Social Networking and Construction Marketing (2)

Today I present my observations about social networking and construction marketing for the Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) Ottawa Chapter

The presentation: 'Can you really have 500 (or 5,000) friends on the Internet?" will occur at 3:30 pm. at Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 638) Hall 70 Hines Rd., Kanata (just off March Rd.).

Admission is $25.00 and sandwiches and light refreshments.

You can register at the door, or if you prefer, online at the CSC Ottawa site.

And you can read about how you can effectively implement a marketing strategy for subs and suppliers at the new Construction Marketing Ideas blog.

Can you have 500 (or 5,000) friends?

I'll be answering this question at 3:30 p.m. next Tuesday, January 12, at a special presentation about social networking and marketing at the Construction Specifications Ottawa Chapter.

For more information and to register, you can visit the CSC Ottawa website and, more specifically, the events registration page at http://www.cscottawa.ca/Events/Network2010.html

The newsletter

If you have requested it, the final Construction Marketing Ideas newsletter for 2009 should arrive in your email box this morning. Over the year, readership has continued to increase and now almost 3,000 people receive the bi-weekly newsletter.

Next year, I expect the newsletter will have more impact as I've just discovered how to effectively embed video in the emails. As well, the linkedin.com Construction Marketing Ideas group is growing rapidly (approximately 20 new members joined yesterday), increasing the networking and relationship-building value of the newsletter, blogs and other social media resources.

Next week, meanwhile, as our business takes its Christmas break, I'll spend some time on the new Construction Marketing Ideas blog site, fixing the links, background resources, and setting the stage for the Wordpress site to be our primary blog. Again, however, if you think this blog will simply disappear, it won't, though I expect in a few months posting frequency will decrease.

Right now, I'm continuing to post totally different content on the new blog, so if you want "more", feel free to visit the new site, and book-mark it or reference it for future reading.

Social networking and construction marketing

Partial results from our survey on the use of social networking sites for the construction industry. If you wish to participate, just click on the image or this link. You'll be able to review the results of the survey overall once you complete it. Your identity will be anonymous unless you wish to share it.

How effective are the new "social networking" technologies including Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.com for construction industry marketing? And how can you use these resources most effectively.

I've decided to look closely into these matters for an article I'm writing for the Design and Construction Report, a publication born out of the social networking phenomena. The Design and Construction Network, started as a linkedin.com group last winter, now has more than 2,500 members and several local chapters -- and is growing rapidly.

But are people getting business from the initiative. And is the network degrading into a list of "selling" offers, with everyone just pitching their own product or service without much if any effect?

Yesterday, in addition to phone interviews with several people (yes, it was Thanksgiving in Canada, but also a regular business day in the U.S.), I distributed an online survey to about 5,000 people. The results from the 44 who have completed the survey so far are interesting. They show that a little less than 12 per cent have gained business from the new technologies, with linkedin.com being the most relevant and useful for businesses.

Notably, some early adaptors, people who have used these technologies from the outset as individuals, say their businesses have "bans" on their use within the office. However, a few have embraced them, and they say they are measuring real value in the process.

My perception, shared by others, is that the social networking operates on the same rules as conventional networking. If you focus on what you "want" rather than what you can share and give, you will fail. If you focus on how to provide real value to others within the network without worrying about your own needs, the principal of reciprocity ultimately results in return business and favours. In other words, you gain the most by giving the most without regard for immediate return..

Online networks: Can growth and community co-exist?

Here is video of a Design and Construction Network "Happy Hour" I took in Washington, DC earlier this summer for the Design and Construction Report online magazine. Online resources support and enhance -- but do not replace -- conventional networking practices.

Late last week, Lloyd A. Ntuk, PE, LEED AP, Principal at LAND | Engineering, plc, sent this provocative email to me and Tim Klabunde, founder of the Design and Construction Network.

I'm a subscriber to both your blogs, and had an interesting thought regarding the size of our online communities.

I've been a member of the DCN and was struck by a recent comment by Mark (August 4 Construction Marketing Ideas blog post) on the potential future growth of the various groups. In particular was the thought of which group will eventually achieve national prominence and leadership. That thought, along with the continued expansion of the group members, made me think, "Do I want the group to continue growing and gaining national prominence?"

