Your successful construction marketing foundations

Here are three foundations for successful construction marketing

You need to be really good at what you do, and really enjoy it.  In other words, work needs to be fun (most of the time) and so good that your clients know they really are achieving the results they are seeking.

(Come on, you might say, I'm just a big cog in some machine -- in any case, I need to work to make money.  Yes, and the point is that if that is where you are at, you might do okay, but you are unlikely to achieve really good results.)

You need the basics:  A decent website, the ability to seek and encourage testimonials and referrals, and a simple but clear plan with some guidelines on where and how you will spend your marketing dollars.

Nothing fancy here -- and note, you don't need a huge budget.  In fact, in many cases, you can achieve really good results for a cash budget of $500 or less.  However, you need to have some control -- especially to know how to answer the calls offering you "marketing solutions" for a fee.

You need focus, specialization, and commitment

You can't be everything to everyone.  Successful marketing depends largely on leadership and perception -- and if you are one of many (competing against already-entrenched players) you will simply be one of many.  You need to be different -- so you need to figure out some aspect of your product or service or some market segment that you know others aren't doing.

Then go for it.  You'll succeed.  And you won't waste your money on marketing bs.

Another day of rebuilding

An intense day of work today -- I'm still the acting editor for our Canadian publications, and have to write most of the advertising features and stories myself. This isn't too hard in itself, but then I need to keep up with the blog, the Construction Marketing Ideas newsletter (distribution will be tomorrow) and, yes, the general business management.

I can sustain this pressure, in part, because I generally enjoy my work and this is the primary theme in today's real Construction Marketing Ideas blog. (These postings here will continue daily until the new blog is #2 on Google -- may be some time -- but the real heart and soul of the blog is at Constructionmarketingideas.com.

Passions, time, and sidelines

A video from HMC Architects in California, which has discovered a way to measure -- and manage -- passion in its marketing initiatives.

A few days ago, I reported in this blog how a California architect discovered a way to predict the success of its project proposals by measuring passion. I can now name the architect here. With some precision, HMC Architects calculates the actual time that the Principal in Charge of any proposal spends on it -- the greater the time spent, the more likely it is to succeed.

Here is the relevant passage from the upcoming SMPS Marketer article. (You can read the first article in the series here.)

When a project passes through a rigourous “Go, no go” evaluation and it is time to prepare the formal proposal, everything including management and marketing time is tracked through project coding.

“We're finding that when the Principal in Charge spends more personal time on the proposal, it has a much greater chance of success,” says Doreen Lamothe, HMC's Marketing Administrative Manager. “If the principals care, if they have passion, they'll spend the time to ensure the proposal is right.”

Conversely, a principal who doesn't care or is just trying to crank out the work, might tell the marketing department: “Use boilerplate material, as I don't have the time to write the project approach,” says Lamothe, who works closely with Tracy Black, HMC's Vice President of Corporate Marketing.

These projects have a much lower chance of success: Unless the Principal is actively involved in the process and cares about it enough to invest time and energy for it to succeed, the proposal will likely fail.

The HMC story is a wonderful example of how to measure seemingly intangible things like Passion effectively, but it also raises an important secondary question. If we measure our own time, how productive would we discover we are?

These issues come to fore as I set up evaluation systems for new sales candidates who are earning income guarantees during their evaluation process. We've never been big on detailed reporting and micro-management, but I realized that if we are paying daily (or hourly) guarantees, it is reasonable to know what we are getting for the money.

One challenge, of course, in intellectual activities is that contemplation time is often quite productive. So, for sales representatives, can be time spent on the golf course or in at a hockey game (if you are with key current or potential clients, or people who can refer business your way).

In fact, it can be a kiss of death for your success when you start "pounding the pavement" or the phone, or the email, in a desperate attempt to round up leads and business. Potential clients run for the hills when this happens.

Nevertheless, the HMC story may provide clues about what to do, and what not. Assuming you have a healthy business development model, you will obtain leads through a variety of sources. When it is time to pitch the work, your most senior leaders need to be fully engaged in the process because they really care about it, not because their clock is being watched. But you can still measure how much time they spend at it.

I'm also aware that I have in the past -- and continue to spend now -- far too much time on unproductive activities because my passion takes me to wasteful places. A few years ago, the time wasting involved gaming Air Canada's Aeroplan program (resulting in some really strange and short time/long distance trips -- like flying to Guatemala, Hong Kong and Singapore, each for a day!) I also spent countless hours researching an online Internet scam, tracking down leads in South Africa, Australia and Vanuatu.

Both of these activities I rationalized as having business value, and to some extent, they did. But they weren't necessarily the things I should have considered as business priorities.

Now I wonder if I had a detailed time charge system, like HMC, and counted the hours spent on these initiatives against their real cost/revenue, would I be shocked by how little I gained for how much work? Yes, I had passion for this stuff, but passion doesn't always pay.

Then of course, there is this blog. It requires about 30 to 50 minutes a day, every day, or, roughly 2.5 hours a week, or 125 hours a year. If I charged back that time at the hourly rate I should be paid, would it make sense to continue?

