Transitions

Two days ago, Eric moved into his 'new' bedroom. It actually is the same room that has been his since he arrived just a week before we moved into our then-brand-new house about 9 and a half years ago. But things needed to be changed. Out went the cute balloon wallpaper; in (with Eric's participation) went the Hockey stars. And we cleared out the closet of old toys -- toys appropriate for a three or four year old, or maybe a five or six year old kid, but not someone almost 10 years old.

In couple of weeks that it took to set up the newly decorated room and while we waited for the room's air quality to improve from the new paints and varnishes (preceded by months of planning by Vivian), Eric chose to sleep on a mattress in the floor of our room. He enjoyed this stage, and so did we, despite the loss of privacy. We knew we were experiencing a change-point; not the type celebrated by ceremony or drama (the wedding, confirmation or bar mitzvah), but nonetheless, an important milestone from early to middle childhood that all healthy children experience.

I'm wistful about the change; as I am about my evolution from early to 'late' middle age -- now that I am well into my 50s. Not planning it for me, Vivian borrowed from the library "Younger Next Year -- Turn back your biological clock" by Chris Crowley and Henry S Lodge, MD. This book is actually written for late middle aged men rather than women, but the fundamental points apply to both genders. At this stage of our lives, we can choose to let our bodies fail us, or actively maintain our health through exercise, rational nutrition, and meaningful commitments and relationships. If we get it right, we can live well with a high quality of life until our mid 80s and possibly slightly longer.

There is a correlation here between these life-cycle experiences and construction industry marketing. Your business, undoubtedly, will grow, change and evolve and many of these changes will reflect your own changes as you age. Most businesses fail, I suspect, because they cannot manage the transitions effectively. These can be technological, or market related, or perhaps are simply age related -- as the original owner/founder gets older, he or she needs to move on at some point.

Of course, if I follow the guidance in Crowley and Lodge's book, it looks like I've got another 30 years to go at least. This means that we'll experience Eric becoming a middle-aged man, and this publishing business being around long enough that the Internet will be almost my current chronological age. It will be different, of course. But there will still be a real need for architects, engineers, general contractors and sub trades.

The newsletter preview

Today, I prepared the first draft of the bi-weekly newsletter for delivery Wednesday night or Thursday morning. The Constant Contact software has really simplified the process and allows me to put things together quite quickly, even though the newsletter now contains much more information. My first instinct was to hit 'send' and move the distribution date upwards -- then, thinking more carefully, I realized a couple of days to review and edit the copy will only improve its quality.

Sales and Marketing -- Would you rather receive than call? will be in the newsletter -- note you are seeing a sneak preview, and it will likely be revised before the newsletter is delivered.

Writing week

This week is a writing week for me, as I must prepare content for our newspapers, websites and the bi-weekly Construction Marketing Advice Newsletter which is to be delivered by Thursday morning. Compounding the challenges is the visit next Sunday/Tuesday to Alberta, days where I would normally do last minute deadline writing. I probably will -- but from the hotel room. This means that my blog entries are likely to be shorter and I may need to miss a day or two along the way. However, I certainly welcome your calls or emails to 888-432-3555 ext 224 or buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com, epecially if you have suggestions or topics you would like to see covered in the newsletter.

Marketing consultant Bernie Siben has posted on his website some worthy material, including this piece that looks at the practicalities of completing RFP documentation: http://www.sibenconsult.com/publications/What-They-Want.pdf. I enjoyed reading it, and think you will too.

Recreating Washington Construction News

Last night, in a flash of inspiration, I recreated Washington Construction News as an online publication. I took a portion of our old electronic readership list, and melded it with materials (both new and from recent archives) into a new e-letter, and sent it out. Using the Constant Contact software, the entire process took about 90 minutes. (The URL link here takes you to the website, not the actual newsletter, with its own distinct contact. For a sample of the actual electronic newsletter, you'll need to request it by emailing me.)

It is early to say whether this test will lead to something more significant and permanent. Reflecting the nature of the project, readers will find virtually no commercial messages and lots of original content. I'll measure feedback through reviewing the 'open' rates, click-throughs, and most important, any reader comments or assessments.

If you would like a sample copy of the experimental WCN newsletter (which may become a template for our other publications and market areas) please email me directly at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com.

Integrity, relationships, and marketing

There are cliches in business, and some of them are so obvious that they seem meaningless. "Say what you do, and do what you say" is one of them. Yesterday, I observed in action the practical importance of observing these principals.

Some weeks ago, I met someone who wanted to pitch a relatively minor 'first stage' joint venture initiative to me. I, meanwhile, was preparing for a more significant project and saw this person's company as a natural ally in pursuing it. So, at our meeting, after listening to him explaining some really wild big-picture dreams (that would require really incredible resources to achieve), I proposed my rather simple alliance.

He declined, saying he had a much bigger project under-way with the other organization. He represented to me that while my thoughts were really early stage, and not well developed, he had already developed high level relationships with the other organization, and I should not mess around with them. Frankly, he put some fear into me that maybe indeed he knew stuff that I didn't know.

Nevertheless, our business is independent, and I decided to move forward on my own with my plans -- carefully describing a strategy that would result in our expressing and implementing our core competencies, while building a (positive) place for the other organization who I believed had competences distinct but highly complementary to ours. As I prepared for the presentation, I made a final call to this individual. He didn't return my call.

We made our presentation. I provided a first draft of the proposal telling the other people in the room that things were rough around the edges and I welcomed feedback before proceeding. I emphasised that some of our demonstration material wasn't quite ready but would be fixed within the day. And I mentioned that a key part of the job could better be handled by other organizations, including possibly the one of the person who bragged about his relationships and failed to return my calls afterwards. I intended to show how our work would fit within the 'big plan' described to me by the person I had met a few weeks previously.

Wow. Did I ever get a mouthful. "He said he was going to do all these things, and never followed up, and never did them," I heard from the people in the room. It seems the big-shot's name was mud with this organization. Of course, I never had (and never will) say anything negative about the individual or his organization (which I still believe is a good and reputable business) but I certainly felt relief that I hadn't waited for his 'permission' to proceed with my own presentation.

Within 24 hours, as promised, we prepared our revised presentation. I quickly removed the positive references to the other person's company (without however saying anything negative), cleaned up the details, and improved things based on the feedback. We got it right -- sort of. As noted previously in this blog, our own business isn't free of its share of skeletons and previous mistakes -- and not everyone in the community thinks highly of me and our business.

Nevertheless, yesterday we were ready for a key stage in developing our project, and I received a go-ahead to move forward with that part of the initiative. I felt it right, then, to call the person who could have been a partner in the deal to give him a heads up about the situation. I explained candidly what the other people had told me about him, and the problems this was creating for his own interests and business. He thanked me for my frankness.

I could not of course solve the problems with his own relationships, but observed with interest his observations: "I tend to be a big picture guy and get beyond myself". Contrast this with the people we hope to do business with, whose leader told me: "We appreciate that you don't claim to do everything -- but what you propose fits right within our visions and plans."

In the end, selling and high-end marketing is all about the quality of your relationships, your integrity and your common sense. Say what you do, and do what you say. I'm glad, in this case at least, I followed that part of the Golden Rule.

Sleeping on it

One of the most important elements in business decision-making is intuition -- the sixth sense based on gut feel, first impressions, subtle cues and seemingly irrational associations.
These can often be wrong -- many times they are framed on pre-existing prejudices and assumptions and, because these assumptions are so ingrained in our minds, they overtake fairer assessments.

Yet we ignore these feelings to our peril because, especially if we have specialized knowledge or experience, the sixth sense can in fact be the most subtle warning sign available to us. And that sixth sense is truly troubling me now on a decision I am about to make.

The economic cost of a wrong decision here is not that high (but it won't be insignificant). Theoretically the potential advantages are good. The person we are thinking of working with has passed all the tests in our evaluation cycle, but one. (And there can be good reasons external to the person for the seemingly poor results here.)

But, and here is the challenge, when I wake up, I keep hearing internal warning signs; the sixth sense is telling me, don't do this -- keep looking, be patient, don't rush it.

My conclusion: A compromise. Propose another very short term assignment with clear (and reasonable) goals and objectives. I realize this puts a lot of pressure in a short time on the candidate, and he can rightfully decline, but the test will determine whether it is right to carry forward -- and success with this extra test will validate both my intuition and the candidate's potential.