On the one hand, more participants means more diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives - a definite plus. But it also may mean less sense of community, and possibly less participation from members of the community (the intimidation factor of "speaking" in front of an audience, albeit virtual). As with individuals the quality of relationships is key rather than the number of connections, does this have any correlation to groups as well? I know that subgroups help to a degree, and that being in a metro-area means it will inherently be a large community, but I wanted to get your thoughts on how you see things moving forward into the future.

I answered first:

Lloyd

You ask a good question.

The best answer I can give is "I don't know" but recall a conversation with rainmaking guru Ford Harding about 18 months ago shortly after I started blogging, as I prepared my first submission to the SMPS Marketer on online social networking and leads resources. Ford then thought these resources would be ineffective for marketing; he has since changed his mind and now believes they are important - but you have to work at them. He also reminded me of the power curve, in which much success/energy and leadership is concentrated in the hands of the few.

I sense the social network resources developing now will also define within this power curve. A few "at the top" will receive (and frankly give) an inordinate amount of value from the process; for the others (the great majority) the stuff will be somewhat peripheral and more like a support tool (probably necessary!) than a core leadership thing.

As an example of the dynamics here, when I started blogging, I searched in near-vain for any other blogs relating to the topic; my goal was to offer free hyperlinks without worrying about reciprocation. In the last two weeks, I've become aware of at least five blogs "on topic" but haven't had the time or frankly the strong inclination to research them and pull them forward with references and hyperlinks.

The interesting thing is that it seems that I and Tim are now "old timers" at this stuff -- even though Tim started the linkedin. group less than a year ago, and my blog goes back just a couple of years.

There are still really strong leadership opportunities within local/regional and specialized niche markets, however.

Yesterday afternoon, Tim responded as well. (I received permission from both Tim and Lloyd to report on this email exchange before publishing it here.)

Good morning! You bring up a great point . . .

As you know the DCN was founded originally only in Washington DC with the single goal of bridging the gap between online networking and real relationship development. We have worked to achieve this by building opportunities for people to meet face to face and/or have a conversation in addition to the online discussions. I agree with you that sub-groups are part of the answer as we have expanded across the US, but more importantly I believe that local events will truly achieve the ultimate goal of the DCN. Mark Buckshon in Canada, Matt Handal in Philadelphia, Brice Johnson in Chicago, Ed Colon in Hartford, and Mike Colonnello in Baltimore are the real people turning the DCN into a national and international organization.

Now to get to my thoughts on your question: I was wrong when I originally thought that the online community would be the driver of DCN. As it turns out we get most of our "spammers" from online. Instead it is the local people that are growing the network and creating the real relationships! We agree that growth of DCN has lessened the participation of the community on the main LinkedIn discussion page (at least the % of active participants), but it has also strengthened the real relationships growing in local regions and on other locations on the web (Twitter, blogs, and subgroups for example). So the growth has created opportunity for quality relationships, while also expanding the quantity of relationships available.

Lloyd and Tim's points are worth exploring in greater depth. Online communities, social networking sites, blogs and the like are new phenomena; early adaptors started using these media just a couple of years ago, and they have become mainstream only within the past few months.

(Notably, one of our young, former employees, perhaps one of the first hires anywhere through the Linkedin.com job board system, made me aware of the social networking phenomena less than two years ago. He also introduced me to Twitter. I thought Twitter to be a nutty waste of time, but decided to continue blogging. For some reason he and his peers "gave up" on Twitter and blogging about a year ago, though he continues to be active on Facebook. Does that tell us something of the future? I think I should have coffee with him to find out what he is "into" now.)

In Ottawa, I'm still exploring how the the linkedin.com Design and Construction Network subgroup will interface within our community. Membership is growing but interaction online hasn't started to be a significant force, but my experiment of linking the group to engagement with the local Construction Specifications Canada chapter is still very much in the early stages. I sense that the online communities will enhance and encourage conventional networking relationships and business development, and open new doors to interdisciplinary relationships within the community. Of course, that is why the CSC (Canadian equivalent of Construction Specifications Institute) chapter association with the online processes is valid, and it is rational for me as a community construction news publisher to explore these ideas, as well.