For most readers, indeed, these numbers would be discouraging, which is why few people blog daily, or if they try it, they quickly give up. Paradoxically, I don't think your time saving would be that great if you decided to blog weekly or twice weekly; if you spend more time preparing each entry and worrying about the details.

But, for me, the blog matches my passions (writing), real skills, and some absolutely valuable immediate and long-term marketing objectives. It has earned this company the top Google spots on key words like Construction Marketing which are translating to meaningful leads and business opportunities. In other words, it is worth continuing because even if I charge out the time at a high hourly billing rate, the return on effort now is rational from a business perspective. And I enjoy the work.

HMC appears to have the ideal business model. Proposal submissions after all are only approved for follow-through if they pass a rigorous "go, no go" test. Passions which don't have business validity will be removed from the story. Then, once the go-ahead decision is made, the Principal in Charge's passion can be funnelled to something that serves the overall best interests of the practice. And the PiC knows that it is worth persuing the passion, because indeed the company as a whole has decided it is worthwhile.

Now, I wish I could bottle this level of management discipline into my much smaller business. I might not have the opportunity to chase my passions in Vanuatu, but sure would achieve much better results in growing the company if I could through the day focus them on activities which really help the business to grow and thrive.

Measuring passion

You can download the first in the part of the SMPS Marketer article on Metrics at the Wordpress version of this blog at http://www.constructionmarketingideas.com.

I'm working on the second of a series of articles for the SMPS Marketer about the effective use of metrics in architectural, engineering and construction industry marketing. Yesterday, my ears perked up when the marketing representative for a highly successful West Coast architect said her practice had discovered a way to measure "passion". (I don't have permission yet to share who the architect is, but hopefully will soon.)

She said every project and pursuit is coded into the architect's accounting and project management systems. Once the "go" decision is made, the time and cost of pursuing the project is calculated.

She said the practice has discovered that the more time the Principal in Charge spends on the project at the pursuit stage, the greater its chance of success. In other words, if the PiC simply hands the file over to the marketing department and tells junior staff to use boilerplate material to get the proposal ready, it will likely fail. If the PiC engages and spends significant time, it will succeed.

This metric makes a lot of sense even if it doesn't come to mind immediately. After all, why would a Principal spend a lot of time on the pursuit of a project unless it really mattered and the principal really wanted it to succeed? The conclusion, also, is that Principals who spend more time on individual pursuits are likely to be much more aware of the importance of success of the project, and unable to blame its failure on external forces. This is the classic quality vs quantity story.

The practice only recently implemented strong metrics systems, but is noticing changes. Note that this type of measurement requires a robust interface between marketing and accounting/time management systems, and clear rules requiring participation -- Principals cannot sluff off their responsibilities by saying "this isn't my way of doing things."

Nevertheless, I think businesses of all sizes can learn from this example. If you are the person in charge of the project, takes time to get involved and uses delegation as a support but not as a replacement for real energy and commitment, you have discovered your passion for success.

The Job You Hate (not)

One of this blog's readers tweeted a reference to Teena Rose's blog posting: Six Strategies for Surviving in a job you HATE".

Rose's suggestions are quite reasonable, but it saddens me when I find anyone in a job they hate. Those of us with the good fortune to be working within our strengths (where we can combine our passions and competences) experience the truly liberating freedom to look forward to, not dread, our work.

Sure, you say, but who is paying the bills?

I would argue that the dumbest thing you can do is accept the status quo if you are unhappy at your work, especially if you are doing it for (survival) money alone. This doesn't necessarily mean "quit the job and shove it" -- you should have a plan and place to go -- but you need to put as much mental energy into making your work right, as you do in complaining about it not being what you want.

Why is job satisfaction so important for Construction Marketing? I dedicate a chapter to the concept in my upcoming book, but my main point is that if you aren't really happy where you are, you are unlikely to be successful at marketing in the long term. And if your business is full of unhappy people who "hate" their jobs, your marketing will be truly ineffective because your clients, most likely, will hate being near the people who hate their work.

(That is why I don't fight employees who, while technically qualified, simply don't enjoy their work in our organization. I wish them well as they move on -- after reviewing our own operations to see if we are creating situations where they wouldn't be happy to be around here.)

Note that most of us do not have 100 per cent perfection in our work; there are days and times when nothing goes right -- but if your underlying work matches your passions and strengths you can live through the low points and ultimately thrive. If you speak with anyone who achieves meaningful and lasting success in their careers, business and lives, you will almost inevitably find they have found their workplace of strength and passion.

In other words, if you must work at a job you hate, stay there only long enough to solve the problem or find something better.

What works?

With more information overload in the last few days than I've experienced in many months, I've been trying to see through the increasing volume of questions and email inquiries to help you with some simple and easy-to-implement marketing insights.

For example, tomorrow, once I upload the images and verify my notes, I'll share some observations from the Greater Ottawa Home Builders' Association about the (to me) surprising and vital importance of signs in directing people to new home sites. Does the same principal apply for sub contractors; does it matter for commercial and non-residential construction?

Yesterday, a consultant whose earlier marketing materials promoted more effective Yellow Pages communications connected with me; does he think that the decline of the Yellow Pages is over-rated, or is it a real and fundamental trend?