See this link from Fast Company magazine's website on the topic: http://www.fastcompany.com/online/38/klein.html

The real value of what we sell

Today, in discussing our business with a new salesperson, I explained that the value in what we sell is much more than it appears at first sight. Although we have a significant (and growing) online presence, almost all of our income is from conventional print advertising. Yes,, I explained to the new sales representative, conventional advertising continues to have a place in the marketplace even though alternative online media have significant competitive advantages.

I also explained the irony of our business model -- we are (as noted previously in this blog) able to sell season's greetings ads in a low-circulation association newsletter for several hundred dollars, each, minimum, while we struggled and ultimately dropped a market test where we offered a construction business leads service at a fraction of the cost of what others are paying for similar services.

So we have a paradox. How can we earn our way and deliver value to advertisers where measures such as "cost per thousand" or "cost per click" are common in the marketing world?
We create real value by helping clients leverage and enhance their business relationships by creating highly useful and truly inexpensive resources and providing extra free services.

For example, companies and organizations can arrange free editorial publicity in many special features and company profiles. The companies profiled in these features do not need to spend any money on advertising; they simply refer their suppliers to us, who purchase supporting ads.

The supporting advertisers generally choose to do business with us because they want to keep their current clients happy -- our challenge is to demonstrate to them that we regard them as our true clients, and will deliver service far beyond some ink on paper.

As an example, a storage tank manufacturer took up our offer for some free publicity after his company advertised in support of one of its clients projects. The sales representative sent me a very lengthy technical article; which we simply could not use. But I didn't throw it out. I called the sales rep back, learned more about the business, and the fact that his product saves between 10 and 30 per cent over the conventional alternative. I drafted a story and sent it for review/approval. Once it has cleared for publication, I'll write about the advertiser in this blog and post a link.

Double Payments, Publicity, and other ideas -- The North Carolina visit

My last of four flights yesterday landed in Ottawa about midnight. I'm happy I went. There is some irony in that the meeting about the Double Payments issue occurred in the RBC Center, home of last year's Stanley Cup winners, the Carolina Hurricanes. Now, Raleigh, NC is not a place one traditionally associates with championship hockey. But there we were, discussing Double Payments in the North Carolina construction industry, in a meeting room on the top floor of the hockey arena. (In part to make up for my absence yesterday, I'll be at another arena, the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, with Eric, watching the Senators take on Florida Panthers.) Editor's note -- the Sens won 4-0.

I thought the CAGC did okay in explaining the Double Payments issue to the attendees, but CAGC lobbyist Dave Simpson, after the meeting, told me he doesn't see much change in attitudes and the association is going to proceed cautiously. It doesn't want to introduce legislation until there is a consensus. I need to research and read through more documentation here but the message Simpson gave me is the story hasn't changed that much from when we wrote about it last. He suggests that general contractors will move and owners will move to other measures including construction management and tighter credit controls on their own part, to overcome the problem.

Bob Kruhm also co-ordinated meetings with some current and potential clients. As is always my approach, I don't look at the relationships here as a way to 'sell advertising' but instead on focusing on their marketing realities and needs. We are working on a public/media relations idea for one business that, if it goes as I expect it will, will result in prominent coverage in the News-Observer and local television. Obviously, it is best not to disclose right now the exact details of what we have in mind but it generally works within the media relations ideas outlined earlier in this blog.

On the flight home, I had an inspiration that needs to be checked out further. In many cases, I advocate to our clients that they should look more closely at how to manage their media relations so they can obtain news-section (or broadcast) publicity, rather than just purchase ads. I would like to give all our current and potential clients the kind of service I will be giving the new North Carolina client, but know I don't have the time for that.

Then I realized that the Ottawa Chapter of Construction Specifications Canada works with students in the local community college's public relations program to put on its annual Connections Cafe. Maybe I can make similar arrangements. We would pay the students a stipend for their work with our clients who requested the extra service -- and I would monitor and review the work of the student. This would provide valuable client service and training at the same time. Later on, when our business resources allow, we would put a PR specialist on staff to co-ordinate the program and provide the kind of extra service that clients rarely expect from a trade journal publisher. Aha, for the ideas and creativity generated during long hours on airplanes.

Today, I must catch up on work in Ottawa, review assignments for the next issue, evaluate a potential new sales representative, and prepare for my next trip, to Edmonton and Ft. McMurray Alberta, commencing this Sunday. And, yes, exercise and prepare for a hockey game tonight.

It is going to be a busy day. Lots of fun, I believe.

At the airport

About to board flight to Raleigh, NC, so postings will be limited today (returning at 11:30 p.m. after meetings, and total of four flights).

Travel may be an 'ordeal' but it is also a time to reflect, review the business plan, and think.

The One Thing You Need to Know

Marcus Buckingham's book with the title of this posting is one of my most influential guides to meaningful success and happiness. His argument is that we should get away from the 'balanced life' to what he describes as intentional imbalance.

And he makes the point on his website, http://www.marcusbuckingham.com, " find out what you don’t like doing and stop doing it." Essentially, his perception is that some of us spend too much time trying to be 'okay' at things we really don't enjoy and aren't that good at, when we should focus our energy and resources at activities which we enjoy and where we have talent.

It is simple advice, but too often people find themselves in perceived traps; unable to understand there are simple things we can all do, every day, to make things better for ourselves.

* * *

Tomorrow I'm visiting North Carolina for the first time in more than a year. It will be a brief visit. I'm flying in to RDU about 11:30 a.m. and will catch my flight home about 6 pm. Yet the six or so hours in The Triangle will be important and intense, as I capture information at an American Subcontractors Association meeting, visit with publisher Bob Kruhm, and meet some current and potential clients.

If you are in NC and would like to speak with me directly, you can call my office at 888-432-3555 but instead of leaving a message on my extension, dial 114 (or zero) and speak with Amanda -- she'll put you through to my cell phone. (Briefly, in the spirt of openness that characterizes this blog, I thought of publishing my actual cellular number, but that might be asking for trouble!)

Hopefully we'll have some news to post on our North Carolina sites by Wednesday; in the meantime, you can visit http://www.charlotteconstructionnews.com; http://triangleconstructionnews.com; http://triadconstructionnews.com and http://www.nccconstructionnews.com.

List moving, email marketing and referral compensation

With the new email system at constantcontact.com, I've been amalgamating and organizing my lists from a variety of places into one system. The idea is to gain some cohesion and more effectively manage our email and newsletter campaigns. As a result, I've been sending out some one-time emails and if you have requested your name be removed from my list, it has been done.

I really like constantcontact.com and would recommend them without any kind of referral fee or commission but since they pay it, might as well post the link here ....

http://www.constantcontact.com/features/signup.jsp?rc=2017386819&sru=1101529014339&fc=f&cc=community_purl

They'll give me $30 if you sign up, it seems.

This raises an interesting question for the marketing process -- should your company have a referral fee or 'leads reward' program, internally for employees or externally for referral sources and the like?

Clearly, many businesses do it, so they appear to get some value from the process. I'm not sure if a formal referral compensation system is a good idea because, I sense, most people providing really good referrals don't require or want to be paid for the referral -- they are doing it because they really like the way you conducted your business.

Nevertheless, it is always wise to thank the people who are referring business your way, and (unless there are ethical guidelines prohibiting it), I don't see why you shouldn't recognize the thank-you with something more tangible such as a dinner out, some sports tickets, or the like. A softer (and really fair) way to compensate the person you are receiving referrals from is to go out of your way to refer business to them (if appropriate) or maybe give them some extra service or recognition if they wish it.

Does your business have a referral compensation program? I welcome your observations because there are a number of questions here. How many participants do these programs attract? Do they truly increase the volume of referrals, and their quality? And would these programs work in the business-to-business sector, or purely in the business-to-consumer (renovation market, and so on) environment? You can post a comment (anonymously if you wish), or email me at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com, phone 888-432-3555 ext 224.

A day at the rink

Our son Eric had a hockey tournament yesterday. His team won the championship. The effort and energy of his team truly inspired all of us as parents. The team is in a non-competitive house league; the kids are playing for passion and love of the sport rather than to be NHL players.

I'm learning a lot in my responsibilities as team manager, about passion, commitment, teamwork, and unifying elements. Junior hockey here (like baseball, soccer and other sports elsewhere) is a true unifying force within the community; the parents come from a true diversity of economic and social strata.