Online resources, I think, will neither substitute nor replace conventional communities and friendships and this is why, as Tim reports, the general Design and Construction Network group is now largely becoming a secondary resource to local communities. They are not the best place to "spam" or try to market wholesale without building true relationships. But they can enhance, encourage, and grow your conventional network and community involvement. If you are not involved in the process, you will lose the powerful opportunities these groups provide.

Overwhelming choices (and opportuniites)

A little less than three years ago, when I began publishing this blog, I set out to find other AEC industry bloggers with the intent of providing free link-backs to their sites (and to credit them with being first.) I found a few localized initiatives, but (to my surprise) seemed to have the space mostly to myself.

Meanwhile, social networking groups like linkedin.com were starting to gain traction,but again few knew about them -- and I recall writing my first SMPS Marketer article on the topic and "connecting" with some SMPS leaders who hadn't heard (or knew little) about these resources. (SMPS: Society for Marketing Professional Services, the association for AEC marketers.)

Today, a quick look at this blog's sidebar provides just a slight clue to the number and range of online options for online construction marketing information and relationships. In fact, the choices here may seem overwhelming, with more options and choices available each week. I'm doing my best to keep up, but I'm not starting from scratch. How should you handle things if you aren't already established in the online space?

The answer to this question has two parts. You need to look at things from the framework of obtaining construction marketing information, and, separately, executing your own construction marketing strategies.

Obtaining information
If you spend all day and all night surfing around the Internet you may find some gems, but you won't do much for your own business. Ultimately, you need to select a few key places to connect.

I've expressed some biases in my sidebar -- these aren't entirely fair, as some really good blogs and resources are 'buried' in the long list of hyperlinks, but the ones I've chosen consistently provide useful information (and I selectively visit a few favorites outside this list, and report on them in regular blog postings.)

You should of course supplement these resources with specific trade and local information sources. Eventually, I think you will have a prioritization system somewhat similar to mine -- you'll routinely check five or six key places, and have a larger list where you visit from time to time.

Obtaining marketing results
Here things require more work, thought, and planning (and some speed!) If your goal is to use online resources to promote and develop your own business, you will need to decide which resources to use, and how to give them priority.

You can blog, contribute to social networking sites and forums, build a content-rich website, and use e-mail marketing, all melded to help out with your search engine rankings. Your goal is to make it easy for potential clients to find your business and, when they do, to be predisposed to doing business with you because you convey the impression and values they are seeking.

Of course, some businesses will provide these services to you for a fee. You need to be wary of promises and claims from unsolicited spam, of course, but you are probably safe if you land on a business which has obtained a free link in my blog's sidebar. (We offer a specific publicity/media development service relevant for businesses with annual sales volumes of greater than $250,000 to $500,000, but other services can help out with smaller enterprises.)

You can also do a lot for yourself and you will have to do some things without much help (unless you want to spend a fortune). Much Internet marketing and relationship building requires your material to express your own personality; you can't easily hand this off to a third-party agency, or junior employee who needs to go to you for permission anytime he or she wishes to say anything.

From a marketing perspective, there is still some good news. In many locations and trades, you can still be "first to market" and obtain the advantage of online marketing leadership. But you don't need to reinvent the wheel. Look at works elsewhere, and what you enjoy doing, and you will likely succeed.

Local AEC Network (Design & Construction Professionals)

Yesterday, I reported on the apparent almost simultaneous development of the Design and Construction Network (roots in Washington DC area), and Konstructr.com (whose founder is in the Seattle, Washington, region.) That posting resulted in a comment from Curtis Lewis, based in Orlando, Florida, to tell me about the Local AEC Network (Design and Construction Professionals) and its related blog, sustainablecoin.com.

Like the Design and Construction Network (which has set up sub-groups in Philadelphia and New York), Curtis's group is seeking to reach beyond Florida. Curtis also appears to be creating the community events similar to the Design and Construction Network Happy Hours.