What do we make of blogging, the social networking sites, and the like? On Wednesday, Rainmaking guru Ford Harding said his opinions about the value of these resources in marketing have changed since we first conversed on the topic about 18 months ago -- he now thinks they are important in the marketing process, but you really have to work at them. (Ironically, my conversation with Ford for became a key part of my first article in the SMPS Marketer, which led to many interesting relationships and opportunities.)

Then, I received copies of marketing material and questions about their effectiveness from a fellow blogger who is launching a new construction business. He asked my thoughts, and I responded that he is perhaps trying to do everything for everyone and it won't work, from a marketing perspective. Then I put my reality hat on and suggested he will find whatever business he can mostly from his existing relationships and previous clients.

At 10 a.m. today I'm having coffee with an Ottawa-based online service provider who wishes to expand his coverage/service to other markets. He wants to pick my brain.

When (if) things calm down, I will begin turning these issues into separate blog themes and delve into them more closely.

But I'll start with a few observations which you can use right away.

• Often simple and dumb is best. Good job site signs are inexpensive and can be highly effective in residential work. We should explore which signs work best, and why.

• The New Media is here and if you aren't connecting with it, you are missing perhaps the biggest marketing/business/networking revolution in recent history. (Thankfully, I got a bit of a head start in the blogging space).

• If you can do what you can to help and serve others, without worrying about immediate reward, you ultimately reap the rewards that occur from these relationships. (That is why I answer the blog inquiries as best as I can even though they don't generally connect to immediate business -- I see the payback in places I'd never expect otherwise).

Finally, one of my most important pieces of advice -- and the theme of yesterday's marketing book upload on Twitter:

• You need to work with your strengths to succeed; that is, you need to connect the combination of natural talent, passion and enjoyment of what you do. If you are forcing yourself into places you don't want to be just to make money to survive, or trying to succeed at things you aren't really good at doing (even if you enjoy the work) you will ultimately not get very far in life.

You have to have fun -- and be great at what you are doing -- to succeed.

Passion and marketing

Participants share a moment at the Greater Ottawa Home Builders' Association Golf Tournament earlier this year. If you enjoy golfing, and have products or services to market, association events like this can be invaluable for building your business (and you'll have fun while you play.)

Some of the saddest people I've seen are older (or for that matter younger) people who are working because they "have to"; for the money, for survival. Sometimes this situation is through no fault of their own, or is a trade-off for something better for the future. I have great respect for immigrants, for example, who take on menial jobs to create a future for their families.

But many times, people lose touch with what is really important in life. If you can't enjoy your work, then you doom yourself to a trapped life. The paradox is you may be "good" at your work and the pay may be excellent. But are you really living a good life?

"What does this thinking have to do with Construction Marketing?", you may be wondering. The answer is that if you can connect your own passions with those of your current and potential clients, you'll have the perfect marketing space -- and you'll be successful in ways that transcend your paycheck (though you will probably do well financially.)

These thoughts come to mind as I prepare to write a feature about the Ontario Masonry Contractors' Association. I've had the privilege of speaking with several of the association's leaders and supporters in preparing the article, and one thing came through to me loud and clear: They really care about their stuff.

They aren't just in the brick and masonry business to make some money (though undoubtedly they are successful at it). They really care about and consider their work to be truly important.

Now, you wouldn't want me anywhere near a construction site actually doing the work of a mason, (or for that matter, handling the responsibilities of an architect or engineer.) My passion has always been journalism and business, and writing.

I happened to connect with the construction industry about 20 years ago, almost by accident. Over the years, I've had the good fortune to meld my interest in journalism and publishing with the construction industry, and begun to understand it at a greater depth than most writers. This means, even if I can't actually operate the equipment or perform the actual skills of the construction industry, I can still sense its heart and the passion of industry practitioners and tradespeople.

If you want to be successful at marketing, your challenge is to connect your passion for your trade or profession, with the passions and interests of your potential clients. (You can see for a start that if you don't really like what you are doing, I would advocate you find some way to get to do what you really enjoy).

How do you achieve this connection? One place you can make the links are relevant client-focused associations. Usually they have special interest groups and committees. In other words, if you love golf, you offer to help co-ordinate the golf tournament. You'll be connecting and playing with potential clients who enjoy golf, like you, and (best of all), your respective business passions and interests will "connect" in an environment of common interest. Yes, you'll have fun -- and discover business at the same time.

I've applied these principals by using my writing and journalism skills with the relevant association for construction industry marketing, The Society for Marketing Professional Services. By writing for the association's magazine, I've made many truly useful connections and developed some great business opportunities. But I haven't struggled to do the work. I truly enjoy it.

Take a close look at your circumstances. If you love what you are doing for a living, you are on the right track. If you can connect with others by finding common ground with what they truly enjoy doing, you'll achieve true marketing success -- and have lots of fun in the process.

Why does construction marketing (seem) to need to be difficult?

In several postings, I've observed the frustrating reality about construction industry marketing.

If you feel you have to market to find new business, you find it hard to do (and often frustratingly expensive).

Conversely, when you seem not to need to market, simply because your order book is full from repeat, referral and inbound inquiries, you are on the top of the world.