Of course, it was a productive day -- though with three tournament games and one semi-pro game (to watch) there wasn't much time to think about the specifics of construction industry marketing. On the other hand, I am reminded of the importance of balance and family activities in our lives, and am thankful that I could put 'work' aside for yesterday's moment when Eric's team carried the trophy of success.

Marketing the way it should be done

Last night, I attended the annual Connections Cafe, co-ordinated the Ottawa chapter of Construction Specifications Canada (CSC). CSC is affiliated with the U.S. based Construction Specifications Institute and represents the people in a variety of disciplines responsible for drafting construction documentation.

Spec writers, of course, are really important to building product manufacturers, as well as building technology and systems developers. They also are important to general and subtrades interested in learning about opportunities before they are openly posted (if the opportunities are publicly posted at all.)

The importance of the specification writers is magnified in Canada's capital (as it is in Washington D.C.) because several members of the local chapter are federal government employees with key responsibilities in the Defence Department or in writing and maintaining the Natioinal Master Specifications.

Not surprisingly, manufacturers representatives and technical sales people find local CSC or CSI good places to be near; and this is certainly the case in Ottawa.

So the Chapter, following a model originally developed in Winnipeg, has for the last six years organized an annual Connections Cafe. Guests pay for the meal and can bid on donated items in a silent auction. The revenue is shared between the local chapter, Habitat for Humanity and a local Ottawa charity (run by Dave Smith) that provides alcohol/drug rehabilitation services for young people.

We of course cover the event in our local construction newspaper. "Selling" here is unobtrusive, natural, and built on relationships and long-standing connections, but it works. This is community involvement and participation at its best.

What should you do when you hit a bump (or crater) in the business road?

Yesterday, I received an email from our consultants. They want to write in their newsletter about my observations that the business planning process makes sense, even when the reality diverges far from the actual plan.

We had developed a pretty good and comprehensive business plan approximately 10 months ago -- well-thought projections based on real experience, a good variety of options should one thing or another fail, and everything looked -- and stayed -- on track . . . For one month.

Then the whole planning edifice crumbled in changing circumstances, unexpected developments, and surprising events. The business we have today is nowhere near what we projected it would be.

Yet the business plan -- and its evolving incarnations as it has redefined itself to meet the changing environment -- continues to guide our direction and vision. When we have stepped outside the confines of the original plan, either to drop something that just doesn't work, or to try an alternative that just might work better, we've used the plan as a guidepost and reminder to be realistic and acknowledge the market before pressing ahead.

Today, for example, I went from high to low when a ghost from our past (and present) suddenly haunted a proposal we are making to a major construction association. I wish I could say I don't have any enemies, but unfortunately this is not true. And the person who doesn't like us very much just happens to have held senior positions on the boards of directors of several construction associations in our market area -- including the association to whom we had just submitted a proposal.

Our enemy, frankly, has some justification for his hostility -- a few years ago we stretched our business practices over the line in a matter involving his company. I certainly accept responsibility for the actions of my overzealous salesperson (who is no longer with us). We've made major revisions in our procedures to ensure that all of our clients receive respect and the highest consideration. I suppose we could bring the lawyers out -- I am satisfied our mistake some years ago does not justify the response of the person who is hostile to us -- but having fought one battle, with lawyers, to a satisfactory resolution, I realize that it is better to accommodate and respect than engage in serious fights, unless the principal or business needs justify that kind of energy-draining effort. And since we were indeed wrong in the matter involving the person who dislikes us, I can take my lumps and move on.

But what about our proposal today, and the business plan? The answer is we'll modify our model; we'll demonstrate our value, and resolve any concerns about our business practices. Our template is the publication we produce for another association -- this relationship has lasted 15 years, and is still going strong. New features and components in the proposal, incidentally, have absolutely nothing to do with what our enemy perceives us to be. He is living in the past -- at least as far as we are concerned.

Even these solutions may not work, of course, because an enemy with a grudge (and some power) is truly a formidable force. If need be, we'll take another road, the high road, cautiously, courageously, and with a healthy dose of imagination and creativity.

This is life . . . and business. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Recommended reading

Last year on the Ryze network, I posted a question: "Could you share the name of your most influential sales/marketing books and articles -- the ones that reshaped or drastically influenced the way you do things?" The responses are worthy of your consideration and can be found in this thread:

http://www.ryze.com/posttopic.php?topicid=421060&confid=35#240084

How important is it to read to be successful in business? One telling event happened at an Innovators Alliance gathering, where our group of CEOs observed we all read a lot -- but most of our employees don't. I realize now, however, that there are different ways to 'read' than simply picking up books. And I am a naturally fast reader and typist; others have equally important capacities in other areas (like sports and socializing).

Incidentally, the last poster recommends Michael Gerber's E-Myth materials. I can too, with a strong qualification. Gerber's concepts will especially resonate if you are a general or sub-contractor good in the trade but not terribly experienced at overall business managementconcepts. He advocates we systematize our operations and measure our progress. Good enough. So good, I decided on reading the book to pay a couple thousand dollars and fly business class to Northern California to participate in his Leadership Intensive program.

Did I get my money's worth? Partly. Certainly, the four-day program reinforced some basic principals , but the follow up service left a lot to be desired. We were sold on signing up for his multi-month, multi-part program, with a personal coach. As I got into my third month, I added up the costs and scratched my head: "Why was I paying what would ultimately amount to more than $10,000 for a cookie cutter McDonald's style consulting service, when I could use that money to hire a real consultant who actually delved into and understood my business. " (We eventually found just the consultant we needed, Bill Caswell of Caswell Corporate Coaching Company -- CCC who rightfully adheres to the principle that consultants should be paid when they help their clients achieve success, not directly for their time.)

Nevertheless, having gone through a large part of Gerber's e-myth program, I can see general contractors and sub-tradeswho have successfully implemented his highly structured plan -- and know it works for them.

I have ordered the book recommended by the most recent Ryze poster, Maria Marsala. Jim Horan's "One Minute Business Plan" looks close to the 'napkin plan' simple one-page business plan concept that I believe is best -- as do others.

Do you have your own favorite business book recommendations? You can post a comment on this blog (anonymously if you wish) or email me at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com.

Some leads

I recommend you subscribe to consultant Michael Stone's Markup and Profit newsletter. The title is self-explanatory. Stone believes contractors often undersell their services; and in fialing to plan their jobs and businesses, waste time on 'free estimates' for people who will not buy (or are just low-ball prospects), and fail to hire and work with the best possible employees and suppliers. His focus is in the residential and direct-to-public rather than business-to-business sectors, but his advice still is as valid as ever. Stone publishes a truly useful newsletter even if you don't follow directly on its marketing intent of getting you to listen to him speak or become one of his consulting clients.

On the Internet side of the picture, I am enoying the mybloglog.com free resource. This tool allows you to gather rather deep statistics about traffic to your blog and know where people are heading when they click off site. It also has potentially useful community/connection and cross referal resources. Like many web applications, the basic system is free -- you can choose to sign on for more advanced capacities if you need them, and your budget allows.

This weekend, we are putting our finishing touches on a proposal for an Ontario-based construction association. Preparing proposals of course takes time and effort, but we figured we would save some time and create greater value by building large segments of the mock-up document into our real, published product (of course receiving the association's approval in advance for any content to be published.

Making news

I gathered a whole stack of news last night at the annual general meeting of the General Contractors Association of Ottawa. While this is a purely local organization, it also happens to be in the Nation's capital, and last night, the federal minister of public works and government services made himself available for a brief speech and question and answer session.

However, things turned interesting about five minutes into Michael Fortier's presentation when he looked at me and told me to stop taking notes (I was typing notes about his speech live into my laptop). This caught me off guard. First, I had been invited as a member of the press by the association, and secondly, Mr. Fortier's assistant approached me before the speech to invite me to participate in a private interview with him after his presentation.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, and realizing it wasn't my place to disrupt the meeting, I closed the notebook and listened.

He said some things that definitely could stir up reaction, and were, in journalistic parlance, the stuff of national scoops. Perhaps the most suppressing remarks relate to Defence Construction Canada, a rather unusual Canadian crown corporation that handles construction for Canadian military bases.

