The strength of relationships

Key employees at Golden Rule Construction Co. in Sioux Falls, SD have graduated from the Dale Carnegie program. I also like the company name.

My previous long, autobiographical, posting has relevance to the major challenge -- and opportunity -- in construction industry marketing. The specific tools, techniques, methodologies and approaches you use will ultimately succeed or fail largely because of your ability to sustain and develop healthy business and personal relationships among your potential and current clients, professional services, suppliers, colleagues and potential employees. In fact, virtually everyone.


These observations may be common sense, but if you think about the implications of putting them into practice, you may be surprised to find that the money you are spending on marketing and promotion might better be used on developing your relationship skills.


Years ago, my parents hoping to turn their social basket-case son into a functional person, signed me up for the Dale Carnegie Course. In retrospect, this was perhaps their greatest gift to me (though at 17 years old, the youngest person ever enrolled in the program in Vancouver at the time, I didn't quite appreciate it). If you are really afraid of public speaking, consider as well Toastmasters.