The problem is in part that no form of marketing success is easier to achieve than the natural success of your reputation bringing in inbound and repeat business. In fact, it gets even better if you are in this position, and so overwhelmed with business that you need to turn clients away or demand a long wait time to serve them. Because of your "scarcity" you are even more alluring -- and potential clients want to do business with you even more. (Marketers often fake scarcity to create this effect, but it really works, all the time, when the scarcity is real!)

This is fine enough in good times, but in a recession, when business drops off, you have two choices. You can shrink your business down to nothing, or you can start learning how to market.

The former choice isn't entirely irrational, especially if you have some control over your overhead and costs. If you can lay off most of your employees, and focus on maintenance and service for existing clients, you might just make it through. I know of some contractors who took long, enjoyable vacations in warm and sunny places during the last recession. Of course, this solution simply won't work if you can't curtail your overhead or you are burdened by debt obligations.

So, then, if you decide suddenly you need to "market" you are in trouble, because you now have to complete a rapid learning curve and you run into the problem that paid marketing and advertising is an incremental rather than magic, instant, solution.

This is why successful larger contractors, especially contractors serving consumers, never stop advertising, even in good times. They have enough experience and metrics to manage their advertising costs, media, and budgets, and can shift gears during hard times, perhaps altering their media mix or increasing their marketing budget even though they know it will produce less satisfactory results.

In previous posts, I've advocated that you get to know your current clients really well, to understand which media they read and what interests them, and then build out your marketing strategies from this information (while of course enhancing your referral and repeat business processes).

Long term, I believe the best way to market your business is to combine your passions and interests with those of your clients and potential clients, and build relationships through the process. For example, I am always most successful at marketing when I practice journalism, like writing this blog, but you may be better by sponsoring association golf tournaments -- if you enjoy playing the game, and your potential clients are there, as well.

The important caveat with this passion-centered approach is to remember that you must not focus on your passions at the expense of direct relationships with current and potential clients.

If you really enjoy doing stuff that has no relevance to your business, go ahead. You may be able to cross fertilize some ideas you can apply in your own enterprise. But don't get lost in the side-track. I've done that in the past, at great cost!

Dream Big (thanks to Tim Klabunde)

Tim Klabunde's most recent CofeBuz blog posting is brief, and I don't think he will mind my stretch of copyright rules to republish it in full.

I like being comfortable. It is so easy to enjoy the normal flow of life, the moment by moment interactions of daily living. Yet every once in a while my life is shaken from the inside out by a force that boils up from within me, a force that demands that I do something incredible, achieving something that is greater than myself.

It is in these moments that I truly understand what I am capable of, the realization that I am able to do so much more. I struggle to find dreams that are big enough; I look in vain for obstacles that can’t be conquered.

I find it strange that throughout my life I have worked to suppress this force through logic and rhetoric. ”I can’t do that because…” and “if that were possible someone else would be doing it.” Yet today, I can see that success isn’t found in a single accomplishment, it is one’s approach to life that makes greatness. It is something that I can do and live today. A choice to rejoice in the past, plan and dream for the future, and live life to the fullest in the present.

Your turn

Monday morning has its own way of reminding us that life happens not in individual moments of greatness, but during everyday actions. It is the culmination of your actions today and tomorrow that will turn into your greatest successes. So today what are you going to pursue that is greater than yourself?

I certainly share and believe in these thoughts. Through our lives, opportunities arise to change course, to take risks, to adventure beyond our safety zone, but we need to be ready spiritually, financially and physically. Then, at crucial points -- we generally know in our heart when they are -- we can take the risk and seemingly dive off the deep end, though we often know the risks we are taking are more in the perceived fears of others than in the practical dangers we are about to experience.

(So, at 25, I went off to observe a war in Africa, for a while riding a motorcycle around Bulawayo as Rhodesia turned to Zimbabwe. Sounds daring, and the experience certainly opened doors for my life, but I used common sense and local knowledge to stay out of trouble. And, at 34, I flew to Washington, D.C. with non-preference U.S. immigration visa applications for about 300 people, but I knew I was complying with all the rules and laws, and having some fun while helping others to achieve their dreams. Yes, the scheme delivered the goods and helped me to find my current passion and connection with the Washington-area community.)

If you are in business for yourself, or if you have discovered your passion is marketing and business development and you are reading this blog in part to grow in your own abilities, you may have found part or all of the answers related in Tim's posting.

But there are other aspects you can only find in your own heart and soul. When you let go of your fears, when you accept responsibility for your mistakes, and when you take risks and reach beyond the ordinary by combining your strengths and your solid moral codes, you'll achieve greatness, too.

Go for it.

Getting it

Ford Harding's posting, "Getting it" in Matt Handel's Help Everyone Everyday, is a worthy read for anyone struggling with rainmaking and selling professional AEC services.

Your abilities to persist, to ask, to connect, and to share/give are the keys to success in business development. And if you want to delegate these responsibilities to others, you certainly have to fist understand and feel the pain and joy yourself.

