Construction marketing and the circle of life

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Marketing, quality and value

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Business convention and creativity

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Passion, persistence and effective marketing

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Social networking and construction marketing

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Construction Marketing, branding and advertising: How do they relate?

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The Marketing funnel

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Construction marketing: Effort, money and relationships

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How much should you spend on construction marketing -- and where? (2)

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Your three most important construction marketing priorities

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Construction marketing: Outsiders, insiders and the point of transition

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De-selecting a sub

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Calling lost clients: Why you should

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Construction Marketing and the National Identity

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How important is it to measure your progress?

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Discovering the proven methods of construction marketing success

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Great needs and great deeds: The spirit of effective Construction Marketing

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Blogging and Construction Marketing: Should you do it?

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Construction Business Advertising Example

Hey gang, take a look at this email that came into our office from ReUse Concrete Sealing in Overland Park, Kansas. I don’t know much about their company, but I do know they understand communication with their customers and all those they do business with. This is one of the best notices we have ever received. Look close, they have everything on there that is needed: Phone number, Address, City, State, Zip, Web site address, Email address And they have a smiling face on the lady holding the phone.... Read More

Twenty years of success -- and just discovering marketing

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Lead generation services: The controversy continues

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The Construction Marketing Ideas Course

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Twitter Tips for Builders: Tweet Away!

Builders need to embrace social media tools such as Twitter in order to keep pace with an increasingly web-savvy customer base. Here's some advice for navigating the Twittersphere.... Read More

The new way for online construction marketing

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You have to advertise -- Michael Stone

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Video in construction marketing: A video

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The selling message: Establishing equality

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Relationships, resources and marketing: How you can connect with associations and groups

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Free or not so free?

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14 most popular remodeler marketing tactics

Earlier this week, I wrote about how some remodelers are ignoring the basics of marketing, according to the results of our annual Business Results ...... Read More

Construction marketing: How to get rich fast (the slow way)

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Construction marketing: The success irony

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Construction marketing success: Do what you love doing

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Reader's question: What other things can I do to turn 'leads' into clients?

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Contractors - You Can Survive a Tough Construction Market

For many construction business owners, this is the first economic downturn they have experienced. It’s disheartening to see new companies and even some of the old established companies go belly-up. Here today, gone tomorrow. If you are paying attention to what it takes to get business in the door, and doing it, you will survive. That means you have a marketing plan and you advertise for results. You return your phone calls and show up for appointments on time. You are studying sales techniques and learning what it takes... Read More

Sales Quota: How Sales Staffs Can Track the Right Numbers

Is your sales staff tracking the right numbers? We'll help you decide by detailing the data and reports they need to know for this segment of your business.... Read More

MegaMarketing: His Epiphany, Your Profit

Read this, cut it out, paste in over your building’s entrance if you must: No credibility equals no sale.... Read More

3 Ways to Improve Your Sales Skills

Like any self-improvement endeavor, working on growing your sales skills is an ongoing journey. Here are three ways to improve them.... Read More

Market Your Construction Business

In his most recent newsletter, Joe Gracia talks about the “10 Money-Making Elements for Your Marketing Pieces”. Joe outlines any number of mistakes that most businesses make when they try to advertise their businesses. One of those mistakes is believing that graphics and pretty pictures sell you and your company. Joe says they don’t. He says that words do the selling. I believe he is right on track. You must give your customers a reason to buy and one of the best ways you can do this is to... Read More

Marketing Ideas for your Construction Company

Join us for a free online seminar the evening of Thursday, August 21, when Michael Benedict, Market Opportunity Director for Deluxe Corporation, shares his knowledge and experience in marketing. With a focus on low cost, easy to implement marketing tactics, Michael will walk through a discussion of why marketing is important, and provide ideas specifically for construction-related small businesses. Michael Benedict has over 10 years experience helping small business Contractors manage and advertise their business. He works in Marketing for the Deluxe Corporation (formerly NEBS, Inc.), a Fortune 1000... Read More

Homebuilders, learn to sell your services

Learn to turn the perks and services you offer from price tags to benefits in your home buyers’ eyes.... Read More