This organization lives in its own unique space -- it has a rather nice looking website, but you won't find much about its inner workings there, or anywhere else. Fortier, in his remarks, suggested there was no need for this crown corporation; that its functions could easily be integrated within his Public Works ministry.

Fortunately for DCC, the reaction in the room to this idea was, well, less than enthusiastic. Ottawa's general contractors have had more than their share of frustrations with Public Works/Government Services bureaucrats who don't know about construction, and don't have authority to take a decision. DCC, on the other hand, runs a smooth and fair operation, at least as far as the contractors in the room related. They said the DCC people understand the construction business and work well with it.

This morning, I called DCC for comment about the minister's remarks. It didn't take their public relations person long to check things out -- staff called the minister's office, and learned no immediate changes are planned. The minister may have been putting out a trial balloon (in a semi-closed meeting) but he said his remarks about DCC after he clearly understood I was in the room, and answered a question about the topic in my brief interview post-meeting.

If you are wondering what all of this has to do with construction marketing, you should appreciate that our role in the industry is to provide news and information -- in doing that, we are read by the people who count. I was in a room with about 35 general contractors who together build hundreds of millions of dollars of projects a year. Having their attention-- and readership -- means that advertisers get value for their money.

The sales test

We evaluated two candiates for the sales opportunity today. The paid three hour assignment (at $18.00 per hour topped up with commissions if they sold enough) worked for both candidates; they will receive more than $18 per hour for their test.

We won't hire either of them permanently. We evaluated other elements besides actual performance -- including their ability to set their own achievements and results. We also considered the scores of the online sales test. Business-wise this recruitment/interviewing system has real advantages. We will make a profit on the 'interview time' and the candidates, even though they won't get a permanent job with us, probably will find we are one of the few businesses in the world that actually PAY candidates for the interview.

Best of all, we now have a benchmark for measuring other candidates. We know how well two candidates who are not natural salespeople did; so when we give the same assignment to the person (people) we really wish to hire, we will achieve a good business volume and the lucky candidates will certainly be paid very well for their interview/testing time.

Totally off topic

I have been enjoying watching an Internet side show between anti-scam forum cattyshaq.com (where I had some posting involvement last year, but am now away from) and a so-called High Yield Investment Program (HYIP) called infinitemultiplicity.com.

The brains between infinitemultiplicity.com is an anonymous person who calles himself "consultants circle" but you won't find his real name or address anywhere. But if you want to 'waste' some time reading the dynamics involving get-rich-quick schemes and scam-fightings, the, for want of a better word, catfight, between cattyshaq supporters and those speaking for infinitemultiplicity on the moneymakersgroup.com forum makes for some interesting reading.

Specific relevant threads are:

http://www.moneymakergroup.com/index.php?showtopic=121145

and

http://cattyshaq.com/forum/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=3185&start=0

(This stuff has absolutely nothing to do w ith construction marketing, of course.)

Newsletter and writing

Just sent out the newsletter to some 560 readers -- and am working on the book plus editorial content for our Canadian newspapers. So the blogging will be light for the next few days.

I certainly, however, welcome your success stories and questions. These will help define the focus of future blog and newsletter topics. You can email me at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com or phone 888-432-3555 ext 224.

Starting the marketing book

Tomorrow morning I will start writing my book on construction marketing. Book writing is something new to me -- I've written dozens of articles and investigated many stories over the years, but have never put things together into a book.

I realize the best way to get this work done is to allocate a clear hour per day for it. The first draft should be ready within a few weeks; then I can flush out the elements requiring additional research, and go back to it again; before inviting a small team of reviewers/editors to look it over.

One of the biggest challenges in writing this book, I think, will be the fact that the industry has many different components and the marketing needs and concerns of different types of business differ. Clearly a small local subcontract has different concerns than the marketing specialist at a big multinational architect. Nevertheless, the interdisciplinary nature of the industry suggests that a cohesive book pulling together some basic threads and concepts will still be useful.

* * *

As I work on the book, our business will resolve the recruitment issue. Last night, I saw a possible answer to the problem. We had been experimenting with a variety of messages; recruiting part-timers, telemarketers, and so on. But there are indications that people looking for opportunities indeed are seeking full-time employment; and if we phrase things properly, I'm confident we will find the right person soon (hopefully within a few weeks.)

Finding great salespeople -- the incredible challenge

Today, we went through the roller-coller experience, again, in sales recruitment. We're looking for someone capable to join the team; the starting compensation is reasonable -- about $20 per hour -- and we could work with the right candidate on a full-time or part-time schedule.

Recently, I've been focusing my recruitment efforts with the Canadian government's free Job Bank online employment service. The price is certainly right, and we've used the service to attract some very qualified candidates in the past.

But the latest round of advertising hasn't gone so well. When the posting first appeared, we received many responses -- I count 35 or so in total. I've never thought there to be great value in wading through resumes, developing short lists, and the like. Instead, we email a response customized to the offered opportunity, with a questionnaire designed to verify whether the person is right for the work.

There is another, hidden, test. If the prospective salesperson shows some initiative and calls us, they win points. If, instead of just answering the questionnaire, they put some thought into the questions and perhaps engage in some follow-up communication, they also gain additional points. We are, after all, looking for salespeople and this is one situation where we want the candidates to effectively "sell themselves" to get a job. (Conversely, when I see this selling-type behaviour for other types of work, I generally discount them -- we are looking for their actual talents, not selling skills; for e xample, we want journalists who can write and communicate, not 'sell' us on why we should hire them.)

Alas, however, it doesn't look like any of the current batch of candidates is passing the test. One person called (good) but in subsequent conversations, he disqualified himself. "I only want a full time job," he said. "I don't want to telemarket," he observed. Okay, but you need to use the phone to sell, and as far as I could tell, the candidate didn't have a job right now -- so he wouldn't be giving up much to prove himself part-time.

The last thing we want to do is to hire someone simply because we have a space to fill, and take the best of a bad lot of candidates. (Conversely, if two super candidates showed up, I expect we would find a way to create two jobs.)

So we'll go back to the drawing board, and continue our efforts. I know this is a common problem for most businesses and wish I had a better answer -- but if we did, we would be in another line of business.

When the advertising feature works

About 13 years ago, we discovered from the late Walt Hailey in Texas the principal of "Naturally Existing Economic Relations" (NEER). Hailey's concept is elegantly simple -- when you want to sell something to a key potential client, don't go to the prospective client; go to that client's customers and secure referrals from them.

In business, these client-based referrals are truly high value connections. After all, if you receive a call from someone sending you money every month, asking you to meet or communicate with someone else, would you at least listen to that request; and respond with courtesy.

We took this concept, along with the principal that editorial publicity works far better than conventional advertising, and developed our model of special feature reports. These types of reports are not a new thing in the printed publishing sector, but in our approach we made them the primary method of business.

For many years, the concept worked very well -- we sold thousands of dollars of advertising, and received plenty of repeat business, including companies who would be profiled one year, and then come back again.

But this success ignored an important additional element that we only recently took to heart. Sure, when a company purchases a "proud to support" ad in the feature for another business, they are doing it to keep their current customer happy. But they are also becoming OUR customer. And we need to treat our clients with more respect than an invoice!

Today, I put the new principals to work when we received word from a company that had profiled us of their satisfaction with the feature, and with a request that we provide a copy of the feature for their website.

First, we ensured that the version posted would include all the ads, giving the advertisers additional, free, exposure.

Then, we told our advertisers about this -- copying the email from the featured client.

Third, in that email, we reiterated our commitment to our advertisers, and offered them additional free services and support.

All of this took only a few minutes, but judging from the return emails, it has been a successful initiative.

Communicating with clients doesn't take much effort, thanking them for their business can take only a few minutes. But the results go far beyond the obvious. Here, we communicated clearly to our clients that their ads truly 'worked' -- the company profiled and the company they want to be identified with -- likes the work enough that their ads are going to be displayed on the key website.

Mark Buckshon can be reached at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com or by phoning 888-432-3555 ext 224.

Networking for real

Bill Caswell and Upkar Bikhu of Caswell Corporate Coaching Company (CCC) visited my office today to join in our weekly 1:30 pm Monday meeting. With a conference call set up, employees and contractors in Winnipeg, MB, Durham NC, Kingston ON, and Gatineau PQ joined in the discussion about current and future business plans..

