers with a table and lists of what you do, the products and manufacturers you represent, and a map of the areas you serve. Certain personality types love using this type of detailed presentation of key data to underpin their decision to choose your company.
On your third page view, your company’s RESEARCHED ARTICLES are presented because most Quality Customers want to read about your company before choosing you. These five essential articles are your company’s most relevant, highest quality and most trusted available anywhere on the web. Together, they’re indispensable to understanding your company’s history, philosophy, expertise and other key attributes.
On your fourth page view, your company’s PHOTO GALLERY is presented so potential customers get to see who they’re going to do business with and how you work. This View Section gets people emotionally involved in your company as they scroll through large, elegant photos of your work and action shots of your friendly staff.
On your fifth page view, your company’s EXPERT CONTRIBUTIONS are presented because when Quality Customers find you interesting and relatable, they feel that they know, like and trust you before they even meet you. You’re seen as the owner of a top rated company and a noted authority in your field—an author published in the prestigious Diamond Certified Resource. And so, your personal recommendations become more influential.
On your sixth page view, your company’s WEBSITE &amp; FEED are provided so everything about your company is accessible on this single high-trust report page: your company’s website, blog posts, social media activities and other positive articles about you. It’s a trusted portal for consumers who still want to gather more info on your company before they choose you. It gives them confidence that they have the most up-to-date info on you from all over the web.
Intelligent consumers are skeptical of review sites littered with fake and cherry-picked reviews. That’s why on your seventh page view, your company’s RATINGS are presented in the web’s most accurate and powerful format. Quality Customers love these four rating boxes that prove your top rated performance and the verbatim survey responses that illuminate each surveyed transaction. Shoppers experience how your company performed before, during and after the work process.
Your new Company Report page gives you a significant competitive advantage and new power to turn shoppers into customers of your company. Here’s why:
BELIEVABILITY – It’s on the most trusted ratings website, the Diamond Certified Resource, not on your company-owned site or a gamed review site, both of which most consumers feel are biased to promote your company.
RELEVANCE – Before they buy, the number one thing Quality Consumers need is real proof that a company delivers. As the page opens, their eyes can’t help but track the animating movement of your rating charts, each of which expands to prove your top rated status. Your company’s reputation as top rated has been instantly planted in your potential customer’s mind.
SAFETY – Quality Consumers feel safe choosing your company because Diamond Certified has their backs if something goes wrong and isn’t fixed. The Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee helps them feel secure and provides another signal that Diamond Certified ratings are the most accurate available.
DEEP INFO – Quality Consumers quickly realize that all the information needed to choose your company is right here, and no other web page can match this depth of information on your company. This realization greatly boosts their confidence because although they rarely want to read every word and look at every picture, Quality Consumers pride themselves on making rational, data-driven decisions based on verified facts.
STORIES – We all love stories about people—they’re how we relate to the world. That’s why we tell a series of stories about you and your company, which come to life in articles, rating charts, videos, photos and tables. Together, they illuminate your company’s distinctive character and high-performance track record, helping Quality Consumers get to know and trust you before they even meet you.
NAVIGATION – Web users like to feel in control, and this page puts them in the driver’s seat. They can scroll down for more info, click on a navigation menu word to jump to the section that most interests them or contact your company at the moment of their choosing.
Deep Info Drives Decisions and Creates Winners and Losers 
In today’s world, your best potential customers are on their smartphones and computers all day, interacting with all types of info and people. So, until they actually get to know you and your staff, the only way they find, see, understand, and form strong opinions about you and your company is through info they find. The totality of info available on you and your company is your Deep Info. Thus, interaction with some piece of your Deep Info is the sole reason for consumers’ positive or negative belief in your company, your brand, you, your team and the quality of the work you do. The same goes for your key competitors and how your potential customers compare you to them. Do you get it? You must win the Deep Info matchup to win in the marketplace. If you create better Deep Info than your competitors and get it found more often by the best potential customers, you’ll win more often. If not, you’ll lose more often.

With the launch of your newly designed Diamond Certified Company Report page, your “Best Page Ever” just got even better (if you qualify for Diamond Certified)! It beats all other presentations of your company for high trust and influence, so you’ll attract and sell more to quality-seeking customers. Starting on the very first page view of your Company Report, your prospective customers instantly see that you’re top rated and guaranteed, and they connect emotionally with your company through you

Your Launch!

