June 2018, we again reached out to 40,000 print and online readers of inPAINT magazine and asked about their business challenges, how optimistic they are about business growth, and which brands they prefer. Pro feedback is regularly used by manufacturers to drive innovation and develop products and services that address specific needs. inPAINT also uses it to help shape our content to ensure we deliver topics that are relevant and on point.

ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS

To help you better appreciate the survey responses, we asked all participants to answer some questions about their businesses.

For these questions, respondents could select more than a single answer, thus some percentage totals exceed 100%.

Who are you?

Commercial & Residential Painter – 32%

Residential Painter – 28%

Remodeler – 15%

General Contractor – 11%

Commercial Painter – 5%

Property Manager – 5%

Other – 4%

In which business segments do you work the most?

Residential: Single Family – 80%

Residential: Multifamily – 24%

Commercial: Office – 11%

Commercial: Retail – 7%

Other – 13%

Number of employees?

1 – 5 – 76%

6 – 10 – 13%

11 – 20 – 3%

21 – 50 – 2%

51+ – 6%

Which marketing channels do you currently use?

Referrals – 82%

Website – 40%

Online Services – 26%

Brochure/Fliers – 18%

Print Advertising – 13%

Other – 16%

What are your biggest business challenges?

Finding qualified workers – 54%

Time management – 25%

Finding new business – 16%

Estimating – 13%

Managing expenses and payroll – 12%

Managing a staff/crew – 9%

Winning business – 9%

Other – 10%

Which online platforms do you use?

Facebook – 47%

LinkedIn – 18%

Instagram – 13%

Yelp – 10%

Twitter – 9%

YouTube – 9%

Pinterest – 7%

None – 47%

Over the next 12 months, what are you planning in terms of growth?

Flat – 18%

< 10% – 18%

10% – 15% – 38%

16% – 20% – 10%

> 20% – 16%

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THE RESULTS: PRO READERS’ GO-TO BRANDS

Editor’s Note: For the purpose of this survey, product lines and brands such as Glidden, FrogTape, Sikkens, etc. are included under their manufacturer’s name, with a few exceptions. The ‘Other’ category includes all brands receiving a response of less than 5%.

Preferred Interior Paint

Sherwin-Williams – 43%

Benjamin Moore – 21%

Behr – 16%

PPG Paints – 10%

Other – 10%

Preferred Exterior Paint

Sherwin-Williams – 46%

Behr – 17%

Benjamin Moore – 15%

PPG Paints – 8%

Other – 14%

Preferred Primer

Sherwin-Williams – 24%

Zinsser – 24%

KILZ – 22%

Benjamin Moore – 10%

PPG Paints – 8%

Other – 12%

Preferred Stain

Minwax – 21%

Sherwin-Williams – 19%

Cabot – 10%

Behr – 8%

Benjamin Moore – 8%

PPG Paints – 8%

Other – 26%

Preferred Tape

3M – 65%

ShurTech – 26%

Other – 9%

Preferred Brush

Purdy – 66%

Wooster – 18%

Corona – 6%

Other – 10%

Preferred Roller

Purdy – 60%

Wooster – 18%

Other – 22%

Preferred Sanding Equipment

Festool – 27%

DEWALT – 13%

Makita – 13%

PORTER-CABLE – 11%

Other – 36%

Preferred Paint Sprayer

Graco – 63%

Titan – 23%

Other – 14%

Preferred Pressure Washer

Mi-T-M – 18%

Honda – 17%

DEWALT – 10%

Graco – 6%

Simpson – 6%

Other – 43%

Preferred Work Vehicle

Ford – 33%

GMC – 26%

Dodge – 13%

Other – 28%

TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED IN OUR SURVEY

inPAINT understands your time is valuable and thanks all participants for your insights. The following survey participants were randomly selected from all respondents to each receive a $50 Visa gift card:

Paul Carey: Carey Painting, LLC, Newburgh, IN

Joel Hamberg: Joel Hamberg Painting, Inc, Portland, OR

Scott Macbeth: Precision Painting dba, Rehoboth, MA

Randall Reese: LVX Painting, LLC, Newport, KY

Eric Stalter: Rock Solid Painting, Modadore, OH

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KNOWLEDGE:

THE ULTIMATE POWER TOOL

Subscribers to inPAINT have access to information and insights, including peer recommended products and services, that can help shape the future of their business. In fact, 70% of this year’s survey respondents indicated they made a purchasing decision based on an article or ad they saw in inPAINT magazine.