The meetings are now routine; Bill and Upkar taught me the model last year and while there have been astounding changes in the business since then, the essential component of regular and reliable (and accountable) communication has become a firm part of our systems.

With the meeting concluded, we discussed offline the online networking systems, especially linkedin.com. Bill and Upkar don't think they work very well -- they say they've signed on to the networks because friends and colleagues have put their names into the systems, but they haven't seen any real business from them.

I think they have a point. While Internet systems have some value, they cannot replace the informal processes in your own community and through natural relationships. The Internet networks are theoretically useful if you are operating over wide geographical areas, but I found much more enlightening the observations of senior members of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS): http://www.washingtonconstructionnews.com/articleview.php?nArticleID=50

The point here is these meaningful networks aren't built in a day, week, or even a year or two -- they can take decades to develop. You can sometimes bootstrap the process -- I got to some of the leading people in construction marketing within weeks by writing a story about them -- but this connection, even, is tenuous; I may have some access here that I wouldn't otherwise have, but I'm surely not yet anywhere near anyone's inner circle in that group.

The point is there is no quick fix and easy way to success in networking --yes, if you are good and have a good network, you can add to it or find a key lead or point of contact relatively easily, but this is AFTER you've proven your value and ability to give far more than you expect in return.

Sure, go ahead and sign up for services like linkedin.com. Just don't expect an immediate connection to a powerful network of opportunity -- unless, of course, you are prepared to contribute and be patient.

You can reach Mark Buckshon by phone at 888-432-3555 ext 224 or by email at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com

Networking -- a new link

I've (belatedly) discovered linkedin.com, a business-to-business networking site with at first impression several impressive features. I sense the quality of networking is higher than Ryze.com. Interestingly, with just one direct connection -- I just signed on tonight and referred a small group in my immediate network -- linkin shows 124 connections; most third degree (that is, they know someone who knows someone who knows me).

Obviously internet networking groups are no substitute for more industry-specific ones. I think for construction marketing professionals, the Society for Marketing Professional Services (http://www.smps.org) provides the best networking opportunities, especially if you are architect, engineer or contractor seeking contact with peers in other cities who may be influential in winning important projects.

I'll write more on networking in this week's newsletter (and yes, I've decided to resume a weekly schedule for the newsletter).

Mark Buckshon can be reached by email at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com or by phone at 888-432-3555 ext 224.

The advertising/marketing continuum

New (or more accurately newly widely available) models of advertising are reshaping business practices and giving much more effective choices for companies seeking to promote and sell their products and services.

The Internet has opened the door to pay-per-click, pay-per-call, and pay-per-order advertising in addition to the conventional and traditional pay-per-view (or circulation) models.

Traditionally, media outlets sold their advertising based on their circulation or audience. These can be measured and verified through circulation audits or audience rating services, and segmented by demographics. Whether anyone who reads, listens to or views to your advertising in this model of course doesn't change the price you pay. Your ad could 'reach' thousands of people, but no one would buy anything, and you would be stuck with a very expensive advertising bill.

In its original incarnation (and still an important part of the equation) internet websites sold banner ads on their websites on a cost-per-thousand (or for smaller sites, on a monthly fixed price contract). You paid the same regardless of results, again, but at least if you had things set up correctly you could measure the results by the amount of traffic the site generated for your business (as you could, if you organized things properly, through the other media.)

Then Google came along and revolutionized the model. Now you could pay per click, and the price you paid is determined by an auction process. You set the budget and price you are willing to pay, and pay only for the clicks that arise from your advertising.

This model of course gives you much more control over the results, but is still subject to less-than-perfect consequences -- obviously people can click on your ad and not buy anything. In fact, a form of 'click fraud' exists where competitors or malicious users deliberately click on your ads to drive up your advertising bills. (If click fraud is discovered, Google will refund your advertising fees).

Another alternative is the pay-per-call system, where you only pay when a prospective client dials a special toll free number, which is referred to the line of your choice. Here you know there is a live inquiry, which can be converted to a sale with the skill of your own staff. Pay-per-call models are especially effective for local businesses. One pay-per-call service is Ingenio.

Finally, organizations such as Commission Junction have set up affiliate marketing systems where you can pay per lead or order -- allowing for set up fees and minimums, this model gives you the greatest control over your advertising budget and ensures your dollars really produce sales results.

So, you are in the construction business. Which model works best for you? It depends. Are you offering a highly specialized service over a wide geographical market; or are your clients mostly local businesses or for that matter consumers? Each circumstance is differerent.

I'm a believer in using the continuum approach -- starting with conventional ads for branding purposes, and moving to highly focused keyword and pay-per order ads for actual order generation. Business-to-business marketing has different challenges, especially if you are a building products manufacturer or distributor and need to get your product in the specification cycle.

If you wish, I welcome your call and may suggest some specific approaches that will work for you. There's no cost, of course. If you wish to engage my services, compensation will be on a performance-results basis.

Mark Buckshon can be reached by phone at 888-432-3555 ext 224 or by email at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com

Market test results

Day two of the market test for the construction leads service has concluded and the answer is, unequivacobly, this idea is a bomb.

For those reading this blog who are not subscribers to the Construction Marketing Advice Newsletter, here is relevant posting:

By Mark Buckshon
Today, we are in the midst of a market test that is producing surprising results. After six months of planning and research, I asked two qualified salespeople to see if they could find clients for a new construction information and leads service.
After a good day on the job, they haven’t received one order.
Obviously, we aren’t going to pull the plug just yet – but the disappointing early results contrast with another test we conducted in late November. Then, I asked two new and unproven sales representatives to sell Christmas greeting ads in a local homebuilder’s newsletter. After just a day on the job, and with little knowledge of the market, the two representatives sold $6,000.00 in ads.
What is happening here? Why are people reluctant to spend $49.00 per month or $489.00 per year for a high quality leads service when they will spend $500 or more for a one-shot Seasons’ Greeting ad that, I assume, will be forgotten among the crowd of similar ads?
I think the answer to this question may lead to an important understanding and solution for readers interested in construction marketing. Value is defined by relationships; and healthy relationships are more durable than transitory jobs, and more meaningful than conventional bidding opportunities or, for that matter, conventional marketing including advertising and direct sales efforts.
We had no trouble selling ads in the association newsletter because its members get along well, and connect with their motto: “Be a member, do business with a member”. No one of course should expect instant gratification in joining this kind of association, but after time and with reasonable effort, members find the relationships lead to tips and guidance, and contracts, and real work. So when the members are asked to show their support with a greetings ad, they say “sure”.
The leads service, on the other hand, might be useful, especially to start-ups or to businesses without close existing relationships; but the more successful businesses – the ones with the spare cash spend a few hundred dollars on a Christmas Greeting ads – already have relationships and connections, and are not necessarily looking for new business in the conventional way.
(I'm sure the leads service will be of interest to some of the most successful businesses who purchased the Christmas ads -- after all, the proposed new service also provides useful market intelligence and insights, and these elements are of real value to any business. Nevertheless, our challenge remains to to find at least 200 subscribers anywhere in Canada, and perhaps the U.S. if licensing arrangements can be confirmed, for the service that can easily be customized to meet the needs of local markets and market segments.)
There is another lesson to be learned from this experience – the importance (and limitation) of market research and testing. If we proceed with the new data/leads service, we will incur several thousand dollars of deferred start-up costs, and if I blindly believed this service could work, without testing, our business could be caught in a bottomless pit of expense, with limited or no return.
So we devised a simple and elegant test. We want to hire a new salesperson, and after short listing candidates, found someone who looked like he might be suitable. But if we gave just the new salesperson this assignment, we might unfairly judge him to be incapable if he failed, when the problem related to the product or market. So we contracted with a second sales representative, someone we know well, who is familiar with the industry and has achieved significant success in the past.
Both representatives used different techniques (we didn’t dictate the best approach, but were available to provide industry and market-specific guidance to the new representative). Alas, neither of them sold a thing in their first day on the job. They have a little more time to prove there may be some interest in the new service, of course, but remember two sales representatives sold $6,000 in ads for the Homebuilders’ Christmas publication in the same amount of time.
Now it is quite possible that our problem here is not the product or market but the way we are selling it. Telemarketing is traditionally a fast and effective approach to market testing, but I’m sure none of us like very much to be bothered by in-bound calls. Maybe this product needs to be sold through referral or other forms of advertising.