Prospecting: Working Smarter, Not Harder

Forget about the old-fashioned idea that some people are "born salesmen." To successfully sell building products, you need to learn the science behind the sale.... Read More

7 Tips to Improve Sales Follow-up & Close More Leads

If you are like most B2B marketers, lead generation is at top of your priority list. But as you may already know, generating tons of “leads” doesn’t guarantee sales will follow. Does the sales team either ignore your hard-won leads or complain about their quality? Do you ever wonder was the lead even contacted? If so, what’s the status?  Could you have helped move it along by going deeper in the sales cycle? This chronic lack of visibility has a snowball effect of making it challenging for marketers to... Read More

Buy one, get one free homes

Wow. So homes are now like shoes? Buy one, get one free ... that's the deal Michael Crews Development is offering in the San Dieg...... Read More

Leadership Selling: Manage Your Sales Style

When it comes to sales, you may be affected by social consciousness in more ways than you realize. While it’s easy to recognize that job pressures shape your performance — for example, the struggle to meet corporate expectations and uncompromising customer demands at the same time — what’s not so apparent is that your behavior is also shaped by social pressures and often is reinforced by movies, literature and television.... Read More

Construction Contractors - Stay Focused

Alfred E. Neuman used to say, “What, me worry?” Many construction-related business owners are worrying, and we know that. What can you do? Well, there are two things you must do and there can be little doubt about either of them. The first thing you must do is keep focused on sales. That means advertising 24/7/365. None of this “cutting our advertising because money is tight” nonsense. Money is tight because you haven’t been doing a good job of advertising. Recently I spent a day with one of our... Read More

Top 10 Reasons not to increase your marketing budget

A lot of people are wasting your time telling you to market more when your sales are down. Here are the top 10 reasons not to spend any m...... Read More

Turn Your Selling Around

The heart of the new approach to selling is an intense focus on the prosperity of your customers.... Read More

Measuring Up: Six Common Characteristics of Successful Salespeople

Before reviewing the six characteristics of successful salespeople, we need to talk about sales in general. Selling is an acquired skill, not a God-given talent. Salespeople are communicators, not manipulators. For many people, their only sales experience has been with a pushy car or insurance salesperson. Such prejudices are commonplace and totally wrong.... Read More

Change or Die: 10 Keys to a Successful Sales Transformation

If your organization is contemplating an overhaul of your sales function, study up on these 10 principles to help you minimize your risks.... Read More

Six Secrets to Designing Winning Sales Presentations

You have 13 seconds or less to make a positive first impression on your audience that may ultimately lead to a sale. So how can you effectively convey your message with so little time?... Read More

Best marketing ideas from the archives

With the downturn in remodeling, marketing is more important than ever. So here are what I think are some of the best marketing articles we've run ...... Read More

Train with the Sales Dodo: The Most Underutilized Strategic Advantage…References

Salespeople are always looking for a way to differentiate themselves to win an account. Few use one of the most powerful tools in their bag—the right reference. Sales& Marketing Management online columnist Lee Salz gives his tips on how to use references as a strategic step.... Read More

Point/Counterpoint: Are Model Homes Necessary?

New home marketing guru Stan Kates debates Professional Builder columnist and marketing consultant John Rymer on the question of whether Web-based marketing and sales can replace elaborate model home presentations and on-site sales staffs. ... Read More

Sales Training: Improv Improvement

Salespeople raking in big commissions know the advantage of being able to think fast on their feet. Is this a skill that can be taught, or an innate gift? Sales training that makes use of improvisation is one way to hone the creative thinking your reps need to act fast, and effectively.... Read More

Leadership Selling: If You Want Great Salespeople, Build Them

The most frequent question I am asked in my travels: Do you know a good salesperson that is available for hire? My answer is always the same. If they are any good, they aren’t looking. And if you want good salespeople, then don’t try stealing them from a competitor. It rarely works. If you want good salespeople, build them.... Read More

Homebuilders: Stop Selling Homes on Contingency Contracts

Here are the sales tactics home builders need to move buyers out of those contingent contracts — that often fall out — into binding contracts.... Read More