Fortunately, despite the sales and marketing systems out there, I don't think there is a one-size fits all approach to success because much depends on your own values, interests, and focus. If you are a great writer and are socially awkward, your model will be different than if you love sports and can build a Facebook network of 41 real friends (and growing) in less than a week.

Here is the original photo for this post. See Ford Harding's second comment below.

How to grow by shrinking

Last week, as Bob Kruhm and I attended meetings and conducted interviews in the Washington, D.C. suburbs to re-establish Washington Construction News, I felt both a sense of deja-vu and routine. "I've been here before, many times," I thought, as we drove around Northern Virginia and southern Maryland, including the routinely clogged Beltway.

Three years ago, even as the rest of the construction economy enjoyed the tail end of a boom that seemed to have no end, I doubted we would ever return -- seeing the business crumble, first in the financial numbers, then in the personal relationships and attitudes of staff, then, simply in its scale and operations, as I shut down one market after another. Our U.S. expansion in tatters, we held on by the slimmest of threads in the final U.S. market we entered, in North Carolina, thanks to Bob Kruhm's willingness to continue through thick and thin.

I, too, retained a fatalistically optimistic attitude. Our business finances were gloomy, but I also knew the crucial "point of no return" number -- the level at which unsustainable business debt could crush and destroy my remaining personal resources and assets. So, even though I deferred painful decisions as long as possible, as we bumped up at that horrendous debt level, I cut again and again, seeing both revenues and break-even points decline to levels I hadn't known since the earliest days of the business, when there was almost nothing but the inspiration and drive to be a great publisher.

Eventually, we got to the point where we had one part time sales rep, one part time administrator, and some talented pay-per-service independent contractors. I worked for a salary that could be replicated at a fast food restaurant -- writing the publications, answering the phone, and of course leading the selling effort. Then the part-time administrator obtained a better job, and our only remaining salesperson offered to resign. I accepted the resignation. Now we were down to one employee, working six hours a week, to call and collect old accounts receivable.

However, even as the business appeared to be collapsing, in fact, I had solved the problem, combining business practice and structure insights from consultant Bill Caswell, and (after years of distance), getting closer to our clients and marketplace than ever before. I knew we would survive, and in fact be well positioned to grow even as the recession started burning into the marketplace.

Now that we have emerged from a self-induced recessionary wilderness, you may be wondering how you can enjoy the same survival and resurgence. Here are some lessons learned, which hopefully will help you through the seemingly dark days ahead.

• Successful business people always know their point of no return; the level of indebtedness and stress where, if you continue, you know that you would jeopardize personal assets and your life outside your own business. You must be prepared to do whatever you can to avoid crossing that line -- if you act quickly enough (and some sudden external event doesn't destroy things) you can often resolve things without seeking creditor protection or bankruptcy, but if you see yourself and your business heading in these directions, you need to seek competent legal and accounting advice right away -- as you cannot implement the necessary restructuring measures at the last minute without serious negative consequences.

• Remember the qualities, skills and passions that allowed you to start your own business, and rekindle these by doing work you are great at and enjoy -- you may need to get back to your trade and forget the advice that you should work on, not in, your business (at least in doing the daily work). As you get down to earth, you will also become much closer to your clients. Listen to them, see what they require, and adapt your business and products to their requirements.

• However, even as you are shrinking, develop larger-business discipline and processes; set business practices and systems with the structure and co-ordination of the biggest corporations, but without the bureaucracy. We maintained regular weekly meetings and twice-yearly planning/review sessions even as the business declined; and these processes helped us to catch the bottom and return to vibrancy. (The picture above right is from our October planning meeting -- an expense I would have found hard to justify before, but now know to be essential for the business.)
  

You of course cannot change your external environment; if no one is buying what you've been selling, and the fundamental market has changed for good, you need to adapt and revise your model -- but you can find hope and strength in realizing and remembering these basic principals.

Passion first, marketing second

New GOHBA Renovations Council president Jason Labelle, president of Dalton Corporation, after the monthly council meeting.

Yesterday, I attended the monthly meeting of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders' Association Renovations Council, in two roles -- as a journalist/writer for the association's newsletter, The GOHBA Impact! and to address the second item on the meeting's agenda -- providing a progress report on Ottawa Renovates!, the magazine project our consortium won through a wired bidding opportunity to promote renovation services in the region.

At meeting's end, newly-appointed council chairperson Jason Labelle, president of Dalton Corporation, outlined his business experience and effectively described the qualities that underlie most people who enjoy success in the construction business:

"As far as my company goes, I really believe in doing it right," Labelle said. "It's the artwork -- when we walk way at the end, it's the feeling, 'wow, we created this . . ... we built it.

"I truly believe in the renovation business, I think there's a big artsy side to me, and I get to do it -- to create it, build it, mould it, and share it."

His business, not surprisingly, relies on word of mouth and referrals, but there is some intelligent marketing as well. The annual Christmas greeting creates a 'keep in touch' with former clients, and he follows up six months to a year after each job, to ensure the client is satisfied and any follow-up maintenance is done.

And, like most successful business people, he has built a team of employees and sub-contractors who share the same values and passion for their work. "My foremen won't let me get away with 'just good enough' -- they'll catch me."