. . .

Neither of the two salespeople, who tried to contact upwards of 500 qualified business owners, could receive even one commitment or tentative order for the service.

I consider the test to have been a success, nevertheless. My 'control' contract sales representataive did his work flawlessly, starting off by emailing complete prototype samples and ordering information to the target list, before calling anyone. He also reduced his agreed-on hourly fee substantially by requesting payment for only a few hours work -- or $90 in total.

The other person, our new salesperson candidate, did okay as well, but after he left on his first day, we reevaluated his references and saw some serious issues. I straightforwardly told him at the end of the day that of course we would pay him for his work, but would not be calling him back.

So where do we go with a project that resulted in hours of planning effort, and had been a significant structure of our planned business expansion. I really don't know yet. But I'm surely glad that I didn't pour more money into this thing.

Voice mail jail: Some cures

Here is an interesting link with some potentially useful suggestions on this challenging topic that challenges virtually everyone in sales that I know.

http://www.greatvoice.com/speaker/voicemail.html

Networking and Netweaving

Bot Littel of Atlanta developed the concept and coined the word "Netweaving", essentially, a high level form of networking where you put your own interests aside to focus on connecting the dots for the benefit of others.

This passage from the http://www.netweaver.com site gives a succinct idea of the concept.

NetWeaver: Have you ever heard the term
"NetWeaving"?
Usually the response will be "no" (at least for the near future).
NetWeaver: "NetWeaving is a take-off on the word, networking. Traditional networking tends to focus on, ‘ Capitalizing on your network of friends, business associates, and centers of influence in order to generate more business for yourself’ There’s certainly nothing wrong with this and everyone needs more business, but NetWeaving is a form of networking which looks for ways to put OTHER people together in win-win relationships, or to supply them with resources they need. Some of these favorable matchups and other favors will come back to benefit the NetWeaver – and sometimes in very spectacular ways - but that’s not their motivation." Often, the first response from the other person will be something like:
"What a great word. . .or, I’ve done a lot of that in my time." It’s also good at this point if you can encourage the other person to talk about a situation in which he or
she acted as a "NetWeaver" because it will help reinforce the concept in their subconscious.

I haven't had the opportunity (yet) to attend a formal Netweaving event, but reports from people who have been to these kinds of events -- or better yet, organized them -- tell me that this is the way to really do the networking thing properly.

In practice, I'm something of a social wallflower and networking events are downright uncomfortable (it is easier by far for me to contribute by writing) -- but if you are socially more comfortable, or want to make a real effort to be a great at 'networking' I would definitely review Mr. Littel's ideas more closely.

Mark Buckshon can be reached by phone at 888-432-3555 ext 224 or by email at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com

Networking and "Netweaving"

Networking -- some effective ideas

"Networking" is perhaps one of the most effective (and inexpensive) marketing techniques. The concept is to build relationships that provide referrals and connections; and to discover opportunities in the hidden environment.

Networking gives you a real competitive edge, even in environments with RFP/Open Bid proposal arrangements. The reason is that, if you have been in business any length of time, that many opportunities are wired in favour of one group even though they are supposed to be fair and open.

Networking allows you to call on the informal connections and associates, to avoid wasting your time on impossible files, and to get the edge on the ones that are truly available to you. You can find the hidden opportunities this way.

But how do you network effectively?

I will start out by telling you what doesn't work -- those phoney 'networking events' where salespeople try to pitch stuff to other uninterested salespeople. Yuck. Beyond being insincere, these things don't get you closer to your real market (though there is a way to turn even a 'bad event' into a good one).

More effective networking models include:

1. Organized lead exchange groups and associations, such as executive associations. I will discuss some options here next issue.

2. A fascinating concept "netweaving" where you put your own interests aside and focus on the others' needs -- this really can even save a bad event.

3. Developing your own customer base, and connections, and recognizing where these are.

4. Using industry associations and groups with multi-city membership, and developing an effective referral and associate participation strategy with them.

I will give you some suggestions on each of these topics over the next week.

Mark Buckshon can be reached by phone at 888-432-3555 ext 224 or by email at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com.

How to obtain great publicity for your business

Point 4 -- Finding the story angle

Yesterday, a demolition contractor from Raleigh, NC called me. He wanted information about advertising rates in Triangle Construction News. I engaged in a conversation with him, not to sell him advertising, but to find out what would best meet his needs.

He told me his business was still quite small, though he had invested upwards of $1 million in capital equipment. He had just won some contracts to demolish unoccupied houses, some used as 'crack houses'. Although not a black person himself, he had partnered with a minority contractor who lost his original business in some messy litigation with a former partner. He didn't want huge jobs, but wanted steady and solid work.

We explored what would work best for him.

If I just 'followed rote', I could have encouraged him to spend $2,500 or $3,000 on a year-long advertising contract, helped him with his ad design, and then moved on to the next client. But that is not the way I like doing business. My goal is to ensure that our clients get real value for their money, and I knew there were other things he needed to do first.

Clearly networking and word of mouth contacts are the best approach, esepecially since there is a relatively finite group of people/organizations who will hire local demolition contractors on a regular basis. Since he has an interest and some existing markets in residential demolition, I encouraged him to join the local homebuilders' association, in this case the Home Builders' Association of Raleigh-Wake County. Members of the National Home Builders' Association and the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) adhere to the motto: "Be a member -- Do business with a member" and I can assure you from first hand experience and reports from business colleagues that these mottos are observed in practice if you observe the most basic networking rules and principals. (I'll cover networking more extensively in future blogs). Dues are $500 a year approximately in Raleigh.

I then suggested to the demolition contractor that he needed a web page, and proper email address, and told him how to do this for $500 or less.

Finally, I suggested he would benefit from publicity in the media. And here, the art of finding the right angle for the story became most apparent. I dismissed the idea of writing about the legal conflict between the two former partners -- besides the cost of handling such a story (lots of legal review necessary), it is of interest really only to the parties directly involved.

The 'minority owned contractor' angle has some relevance, including the interracial partnership, but again, this is not a story in itself and might be seen the wrong way by some people. Racial issues are complex -- especially the underrreported tensions between Blacks and Hispanics -- and some people might take a cynical view of the White/Black partnership.

But what about a human interest story about the demolition process itself -- maybe alluding to the social good of demolishing crack houses and so on. We could look at the safety issues, risks, and challenges in tearing down crack houses and the like. Seems like an interesting and socially responsible story to me -- one with enough visual interest for local television relevance, and with enough substance for the local newspaper.

I then suggested that we do a special advertising feature in Triangle Construction News. I would write it, it would cost about $1,500, and we would use this writing as the basis for communication with other media.

We are going to do business. The contractor would give us about the same amount of money as he would for a conventional ad, but is getting a whole lot more value. That is the best way to ensure repeat clients, of course.

In summary:

The best story is something that will interest the larger community and not cause legal tensions or misinterpretations. Good media publicity is far more than just issuing press releases or buying ads and hoping for the best.

* **

This posting on the Strumpette site: "Though Shall Not Buy Media People a Meal" offers an interesting and important perspective on how to work with members of the Press. Generally mainstream journalists cannot be 'bribed' and the lower-level ones who take the freebies are really not effective. Professional Public Relations consultants can be worth their weight in gold, but you need to know what you are doing in hiring them.

Mark Buckshon can be reached by phone at 888-432-3555 ext 224 or by email at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com

Point 3 -- How to relate to reporters/journalists

Successful journalists have a combination of traits including inquisitiveness, the ability to absorb large amounts of information quickly, and the capacity to distill this knowledge into written, audio and visual expression that captures the hearts and interests of the target audience readership. In other words, they are much like successful exceutives and decision-makers -- they don't have a whole lot of time to waste on extraneous self-serving trash, and they receive more than their fair share of that junk.

Your challenge of course is that your story is of interest to you, and not so important in the bigger picture. Getting to the top of the pile and into print and on electronic media can be difficult.

But remember, as well, that the people you are most intered in reaching are potential clients often in specialized fields-areas. You don't need to be on the front page of the New York Times or on Oprah to achieve your objectives; in fact these sources of publicity could do you more harm than good. And while the general rules are the same when relating to all journalists and reporters, your opportunity for success is much greater if you aim your interests closer to your 'home' target market.