I'll set a permalink to this group and include the sustainablecoin.com blog within the blogroll.

Obviously, the space is new here and the sprouting of regional groups will continue as clearly we are into a new era of social networking within the architectural, engineering and construction community.

Which, if any, of the groups I know about will achieve national prominence and leadership going forward?

The jury is still out on that question, much as things were in (market leadership) flux in the very early years of the automotive industry, or more recently, in the space of Internet search engines and social networking sites.

My own biases creep into the assessment here. I tend to think the Design and Construction Network has the best chance of maintaining leadership because, while there are strong and competent personalities behind the scene at mydcn.com, the focus is on longer range relationships rather than short-term "hits", the leadership is humble and recognizes the members, not the "owners' determine its course, and at least in chronology of the start-up, it was first, or at least tied for first. (First to market is important in virtually any marketing initiative).

Of course, these biases are shaped by perspectives that go beyond the social networking space. I will keep an open mind. To explain, I know that canvassing in the residential contracting space can be effective in some situations, but prefer inbound marketing and intensive service and respect approaches (the origin of this blog two years ago!). And I respect that while "ambulance chasing" may describe a successful approach to finding new business, I would much prefer to develop relationships based on generosity and long-term mutual respect. (But I respect professional canvassers and ambulance chasers enough to know there is a place in the marketing spectrum for their approaches.)

It is quite possible the various groups will meld into a form of a super-network in time and of course other groups and initiatives are still outside of radar range here.

Konstructr.com -- Another new online network

Yesterday, I (again almost accidentally) discovered another new and rapidly growing construction industry network, konstructr.com, founded by Vik Duggal, from the Seattle, Washington area.

The new network has some intriguing similarities to the Design and Construction Network, established (it appears) about the same time, in the winter months of 2009, by Tim Klabunde in suburban Washington, D.C.

The near-parallel launches may reflect that when the time is right for a good idea, it will emerge in more than one location, almost simultaneously. The Design and Construction Network, of course traces its roots to a the other side of the continent from konstructr.com, and has distinctive differences, but many similarities.

Editor's note: This is a a very early report -- I only discovered Konstrutr.com through a link from a guest posting to Matt Handal's Help Everybody Everyday, which has become the official blog of the Design and Construction Network, so my facts are incomplete. I've sent in my registration for konstructr.com but not everyone is expected to be awake and responding to inquiries at 1 a.m. on a summer weekend!)

Similarities:

• Time of origin;
• Rate of growth;
• Multi-media orientation (both networks have online magazine components; the Design and Construction Network is associated with The Design and Construction Report, http://www.dcnreport.com, which we publish);
• Focus on social networking, and integration of various construction-industry disciplines under a common umbrella.
• Founders of both networks work in marketing positions in places which use the name "Washington" (though the companies are different and the Washington's are 3,000 miles apart.)

Differences:

• Routes for personal interaction: The Design and Construction Network has developed member-sponsored "happy hours" (in Washington and soon in Philadelphia) where members can put faces to names in a social setting. Vik Duggal, conversely, has chosen to speak at industry events and symposiums;
• Private versus Public Network: Although both networks are pretty well open to anyone who qualifies (and screening processes apply to keep out trouble-makers and spammers); the Konstructr.com appears to be built as a totally private and separate organization from other networks, while the Design and Construction Network is founded within Linkedin.com;

I wouldn't be surprised if we see one or two other new substantial industry-focused networks have been established and are thriving, just out of our eyesight.

Could you copy the framework here and create your own network? Possibly, but I sense you will be too late, unless you are focused within a sub-niche which could support this type of resource. In his 50 minute presentation at the ZweigWhite A/E Marketing Now Summit 2009. Duggal explains how you might want to set up this type of network yourself. He also explains the role the new social networks and resources have in construction industry marketing.

I've set a permalink for Konstructr.com in the sidebar and will report more as I learn more. I've also redesigned the sidebar to create a new links group for construction industry networks with a focus on marketing. I sense this list will grow in the months ahead.

