The Air Conditioning Contractors of America will hold a sales manager event in March in St. Louis.

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America will hold its first National HVACR Residential Sales Manager Forum March 26-27 in St. Louis.

The association calls the event a first, offering contractor-designed training for residential HVAC salespeople.

"Sales is the lifeblood of any contracting business," said Ray Isaac, the ACCA's national chairman and president of Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning in Rochester, N.Y. "But with the economy causing jitters in communities all over the country, now more than ever HVACR contractors will depend on successfully closing sales with qualified leads for residential add-on and replacement. This new event will make it easier for contractors to get those sales by firing up their team members with first-rate training designed especially for residential sales professionals."

Scheduled speakers include consultant Jim Ackerman, who will show attendees "How to Get Customers to Pay You More Money, More Often." Sales expert Larry Johnson will explain "Winning the Word-of-Mouth Game" and help attendees turn their own customers into salespeople.

Early registration discounts are available until Jan. 20. For details, call Vickie Ellis at (703) 824-8856 or visitwww.acca.org.