"In some places, we'll do a job and then someone across the street will contract with us, then down the block, all by word-of-mouth."

Do these attitudes describe you and your business? Then you've won more than half the battle when it comes to marketing.

Labelle, like other local renovators in Ottawa, has yet to feel the economic pinch of the current recession; despite some major layoffs and business consolidations (including the bankruptcy of former high tech high flier Nortel) this region has so far not felt much pain, in part because it is a government town. Renovators Council members are bracing however for an influx of new business start-ups, some under-the-table, as new home construction contracts and out-of-work tradespeople begin competing for available work.

Labelle says he would like to see the Renovators Council achieve greater recognition. "I would like to market us in such a way that it is a no-brainer -- if you want to renovate, you want to renovate with the professionals."

That's where the Ottawa Renovates! project fits in the picture. A few months ago, after sitting in on a meeting of the Renovators Council, I received word from former Council Chairperson Mike Martin (who now is responsible for the provincial Ontario Home Builders' Association Renovators Council) that he would welcome a proposal from my business for a new renovation publication. After initially hesitating -- we've only handled business-to-business marketing, not business-to-consumer projects -- I decided the best way to handle the situation would be to set up a consortium; and ultimately formed a partnership with designer Gordon Keith and publisher Brian Warren to get the job done. The new magazine is at the printers, to be ready for the annual Ottawa Home Renovations Show this weekend, and a related website will also be live soon, as well.

Does it surprise you that we won this bidding opportunity though our own reputation and relationships, and (underlying these) our passion and enjoyment of our own work?

Our challenge is to help and work with business owners who really care about doing their job well; who deeply enjoy what they do, and in normal conditions have customers eager to share and recommend their services, to adapt some basic marketing and sales techniques to support and enhance their already-successful business brand and reputation.

This is not the world of high-pressure sales; it is not an environment where you need to grind people down to get them to buy your services; rather, you take your existing relationships and reputation, and expand on the basics; building your reputation even further, while preserving your margin. Yes, you advertise, you market, you promote your business, but underneath everything, you will succeed because you love doing your work, and you are able to assemble around you employees and vendors who share the same inner passion. Of course, you are really lucky if you can work with marketing specialists who care about their work as much as you care about yours.

Competency, passion and clients

Can you practically link your passions, competencies and marketing success? If you would like to participate in a project to prove that you are most likely to succeed by doing work you enjoy, please email buckshon@cnrgp.com.

A few weeks ago, several readers responded to an informal three-question survey to see if you do what you love, and are good at, you will be most successful at your marketing. Here are the questions:

1. In you opinion, describe your greatest competency: That is, the element of your business/self where you truly are among the best in your field.

2.Now, describe your greatest enjoyment/passion: The interests or activities (either personal, business, or both, which give you the greatest pleasure and enjoyment.

Finally, I asked:

3. Have you combined your competency and passion in reaching out to your potential market (previous, current and potential future clients)?

Four of the 13 who responded said "yes", five said "no", three said "not sure" and one didn't answer the question.

The interesting thing, however, is the nature of the responses to the first two questions: Your competencies and passions are varied, ranging from practical, career-focused talents, to purely recreational interests. You are all unique, and I don't think any of you would like to be pigeon-holed into a specific 'category'. And, as marketing guru Seth Godin notes in a recent posting Maybe you can't make money doing what you love, competencies and passions don't necessarily relate practically to business success: Poets rarely make money at poetry, and if you are a poet (artist) and try to jam your passions into something 'appropriate' for business, you may sell your soul, and heart, for an unfathomable misery.

How can you translate these questions and insights into practical marketing success? I see the seeds of a highly individualized and truly effective career/marketing consultancy here. The consultants would use some of the testing resources currently available to measure/assess your strengths and competencies, and then look at your business/client base/potential and determine likely synergies and matches. You would then receive practical and individual suggestions on how to connect your interests and passions to your market.

This personal consulting would be far more useful than the cookie-cutter systems where you are pushed into some one's rule-book, and told to follow it. If you have a multi-person marketing department, everyone would participate, and your unique talents and abilities would then be correlated to the team effort, allowing for your individual strengths and interests.

But this is theory. Can it work in practice? The only way to find out is to test and prove the concept. And to do that, we'll need some volunteers. You won't be paid (directly) for your time, but neither will you be charged any consulting fees!

Ideally, to qualify, you should either be an entrepreneur/business owner, or marketing/sales/business development specialist in the construction industry. I anticipate the voluntary exercise will involve some simple written/online tests, and interviews (either in person if in Ottawa or by video conferees if outside this area). You would then gain insights into what could be the best approach for you, and we would follow-up over several months to see if you achieve success, both in your work enjoyment and income. I expect the amount of time you will need to dedicate to the consulting/evaluation will be a matter of a few hours, to (over time) a maximum of a business day or two.

If you are interested in volunteering, please email me at buckshon@cnrgp.com or phone 888-432-3555 ext 224.