A training video

Just for fun . . .Discovered this on the remodelcrazy.com site.

Twitter at the tipping point

Social Media Congres - "Blogging Business"

View more presentations from chrisgarrett. (tags: smc social media)

Authority Blogger Chris Garrett outlines the the basics of business blogging -- and how Twitter fits into the picture -- in this slideshow for the Social Media Congress

Twitter has reached the magic tipping point where it is no longer a specialized or 'ahead of the time' resource, but has become a business essential for leading-edge marketers. I certainly had been aware of the idea of the instant blogging/SMS/email/phone resource some time ago but thought: "Who needs this? I'm not interested in tracking and receiving dozens (or hundreds) of daily messages through my cellphone."

But last week, our neighbour Dave Thorpe (aka Dave the Tiger) told me "You've got to do this" as our sons got ready for their minor hockey game, a large business page article on Twitter appeared in the Globe and Mail, and I understand from Chase, he learned about Twitter at the Canadian Home Builders' Association Conference this weekend (and signed on).

If you are like most readers of this blog (in the construction industry) you aren't quite ready for Twitter yet. That's okay. I've found I tend to catch onto marketing/technological resources about a year before most of the industry served here appreciates these resources -- and then, wham, others follow (often doing the actual work better).

You can see this in the blogging community, for example. Back in November/December 2006 when this blog started, you couldn't find anyone else in the Construction Marketing space blogging -- now you can see hyperlinks from here with truly high quality blogs.

I still need to get good enough at video blogging to consider the work sufficiently suitable for mass audiences -- and Twitter skills will also take some time to develop (but I sense it will be easier to learn how to Twit (or is it Tweet?) effectively than set up video messages).

Should you engage these resources? Yes, while remembering the core values and essential elements of marketing are not the technology but your attitudes and how you connect with your clients and potential customers. After all, I'm only 'on' Twitter because of the in-person recommendations of my neighbour.

Follow me at http://twitter.com/Publisher10 if you wish. I will certainly be happy to follow you!

The Construction Exchange

One of the most interesting aspects of The Construction Exchange is its member-generated image library. Brad Torres writes:: "The Bagger 288 built by the German company Krupp is used for strip mining operations. It is 312' tall, 705' long and weighs over 13,500 tons. This piece of equipment comes with a price tag of 100 million and a 10 year lead time (five years to design and five years to assemble). The most amazing thing about it though is that it only requires 5 people to operate according to the article that I read. It also has the capability of removing over 240,000 tons of material each day."

Bobby Darnell referenced me to a site worthy of permalinking in the special place for forums and relevant sites -- The Construction Exchange (constructionexchange.com.) Lots of interesting information here, including connections, images, and even jokes.

A news article in the Santa Rosa, CA Press-Democrat observes:

The niche social networking site, which beta launched in August, is the brainchild of Santa Rosa-based Western Water Constructors, a 49-year-old construction company specializing in water treatment plants.

While construction companies aren't known for launching Internet start ups, its 33-year-old vice president and 28-year-old IT director had a vision.

"We wanted something that catered to our industry," said Josh McGarva, vice president of Western Water. "Our industry is known for being overly competitive. We wanted a place where people could share ideas, and be more collaborative."

This site certainly is worthy of a permalink.

LinkedIn?

Ford Harding outlines in his blog some of the advantages and limitations of sites like LinkedIn.com. I agree that these networking sites are a supplement, not a replacement, for other more traditional approaches and, to use a bad pun, link in these observations with my belief that your networking/marketing should connect your interests and passions with your clients.

In my case, I linked encounters with Linkedin.com to an article proposal for the SMPS Marketer. This led to my first phone conversation with Ford Harding, and the beginning of an ongoing relationship. It also caused SMPS Marketer editor Randy Pollock to invite me to participate on the Marketer's editorial committee, which led to more articles, more networking, and still more connections within the SMPS community.

So, in my case at least, Linkedin.com proved to be the door opener for several incredibly valuable relationships. But did anything come from online searches within Linkedin.com, through associations with the second or third degree networks. Nope, nada, zilch, none. So maybe the old ways indeed work the best.