Some additional thoughts:

• Sometimes timing is everything, and sometimes you can control (and sometimes you can't) control the timing. Writers are often under great pressure to fill space at deadline. For a few hours/minutes, your otherwise 'junk' news release may find its way to the top of urgency. That is why it isn't necessarily harmful to send out frequent news releases even though the news isn't always earth shattering. Your time may just come. (The news releases of course still should be relevant and useful, regardless of when or how many times you send them.)
• You may know there are themes planned; or there are newsworthy topics happening on which you can 'piggyback' your announcement. Sometimes seasonal issues lend themselves to obvious news releases. A paradox, for example, is that the media often has 'space to fill' in the quiet period around Christmas and in the summer, so your chance of getting press is greater at these times. On the other hand, your decision-makers may be away, as well.
• When a reporter/writer calls, drop everything, take their call, and answer their questions/requests. Remember, however, you are on the record (you should never assume you are off the record until you have much experience and confidence with the writer), so everything you say can and may be used against you -- including out of context remarks. You can see how this can be a minefield when you are dealing with a negative or contentious topic. If you think you may experience negative publicity, I recommend you waste no time calling an expert in media relations and communications -- of course, in a crisis, you are not going to want this expertise by looking on the internet or Yellow Pages. It is best, always, to plan ahead and prepare.

How important is all of this stuff? Obviously many companies and business leaders succeed outside the limelight of publicity -- there is an argument for avoiding attention while you quietly do your thing. But if you take the time to understand and relate effectively to news media personnel by seeing the world through their perspective, you are more likely to achieve satisfactory results.

Mark Buckshon can be reached by phone at 888-432-3555 ext 224 or by email at buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com

How to obtain great publicity for your business

Point 2 -- What makes a great story?

One of the cardinal rules of marketing is to answer the WIIFM (What's in it for me?) question, from the perspective of your clients and prospective clients. The same issue applies at a magnified level when you are seeking media publicity.

Most publications, websites and radio or television stations will be happy to provide you with a puffy business profile for you -- if you pay them. Of course, this can be very expensive and not terribly effective advertising. You and your employees may care about your business, but who else does? The answer is, not many, except as it provides something of value (or on the negative side, of cost) to them.

Since the media business depends on advertising revenue for its survival, it is doubly careful about giving positive publicity that could be seen as self-serving to businesses. (This is partly why non-profits and community groups have an edge in the publicity realm; there are also ideological and point-of-view biases of working journalists, who are usually younger and more left than right-leaning in their political perspectives.)

Nevertheless, these issues are not insurmountable barriers -- the important thing is to look beyond your own interests, to those of the media for which you are seeking publicity, and ultimately, their readers (who, if you are planning things correctly, are likely to be your clients or their influencers).

Here are some ideas on routes to media publicity

The charity give-away
You have seen I'm sure the smiling faces with the big cheque. These pictures run in community newspapers and in charity 'house organs'. I'm not a big fan of this type of publicity but it should not be underrated -- especially if, for example, the board of directors of the charity you are supporting also contains senior decision-makers among your potential clients.

The creative (or big) charity give-away
You can certainly 'buy' publicity by making a really large contribution -- something big enough to bankrupt most smaller businesses! Creativity is of course more complex. A homebuilder might negotiate with a hosptial lottery to provide a dream home as a prize give-away; perhaps selling the house to the lottery at a below-market price. The house, located in a subdivision the builder is marketing, is then used as a show-home for several months while the lottery is running. The builder receives good publicity and of course many visitors from potential purchasers. Perhaps you can arrange a different but relevant give-away within the business sector you are serving.

Your article/column in business and trade journals
I think this is the most effective form of publicity for professional services and consultants. You need to write creative, original content, of relevance to publication's readers. If you aren't a natural writer, you can hire someone to put your words into a cohesive form. Note you should not use canned material here -- editors can see through this stuff and will either reject it or invite you to publish it as a boxed ad. Consider also if appropriate developing a podcast or visual message using the new media technologies.

Contribute to relevant internet forums and discussion groups
If you can be seen as an expert among experts in higher level forums and discussion groups, youwill achieve an enhanced reputation (and receive calls and emails directly), but an indirect benefit is that mainstream media reporters monitor the forums these days and you are more likely to be called to comment on relevant topics.

Tomorrow I'll discuss the uses (and limits) of the News Release.

Please feel free to phone me at 888-432-3555 ext 224 or email buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com.


This week I learned belatedly with sadness about the death of Gary Coull. We were university peers -- working on the student newspaper The Ubyssey, with summer and part-time jobs at the Vancouver Province newspaper. When we graduated, we set out to see the world -- in different directions. Gary went to the middle east and Asia, settling in Hong Kong where, he grew from a start as a reporter to becoming a highly successful investment banker/broker.

His memorial website is http://www.garycoull.com

How to obtain great publicity for your business

Point 1 -- Why media publicity is important.

The media is a magnifier. Great word-of-mouth referrals of course produce profitable business opportunities. Great media publicity multiplies this process because the media's credibility combines with its extensive circulation/viewership/distributorship within your market community. (The converse, of course, applies to bad publicity).

Independent news media has credibility with your market because readers/viewers perceive it as valid; journalists are skilled at communicating messages effectively and are able to tell your story often better than you can.

And, finally, positive media publicity is 'free' in that you can't buy it or pay for it. (It isn't totally free in that unless you are skilled in the art of publicity seeking, you will need to engage a professional public relations specialist or at minimum a part-time writer/communicator to help you out; but the costs of these services in relation to their potential return make them perhaps your wisest marketing investment.)

The biggest problem with media publicity is you cannot 'control' it -- you cannot ask a reporter to write a good story for you and have it published at exactly the time and in exactly the format you wish. (The rules are different for advertorial-type features; but these are different issues and I will cover them later).

The challenge in determining the best approach to take is that every business has a different story to tell; and finding the correct 'angle' requires a mixture of creativity and understanding of your business and market, as well as the characteristics of the relevant media outlets.

Please feel free to call me at 888-432-3555 ext 224 or email buckshon@constructionnrgroup.com if you would like me to explore some ideas of specific relevance to your own business.

Happy New Year

1. I will respect everyone, regardless of status and circumstance, as individuals.

2. My business will contribute to construction communities throughout the U.S. and Canada.

3. We will have (serious) fun.

In the next few weeks, we'll provide some new resources to help construction businesses with media/public relations and marketing. Watch for my six tips on public relations in Thursday's newsletter.

At Ground Zero

We're in New York City now, at a hotel just a stone's throw from Ground Zero -- in fact the building we are in today was used to billet rescue and recovery workers during those agonizing days after September 11, 2001.

Today, the Ground Zero site is bustling with construction activity and the drama and horror of five years ago seems a distant past. Work has started on the new Freedom Tower and the site is certainly alive.

So, for that matter, is the entire city. I took Eric to the Empire State Building Observatory (since the destruction of the World Trade Centre, this building, completed in 1931, is the city's tallest.) Allowing for the tourist-trap schlock and marketing gimicks, long lines and much hassle, the view from the top is incredible -- and there are many cranes (much lower) on the skyline.

Time to update http://www.nycconstructionnews.com now.

Christmas 2005 remembered

Christmas Day, last year, starting on vacation I also had to deal with the serious consequences of some Internet fraud fighting. The bad guys set up a Joe Job (the link leads to a Wikipedia entry describing this form of identy theft-fraud), and on the start of our family vacation in Los Angeles, I spent hours on the phone with the technical support technician at my Internet Service Provider, clarifying the situation and preventing disruption of my own Internet service.

The roots of this crisis can be traced to my postings on Catthshaq.com where I investigated an Internet scam, called Reality Millions, where the fraudsters claimed the ability to turn 'investors' into millionaires for $49.00. If this seems absurd, so did it to me that hundreds and possibly thousands fell for the scam, sending their money to "Midas" and "Touch" at anonymous address.)

The research took me around the world by phone and email and taught me a whole lot about the Internet's less-than-honorable underside. But, in the end, I backed off the investigation when thousands of email bounces started flooding my in-box on Christmas Eve, just before my vacation.

Why this investigation? I was trying a form of Internet marketing to interest potential associate publishers, figuring passing the 'smell test' with scam fighters could only help my business. See this thread: http://www.cattyshaq.com/forum/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1047

Did the scam-fighting work? Well, the bad guys appear to have succeeded in staying out of jail, at least for now, but the scam fighters are as strong as ever in their determination to thwart them, and some of the scamming techniques they used last year thankfully won't work any more. I also received some useful inquiries from prospective publishers. And I appreciated more than ever how communities and connections work in the Internet's global scale.