launch

<div class="article-entry">If you run a company, you face problems. They come with the territory and change with market conditions and the flavor of staff issues. People may say you have “good problems” if you have too many potential customer inquiries to handle, but we both know you face a big challenge if you’re also dealing with severe capacity issues due to a shortage of quality staff. If you can’t do the work, having inquiries can be frustrating and, if you don’t follow up well, lead to an erosion of your brand image. “Bad problems” may be times when you lack Quality Customers and have thin margins and/or face new competition. These problems kill financial performance, and left unresolved, they lead to severe financial results and the potential destruction of your business.Truth be told, it’s not easy to run a great local company for years and years when you periodically face these problem-filled scenarios. Fortunately, if you earn Diamond Certified and maintain your Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise status, you’ll have a powerful tool that works in many ways and in every media channel. We often call Diamond Certified the “wild card” because like a wild card in a card game, it optimally adapts to the hand you’re playing and improves it. So, if you’re facing a problem in your business, it works powerfully within each strategy you deploy to help that strategy counter the problem your team is trying to overcome.The Analogy: Playing Different Cards Different Ways We use a card game analogy to show that a changed condition requires an adaptive strategy. You and your opponents are dealt different cards during rounds of the game. Each card has different values with strengths and weaknesses, and good players know how to play different cards in different ways. Now let’s add a wild card or joker. If you get dealt a wild card, you can change it to any card value—it’s your choice. Your wild card improves the value of your hand and helps you win!How to Use the Diamond Certified Wild Card to Overcome ProblemsProblem: Too Little Capacity The labor market is tight, and attracting and retaining quality staff is tougher than ever. When you face this problem, you need to deploy three strategies, using your Diamond Certified wild card within each strategy to optimize your results (if you qualify).Strategy #1: Superglue the loyalty of your best staff members to your company. Use Diamond Certified research reports, directories, brochures, signage and labels throughout your office or jobsites. Your staff will always see these Diamond Certified tools, so make sure they know how they earned it and how they’ve been able to maintain a top rated status, placing your team in the top band of performing companies in your industry/area. Annually review your new customer satisfaction research report with your team and celebrate their great accomplishment. Quality staff want to play for and stay with a winning team. They like the public recognition and are able to tell their family and friends that they’re part of one of the top rated work teams in their industry. This means a lot to most personality types, and using Diamond Certified to consistently reinforce this will help you retain your best people.Strategy #2: Attract quality people to fill open positions. Easier said than done, right? Yes. So, use your Diamond Certified status in your job postings online, in flyers, at job fairs, etc. You’ll separate your company/job opening from the others and attract new staff who share your passion for quality work. You also want to reach talented workers who aren’t looking for a job but may not be satisfied where they’re at. Your high-profile use of Diamond Certified (including handing out your Diamond Certified Expert Contribution Reprints) throughout your market area elevates your company’s reputation as a team of quality players run by a top expert (you) in your field. This Diamond Certified positioning of your company helps bring in key staff members.Strategy #3: Limit your new job flow to high-margin work from Quality Customers. We all know that half the customers out there just want the cheapest price. Take them on and you’ll just spin your wheels with low margins and all sorts of problems. These are not Diamond Certified customers. Diamond Certified customers are Quality Customers: those who want quality and are willing to pay a fair price for it. You’re capacity-restrained, so you need to make the most with what you have while delivering on your quality promises. Use your Diamond Certified tools with shoppers to powerfully signal your team’s Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise track record. Even though you’re overbooked, you must still respond to inquiry flow and cherry-pick the absolute best jobs. Engage with prospective customers by linking to your online Diamond Certified Company Report, the most powerful web presence your company has. Your quality reputation gets reinforced each time you send out your Diamond Certified brochures and eBrochures, and this enhances your ability to set up profitable work from Quality Customers in the future. Lose this and you lose your future (a dramatic statement, but very true).Problem: Thin Margins + Powerful Competition Strategy #1: Increase your pricing and stop taking low-margin work. Yes, you need to raise your price even in the face of tough competition that’s undercutting your current too-low price. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, your Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise status will prove you’re worth it and signal your high-quality position in your marketplace. Raising your price is a confident move. Price is a partially believed quality signal that, when combined with Diamond Certified, clearly positions you for quality head and shoulders above your competition. Confidently use your inclusion in the prestigious Diamond Certified Directory to reinforce your team’s high-quality performance. You have to get proper margins to be fairly compensated for your daily efforts; otherwise, why do it? It may be a scary step, but you and your team deserve to be paid a premium for premium work.Strategy #2: Own the Highest Quality position. Let’s say you’ve raised your price and now your key competitors are undercutting you by even more. OK, time to own the best position in the marketplace by using your Diamond Certified tools often and effectively. Go to <a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/">info.diamondcertified.org</a> to see the Top 21 Uses of Diamond Certified.Problem: Low Flow of Quality Customers Strategy #1: Create your Hot Center and expand out from there. Your brand’s meaning must burn very hot within you. First, you need real clarity about what your brand really means. Then, from your personal Hot Center, pass this searing hot brand meaning to your staff, then on to your best customers, all customers and out into the marketplace. Go to <a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/create-hot-center/">info.diamondcertified.org/create-hot-center</a> to read how to do it.Strategy #2: Build Deep InfoTM on the Diamond Certified Resource platform (if you qualify). Quality signals from your company attract Quality Customers. Significantly increase the number of quality signals about your company emanating from all media to attract a flow of new, quality-seeking customers. The place to start is on your Diamond Certified Company Report page, where your Deep Info includes essential articles; your certified video profile; photos of your staff, location, work in process and finished projects; your expert contributions; a capabilities table; lists of the services and products you provide; and more. How can you make them better? What can you add?  How can you deploy this Deep Info into other channels? How do you link to this and bring it onto your website, in emails, and in handouts? We have a sizable team of videographers, photographers, writers, editors, social media experts, designers and digital production staff. So, we’re ready to help you create and improve your Deep Info.</div>

If you run a company, you face problems. They come with the territory and change with market conditions and the flavor of staff issues. People may say you have “good problems” if you have too many potential customer inquiries to handle, but we both know you face a big challenge if you’re also dealing with severe capacity issues due to a shortage of quality staff. If you can’t do the work, having inquiries can be frustrating and, if you don’t follow up well, lead to an erosion of your brand image

Your Wild Card

wild-card

<div class="article-entry">Half the year has passed, so it’s a good time to conduct a review of your company’s key metrics and create a simple action plan that should yield improvements for the second half of the year. This periodic review and action plan process leads to continuous improvement in your company’s performance. Here are our key metrics for the Diamond Certified Resource. As you can see, comparing the first half of this year to the same period last year, we had a 10% gain in our number of consumer fans and a massive gain in the number of times these Preferred Consumers engaged by reading our email newsletters.<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/mid-year-review/key-metrics/" rel="attachment wp-att-2873"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-2873" height="212" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/key-metrics.jpg" width="500"/></a> <a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/mid-year-review/web-examples/" rel="attachment wp-att-2872"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-2872" height="572" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/web-examples.jpg" width="325"/></a>At the center of what we do are the consumers who care about and are willing to pay for quality Diamond Certified companies’ services. So, each year, in addition to printing and mailing 1,566,000 Diamond Certified Directories to quality-seeking consumers, we’ve really ramped up our digital engagement activities to great effect.An interesting aspect of the Diamond Certified Resource’s power to influence consumers is the daily grassroots customer engagement by our 750+ Diamond Certified companies. We had sizable double-digit gains in owners using their Diamond Certified Expert Contributor status to further differentiate themselves from competitors and prove quality-margin pricing is worth it. And, the big gains in Diamond Certified Widget usage on websites of Diamond Certified companies means these sites usually got better search ranking and the power of Diamond Certified helped convert more of their website visitors to new customers.As our key metrics show, we’ve made good progress, but there’s always more to do. Just like your company, we are always improving. We got these gains because last year we focused on action steps that we knew would directly drive these numbers higher. Now, after reviewing our mid-year key metrics, we’ve created an action plan for the latter half of the year. For example, here are four of our action steps.<ol><li>To drive traffic and conversion, collect and create new Deep Info on each Diamond Certified company and present it to shoppers in a newly designed Diamond Certified Company Report.</li><li>Continue to cut back from print newspapers and proportionally increase organic and paid search initiatives.</li><li>Increase the number of channels presenting Diamond Certified Expert Contributor tips.</li><li>Increase Diamond Certified Preferred Consumer engagement through the development of our newly designed website sections.</li></ol>What are your company’s key metrics? Your metrics will be unique to your company and industry, which means they’ll be different than ours. You may track sales, repeat customers, satisfaction, safety, web activity, financial targets and even usage of your Diamond Certified Award (if you qualify). Choose five to 10 metrics and start tracking.Build Your Company by Adding One More Usage of Diamond Certified<div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2874" style="width: 128px"><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/mid-year-review/greg-headshot/" rel="attachment wp-att-2874"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2874" class="wp-image-2874" height="118" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/greg-headshot.jpg" width="118"/></a>COO Greg Louie is obsessed with helping companies use Diamond Certified to build a more profitable future.</div>Once you’ve tracked your metrics, what can you do to move the most important numbers? That’s where the fun begins. Do things that have the biggest impact on your most important metrics. If you’re not trying to improve every year, you’re falling behind some of your competition. So, my recommendation for one of your action steps is to look at the list of possible uses of Diamond Certified (see enclosed list of 21 uses) and add just one more usage in the second half of this year (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). It may be adding a website widget, using your brochures better or putting your Diamond Certified Video Profile on your website.</div>