For Sale: Reclaimed Wastewater

It is not a news flash that there has been a drought in North Carolina and many other regions in the country. Construction companies use a great deal of water, so the drought conditions and water restrictions have been a challenge to many contractors working in drought areas. According to an ENR Digital Wire report on February 3, 2008, Union County outside of Charlotte, NC is offering relief at $1.82 per 1,000 gallons of water as long as you don’t drink it.The Monroe Water Resources Department will be selling... Read More

Market strong in weak economy

If you’re concerned about the economy and how it’s going to impact your business, I have two suggestions. First, check out the Editorial in the February issue of Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction. Then, amp up your marketing efforts. Businesses, large and small, are notorious for slashing marketing budgets in times when the economy might be — or is — heading south. But PR and marketing firms - who, granted, have a vested interest in your marketing expenses — say that’s the time to ratchet up your marketing efforts, not... Read More

More marketing… that doesn’t cost much

At least one blog reader, a caller, and a contractor who dropped me an e-mail agree with the previous post that the way to deal with a tough economy is to increase your marketing efforts — so I’m not alone on this! The most-common “reason” contractors give for cutting back on marketing efforts is to save money, and the first thing we need to do is get over that. Marketing is an investment in your company and your future, and when looked at that way it might be a... Read More

PLAN YOUR MARKETING FOR EFFECTIVE PROMOTIONS

Marketing is too important to guess at. Your marketing plan gives you the road map to ensure that you'll arrive at your destination. And as is often said, "If you don't care where you're going, any road will get you there." What you need is a strategy that considers the needs of your market and provides a year-round plan to meet those needs.... Read More

Contractors - - Is Your Phone Ringing?

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2008 National Sales and Marketing Award Winners

Now in its 27th year, the National Sales and Marketing Awards pay tribute to superior new-home sales and marketing achievements by individual sales and marketing professionals; home builders and associates; and sales and marketing councils.... Read More

Open Response to Salespeople Complaints

Isn’t it a given that your prospects are searching for the contractor which will provide them with absolutely everything they want for the least amount of money?... Read More

Fixed Price Quotations or Itemization?

I saw an article in a newsletter recently telling contractors (both general and specialty) to give out itemized estimates to their customers. Oh joy. The writer talks about the goodwill, the trust, the ability to compare estimates and the usual tripe that accompanies this type of advice. Let me tell you why I disagree. First, your customers won’t be able to compare your estimate to any other estimate. Common sense will tell you that. I couldn’t compare your estimate to a second contractor’s estimate, nor could you compare your... Read More

Hot Marketing and Selling Trends for 2008

Preferred choices emerge in trends, which later lead to movements. Respond to the trend or scramble after the movement. It’s your choice.... Read More

Growth is Good?

Construction is different. We don't know of another industry with all the good and bad that construction has to offer. Several business characteristics are unique. A general approach can help in some areas but, hurts in others. Growth of all types is not good. In certain areas, it is desired and growing other parts is not. What am I talking about? Growth of your employees as professionals is important. It allows benefits past a more efficient staff. Intellectual growth is important, that is, always searching and finding better ways... Read More

Hvac service ideas (that can be extended)

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Big Dealers Speak Up at IBS About Sales and Strategies

The heads of ProBuild, Stock Building Supply and HD Supply revealed more details about their sales and strategies during interviews Wednesday and Thursday with ProSales, in particular regarding ProBuild's recent acquisitions in the Atlanta area and Florida.... Read More

Leadership Selling: The First Rule of Business

Rule No. 1 in the roofing business — We don’t put new roofs on houses, we put roofs on homes. There is a big difference between a house and a home. A house is a project, a physical entity, which is built and remodeled according to schedules with ladders, scaffolds and materials. A home is a place that neighbors admire and where families raise their children. Adhere to Rule No. 1 and you will already have distinguished yourself from the competition.... Read More

An Installer’s Guide to Selling Audio

Growing home audio systems sales isn’t easy. Unfortunately for integrators, there are a number of obstacles that need to be overcome.... Read More