Survey observations

First, we didn't receive overwhelming results. I received more passionate replies proportionately on smaller lists when I asked for opinions of Toronto truck dealers, or the building permit administration in Ottawa. Nevertheless, within framework of the small survey sample size, I think it is representative of the industry. Respondents were fairly represented from large and small firms, over a large enough geographical area in North America.

The single most interesting result is that most people are not familiar with Google Adwords, and of those who are, an even smaller fraction use Pay Per Click advertising in thier marketing mix. This is impressive to me in that it suggests much untapped potential in the Google-style advertising approach. In Pay Per Click, results are directly meeasurable, and advertisers only pay if the ad at least draws traffic to their websites. Of course Pay Per Click is not quite the same as Pay per Order -- a marketer's dream (if the Pay Per Order price of course is low enough.)

Tomorrow we head on a vacation to New York City and then onwards to Vancouver. Of course I'll have the laptop with me and expect to post updates to this blog while travelling. The regular newsletter will resume in January.

Best wishes for the Holiday Season.

Thanks!

If you have arrived here upon completing our survey on internet marketing for the construction industry, thanks for participating. I'll post preliminary results soon.

If you came here without knowing about the survey, you can go to it at this location.

http://www.constructionnrgroup.com/backoffice/survey/public/survey.php?name=internet_perceptions

Please feel free to post your comments about the survey or Internet marketing issues for the construction industry.

Video revolution

Yesterday, I visited the elctronics store and purchased my first video camera for the computer. I spent the money because I realize that it is important to understand the impact of the video (and sound) revolution on the internet. With high-speed service now the rule rather than the exception, the capacity for video and audio communication takes the Internet in entirely new and exciting directions. It also has implications for the construction industry marketing practices.

Many websites of course now have construction progress photo sites. Other publishers have been touting the advantages of construction video -- in some cases using the supplier-relationship techniques that were until recently the main way we sold advertising. (The ads are not purchased in this model so much to attract new clients as to keep current clients happy.). You may find some insights in this article I published several months ago: http://www.baltimoreconstructionnews.com/articleview.php?nArticleID=54

As in the case of the written word, the availability of the new technologies creates plenty of opportunities for the good, bad and downright awful. Previously entry costs for video production and distribution were so high that the only people playing the game were professionals. Now anyone can do it, and this results in some very bad stuff making it to air.

Nevertheless, I believe if you are serious about construction marketing you must be well aware of the new techniques and technologies, even when they don't immediately correlate. You may wish to review Ken Main's observations regarding print media and podcasting, here: http://www.penguinpods.com/km/index.html

Within a few weeks you'll see my inagural video. I certainly am not going to show anyone my early test videos, but I don't expect my initial entry into the video world will win any awards for brilliance. Nevertheless, I appreciate that the media world and marketing is much more multi-faceted and comprehensive than it has ever been in the past; and being aware of what is possible in video is as important as understanding how a fax machine worked a few years ago.

The new 'press'

Ken Main, of Portland Maine, sent me this white paper outlining the challenges that the conventional daily newspapers are facing in the era of the interactive web-based media (with audio and video capacities). It is a good read.

http://www.penguinpods.com/km/index.html

I'm looking forward to speaking with him at greater length within the next few days. In my email to him in response, I noted that engagement can take many forms -- notably the success in selling Christmas greetings ads in the OCHBA Impact! (our local home builders' association newsletter), shows that the connection can come in different ways -- in the case of the association newsletter, the relationships within the group, and the acceptance of the newsletter as a valued part of this close-knit community -- justifies advertising rates that are definitely not on the low end if value is measured by Cost Per Thousands (CPM).

Conversely, I've seen many efforts launched with various AV and web based gimmicks that fail to connect the tools and resources to the actual readers and viewers. Sometimes just picking up the phone, or attending a community event, can do much good (of course, carrying a videocamera and writing blog entries about it-- or having other people at the event share their thoughts as well -- can create a much more effective connection than a distant and passive 'conventional' journalistic approach.

Pacing the progress

How fast should we grow? In previous posts, I suggested that it is time to put the brakes on the ambitions, for now, but I still believe we will be ready much sooner than later to add products and markets to the business. The key issue is how well we can manage our resources, and also how people working within the company can assume their responsibilities and tasks.

Especially in expanding to new markets, where we have 'publishers in waiting' the question is, "are they readyfor their responsibilities." If we go ahead and blindly expand, without some real drive, initiative and contributions at the local end, we'll be trapped in a frustrating vortex. The last thing I want to be doing is travelling across the continent to prop up a business where the local co-ordinator isn't pulling his or her weight.

On the other hand, I don't want to deny those that are ready to grow, the opportunity to grow. So we've decided to set out a set of conditions -- an action plan -- that the local publishers will need to complete before we invest time and resources in 'opening' new publications. This makes the effort more balanced and complete, and gives us the capacity to truly help the people who are working hard (and smartly) to help themselves.

Growth and prudence

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been taking a hard look at the choices now that we have a talented sales team and rapidly improving buiness results. I listed the potential projects worthy of further consideration, and set out to determine which should get priority.

Yesterday, even though one key person was missing from the planning meeting to discuss the choices, we reached an understanding that we have a lot of work to do closer to home before we can think too much about expanding the business. And, in one of those 'insight flashes' for ideas that should have been obvious to me weeks ago, I realized that our staff and resource levels are actually lower now than when I carefully and cautiously deliberated expanding the last time around.

The difference is experience. And that is a two-edged sword. Experience indeed gives me confidence to act decisively and quickly; to realize that expansion ahead of schedule can create new opportunities and possibilities, and in any case, Iwould not really be expanding that far into unknown business territory because I have experience running a much larger business.

But I also know about the risks of cash flow problems, badly diverted resources, and the fact that growth for growth's sake has nothing to do with business viability and profitability.

Sure, we concluded yesterday, lets expand, but let us fix what we have at home first and give the people in more remote areas of the business the opportunity to show and develop their own realistic growth without forcing the issue. Things will progress soon enough.

I have found this blog posting from Michael Kempner, president and CEO of PR firm MWW Group to be revealing and useful in several ways.

http://www.mwwstraighttalk.com/archives/2006/10/some_career_adv.html

His points about sloppiness and typos in resumes (and blogs, like this one) are well taken. I take his advice seriously, and will both watch future entries carefully and clean up some of the older ones here.

I think he also makes a point that reading between the lines for hidden evaluation processes is important for job-seekers, and if you are an employer looking for the best candidates, setting these processes in place will help you in your screening and candidate searching efforts.

For example, in our recent initiative to recruit new sales representatives, I used a multi-stage screening system. I only glanced at the resumes; instead sending an email questionnaire, coupled with links to this blog.

Candidates who failed to answer the questionnaire of course elminiated themselves from consideration. But you may be surprised that I also eliminated candidates who simply answered the questions without communicating/asking questions of me first.

(I provided my email address with the questionnaire; and told applicants they could ask questions and seek clarifications before responding.)

Sales success, of course, is built on the ability to build and develop relationships. The two candidates who bothered to communicate and request information before firing off responses to the questionnaire of course moved to the top of the list when I turned to looking at the resumes to decide whom to call for an initial phone interview.

In the end, we hired both representatives -- even though originally we only had the budget for one. But the candidates who dashed off a response, or who didn't care to follow the instructions at the outset, received no further consideration. Remember, if you are looking for work, read the guidelines and look beneath the surface for hidden tests -- and of course remember that if the answers don't come to you naturally, you are probably best suited for other opportunities.

Today, I dared to send out 'invites' to every name on my email list for the Ryze network. The success in doing this suggests both the strength and weakness of the Ryze system.

The strength: It is easy to enter, wide ranging in scope, and has many potentially useful connection.

The weakness: The ease of entry and lack of controls invites and encourages spammy type behaviours -- because there were no controls on 'volume' I dumped many potentially irrelevant names into the system; people who barely if at all know me.

Is this stuff for you? Maybe. Feel free to spend a few minutes looking around but I wouldn't push this as a primary marketing tool, just yet. See http://www.ryze.com/go/Publisher1