Half the year has passed, so it’s a good time to conduct a review of your company’s key metrics and create a simple action plan that should yield improvements for the second half of the year. This periodic review and action plan process leads to continuous improvement in your company’s performance. Here are our key metrics for the Diamond Certified Resource. As you can see, comparing the first half of this year to the same period last year, we had a 10% gain in our number of consumer fans and a massive gain in the number of times these Preferred Consumers engaged by reading our email newsletters.
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/mid-year-review/key-metrics/" rel="attachment wp-att-2873"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-2873" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/key-metrics.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="212" /></a> 
 
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/mid-year-review/web-examples/" rel="attachment wp-att-2872"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-2872" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/web-examples.jpg" alt="" width="325" height="572" /></a>At the center of what we do are the consumers who care about and are willing to pay for quality Diamond Certified companies’ services. So, each year, in addition to printing and mailing 1,566,000 Diamond Certified Directories to quality-seeking consumers, we’ve really ramped up our digital engagement activities to great effect.
An interesting aspect of the Diamond Certified Resource’s power to influence consumers is the daily grassroots customer engagement by our 750+ Diamond Certified companies. We had sizable double-digit gains in owners using their Diamond Certified Expert Contributor status to further differentiate themselves from competitors and prove quality-margin pricing is worth it. And, the big gains in Diamond Certified Widget usage on websites of Diamond Certified companies means these sites usually got better search ranking and the power of Diamond Certified helped convert more of their website visitors to new customers.
As our key metrics show, we’ve made good progress, but there’s always more to do. Just like your company, we are always improving. We got these gains because last year we focused on action steps that we knew would directly drive these numbers higher. Now, after reviewing our mid-year key metrics, we’ve created an action plan for the latter half of the year. For example, here are four of our action steps.
<ol>
<li>To drive traffic and conversion, collect and create new Deep Info on each Diamond Certified company and present it to shoppers in a newly designed Diamond Certified Company Report.</li>
<li>Continue to cut back from print newspapers and proportionally increase organic and paid search initiatives.</li>
<li>Increase the number of channels presenting Diamond Certified Expert Contributor tips.</li>
<li>Increase Diamond Certified Preferred Consumer engagement through the development of our newly designed website sections.</li>
</ol>
What are your company’s key metrics? 
Your metrics will be unique to your company and industry, which means they’ll be different than ours. You may track sales, repeat customers, satisfaction, safety, web activity, financial targets and even usage of your Diamond Certified Award (if you qualify). Choose five to 10 metrics and start tracking.
Build Your Company by Adding One More Usage of Diamond Certified
<div id="attachment_2874" style="width: 128px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/mid-year-review/greg-headshot/" rel="attachment wp-att-2874"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2874" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-2874" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/greg-headshot.jpg" alt="" width="118" height="118" /></a>COO Greg Louie is obsessed with helping companies use Diamond Certified to build a more profitable future.</div>
Once you’ve tracked your metrics, what can you do to move the most important numbers? That’s where the fun begins. Do things that have the biggest impact on your most important metrics. If you’re not trying to improve every year, you’re falling behind some of your competition. So, my recommendation for one of your action steps is to look at the list of possible uses of Diamond Certified (see enclosed list of 21 uses) and add just one more usage in the second half of this year (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). It may be adding a website widget, using your brochures better or putting your Diamond Certified Video Profile on your website.

Half the year has passed, so it’s a good time to conduct a review of your company’s key metrics and create a simple action plan that should yield improvements for the second half of the year. This periodic review and action plan process leads to continuous improvement in your company’s performance. Here are our key metrics for the Diamond Certified Resource. As you can see, comparing the first half of this year to the same period last year, we had a 10% gain in our number of consumer fans and a 

Mid-Year Review

mid-year-review

<div class="article-entry">If you qualify for Diamond Certified, it will be the daily brand that builds your company. Every day, your daily brand will certify that your team consistently delivers Quality, Helpful Expertise and Customer Satisfaction. To create this meaning, we’ve operated the most accurate ratings of local companies available. We’ve spent more than $55 million promoting the meaning of this daily brand in the Bay Area over the past 21 years, and we’ve delivered 12 million directories to local Quality Consumers. Plus, Diamond Certified companies have handed out more than 3 million Diamond Certified brochures.Your Daily Leadership of Brand Position Just as each day you lead your team to consistently deliver Quality, Helpful Expertise and Customer Satisfaction for your customers, so too do you lead your team to communicate your company’s high performing position in your local market. It’s critical to effectively project your company’s brand meaning to prospective and past customers through personal interactions and within media channels. This is done each and every day, and if you qualify for Diamond Certified, your number one tool, your most powerful ingredient brand, will be your Diamond Certified daily brand that flows within all of your communication channels. It will prove that it’s not just you claiming your company is top-performing—Diamond Certified proves it with the highest trust research and the most relevant Deep Info about your company.If you qualify for Diamond Certified, the key is to use your Diamond Certified tools each day to attract Quality Customers; prove your quality pricing is worth it; differentiate your company brand based on quality, expertise and customer satisfaction; and build your company in a profitable manner over the long term, one day at a time.<a href="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2017/06/combined-products.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-436607" height="277" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 915px) 100vw, 915px" src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2017/06/combined-products.jpg" srcset="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2017/06/combined-products.jpg 915w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2017/06/combined-products-300x91.jpg 300w, https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/2017/06/combined-products-768x232.jpg 768w" width="915"/></a>How you respond impacts your brand. We’ve all been on the receiving end of bad follow-up. Remember the frustration you felt when your repeated contacts to a company that you purchased from went unreturned? It’s painful and kills their brand in your mind. You can’t allow your company to fall into bad habits of slow and no response—it will kill your brand as well.So, what should your team’s minimum standard response time be?Respond within 1 business day. This simply means RESPOND. Often, prospective customers start to get frustrated when they hear nothing from a company. This frustration builds as the delay in response drags on. Companies that respond within one business day instantly position themselves as being professional, elevating their brand and making ongoing communication more effective. The key to pull this off is to put each inquiry into one of three categories of responses:1. ENGAGE We received your inquiry and here’s our response. From here, you can request additional information, send sales materials, set an appointment, provide answers to their questions, sign a contract, etc. 2. DELAY We received your inquiry, and due to high work flow, we will contact you by (phone, email, text, etc.) on    (up to 5 business days). That’s right, it’s perfectly acceptable to delay. You responded and removed the uncertainty. If you do this, you can delay up to 5 business days. Now, I’m not saying this is a good sales strategy, but it is absolutely acceptable from a moral/human standpoint, so as long as you communicate with the prospective customer within that 5-day period, your company’s brand is elevated. 3. SAY NO We received your inquiry and we will not be able to do the work. Excellent companies provide a fast and polite “no” when the work doesn’t fit their requirements due to job scope, location, capacity, type of work, etc.The Dark Side of Non-Response Your company’s brand suffers. Word gets out that your team is flaky and unreliable. Many people feel there’s something immoral about a non-responsive company. They believe a company that operates in their community has a moral obligation to respond. On this dark side scenario, we at the Diamond Certified Resource get complaints about Diamond Certified companies’ non-responsiveness. We warn them that, no matter how good their work is, this isn’t how Diamond Certified companies behave. If it’s a continuous problem, we’ll terminate their Diamond Certified status, as we have this year for several companies that didn’t meet our customer performance standards, of which responsiveness is a key factor. Little things like profits slide from there as competitors gain the upper hand and business life darkens.The Bright Side of the Diamond Certified Standard Response Time Your company is trusted more each day because all of your prospects and customers have received timely responses and, when compared to your competitors, you’ve put yourself in the top 20% in responsiveness. This is an important signal to the marketplace. It’s perceived as a leading indicator of good performance and is congruent with your high performance reputation. So, your prospects start to trust you before they decide whether to choose you, and your customers are less panicky when things go wrong because they trust you’ll follow up in a timely manner. Little things like your team morale, your profits, and the long-term value of your company grow and you see blue skies ahead.</div>