For fun, here is my linkedin.com profile page.

Social media marketing

This copyblogger.com posting by Brian Clark, The Five Essential Elements of Social Media Marketing, is worthy of your attention.

SMPS Facebook group reestablished

SMPS has established an official SMPS Group on Facebook, some months after an "unofficial" grasroots group appeared and then disappeared following a firm cease and desist letter from Lisa Bowman. This time around, you can only get into the group with the SMPS administrator's (Molly Dall'Erta) permission.

The group now has 19 members -- an increase of eight -- including the original unofficial SMPS Group founder Liz O'Rourke Kupcha.

Meanwhile, our own business received a slap in the face from Facebook when we (not fully appreciating the rules) set up Facebook 'pages' in the names of some of our publications, with Facebook accounts tied to these pages. This is a no-no, according to Facebook rules -- pages can only relate to individuals, not organizations. Obviously, the "Groups" function serves the organizational purpose, and that is where we will be managing our own sites.

For some insights into Social Networking marketing, you can view this PDF of my article on the topic for the SMPS Marketer.

About social networking and construction marketing

Want to reach me via Skype? You can call (919) 373-4286.

Here is a link to my article for The SMPS Marketer about Social Networking. I wrote "Social Networking for Marketers: Where it stands now" in December for publication in the February issue, and a fair bit of change has occurred since then.

First, just as I received the advance copy of the printed article last month, Chase in St. Catharines decided to set up Facebook pages for our various Canadian publications. These sites (plus communications with our clients about the Marketer article) resulted in some worthy leads (and some flaky calls).

I can't say that social networking sites are at the core of our current marketing initiatives, but they have an important place in the future of marketing, and the industry, and if you aren't using these resources, you should begin to understand them.

Meanwhile, in preparation for a week's vacation in Mexico beginning this Friday, I've been boning up on Internet telephony and video link capacities. The place we are staying at has high speed Internet, but cellular roaming charges are really high. And I do not wish to lose touch with or connection to the business back at home. So, for less than $100 for a year's service:

• I set up a Skype phone number, with a 919 (Raleigh, North Carolina) area code that will ring to my computer-phone in Mexico;


• I signed up for the broadcast video service offered by justin.tv which allows you viewers to join in the conversation through an instant messaging function. Our designer Raymond Levielle suggests an alternative, referenced here,
  http://www.mvldesign.com/video_conference_tutorial.html, which can allow up to four distant people to participate via video link.

The result of this is that, coupled with our regular teleconferencing systems, employees and I should be able to communicate effectively and inexpensively while I am a few thousand miles away. And of course I will continue blogging.

BTW, if you wish to visit and become "friends" here are some of our Facebook sites.
Ottawa Construction News
The GTA Construction Report
Northern Ontario Construction News

Social networking sites such as linkedin.com and Facebook.com can be useful -- but are best applied with other marketing intitiatives.

Here is a column I wrote today for our Canadian publications.