The cornerstones of construction marketing success (2)

Today, several readers answered these three questions in a special online survey following up on the recent posting: The cornerstones of construction marketing success:

1. In you opinion, describe your greatest competency: That is, the element of your business/self where you truly are among the best in your field.
2. Now, describe your greatest enjoyment/passion: The interests or activities (either personal, business, or both, which give you the greatest pleasure and enjoyment.
3. Have you combined your competency and passion in reaching out to your potential market (previous, current and potential future clients)?

The responses are interesting -- only a small number answered conclusively "yes" to the third question. Your written observations need to be followed up with some phone conversations and interviews.

Still, is it true that only a few of you are actually combining your passions and interests with sincere and ongoing relationships with your clients and potential clients? Or, perhaps, you may take for granted your competencies and passions because they happen so easily and naturally you don't attach significance to them?

Hard work or working hard?

This image has less to do with construction than mountain biking -- but the concept of following your passion applies to everything we choose to do.

Today, after an intense day in Toronto and Welland, I mused on one of the biggest paradoxes of work. If you try too hard, you will fail. If you don't work hard enough, you will fail, too. You need to work hard, but for it not to be work -- in other words, you need to enjoy what you do so much that you can put your energy, time, heart and resourcefulness to the task(s) at hand.

If you are fortunate enough to be in these circumstances, you also know how your work/vocation correlates and complements your overall life. Happy at work, you are often more happy at home. And if you are not happy at home, you may well not be happy at work -- and that can set off a downward spiral.

How does this impact your approach to business, and marketing? First, if you are doing this work because it is a 'job' and not really your passion, you may wish to move on. And indeed a lot of people employed in the marketing departments at AEC firms 'move on' within a couple of years. This is borne out by the turnover in membership at the Society for Marketing Professional Services. (And it isn't too surprising, in that few young people grow up with dreams of being a proposal writer, business development officer, or 'rainmaker'.)

Moving on, by the way, doesn't necessarily mean going to your boss and saying "Take this job and shove it. I quit." It could be much more simply reviewing the parts of the work you enjoy/like doing the most, and the parts you like the least, and with your organization's support, finding a way to spend more time on what you enjoy and less on what you distaste.

If you are the boss or supervisor, your perspective should parallel this approach -- if your employees are just there for the money and really hate their work, your brand is sure to suffer. Surely, discontented employees will radiate their lack of enthusiasm to the clients -- and we know that current clients provide most of your future business, either through repeat business, or referrals.

This thinking can operate on another level, as well. I find I achieve the most 'selling' success when I seemingly don't really try to sell. In my case, the sales often result when I practice my journalistic passion. So I go out and talk to people, and interview them, and attend events, and write stories, and amazingly, it seems, business almost drops into my lap as if by accident. Of course it isn't totally accidental -- at just the right moment, in these circumstances, I know to ask for the order -- and usually get it.

But I would be really depressed if I needed to wake up each morning and "make calls" and "meet the quota". I might be able to sell, quite effectively at times, but I don't want to be a salesperson.

Now some people indeed are suited for "sales careers" and they find it natural to work with the discipline and structure -- and single minded focus -- to bring in the orders, all the time. And there are other salespeople who seem to achieve their results almost effortlessly, perhaps because they focus on the relationship process (even better than I do), and, like me, know when it is right to ask for the business.

My advice to you (with thanks to the work of Marcus Buckingham) is to encourage you to take stock of your own passions, energy, and those of your peers, and employees. Find your own spark, and respect that of the people around you, and you'll likely succeed, regardless of the external environment.

Marketing and fun

Like wine, and eating out? Do it. "The more wine costs, the more people enjoy it - regardless of how it tastes, a study by researchers in the United States has found." Intriguing. If we could apply this to our business, does that mean by charging our clients more for the renovation, commercial refit, or GC project management, they'll be even happier with the value?

Here is a simple and effective suggestion: Make the activity you most enjoy in your work and life your primary marketing focus. In other words, take the truly most satisfying part of your work, and build out from that your primary time and energy commitment to develop and maintain your client relationships.

So, if your passion is golfing, you know where your marketing should be. If you love skiing, or hockey, or phoning strangers, or knocking on doors one after another, do that. I enjoy writing and journalism. Since I happen to be reasonably good at these interests, the blog and newsletter are obviously right for me.

This of course does not excuse us from responsibility for the essentials that we do not enjoy. If you are a neat-nick, you will naturally want to be in charge personally of cleaning your work area at the end of each day; if you are not; you will still need to ensure the work is done -- either directly, or by hiring or delegating someone to the task. And maybe for some reason you can't stand talking with your clients -- you just want to do the work well. When they call you, you need to return their calls, promptly. (I'm noticing now, however, that I don't get too many phone calls each day. People write me emails and I can -- good for me, since I am a writer, of course -- write back!)

Most people of course don't enjoy some of the so called "standards" of sales and marketing -- like cold calling and canvassing -- for good reason. And conventional 'networking' where you are supposed to mix and mingle around a business-social gathering is awkward for people like me, who prefer to sit in the corner and read, or eat peanuts. This is fine. In an emergency, we may need to do things we don't enjoy, but we don't need to make them our main-stay and we can still to some extent adapt our interests to the environment (want to talk about golf or hockey, anyone?) If you are in the minority who actually enjoy marketing activities that others dislike, you have a natural edge. I've enjoyed reading forum postings from people who actually enjoy canvassing and cold calling (at least they say they do) and brag about their results. Good for them.