Specializing in Everything

I was in New York last week, participating in a workshop to develop the new national test for commercial contractors. I’ve been involved with this group for the past 3 years. When the test is complete, commercial contractors nationwide will be able to take the test allowing them to work in any state in the nation without having to deal with the differing requirements now heaped on them by the Contractor Licensing agencies of different states. I’ve written before, both here and in our newsletter, on the importance of... Read More

CEDIA Forms Professional Service Action Team

CEDIA has formed a Professional Service Action Team (PSAT) aimed at providing members with help and outsourcing services in training, marketing, promotion, consultation and business development. ... Read More

Christina Trondsen New Director of Marketing for Daikin

Responsible for strategic marketing, sales communications, marketing support... Read More

Measuring Marketing ROI (Return On Investment)

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How to combat negative press

I've heard a lot lately from remodelers that are frustrated with what they see as unbalanced coverage of the housing downturn in the national and l...... Read More

General Contractor / Sub or Specialty Contractor Relationships

In another post, Larry Steward commented: “Related to jump starting new leads, in addition to advertising, is to get your sub contractors to refer. Most subs are delighted to be assigned to one of our projects but I have to constantly remind them that this process is a two-way effort. I encourage them to look for opportunities for us when they visit their own customers. After all, if we can help their customers, it makes them look good and certainly helps us with a flow of work. I believe... Read More

ENCOURAGE YOUR EMPLOYEES SPREAD THE WORD

Do your employees let the world know where they work? Probably not. And yet, they encounter people everyday that might be candidates for your products and services. Not only are they candidates, they're highly attractive prospects if — and I stress the word, if — they know that your employee works for a company who's services they might need.... Read More

Newmark Produces Some Web-Savvy PR

Home builders wondering how they can calm their market while maneuvering through bankruptcy may want to take a minute to view the video on the Newmark Homes Web site.... Read More

You Have to Advertise

In Minnesota last week, over a two-day period, I had a total of 663 people in 5 classes. Granted, some of the attendees were in more than one class, but that is a large group of businesspeople in Minnesota who understand that education is the key to survival, both in today’s economy and long-term. The Central Minnesota Builders Association sponsored the 2008 Builders Expo and they did an outstanding job of organizing and running the event. Most interesting to me were the people I talked with one-on-one about how... Read More

13 Invaluable Marketing Tips

As part of a marketing exercise, SpeakerCraft’s Steve Hayes and Jeremy Burkhardt rattled off dozens of ideas culled from their own experiences and dealers shared their own.... Read More

Discussing the contingency objection and your options

You face hard decisions every day in every aspect of your job. When it comes to the contingency objection, it’s enough to make a person insane. Find out what you can do to overcome the contingency objection.... Read More

Publicity, networking and branding

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Make direct marketing pay off: practical tips and real-life results to guide your campaigns.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Direct marketing has become a popular and successful form of CPA firm marketing with the following potential benefits: * The process encourages you to define a very specific target audience of prospects most likely to buy your services. * The format enables you to develop a Publication: Journal of Accountancy... Read More

On building the Lists for B2B Lead Generation Programs

Would you buy this business card? When you buy a list of names, you are basically buying business cards on a list. But there is no such thing as buying the perfect list, especially if you have a complex sale. A study by John Coe and the Sales & Marketing Institute showed, “70.8% of business people changed one or more elements on their business cards each year.” My experience has been been around 45%. But in either case it's a big number. Let's say you want to invite, via... Read More

"I don't have to market"

This is something I hear from a lot of remodelers, something they state as a point of pride. They say they get so many jobs from repeats and referr...... Read More

TOP 10 HVAC DIRECT MAIL MISTAKES

Direct mail can be the most lucrative marketing tool you'll ever use. The cost, instantaneous response, and sheer controllability of direct mail makes it a superb lead generator. Plus, it's a great fit for HVAC due to the high-margins in a relatively uninformed marketplace.... Read More

The online sales test

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Resources for new Marketing Directors

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Fly for free when you remodel with me!

Or maybe, "See America on Omarica"? This just showed up in my inbox from Chicago remodeler Omarica Home Builders. For every d...... Read More

Change for the AEC Marketing Role

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Smart Business: Are You On Angie’s List?