About three months ago, I discovered the potential power – and dangerous limitations – of social networking sites like Facebook.com and Linkedin.com. Fascinated by Linkedin.com’s ability to create a seemingly infinite number of connections (my total now exceeds one million!), I tried their help wanted service and posted a $150 ad.
Linkedin.com works on the principal of connecting the “six degrees of separation” – that everyone could theoretically know everyone in the world through just six connections.
The ad initially seemed to be a dismal failure: We received just two responses, and one didn’t match our criteria in any way. But Daniel Smith, who now works with us as our Ottawa-Eastern Ontario representative – met all the criteria. (Daniel is staying away from Facebook for now, but you can check out the Ottawa Construction News Facebook site here.) We hired him, and he has introduced us to other web-savvy resources that speed up our processes and make it easier for you to communicate with us. He, of course, is young – having recently graduated from Carleton University’s journalism program.
This success motivated me to use my old-style journalism skills. I proposed an article about Social Networking for The Marketer, published by The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) – an association with 6,000 plus marketing professionals for the architectural, engineering and construction industry, mostly in the U.S. Journal editor Randy Pollock accepted my story proposal – and went a step further. He invited me to join the Marketer’s Editorial Committee.
I wrote the (print) story, and submitted it – it has just gone to press.
Little did I know that our Southern/Western Ontario representative, Chase, in St. Catharines, had decided to experiment with Social Networking sites. He set up Facebook pages for our Canadian papers. (This one is for The GTA Construction Report.) I told him about my Marketer article, and we crafted an email campaign to let people know about the new sites. The result: A flurry of activity and new, productive sales leads for our business.
But, if you go to the beginning of this column, you’ll see I wrote “dangerous limitations” about social networking. The senior people I interviewed for The Marketer article said that social networking sites are a useful resource but NOT a replacement for proper, direct, human connections. In other words, your “friends” on Facebook or Linkedin.com are unlikely to do business with you unless you know them a little more personally. And you may find yourself spending hours on the computer with unproductive games and time wasters.
I have learned something important from this experience: You can achieve the best results by integrating several media simultaneously. Done properly, you will find you achieve a seemingly exponential increase in effectiveness for relatively little effort. An example: I’ll take this column, originally intended for the print editions of our Canadian publications, and post it as an entry on my Construction Marketing Ideas blog (and you are reading it here, now.)

* * *

As we print this issue, Leslie Greenwood is joining our staff. Based in Sault. Ste. Marie, she will work with us in co-ordinating the launch of our newest publication, Northern Ontario Construction News. NOCN will serve communities including Sudbury, North Bay, Thunder Bay and of course Sault. Ste. Marie, with locally and regionally relevant news. The additional communities will also enhance the value and effective of Ontario Construction Report, making our publication the first truly provincial construction industry title, with more than 10,000 readers.
You can reach Leslie care of the Northern Ontario Construction News Facebook site, or phone 888-432-3555 ext 114 and ask to be connected (at press time we are still setting up her phone extension and email link.

Publicity, networking and branding

The SMPS Marketer is just one of many benefits of The Society for Marketing Professional Services -- if you are responsible for marketing for the architectural, engineering and construction sectors, membership is a 'must' especially if you are in one of many U.S. cities with local SMPS chapters.

This is a posting about multi-faceted and multi-purpose communicating and marketing. I'm writing it to show you can multi-source a single marketing initiative and leverage it far beyond the initial obvious objective.

We'll start at the beginning. Last fall, noticing the trend to Social Networking sites, I proposed an article on the topic to SMPS Marketer editor Randy Pollock. Pollock accepted the idea -- and went a step further, he invited me to participate with about 12 others on the SMPS Marketer Editorial Committee.

I began researching the article, achieving direct and immediate communication with several of the best established AEC marketing experts in the U.S. They are quoted in the article. I also communicated with younger people, rising stars, and the like. The result is, I think, a pretty good piece of writing.

Today, on learning that Chase had set up a Facebook page for The GTA Construction Report, I decided to send out an email note to our Canadian readers telling them about the innovation. In it, I also offered readers a copy of the draft SMPS Marketer article about Social Networking. By day's end, seven or eight people had requested the article -- each clearly identifying who they are, and several, relevant prospects for our business. I of course sent them the article -- and forwarded their names to the relevant sales representatives. (Marketing is largely about lead generation for the sales team, of course).

But there's more. While I now have the PDF advance file of the article, it hasn't been printed yet. In a few weeks, however, some 6,500 SMPS members in the U.S. will see it -- and my name, email address, and business description. Nothing like effective branding, eh.

I realize this is bragging, but hope you can see a productive example which you can apply in your own business. When you are reaching out for new clients, when you are seeking to expand and develop your business, a mixture of generosity and efficiency go a long way. I'm freely sharing the article -- and more to come -- without expecting compensation, and you won't find any 'sales pitch' for our services within its pages.

Consider your own areas of expertise; and how you can share your knowledge and insights. Can you write a newsletter, or contribute articles to your community newspaper, or provide useful, unbiased and straightforward advice and tips on your website? You may find one article, one piece of writing, can be multi-purposed five or six times -- and, if all goes the way it should, generate meaningful and useful sales leads for your business.