Here are some reasons why you will achieve great results by taking your personal passions and making them your primary marketing focus:

• You will want to do the work, and you will want to do it consistently. For example, many people start blogs, only to give up after a few entries. That won't work. Since I enjoy writing and the personal journalism reflected in the blog, I don't mind -- in fact I enjoy -- taking the time each day for this work.


• Your passion will 'connect' with your prospects and clients. People like being around people who enjoy who they are; especially if they share common interests! And this business is all about relationships.


• If you are spending any money on marketing, you'll spend it on something you enjoy, and best of all, if you do it right, you'll turn a personal pleasure into a tax-deductable business expense.

I of course cannot tell you where your greatest interests and satisfactions should be; or specifically how (without knowing you better) to turn these passions into your marketing strategies. But you can start by simply writing on a piece of paper the three things you most enjoy. Then figure out how to connect the dots to bring these passions closer to your potential clients.

Fun money

It helps to enjoy your work -- a lot. I enjoy journalism, writing and publishing. This certainly proved helpful in the over the past three years of business decline, and now recovery.
What do you enjoy the most?
See also Seth Godin's posting: "Small Business Success"

The imperfectly perfect day

Yesterday started off imperfectly. Over the weekend, I felt some gripes -- about the three-wheeled (broken) office chairs, the fluorescent light not fixed by the landlord, the employees who seemed to be not quite doing the work the way they needed to do; and this blog, even, not working right -- some software glitch mucking up the design and making the thing less than readable.
But, waking up in the middle of the night, now, I sense joy -- not because everything ended up perfectly, but because the people around me surprised me (again) with their brilliance, insights, and shared ideas.
Our employees, collaboratively, developed some really effective marketing pieces. We know they work because within a few minutes of hitting the 'send' button on the email, we had two confirmed orders and at least a couple more inquiries. I know who took the lead in this initiative and appreciate the solutions he devised.
I also saw how I had rained on another employee whose hard work has helped create the "problem" we are facing now. With higher business/sales volume, things are getting stretched in the office; there is simply much more work to do, even in quiet periods, but our resources are limited -- I need to temper the hiring of additional administrative and support employees against cash flow and the regular Christmas holiday quiet season. But what about the employee who is stretched, needs a break, and planned and sought a day off, which I was about to deny. Bad move, I realized, when I read her email seeking clarification. We will indeed be inefficient for that day; work will pile up, some customers may not be served right, but I had agreed to the time off and really don't have the right to mess up her planned break.
Then I smiled at the thought of the voice mail message sent by one of the company's employees while I was otherwise engaged -- at an arena, sorting out an issue as manager of Eric's house league hockey team. I had tried some surveying resources to resolve a question about if/how to participate in a tournament, and (after making repeated mistakes in the survey structure) came up with the conclusion that we couldn't find a conclusion! But sometimes online surveys don't tell the whole story, of course. And as Eric and the other nine and 10-year-old boys practiced, I realized I needed to make things simple -- so I narrowed down two choices and, as the kids changed into street clothes, called for a vote on the choices. And, voila, we had a clear and decisive answer, easy to implement, and one which will work. (As I left, the coach and a couple of parents complemented me on my management skills. Ha!)
Then, finally, after a few hours of incredibly restful sleep, I woke up to read a book introduction titled "The Case for Customer Loyalty". Sonny Lykos (you can find him in The Contractors Club) sent it to me, and immediately I knew why the day had turned out so well
I'll wait until I have the entire book before citing the author, and some of the thoughts to follow extrapolate beyond what I read -- but the message is clear -- customer satisfaction and loyalty arise from our employees' satisfaction and engagement. And that process occurs, I realize, because they are respected as individuals, given honest and effective feedback, and are truly honoured for their contributions; not through flashy BS, tacky awards or gimmicks.
"One of the best ways of ensuring more of these precious dollars stay in-house is to implement systems and leadership practices that ensure your organization is dominated not by the dispassionate and detached, but by engaged and engaged employees who burn with a fire for serving customers," says the author of the book introduction sent to me by Sonny Lykos. Lykos adds in a handwritten note: "Fire those who don't and hire those who do."
I agree with Lykos -- the problem of course is that sometimes (maybe most often always) sloppy ownership and management; dedicated to processes, systems, and efficiency, destroy employee passion. (Also, perhaps equally more seriously, imbalance and insensitivity and cancerous 'bad apple' employees can really mess up the workplace environment.)
What to do . . . we need honest, effective, feedback, and the ability to recognize and hear it.
That in part is why I feel so good now -- I am receiving that feedback, sensing that passion, and am able to adapt my management style and leadership to suit the circumstances. Pretty neat, eh.

Why passion is important

I think this newsletter article, Success vs. fulfillment. Which is it for you? by Jeffrey Gitomer explains the importance of passion for true success better than anything I've read in a while.

Gitomer's writing effectively elaborates on one of what I think are the three pillars of real achievement outlined in my earlier piece: Passion, Sincerity and Respect: The Foundation of Construction Marketing Success