Angie’s List is an Internet-based ratings and referrals organization that collects customer satisfaction ratings on companies in scores of home service categories, everything from plumbing to pet sitting to piano tuning. Roofing contractors are included. Formed in 1995, Angie’s List has been used by more than 500,000 homeowners in 124 cities nationwide, and it is steadily expanding. Most people who use the list pay a modest membership fee, which gives it some tangible value... Read More

FAST MONEY AT THE QUICK LUBE

We all make mistakes as we evolve our businesses. Each of us can probably tell a few exciting stories about failures we’ve experienced, and hopefully, enough time has passed so we can finally chuckle about them. I was on the receiving end of a sales experience recently where I was doing the chuckling and the service provider didn’t have a clue how quickly he was exterminating any chance of a lasting business relationship.... Read More

The Danger of Short Contracts

I often hear from contractors having problems with their customers. Many of these problems are because of the written contract they use for their jobs. Many have a 1-3 page contract they use with their customers. That leaves a lot of things unsaid, and as sure as the sun comes up, the customer gloms onto something that is not in the contract. They then decide that the contractor owes them the item and it is not open for discussion. They have gone so far as to say if the... Read More

Lead Nurturing as trusted advisors with the Human Touch

In today’s commoditized business climate I think what sets companies apart with a complex sale is how well they build and cultivate relationships. Over the years, I’ve observed a truth; and this truth will requires many sales people to reconsider how they think selling should be done. The truth is, average sales people think they are most effective when they talk with someone WHEN they are ready to buy, but top performers seek to build relationships with the right people in the right companies BEFORE they're ready to buy.... Read More

Gaining client insights

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Contractors - How to Network and Expand Your Business

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Branding 101

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From sales pitch to trusted partnership

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The Pitfalls of Using Your Name as Your Company’s Name

Many construction companies are named after their founder, like “Smith Construction”, “Larry’s Plumbing”, and “Johnson Electric”. But companies that make use of surnames may have problems obtaining exclusive trademark rights in those names -- rights that the company could enforce against competitors that adopt confusingly similar names. This is a brief explanation of why you may want to rethink using your name as your company’s name.A company can obtain enforceable trademark rights without formally registering its trademark, so long as the company makes commercial, public use of the trademark.... Read More

The ‘Columbo Objection’: Recovering the Lost Sale

Many people feel that if you give any price concessions, they’ll just keep pushing you and won’t stop. When you’ve hit your limit, stop. It’s okay to give a little.... Read More

Marketing Lessons for the New Year

Does your year just happen, or do you make it happen?... Read More

Blogging’s a Low-Cost, High Return Marketing Tool

Although small businesses with blogs are still a distinct minority, blogging can be a low-cost way to market and boost a small company’s brand. (Subscription required)... Read More

11 Ways to Improve Your Viral Marketing Skills

With the following tips, learn how to differentiate your services by becoming a consultative proponent for your client.... Read More

Planning for Success

Joshua Coleman, PhD, a San Francisco psychologist and author said: “To be successful, you have to be decisive about what you want in your life and career. You need to know when to prioritize your own needs.” We are coming up on the end of the year. Begin planning for your “Yearly Planning Time” that will occur between November 15 and December 31. That is only 2 weeks away. During that period you need to review the current year to see what went right and what went wrong. With... Read More

Exposed: Five Marketing Myths Revealed

These small efforts are to make sure your customers never open the Yellow Pages again.... Read More

"The Process" for smaller projects

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"The Process" (2)

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"The process"

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Who clicks on those (internet) ads?