If you qualify for Diamond Certified, it will be the daily brand that builds your company. Every day, your daily brand will certify that your team consistently delivers Quality, Helpful Expertise and Customer Satisfaction. To create this meaning, we’ve operated the most accurate ratings of local companies available. We’ve spent more than $55 million promoting the meaning of this daily brand in the Bay Area over the past 21 years, and we’ve delivered 12 million directories to local Quality Consum

Your Daily Brand

daily-brand

<div class="article-entry">Simply put, if you reach and “speak to” potential Quality Customers better than your competitors, you’ll build a stronger, more profitable business. Here’s how you do it.1. Fill out this <a href="http://diamondcertified.us4.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b37603575a775ba8b221791f4&amp;id=619e6ec602&amp;e=393338d467">“Profile My Quality Customers and Prospects” form</a>. To do this, pull out your billing for the last 100 customers you served (or the past 12 months). Look at each one and think of the customer. For each customer, write down the answers to these three questions:a. Were they good to deal with? b. Was the service you performed what you want to be doing in the future? c. How profitable was this transaction?Now, choose the best half of these 100 customers. These “chosen 50” customers are your Quality Customers. As you fill out the form, keep looking at and thinking about these 50 “chosen customers.” Don’t literally profile all 50—instead, in the Profile Value, write a range that seems to cover 4 out of 5 of these 50 customers. This will eliminate the outliers and tighten the focus of your Quality Customers and Prospects Profile. In the example given on the form, the owner finds that a great majority of his best customers have, by his estimate, an income of $125k+ and/or a home value of $700k+. Even if 10 to 20% of his clientele are great customers, those who don’t fit this range aren’t included in the Value Range, so that total focus can be given to sweet spot customers and prospects.2. Review and improve your most important Deep Info (the totality of accessible info on you and your company). If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll help you do this by coming to your location and shooting professional video and photos of your staff. We’ll also interview you and create your company’s essential articles: Company Profile and Philosophy, FAQs, Comparative Summary, Capabilities Table, Industry Info, Owner Expert Tip and Human Interest article, and more.DEEP INFO How to Beat Your Competitors Where It Matters To maximize your competitive standing, inventory and rate each Deep Info Impact Point (DIIP) for both you and your top four competitors. Then, choose one DIIP to improve so, through this improvement, you beat all four competitors in that specific DIIP.Example: BEATING YOUR COMPETITION in one DIIP – Before and After You compare job photos and descriptions on your website with job photos and descriptions posted on your four chosen competitors’ websites. You rate yours in last place because you only have two photos and no narrative. So, you decide to focus on this by profiling 5 new jobs and going back and profiling 5 past jobs. You want to beat the competitors’ presentation of their work by capturing 8 quality job photos plus the customer photo, with well-organized and beautiful descriptions of the work at each one, plus long quotes from each customer of the profiled job. You then add a job portfolio section to your website and give high visibility access to these 10 job profiles at the top of your homepage. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! You just beat your four competitors for visual and written profiles of job examples. You then repeat this process for a different DIIP and go from losing to winning.</div>

Simply put, if you reach and “speak to” potential Quality Customers better than your competitors, you’ll build a stronger, more profitable business. Here’s how you do it.1. Fill out this “Profile My Quality Customers and Prospects” form.To do this, pull out your billing for the last 100 customers you served (or the past 12 months). Look at each one and think of the customer. For each customer, write down the answers to these three questions:a. Were they good to deal with?b. Was the service you p

Who’s Your Audience?

audience

<div class="article-entry"><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/medium-message/direc/" rel="attachment wp-att-2570"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-2570" height="246" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/direc.jpg" width="156"/></a>A half-century ago, Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, “The medium is the message” to make the point that the context that info resides in (the medium) has a significant impact on the reception of the message; thus, the medium combines with the content to create the meaning. It’s why your company’s profile presented in the Diamond Certified Directory (if you qualify) powerfully elevates your company for quality. It’s why the high-quality/high-trust positioning of our Diamond Certified Resource website is the most powerful context for your potential customers to access Deep Info™ on your company: your essential company articles, expert video and article tips, personal profile, key photos, and company video.Each month, 30,000 to 50,000 Quality Consumers visit <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org">www.diamondcertified.org</a>. Why? We keep hearing two main reasons. One, consumers know we spend a lot of time and money conducting the most accurate ratings of customer satisfaction available and back them with our Performance Guarantee. They trust that only companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise earn Diamond Certified and are presented on our website. So, the Diamond Certified medium creates a quality halo that is seen by your potential customers as they check out your company’s info. This “medium is the message” dynamic adds significantly to your company’s position as the best choice and speeds up your conversion process of turning shoppers into buyers.Second, we figure about half the time your potential customer has found you somewhere else and is narrowing down her choice from two or three companies to one. She does a quick search on each finalist company to gain the last bit of info and confidence to make her final decision. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, she’ll see your top rated status in Google search and click to review your page.<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/medium-message/google-search/" rel="attachment wp-att-2572"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-2572" height="129" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/Google-search.png" width="720"/></a><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_2571" style="width: 329px"><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/medium-message/dccr-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-2571"><img alt="" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2571" class="wp-image-2571" height="195" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/dccr.jpg" width="319"/></a>Our new Diamond Certified Company Report design will launch this summer.</div>That’s where your Diamond Certified Company Report, within the context of our high-trust website, helps close the deal (if you qualify). As she researches your company within our medium, her trust and confidence grow. No other medium has our unbiased ratings. None contain the organized depth of Deep Info on each top rated company. None provide the safety of our local help by a real person, plus a guarantee. It works because in this context, your Deep Info reaches her heart and mind and she feels confident in her decision to choose you.</div>

