The book

The proof copy arrived today of my first book, Construction Marketing Ideas: Practical strategies and resources to attract and retain profitable clients for your architectural, engineering and construction business.Seeing the book in print for the first time, I also see some things that need to be corrected. Fortunately, this is not a big problem with Print on Demand technology. I'll read through the book with a marker this weekend, sending the revisions to my designer. I'm confident the changes are straightforward enough we can give the go-ahead for release and full distribution without another proof copy. This means the book I expect will...

Read More

Sending you down the road (construction marketing) . . .

. . . to the real Construction Marketing Ideas blog at http://www.constructionmarketingideas.c...

Read More

SEO: How important is it for construction marketing?

Getting your website to the top space on key search engines for relevant keywords is the modern-day more-than-equivalent of achieving top billing both in size and impressions on the Yellow Pages. It is "more than equivalent" because the dynamic power of high rankings coupled with immediate action -- visiting your website -- can make all the difference in lead discovery and conversion for your business.How do you achieve this ranking?The best answer is to create a site rich with useful content, worthwhile whether or not people actually buy anything from you. The content, of course, should relate to topics relevant to your product or service.The...

Read More

Playing with extremes?

Can you succeed at construction marketing by going beyond the edge (and not risk your business doing it?) I'll share an example in tomorrow's Construction Marketing Ideas blog at the actively-maintained site, http://www.constructionmarketingideas.c...

Read More

The travel story

You can read the story in the actively-maintained Construction Marketing Ideas bl...

Read More

To the printers

Last evening, I uploaded the Construction Marketing Ideas book contents and sent instructions to the printers for the proof copy. Hopefully all will go well. In the final check before sending the image files to the printer, I found our designer had failed to include the book index! He fixed that quickly.As a bonus, indexer Julia Petrakis completed an exceptionally thorough final copy editing, I think improving the book's quality.Of course you will find substantial Construction Marketing Ideas at the actively maintained blog site, http://www.constructionmarketingideas.c...

Read More

The Construction Marketing Ideas book

Within a few days, we will order the printing of the new Construction Marketing Ideas book.Meanwhile, the blog continues to be updated daily, but the real content is at constructionmarketingideas....

Read More

Nothing here (but construction marketing ideas)

Actually, most of the ideas are now at the new blog site, at constructionmarketingideas.com. But there are useful archives here so I will continue this site and occasionally provide some useful ideas he...

Read More

Long days

I had an interesting and challenging discussion with a potential representative for the Design and Construction Report today, exploring the business philosophy and methodology. The question: Am I perceiving the enterprise from a perception based on my blinders and not the bigger opportunities out there.She has a point. Of course, however, if you are exploring other ideas it is wise to keep things firmly grounded in practical circumstances: Change is hard for anyone.More on this and other topics in tomorrow morning's Construction Marketing Ideas blog posti...

Read More

Lots of work

This week.... but you will always find new material at the real Construction Marketing Ideas bl...

Read More

Lessons learned (again)

I'm happy that behind the scenes, yesterday's blog postings helped make some changes possible, creating business and growth opportunities for everyone involved.The public media can be a sledge hammer in attempting to resolve private issues and certainly I am aware of its power. Accordingly I observe one essential rule in these pages (and in the real, current Construction Marketing Ideas blog where all the real stuff happens). I never write identifiably negative information about anyone in these postings unless they specifically give me permission or (in rare situations) the negative behavior/actions is already out in the public space.Still,...

Read More

Sales talk and real communication

Today, I received an email from a business person seeking to develop a relationship with us. The text read like canned content and had the aura of hype. Unfortunately, for the person sending this email to me, I had some information which would not help his cause.Conversely, yesterday, Daniel Smith reported to me that a project that appeared to be unfeasible because of lack of interest from potential advertisers/clients had suddenly sprung to life. Daniel had managed to draft a "final opportunity" letter totally devoid of hype or "sales talk". It read softly while giving readers enough information to decide, if they wish, to spend several...

Read More

Construction Marketing videos

...