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Sales Question for a Residential Construction Company

There has been some discussion in trade publications of late whether you should take a one-legged call. That is the call where one or the other of a couple won’t or can’t be at the appointment. Many companies staunchly declare they will not set such a lead. OK, gang. This type of situation is similar to many that we cover in the “Opportunities” section of our book Profitable Sales, A Contractor’s Guide. Let’s enhance our status as the contractor of choice, one that will help the owner above and... Read More

The Five Don'ts of Sales Presenting

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The advantage of returning calls rapidly

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Generate Leads

If you are a general contractor, talk with all your subs about the work they are doing away from your jobs. If they are on another job and have demolition to get their part of a job done, who goes back to do the repairs? It should be you. Ask your subs to hand out your business card and flyer to all their clients, letting them know you can help put their homes back together after the specialty work has been done. Even if it’s a little job, the... Read More

Independent Contractors vs. Big Box Stores

An article in California Contractor magazine (October 2007, Page 3) reviewed a report from Consumer Reports that said “Roughly 40% of home owners experienced problems with their jobs when they went through Home Depot or Lowe’s to have remodeling or service work done.” Compare that to less than 30% of the homeowner’s who had their work done by independent contractors. Consumer Reports compiled this data from reports on over 13,000 jobs completed. My question is “Why is that surprising?” The big stores don’t approach the jobs the same way... Read More

Keep Your Customers — They're Worth It

Always remember, your company’s current customers are the absolute No. 1 source of your future sales. When you lose customers, you lose all of their future business and all of their referrals to your competition. When you keep customers, you keep that pool of sales for yourself.... Read More

Small Jobs in Construction

After publishing our 5 newsletters on “How To Get Your Phone To Ring”, I have heard from any number of contractors that tell me they are focusing on small jobs. Those small jobs are turning into additional calls asking for work to be done on a larger scale. So, small jobs = large jobs. When the market is adjusting, as it is now, don’t get to hung up on the idea of “We don’t do small jobs.” Put your ego in your pocket and leave it there. Those small... Read More

The press release and the website designer

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An idea from South Africa

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Contractors: Be Found - Internet Usage at Work is Up!

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Make your direct mail stand out

Direct mail continues to be an effective way to market, especially to a targeted audience. Interestingly, it can be especially useful for reaching ...... Read More

DeWalt -- Customers, innovation and marketing

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Seminar Session: Ken Kelly

Effective marketing techniques that don’t eat up a company’s profits were the focus of Ken Kelly’s presentation titled “Guerilla Marketing.” Kelly, the president of Kelly Roofing in Naples, Fla., noted that a typical seminar attendee retains only 20 percent of the information received. “My goal is to increase those numbers by making ideas easy to implement,” he said, and then he offered his first suggestion: “Listen to books.”... Read More

Seminar Session: Rick Davis

It was spring of 2007 when Rick Davis of Chicago-based Building Leaders Inc. was invited to speak at the Best of Success Conference in Phoenix. “My instant inclination was to offer a presentation that would describe methods for selling in a down market,” Davis said. “I had no idea that the market would become significantly worse during the summer.”... Read More

Contractor Marketing - Branding: What's In a Name?

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The Big Marketing Myth

Ask 10 contractors their marketing's mission. Half won't understand the question and the other half will give you five different answers. I'm going to make this easy for you: Marketing's mission is to ethically acquire and keep customers.... Read More

Give Something Back with this Low Cost Promotion

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, people are in a generous mood. People think more about others this time of the year. Charitable opportunities proliferate, but so do needs.... Read More

Learning about the long tail

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The discipline of one ring

When you need to answer the phone in one ring, you discover exactly what it means to provide a certain level of service. Either you're succeeding or failing.... Read More

Marketing Lowdown: The Business Plan

Recently, I have been seeing more and more entrepreneurs striking out on their own. They have accumulated skills and experience over time, and have amassed a fair cadre of friends and acquaintances who encourage their independent streak. So they decide to slap together a business plan and take the plunge.... Read More

Get Ready for Holiday Season Service Calls

The holiday season is fast upon us—are you ready for the inevitable service calls from clients hosting holiday parties?... Read More

Getting started -- it can be hard

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Reasons for calling -- keeping in touch

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Cold calling for AEC Services

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Cold Calling -- Knowing the topic.

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Cold calling for AEC Services (2)

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Some fears: Will I (again) lose touch with the clients?