<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/medium-message/direc/" rel="attachment wp-att-2570"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-2570" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/direc.jpg" alt="" width="156" height="246" /></a>A half-century ago, Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, “The medium is the message” to make the point that the context that info resides in (the medium) has a significant impact on the reception of the message; thus, the medium combines with the content to create the meaning. It’s why your company’s profile presented in the Diamond Certified Directory (if you qualify) powerfully elevates your company for quality. It’s why the high-quality/high-trust positioning of our Diamond Certified Resource website is the most powerful context for your potential customers to access Deep Info™ on your company: your essential company articles, expert video and article tips, personal profile, key photos, and company video.
Each month, 30,000 to 50,000 Quality Consumers visit <a href="http://www.diamondcertified.org">www.diamondcertified.org</a>. 
Why? We keep hearing two main reasons. One, consumers know we spend a lot of time and money conducting the most accurate ratings of customer satisfaction available and back them with our Performance Guarantee. They trust that only companies rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise earn Diamond Certified and are presented on our website. So, the Diamond Certified medium creates a quality halo that is seen by your potential customers as they check out your company’s info. This “medium is the message” dynamic adds significantly to your company’s position as the best choice and speeds up your conversion process of turning shoppers into buyers.
Second, we figure about half the time your potential customer has found you somewhere else and is narrowing down her choice from two or three companies to one. She does a quick search on each finalist company to gain the last bit of info and confidence to make her final decision. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, she’ll see your top rated status in Google search and click to review your page.
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/medium-message/google-search/" rel="attachment wp-att-2572"><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-2572" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/Google-search.png" alt="" width="720" height="129" /></a>
<div id="attachment_2571" style="width: 329px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/medium-message/dccr-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-2571"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2571" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-2571" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/dccr.jpg" alt="" width="319" height="195" /></a>Our new Diamond Certified Company Report design will launch this summer.</div>
That’s where your Diamond Certified Company Report, within the context of our high-trust website, helps close the deal (if you qualify). As she researches your company within our medium, her trust and confidence grow. No other medium has our unbiased ratings. None contain the organized depth of Deep Info on each top rated company. None provide the safety of our local help by a real person, plus a guarantee. It works because in this context, your Deep Info reaches her heart and mind and she feels confident in her decision to choose you.

A half-century ago, Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase, “The medium is the message” to make the point that the context that info resides in (the medium) has a significant impact on the reception of the message; thus, the medium combines with the content to create the meaning. It’s why your company’s profile presented in the Diamond Certified Directory (if you qualify) powerfully elevates your company for quality. It’s why the high-quality/high-trust positioning of our Diamond Certified Resource 

medium-is-the-message

<div class="article-entry"><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/spring-training-team-4/pitcher/" rel="attachment wp-att-2562"><img alt="" class="alignright wp-image-2562" height="308" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/pitcher.jpg" width="221"/></a>Now’s about the time that our never-ending rain will stop. Indeed, the winter storms are subsiding, and as surely as spring follows winter, renewal begins. Spring sets the stage for sunny skies, flowers blooming, birds nesting and new grasses growing. For consumers, moods brighten, house projects are planned, cars are serviced and winter-delayed health appointments are booked. For you, it’s a time to achieve performance numbers, optimize employee skills, satisfy customers and generate more referrals. For our favorite baseball teams, spring training is a focused opportunity to work on perfecting the fundamentals. We see it time and again: even though these athletes have played ball most of their lives, they need spring training focused on fundamentals to perform at their personal peak level and play as a team.Spring Training for Your Company The same holds true for your company, and that’s why I encourage you to take advantage of our Diamond Certified Spring Training (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). Quality Customers are attracted to and influenced by Diamond Certified and most of your competitors haven’t earned it, so presenting your company as Diamond Certified has never been more important. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll conduct a 30-minute Diamond Certified Spring Training session at your location and turbocharge you and your staff with our highly effective training to increase your sales rate, improve their ability to justify pricing, and learn how to generate more referrals as a team. To beat local competitors, your team must be well-trained and on its game. It’s wise to maximize your usage of Diamond Certified (if you qualify) to differentiate your company as rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise.Newspapers’ Paid Circulation Plunges to Oblivion <a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/spring-training-team-4/newspaper-graph/" rel="attachment wp-att-2561"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-2561" height="201" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/newspaper-graph.jpg" width="310"/></a>After the Bay Area dailies lost more than 60% of their paid circulation in the period of 2005 to 2014, in the ensuing two years, readership of their printed newspapers has fallen even further, even faster. It’s not surprising to anyone, since virtually the same stories and more are presented for free on the web, so readers have naturally ditched the traditional paid subscription model for the free, “anytime, anywhere” access to the news that the web provides.With the growing popularity of Diamond Certified, our annual budget—focused on presenting the Diamond Certified Resource to consumers in your local market—has grown over the years and now tops $3 million annually. During this time, we’ve shifted these funds to adapt to consumer behavior. So, instead of running full-page newspaper ads, we now primarily focus these dollars on increasing each Diamond Certified company’s presence through web and mobile presentation and promotion, digital optimizing services, analog demonstration handouts and performances, broadcast media, and, of course, the area’s largest distribution of quarterly print directories that are mailed directly to requesters and high-income households.</div>

<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/spring-training-team-4/pitcher/" rel="attachment wp-att-2562"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-2562" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/pitcher.jpg" alt="" width="221" height="308" /></a>Now’s about the time that our never-ending rain will stop. Indeed, the winter storms are subsiding, and as surely as spring follows winter, renewal begins. Spring sets the stage for sunny skies, flowers blooming, birds nesting and new grasses growing. For consumers, moods brighten, house projects are planned, cars are serviced and winter-delayed health appointments are booked. For you, it’s a time to achieve performance numbers, optimize employee skills, satisfy customers and generate more referrals. 
For our favorite baseball teams, spring training is a focused opportunity to work on perfecting the fundamentals. We see it time and again: even though these athletes have played ball most of their lives, they need spring training focused on fundamentals to perform at their personal peak level and play as a team.
Spring Training for Your Company 
The same holds true for your company, and that’s why I encourage you to take advantage of our Diamond Certified Spring Training (if you qualify for Diamond Certified). Quality Customers are attracted to and influenced by Diamond Certified and most of your competitors haven’t earned it, so presenting your company as Diamond Certified has never been more important. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll conduct a 30-minute Diamond Certified Spring Training session at your location and turbocharge you and your staff with our highly effective training to increase your sales rate, improve their ability to justify pricing, and learn how to generate more referrals as a team. To beat local competitors, your team must be well-trained and on its game. It’s wise to maximize your usage of Diamond Certified (if you qualify) to differentiate your company as rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise.
Newspapers’ Paid Circulation Plunges to Oblivion 
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/spring-training-team-4/newspaper-graph/" rel="attachment wp-att-2561"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-2561" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/newspaper-graph.jpg" alt="" width="310" height="201" /></a>After the Bay Area dailies lost more than 60% of their paid circulation in the period of 2005 to 2014, in the ensuing two years, readership of their printed newspapers has fallen even further, even faster. It’s not surprising to anyone, since virtually the same stories and more are presented for free on the web, so readers have naturally ditched the traditional paid subscription model for the free, “anytime, anywhere” access to the news that the web provides.
With the growing popularity of Diamond Certified, our annual budget—focused on presenting the Diamond Certified Resource to consumers in your local market—has grown over the years and now tops $3 million annually. During this time, we’ve shifted these funds to adapt to consumer behavior. So, instead of running full-page newspaper ads, we now primarily focus these dollars on increasing each Diamond Certified company’s presence through web and mobile presentation and promotion, digital optimizing services, analog demonstration handouts and performances, broadcast media, and, of course, the area’s largest distribution of quarterly print directories that are mailed directly to requesters and high-income households.