Read More

The great dream

Can we find the magic to construction marketing success? The more I study the field, the more I learn the answer is "yes" but the route is not always as straightforward as you think.I cover some of these aspects in the upcoming Construction Marketing Ideas newsletter, which is distributed every second week. You can request your free subscription with the communications box at the top of this page.In the meantime, for some observations on how to overcome "voicemail jail" while selling, you can visit the latest Construction Marketing Ideas bl...

Read More

Ottawa Renovates Magazine (Spring, 2010)

The Joomla problems for the Ottawa Renovates website are beyond my capacity, so I've put out the word for contractors to help solve the problem. Hopefully we'll get it fixed before the thousands of copies are distributed with the Ottawa Citizen.I'll continue work on other aspects of the Construction Marketing Ideas story tomorrow at the real blog site, http://www.constructionmarketingideas.c...

Read More

Putting Ottawa Renovates Online

Lots of "fun" tonight figuring out Joomla and stuff to update the Ottawa Renovates! site with the latest issue. For some reason, material seems to have disappeared from the templates and I'm struggling with the problems.In the meantime, you can visit the regular blog at http://www.constructionmarketingideas.com.I hope to have the other problem solved tomorr...

Read More

A referral sale?

Today, I took things closer to the edge than usual with a 12-hour "referral sale". The results proved to be intriguing and I will report on them in tomorrow's real Construction Marketing Ideas bl...

Read More

Finding construction marketing answers

You'll find some useful answers at the real Construction Marketing Ideas blog si...

Read More

Patience

I need it, as I will continue posting here daily until the real Construction Marketing Ideas blog is number two in search engine rankin...

Read More

Insights

Just returned from the CSC Toronto Trade Show. The most interesting development: Observations that the LEED program and environmental certifications may have some challenges and might not be doing what they are supposed to achieve. Lots of work to investigate that story ahead.In the end, our business is discovering useful ideas and challenging assumptions. Out of that, hopefully, we will find some marketing genius. These matters of course are covered in the real Construction Marketing Ideas blog at another si...

Read More

CSC Toronto show

Tomorrow morning, I'll be flying to Toronto for a day at the CSC No Frills Show. the event is an opportunity to reconnect with key people within the AEC community, in Toronto.If you would like to meet me there, please email buckshon@cnrgp.com (I'll have my Blackberry with me).You can also of course visit the real Construction Marketing Ideas blog at http://www.constructionmarketingideas.c...

Read More

Not much to say . . .

Tonight, but will have some useful content tomorrow at the real Construction Marketing Ideas bl...

Read More

A year's difference

This time last year, I faced difficult and frustrating challenges. The recession hit like a ton of bricks just as i had loosened discipline, financial management and controls, thinking (a few months earlier) that all was well.Wrenching, painful days continued as we made cuts while "extravagances" incurred in the good times continued. It is a hard feeling to enjoy little pleasures knowing that you are losing so much money that your business in jeopardy.Today, we are much leaner and I have to work harder, but the business again is profitable. I need to hold on to the reins for a while to clear down the debt, but it is a relief to have weathered the storm.Tomorrow, at http://www.constructionmarketingideas.com I'll write some useful material related to the topic -- Construction Marketing I...

Read More

Readers' Choice Awards

You can vote now here.For substantial Construction Marketing Ideas, visit http://www.constructionmarketingideas.c...

Read More

What really defines the "best construction blog"?

This evening, I received an email questioning the validity of the Best Construction Blog competition. The writer told me, essentially, that the blogs which won aren't really that good and by setting them as an example, others might think these reflect the best achievements possible.Of course, the Best Construction Blog competition more accurately reflects the blogger's ability to network and encourage supporting votes; in essence, to prove success at marketing/sales. Since the competition is set within the framework of the Construction Marketing Ideas blog, these results (from this perspective) then have some validity.However, the email writer...

Read More

Really tired

Just prepared the Construction Marketing Ideas newsletter for distribution tomorrow morning, after a truly busy day where I combined work, family, and business management -- and confirmed the results of the Best Construction Blog competition.You can read my analysis either within the newsletter (which you can still request at this site), or at the new Construction Marketing Ideas blog, where I do my serious thinking and writi...

Read More

Best construction blog competition results

Here are the results from the best construction blog competition which concluded at 5 pm today.I'll provide some insights into these results at the new Construction Marketing Ideas blog tomorrow morni...

Read More