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Get to Know Your Female Homebuyer

Don’t ignore your female homebuyer; she’s the one making the decisions. Female homebuyers are more independent and sophisticated than ever before, and builders are paying close attention to just what features they find most attractive when shopping for a new home. Upscale kitchens, luxurious master bathrooms and helpful organization features top their wish list.... Read More

Strategic Messaging for Direct Marketing Materials

It's amazing to see how much emphasis executives place on the advertising materials and how little on the messages that go in them.... Read More

Contractors: No Job Too Small?

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Silence is Golden

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Contractors: Know Your Customer

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Contractors - Do You Offer Discounts?

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Sales Advice - Be Part of the Solution

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Personality, business and opportunity

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Pipeline = Lifeline

Why does such a critical business tool get so little TLC at some companies?... Read More

Contractors - Investigate your Competition

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What is Your Closing Ratio?

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Marketing and remodeling contractors

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Ownership and employees

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Go, green, go!!

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Electrical Ignorance Plays Havoc at Holiday Time

The Electrical Safety Foundation International is trying to educate Americans about basics of their electrical systems, smoke detectors, and GFCIs.... Read More

Tip 97 – Be Grateful

I do try to consciously practice gratitude every day, but certainly Thanksgiving is a reminder to us all. I recall driving up to Santa Barbara to meet some friends for the holiday one year and just scrolling through my cell phone and dialing people to say how grateful I was at that very moment for their presence in my life. How truly blessed I am, for so many different reasons, for the moments these people, like my writing partner Tahl Raz, walked into my life. The more people I... Read More

Marketing vs sales

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Gifts?

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Gifts? (2)

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Simple Secrets to Search Marketing

Many businesses lack the time, the budget or the knowledge to tackle the issue of search marketing. Here are five easy steps to get you started.... Read More

The Creative Lawyer

My friend Michael Melcher is a career coach, author of The Creative Lawyer and an all-around great guy. Here he generously shares some valuable lessons on public speaking: Relationship-based Public Speaking (or How to Give a Great Presentation) I first met Keith Ferrazzi at the MBA Career Services Conference a couple of years ago. He gave a keynote address, and I thought, “Wow, he’s a good speaker.”  Great public speakers energize, educate and inspire their audiences. Lousy (or lazy) public speakers bore, frustrate and alienate their audiences. Have you... Read More

Contractor Sales Advice - The Phone is Your Friend

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"WHO REALLY CONTROLS BUILDER PERCEPTION"

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Creating value

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How Do Homebuilders Value the Importance of Marketing Technology?

With the housing market taking a downturn, more and more builders believe it is important to market technology with their new homes.... Read More

How to ask for referrals

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Non-marketing brilliance

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The General Contractor -- renovateyourmarketing.com

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Beware the pissed off customer

... or former employees, I should add to that. Check out the reaction to this blog post from July. I've gotten 14 comments (and counting) from past clients and employees and defenders (maybe his current employer? …... Read More

Education, community and business

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The choices of growth

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Solve the Customer's Problem

Sometimes your customers may want something that you don't provide. While there's merit in understanding your business and keeping a focus, there's also merit in keeping your customers from calling the competition. In other words, find a way to provide what your customers ask you for, whether it's in your portfolio or not.... Read More

How to Overcome Sales Objections

Objections are a natural part of the selling process. They come in many forms: challenges, opportunities, problems, requests for more information, cries for value building, stalling, and more. They can also be annoying as heck and make you want to drive your car off a cliff.... Read More

Are You Doing Net Promoter?

You don’t need to inhale to be doing Net Promoter. You don’t need to ask only one ultimate question. You don’t even need to call it Net Promoter. To be a Net Promoter practitioner, there are just three things your organization needs to be doing: 1. Systematically categorizing customers into promoters, passives, or detractors. If you prefer, you can call them loyal advocates, fair-weather friends, and adversaries. 2. Creating closed-loop processes so that the right employees will directly investigate the root causes that drive customers into these categories. 3.... Read More

What advertising works for you?

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Selling: Defining business practices

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Specialist focus: Marketing

Construction’s dominant image has long been the saggy-trousered builder, but is the industry marketing itself effectively enough to escape this stereotype? Kathy Watson investigates.... Read More

The strength of relationships

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Sales: Salary Vs Commission

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Choosing a construction marketing consultant