Now’s about the time that our never-ending rain will stop. Indeed, the winter storms are subsiding, and as surely as spring follows winter, renewal begins. Spring sets the stage for sunny skies, flowers blooming, birds nesting and new grasses growing. For consumers, moods brighten, house projects are planned, cars are serviced and winter-delayed health appointments are booked. For you, it’s a time to achieve performance numbers, optimize employee skills, satisfy customers and generate more refer

spring-training-team-4

<div class="article-entry">We have exciting news! The Diamond Certified program just got even better. With a big upgrade of each company’s digital presentation, you’ll attract and sell more to quality-seeking customers if you qualify for Diamond Certified. With the launch of your company’s Deep Info™ creation campaign, we’ll help you get the right articles, tables, tips, photos and videos so prospective customers will feel confident they have ALL the information they need to choose your company. With the roll-out of our new Diamond Certified Company Digital Advantage, we’ll help you keep up with your own company’s website, digital marketing, and social media without extra cost and big amounts of your time.Your Best Page Ever is About to Get Even Better Let’s quickly do this together now. Please take a look at the <a href="https://diamondcertified.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b37603575a775ba8b221791f4&amp;id=347fee42bd&amp;e=393338d467" target="_blank">poster we’ve included</a>. There are two pages, so start at the side that says, “Top View of Your Company Report Page” just under the top headline and starts the web page with a big video, article, graphs, and survey responses. This poster is the new design example of what we’ll create for you for our mid-year web upgrade if you qualify for Diamond Certified (later in this blog, I’ll explain how we’ll create your Deep Info™ used in this). Let’s take three minutes and look at how powerful your company report page will be. We’re creating seven distinct View Sections of your company, each of which fits the typical computer screen size. Starting at the top of the poster, look at each View Section as you read the numbered paragraphs below that correspond to each View Section.1. TOP VIEW – Start at the top. This Top View appears first, “above the fold.” Your prospective customers will instantly see that you’re top rated and guaranteed, and they’ll connect emotionally with your company through your video and lead article. Plus, this gives them easy scroll-down or simple NAVIGATION menu access to Deep Info™ on your company.As users scroll down to learn about you, they first see a reminder that your company has earned Diamond Certified and is Guaranteed, and the Deep Info™ they’re viewing is professionally edited, rich in content, and highly credible.2. RESEARCHED CAPABILITIES – This View Section is formatted to engage the logical, fact-based part of the brain. It provides consumers with a table and lists of what you do, the products and manufacturers you represent, and a map of the areas you serve. Certain personality types love using this type of detailed presentation of key data to underpin their decision to choose your company.3. RESEARCHED ARTICLES – Most Quality Consumers want to read about your company before choosing you. These five essential articles are your company’s most relevant, highest quality and most trusted available anywhere on the web. Together, they’re indispensable to understanding your company’s history, philosophy, expertise and other key attributes.4. PHOTO GALLERY – People want to see who they’re going to do business with and how they work. This View Section gets potential customers emotionally involved in your company as they scroll through large, elegant photos of your work and action shots of your friendly staff.Go to the second page of the poster5. EXPERT CONTRIBUTIONS – When Quality Customers find you interesting and relatable, they feel that they know, like and trust you before they even meet you. You’re seen as the owner of a top rated company and a noted authority in your field—an author published in the prestigious Diamond Certified Resource. And so, your personal recommendations become more influential.6. YOUR WEBSITE &amp; FEED – Here’s an outstanding presentation of your company’s website, blog posts, social media activities and other positive articles about you. It’s a trusted portal for consumers who want to gather more info on your company before they choose you. It gives them confidence that they have the most up-to-date info on you from all over the web.7. RATINGS – Intelligent consumers are skeptical of review sites littered with fake and cherry-picked reviews. That’s why Quality Customers love these four rating boxes that prove your top rated performance and the verbatim survey responses that illuminate each surveyed transaction. Shoppers experience how your company performed before, during and after the work process.If you qualify for Diamond Certified, your new Company Report page will give you a significant competitive advantage and new power to turn shoppers into customers of your company. Here’s why:BELIEVABILITY – It’s on the most trusted ratings website, the Diamond Certified Resource, not on your company-owned site or a gamed review site, both of which most consumers feel are biased to promote your company.RELEVANCE – Before they buy, the number one thing Quality Consumers need is real proof that a company delivers. As the page opens, their eyes can’t help but track the animating movement of your rating charts, each of which expands to prove your top rated status. Your company’s reputation as top rated has been instantly planted in your potential customer’s mind.SAFETY – Quality Consumers feel safe choosing your company because Diamond Certified has their backs if something goes wrong and isn’t fixed. The Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee helps them feel secure and provides another signal that Diamond Certified ratings are the most accurate available.DEEP INFO™  – Quality Consumers quickly realize that all the information needed to choose your company is right here, and no other web page can match this depth of information on your company. This realization greatly boosts their confidence because although they rarely want to read every word and look at every picture, Quality Consumers pride themselves on making rational, data-driven decisions based on verified facts.STORIES – We all love stories about people—they’re how we relate to the world. That’s why we tell a series of stories about you and your company, which come to life in articles, rating charts, videos, photos and tables. Together, they illuminate your company’s distinctive character and high-performance track record, helping Quality Consumers get to know and trust you before they even meet you.NAVIGATION – Web users like to feel in control, and this page puts them in the driver’s seat. They can scroll down for more info, click on a navigation menu word to jump to the section that most interests them or contact your company at the moment of their choosing.Deep Info™ Drives Decisions and Creates Winners and Losers In today’s world, your best potential customers are on their smartphones and computers all day, interacting with all types of info and people. So, until they actually get to know you and your staff, the only way they find, see, understand, and form strong opinions about you and your company is through info they find. The totality of info available on you and your company is your Deep Info™ . Thus, interaction with some piece of your Deep Info™ is the sole reason for consumers’ positive or negative belief in your company, your brand, you, your team and the quality of the work you do. The same goes for your key competitors and how your potential customers compare you to them. Do you get it? You must win the Deep Info™ matchup to win in the marketplace. If you create better Deep Info™ than your competitors and get it found more often by the best potential customers, you’ll win more often. If not, you’ll lose more often.Creating Your “Deep Info” Wealth™  There are several ways to measure wealth, from financial (Assets minus Liabilities) to emotional (Smiles minus Tears). Given the importance of quality Deep Info™ to your company, you should view your Deep Info™ as a company asset; as your wealth. The better your Deep Info™ asset, the better your marketing performance. Now, we’re going to help you build Deep Info Wealth™ . Sound good? If you qualify for Diamond Certified, here are the four steps we’re going to take together over the next six months:<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/better/bbgbghg/" rel="attachment wp-att-2542"><img class="alignleft wp-image-2556" height="123" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/bbgbghg.jpg" width="663"/></a>The good news is, we’ve already started steps 1 and 2. We defined Deep Info™ and explained why it’s important to you (more on this in future letters). Second, we enclosed in this envelope a sample Deep Info™ inventory checklist for your Diamond Certified Company Report. Pull it out and take a look. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll help you accurately determine what good content you have, what needs to be created and what needs to be improved. Periodically, we’ll send you updates of this checklist that reflect corrections and the logging of your additional Deep Info™ . The idea is to have all of your quality Deep Info™ completed by June. That covers the first three steps. Then the fun begins as we tackle step 4 in the second half of the year.</div>