On Facebook

Chase has set up a Facebook page for The GTA Construction Report and we'll soon have pages in place for our other publications. I've written before about social networking sites including Facebook and Linkedin.com -- my article on the topic is due to be published in the upcoming issue of The SMPS Marketer -- and learned the consensus is that while the sites are presently useful in connecting with younger people, they are not a substitute for other forms of communication if you wish to reach decision-makers in the industry.

However, I believe these resources will become increasingly important within the next couple of years so, if you haven't explored the sites, I recommend you spend a little time there. Just don't drop your other marketing approaches yet.

Using Jigsaw

Jigsaw.com allows you to purchase and trade business card data. I used one of my 'free purchases' -- to f ind Craig Galati's email address -- but won't be posting any of my own contacts' business cards here.

I wanted to send an email to Craig Galati telling him about the previous blog posting, but didn't have his email address -- a web search took me to the Jigsaw.com site where, indeed, his business card data is posted.

Of course these resources can be abused. I would be reluctant to 'trade' my business cards for such a database. What about privacy? (Intriguingly, however, under Canadian privacy legislation, business card data is not considered protected information -- you can use it freely without breaching some pretty stringent privacy management regulations.) The bigger issue, however, to me is whether your decision to share or sell this information on a public database without the informed consent of the person from where it originates is respectful of your relationship with that person.

But in this case I feel no guilt about using the resources to contact Galati. I could easily enough connect with him through other networking channels -- in fact I learned his name and blog through a document temporarily marked 'confidential' -- or phone his office. Here, the web-based resource simply speeds up something that would rightfully happen anyways.

Social Networking -- an observation

Here is an email from Chris Lowes who has been using Social Networking resources to build connections for his new contracting business.

Hi Mark:
I thought I would let you know how my "Social Networking" is going. You saw my one and only post on Linkedin. I did receive several responses and can say that they were all helpful and encouraging.

As a start-up the resource that such a group provides can't be underestimated. In terms of marketing and receiving work from that network the jury is still out. I ammeeting next week with someone I have corresponded with as a result of that post. He is working with some investors to build a 17 unit townhouse complex in Hamilton and is looking for Construction Management.

I also tried a search on Linkin using a geographic filter, searching the terms construction and retail. I chose a person in the result category who met my target market criteria. The gentleman had an outstanding bio. His contact settings at the bottom of his page showed "expertise requests" so I posed this question to him:

'I have recently started my own construction company with 20 plus years of commercial construction experience. The last 12 years running jobs for a company whose main client is Loblaws Properties. I have built and renovated Grocery stores, Department stores, Retail spaces and Golf Course Club Houses. My company is a one man show, at this point, with me sub-contracting out most of the work and I have an agreement with another contractor to share his labour force when needed. I will add as I grow. The question I want to ask you is: Would a company, such as yours, use a start up like mine to build? Or are they only interested in dealing with a company with a greater capacity then mine. My goal is to become a preferred contractor to companies, such as yours. However, I'm not sure whether I have to grow first or can grow as I'm doing this work.I would like to thank you in advance, as I know you must be quite busy.

The question is genuine, as you know. He answered my question thoughtfully. He asked me some questions. I have since sent him a list of projects I have completed with several references. I don't know if I will get the opportunity to bid on any of the work that he represents, but as I start up (that he doesn't know anything about) I'm pleased with feedback he has given me and the access I have been granted by Linkin.
Chris Lowes
CLIC Construction
tel. 905 228 1113
fax 905 228 4891

Undoubtedly the new Internet resources can accelerate the communication process and facilitate relationships -- the point is whether the communications achieved in this manner really translates to actual business. I think the new resources have potential; but their power is magnified when linked with recent graduates and younger people familiar and 'born into' these business models.
My article on the topic for the SMPS Marketer is almost ready for submission -- on one level, it is tempting to post it here, but that of course violates one of the cardinal rules of publishing -- stealing the thunder of the publication for which you have been assigned, by releasing the story ahead of time. So we'll have to wait!