---
title: Latest News For Residential Builders | The Association of Professional Builders | Russ Stephens
description: All the latest news covering sales, marketing, operations, financials and self-improvement within the residential construction industry.
---
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# Articles by Russ Stephens
- [All Articles](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/)
- [Operations](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/operations)
- [Marketing](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/marketing)
- [Sales](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/sales)
- [Financials](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/financials)
- [Self Improvement](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/self-improvement)
- [APB Digest](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/apb-digest)
[Marketing](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/marketing) 8 min read
## [How Much Should You Spend On Advertising Your Building Company?](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/how-much-should-you-spend-on-advertising-your-building-company)
A residential building company should spend a minimum of 1 to 3 percent of revenue on marketing and advertising, with the highest-performing companies ...
[Read More](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/how-much-should-you-spend-on-advertising-your-building-company)
[Operations](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/operations) 2 min read
## [When Systems Work But Your Team Doesn't Follow Them](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/when-systems-work-but-your-team-doesnt-follow-them)
At our Annual Retreat in Mexico, one of our top builders pulled me aside at the bar. A few tequilas in, he started venting about something that a lot of ...
[Read More](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/when-systems-work-but-your-team-doesnt-follow-them)
[Financials](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/financials) 2 min read
## [Why Builders Struggle to Hit and Hold Their Margins](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/why-builders-struggle-to-hit-and-hold-their-margins)
If you're running a residential building company and your net profit isn't where it needs to be, the cause almost always traces back to one of two ...
[Read More](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/why-builders-struggle-to-hit-and-hold-their-margins)
[Operations](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/operations) 2 min read
## [How Policy Works in a Professional Building Company](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/building-company-policy)
Here’s something I see constantly in residential building companies. The owner sets a rule. A policy. Something clear and documented. And then somewhere ...
[Read More](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/building-company-policy)
[Financials](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/financials) 2 min read
## [The Hidden Cost of a Festive Shutdown For Building Companies](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/the-hidden-cost-of-a-festive-shutdown-for-building-companies)
I received an email from a builder announcing they were shutting down for an entire month over the Christmas holidays.
[Read More](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/the-hidden-cost-of-a-festive-shutdown-for-building-companies)
[Self Improvement](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/self-improvement) [Operations](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/operations) 3 min read
## [How to Stop Abdicating and Start Leading in Your Building Company](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/how-to-stop-abdicating)
When you’re running a building company, it can feel like you’re doing everything at once. There’s barely time to onboard new staff, let alone manage your ...
[Read More](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/how-to-stop-abdicating)
[Self Improvement](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/self-improvement) 3 min read
## [How to Stop Working 60 Hours a Week and Build a Business That Runs Without You](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/buy-back-your-time)
Most builders didn’t get into business to work longer hours for less freedom. And yet, that’s exactly where many end up… buried under 60-hour weeks, ...
[Read More](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/buy-back-your-time)
[Sales](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/sales) 3 min read
## [How to Create Urgency and Close More High-Margin Contracts](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/how-to-close-high-margin-building-contracts)
If you’re finding it harder than ever to move prospects from interest to action, you’re not alone. Many builders are generating leads, but turning those ...
[Read More](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/how-to-close-high-margin-building-contracts)
[Self Improvement](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/tag/self-improvement) 2 min read
## [How to Stop the “Got a Minute?” Trap](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/how-to-stop-the-got-a-minute-trap)
Every business owner knows the feeling. You sit down to tackle something important, and right on cue someone taps you on the shoulder: “Got a minute?”
[Read More](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/how-to-stop-the-got-a-minute-trap)
[1](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/author/russ-stephens/page/1) [2](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/author/russ-stephens/page/2) [3](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/author/russ-stephens/page/3) [4](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/author/russ-stephens/page/4) [5](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/author/russ-stephens/page/5)
[...](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/author/russ-stephens/page/6) [19](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/author/russ-stephens/page/19) [›](https://blog.associationofprofessionalbuilders.com/author/russ-stephens/page/2)
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