We have exciting news! The Diamond Certified program just got even better. With a big upgrade of each company’s digital presentation, you’ll attract and sell more to quality-seeking customers if you qualify for Diamond Certified. With the launch of your company’s Deep Info™ creation campaign, we’ll help you get the right articles, tables, tips, photos and videos so prospective customers will feel confident they have ALL the information they need to choose your company. With the roll-out of our new Diamond Certified Company Digital Advantage, we’ll help you keep up with your own company’s website, digital marketing, and social media without extra cost and big amounts of your time.
Your Best Page Ever is About to Get Even Better 
Let’s quickly do this together now. Please take a look at the <a href="http://diamondcertified.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b37603575a775ba8b221791f4&amp;id=347fee42bd&amp;e=393338d467" target="_blank">poster we&#8217;ve included</a>. There are two pages, so start at the side that says, “Top View of Your Company Report Page” just under the top headline and starts the web page with a big video, article, graphs, and survey responses. This poster is the new design example of what we’ll create for you for our mid-year web upgrade if you qualify for Diamond Certified (later in this blog, I’ll explain how we’ll create your Deep Info™ used in this). Let’s take three minutes and look at how powerful your company report page will be. We’re creating seven distinct View Sections of your company, each of which fits the typical computer screen size. Starting at the top of the poster, look at each View Section as you read the numbered paragraphs below that correspond to each View Section.
1. TOP VIEW – Start at the top. This Top View appears first, “above the fold.” Your prospective customers will instantly see that you’re top rated and guaranteed, and they’ll connect emotionally with your company through your video and lead article. Plus, this gives them easy scroll-down or simple NAVIGATION menu access to Deep Info™ on your company.
As users scroll down to learn about you, they first see a reminder that your company has earned Diamond Certified and is Guaranteed, and the Deep Info™ they’re viewing is professionally edited, rich in content, and highly credible.
2. RESEARCHED CAPABILITIES – This View Section is formatted to engage the logical, fact-based part of the brain. It provides consumers with a table and lists of what you do, the products and manufacturers you represent, and a map of the areas you serve. Certain personality types love using this type of detailed presentation of key data to underpin their decision to choose your company.
3. RESEARCHED ARTICLES – Most Quality Consumers want to read about your company before choosing you. These five essential articles are your company’s most relevant, highest quality and most trusted available anywhere on the web. Together, they’re indispensable to understanding your company’s history, philosophy, expertise and other key attributes.
4. PHOTO GALLERY – People want to see who they’re going to do business with and how they work. This View Section gets potential customers emotionally involved in your company as they scroll through large, elegant photos of your work and action shots of your friendly staff.
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5. EXPERT CONTRIBUTIONS – When Quality Customers find you interesting and relatable, they feel that they know, like and trust you before they even meet you. You’re seen as the owner of a top rated company and a noted authority in your field—an author published in the prestigious Diamond Certified Resource. And so, your personal recommendations become more influential.
6. YOUR WEBSITE &amp; FEED – Here’s an outstanding presentation of your company’s website, blog posts, social media activities and other positive articles about you. It’s a trusted portal for consumers who want to gather more info on your company before they choose you. It gives them confidence that they have the most up-to-date info on you from all over the web.
7. RATINGS – Intelligent consumers are skeptical of review sites littered with fake and cherry-picked reviews. That’s why Quality Customers love these four rating boxes that prove your top rated performance and the verbatim survey responses that illuminate each surveyed transaction. Shoppers experience how your company performed before, during and after the work process.
If you qualify for Diamond Certified, your new Company Report page will give you a significant competitive advantage and new power to turn shoppers into customers of your company. Here’s why:
BELIEVABILITY – It’s on the most trusted ratings website, the Diamond Certified Resource, not on your company-owned site or a gamed review site, both of which most consumers feel are biased to promote your company.
RELEVANCE – Before they buy, the number one thing Quality Consumers need is real proof that a company delivers. As the page opens, their eyes can’t help but track the animating movement of your rating charts, each of which expands to prove your top rated status. Your company’s reputation as top rated has been instantly planted in your potential customer’s mind.
SAFETY – Quality Consumers feel safe choosing your company because Diamond Certified has their backs if something goes wrong and isn’t fixed. The Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee helps them feel secure and provides another signal that Diamond Certified ratings are the most accurate available.
DEEP INFO™  – Quality Consumers quickly realize that all the information needed to choose your company is right here, and no other web page can match this depth of information on your company. This realization greatly boosts their confidence because although they rarely want to read every word and look at every picture, Quality Consumers pride themselves on making rational, data-driven decisions based on verified facts.
STORIES – We all love stories about people—they’re how we relate to the world. That’s why we tell a series of stories about you and your company, which come to life in articles, rating charts, videos, photos and tables. Together, they illuminate your company’s distinctive character and high-performance track record, helping Quality Consumers get to know and trust you before they even meet you.
NAVIGATION – Web users like to feel in control, and this page puts them in the driver’s seat. They can scroll down for more info, click on a navigation menu word to jump to the section that most interests them or contact your company at the moment of their choosing.
Deep Info™ Drives Decisions and Creates Winners and Losers 
In today’s world, your best potential customers are on their smartphones and computers all day, interacting with all types of info and people. So, until they actually get to know you and your staff, the only way they find, see, understand, and form strong opinions about you and your company is through info they find. The totality of info available on you and your company is your Deep Info™ . Thus, interaction with some piece of your Deep Info™ is the sole reason for consumers’ positive or negative belief in your company, your brand, you, your team and the quality of the work you do. The same goes for your key competitors and how your potential customers compare you to them. Do you get it? You must win the Deep Info™ matchup to win in the marketplace. If you create better Deep Info™ than your competitors and get it found more often by the best potential customers, you’ll win more often. If not, you’ll lose more often.
Creating Your “Deep Info” Wealth™  
There are several ways to measure wealth, from financial (Assets minus Liabilities) to emotional (Smiles minus Tears). Given the importance of quality Deep Info™ to your company, you should view your Deep Info™ as a company asset; as your wealth. The better your Deep Info™ asset, the better your marketing performance. Now, we’re going to help you build Deep Info Wealth™ . Sound good? If you qualify for Diamond Certified, here are the four steps we’re going to take together over the next six months:
<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/better/bbgbghg/" rel="attachment wp-att-2542"><img loading="lazy" class="alignleft wp-image-2556 " src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/bbgbghg.jpg" width="663" height="123" /></a>
The good news is, we’ve already started steps 1 and 2. We defined Deep Info™ and explained why it’s important to you (more on this in future letters). Second, we enclosed in this envelope a sample Deep Info™ inventory checklist for your Diamond Certified Company Report. Pull it out and take a look. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, we’ll help you accurately determine what good content you have, what needs to be created and what needs to be improved. Periodically,

We have exciting news! The Diamond Certified program just got even better. With a big upgrade of each company’s digital presentation, you’ll attract and sell more to quality-seeking customers if you qualify for Diamond Certified. With the launch of your company’s Deep Info™ creation campaign, we’ll help you get the right articles, tables, tips, photos and videos so prospective customers will feel confident they have ALL the information they need to choose your company. With the roll-out of our n

Even Better!

better

<div class="article-entry"><a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/giving-thanks-2016/thanks2017/" rel="attachment wp-att-2519"><img alt="thanks2016" class="alignright wp-image-2519" height="224" loading="lazy" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/thanks2017.jpg" width="282"/></a>Our entire team at American Ratings Corporation wishes you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving season. For me, this is the time of year to thank special people and reflect on outstanding deeds—an ideal precursor for personal and business planning.Besides focusing on family members and friends, I’d like to take stock of what we’ve achieved with the Diamond Certified Resource this year. I’m thrilled to report that both consumer awareness of and preference for Diamond Certified companies were very strong in 2016. To accomplish this, we:<ul><li>Increased the circulation of the new Diamond Certified Directory Update print and digital editions, which were mailed and emailed quarterly to requesters and higher-income homeowners. This resulted in a 20% increase in our Update print circulation, taking it from 140,000 per edition in 2014 to 202,000 in 2015 and now 242,000 this year, helping us generate thousands of added tracked calls to Diamond Certified companies.</li><li>Invested heavily in digital initiatives, which resulted in an increase in usage of our website’s company report and category pages (both of these pages are where your company will be presented to quality-seeking consumers if you qualify for Diamond Certified).</li><li>Attended 62 home shows, fairs and festivals throughout the Greater Bay Area, during which we signed up thousands of new Diamond Certified Preferred Consumers and passed out thousands of Diamond Certified Directories.</li><li>Ran 8,791 radio ads on KGO, KSFO and KNBR. These ads help maintain top of mind awareness of the Diamond Certified Resource as they reach 41.5% of the population at a frequency of 19, which means the average listener heard our ads 19 times.</li><li>Ran 12,379 TV ads on KTVU; KICU; and 22 popular cable, AT&amp;T, and Dish networks. These ads help maintain a frequent visual reminder of the key benefits of the Diamond Certified Resource as they reach 66% of the population at a frequency of 8, which means the average viewer saw our ads 8 times.</li><li>Expanded the number of Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to 426 by helping these company owners create 1,200+ expert articles, tip sheets and video tips, which further positions the Diamond Certified brand as an indicator of local companies that are top rated for quality and provide helpful expertise in their area.</li></ul>A Winning Plan for 2017 We’re in the final stages of planning for next year, and we’re developing powerful plans to build your company with Quality Customers (if you qualify). I’ll announce our winning plan in January. I’m confident that we’ll see an increase in both the power of the Diamond Certified Resource and the number of new, quality-seeking customers you’ll generate if you qualify for Diamond Certified.</div>

<a href="http://info.diamondcertified.org/giving-thanks-2016/thanks2017/" rel="attachment wp-att-2519"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-2519" src="http://info.diamondcertified.org/wp-content/uploads/thanks2017.jpg" alt="thanks2016" width="282" height="224" /></a>Our entire team at American Ratings Corporation wishes you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving season. For me, this is the time of year to thank special people and reflect on outstanding deeds—an ideal precursor for personal and business planning.
Besides focusing on family members and friends, I’d like to take stock of what we’ve achieved with the Diamond Certified Resource this year. I’m thrilled to report that both consumer awareness of and preference for Diamond Certified companies were very strong in 2016. To accomplish this, we:
<ul>
<li>Increased the circulation of the new Diamond Certified Directory Update print and digital editions, which were mailed and emailed quarterly to requesters and higher-income homeowners. This resulted in a 20% increase in our Update print circulation, taking it from 140,000 per edition in 2014 to 202,000 in 2015 and now 242,000 this year, helping us generate thousands of added tracked calls to Diamond Certified companies.</li>
<li>Invested heavily in digital initiatives, which resulted in an increase in usage of our website’s company report and category pages (both of these pages are where your company will be presented to quality-seeking consumers if you qualify for Diamond Certified).</li>
<li>Attended 62 home shows, fairs and festivals throughout the Greater Bay Area, during which we signed up thousands of new Diamond Certified Preferred Consumers and passed out thousands of Diamond Certified Directories.</li>
<li>Ran 8,791 radio ads on KGO, KSFO and KNBR. These ads help maintain top of mind awareness of the Diamond Certified Resource as they reach 41.5% of the population at a frequency of 19, which means the average listener heard our ads 19 times.</li>
<li>Ran 12,379 TV ads on KTVU; KICU; and 22 popular cable, AT&amp;T, and Dish networks. These ads help maintain a frequent visual reminder of the key benefits of the Diamond Certified Resource as they reach 66% of the population at a frequency of 8, which means the average viewer saw our ads 8 times.</li>
<li>Expanded the number of Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to 426 by helping these company owners create 1,200+ expert articles, tip sheets and video tips, which further positions the Diamond Certified brand as an indicator of local companies that are top rated for quality and provide helpful expertise in their area.</li>
</ul>
A Winning Plan for 2017 
We’re in the final stages of planning for next year, and we’re developing powerful plans to build your company with Quality Customers (if you qualify). I’ll announce our winning plan in January. I’m confident that we’ll see an increase in both the power of the Diamond Certified Resource and the number of new, quality-seeking customers you’ll generate if you qualify for Diamond Certified.

Our entire team at American Ratings Corporation wishes you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving season. For me, this is the time of year to thank special people and reflect on outstanding deeds—an ideal precursor for personal and business planning.Besides focusing on family members and friends, I’d like to take stock of what we’ve achieved with the Diamond Certified Resource this year. I’m thrilled to report that both consumer awareness of and preference for Diamond Certified companies w

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