Recently Published Sales and Marketing Articles
If you are reading this it’s likely that you are involved in the process of specification selling, either as a manufacturer or supplier in a sales or marketing role.
First published 17th January 2011, SalesAchiever blog.
Competitive Advantage has recently completed impartial research into architect communication channels, updating their report from 2008 which points to the best channels to use when communicating with architects. Here Chris Ashworth previews some of the findings.
First Published January 2011, RIBA Insights
For many years there has been discussion about the increasing influence of the contractor and if it is worth bothering with specification selling.
First Published December 2010, SalesAchiever blog
The recent high profile collapse of Connaught, acts as a reminder that a policy of lowest price is a dangerous one. If your company has the lowest cost it might be successful, otherwise you are courting disaster. With today’s tough market conditions there will be many companies who have priced and won work on unsustainable margins and as they finish these jobs they, like Connaught, will be finding that they have suffered damaging losses.
First Published November 2010, by AIS Interior Insight
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When specification selling, there is the tendency to focus on just the architect or engineer, forgetting about the contractor. Perhaps this is because when we think contractor, it is often the Buyer, Estimator or Project Manager of a Sub-contractor. But an often forgotten specifier works for the Main Contractor and will be responsible for many product decisions.
First Published November 2010, by RIBA Insights
It’s all very confusing at the moment – government statistics say construction output grew by more than 6% in quarter 2 but the CPA says construction workload has fallen over the same time period. So which part of the roller coaster are you on? My own impression is that things are a little better but it’s still tough. There might be more enquiries coming in, but you will have to do something special to stand any chance of winning. And yes that does mean price – but not just price.
First Published August 2010, Construction News Plus
Segmentation allows you to group together customers with similar characteristics or requirements, so that you can develop a targeted and focus approach. Chris Ashworth explains how to use this approach to promote sustainability.
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It’s time to apply some spin to sustainability. Most construction marketers will tell you they don’t do spin. This industry is less fluff and more substance than other sectors where they sell to consumers. We focus on real benefits and finding ways to get potential client’s attention.
First Published July 2010, Construction News Plus
Delivering a CPD seminar is one of the most effective means of introducing your company and the sales contact, to an architects’ practice. But as the choice of CPD seminars available increases, it becomes much harder to get a booking. To be effective companies need to sell-in their CPD seminars.
First Published July 2010, RIBA Insight Monthly Bulletin
Protecting prices is all about demonstrating value. In the construction industry this can take a variety of forms.
Although the construction industry is not glamorous it is responsible for 9% of UK GDP and has a very complex decision making unit (DMU), hence a marketing challenge. Although very cost focused, the industry does buy on value and recognises that a more expensive product can often deliver value, in terms of greater speed of installation, lower building operating costs or longer building lifetime.
First Published June 2010, The Marketer
Sustainability has come a long way in the last few years, from the periphery for tree huggers to mainstream. There is now a much greater understanding of what it means, but still many misconceptions and confusions. For example, how can so many alternative and very different products, such as timber and steel all claim to be the most sustainable?
First published May 2010, RIBA Insight Monthly Bulletin
With so much focus on the forthcoming election you may have missed reading about a recently published document which did not receive much coverage but has the potential to totally change the way we work in construction. 'Low Carbon Construction' is the interim findings from the Innovation & Growth Team, chaired by Paul Morrell, Chief Construction Advisor. This sets out how the industry can contribute to achieving the legal obligations of the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan.
First Published April 2010, Construction News Plus
Just a few years ago sustainability was something on the periphery for tree huggers. Today it’s centre stage and a key aspect of construction practice, with the potential to generate billions of pounds of work, which will impact on the success of every company in the industry – whether you believe in global warming or not.
First Published April 2010, Building Online
Last week saw what is now the UK’s largest construction exhibition, Ecobuild. An event which has grown in popularity year on year.
First Published March10, SalesAchiever Construction Corner
To succeed, companies either need to be the lowest cost supplier in the market or differentiate themselves by adding value. In good times this allows you to charge a small price premium, in tough times you may not be able to increase your price, but offering value will increase your chances of winning work.
First Published March 2010, AIS Interiors Insights
Did you see the recent article in Building Magazine by the RIBA CPD Providers Network suggesting ways that specifiers could earn their CPD? It made some good points, but also reminded me that if you use CPD seminars to sell there is more to it than just writing and delivering a seminar.
First Published 17th February 2010, Competitive Advantage newsletter
With the public sector expected to account for nearly a quarter of all new homes, and the CPA forecasting 15 per cent growth, 2010 looks set to be a year of opportunity for those with a little savvy.
First Published: 9th February 2010, RIBA Enterprises Monthly Briefing
If you work in the housing sector you must be feeling pretty good – or at least better than those not working there.
First Published 29th January 2010, Construction News Plus
This year, as we make the run into Christmas, as well as the seasonal exchange of greetings there will be quite a few people drawing a sigh of relief and congratulating themselves on surviving.
First Published 11th December 2009, Construction News Plus
Advice for building product manufacturers and suppliers on how to use CPD seminars to their advantage.
First Published: December 2009, RIBA Enterprises Bulletin
I am one of those in favour of keeping Christmas in December, but as I searched in vain for a decent selection of birthday cards last weekend I had to admit Christmas has arrived.
First Published: 13th November 2009, Construction News Plus
When we talk of specification selling there is a tendency to think of just the architect, but the engineer is an equally important specifier who’s role is increasing in importance. This is because of the growing complexity of the legislation which is pushing almost every aspect of a building’s design, causing the architects to rely even more on the engineer.
First published: October 2009, RIBA Enterprises Bulletin
Have you thought about applying for the job of Chief Construction Advisor?
First Published: 18th September 2009, Construction News Plus
Many companies devote much time and resource to create and issue monthly financial accounts, reviewing expenditure. While this is important, it equates to looking into the rear view mirror while driving. As any motorist will tell you, looking ahead is much more important.
First Published: 4th September 2009, Construction News Plus
It's classic marketing speak "strengthen your market position through differentiation" but what does it mean and how do you do it?
First Published: 14th August 2009, Construction News Plus
Anyone new to the construction industry must find it extremely complicated – PFI, RMI, QS, BREEAM, MMC, PPS, NHBC and that’s the easy ones!
First Published: 6th August 2009. London Construction Now
For all of us, marketing to architects is a key business strategy. We want to create awareness of our products so that they will become included in designs, creating “demand pull” through the supply chain and eventually sales.
First Published: 4th August 2009, RIBA Enterprises Monthly Briefing
In these tough times, when everyone is under pressure to cut proces, companies must either be the cheapest or best value.
First Published: 9th July 2009, Construction News Plus
Chris Ashworth of Competitive Advantage and CIMCIG, identifies some useful sources of free market intelligence and explains how bespoke research can often help break new markets, without breaking the bank.
First Published: June 2009
With the pressure to cut marketing budgets only likely to increase, now is the time to take a fresh look at where your money might best be spent.
First Published: 7th May 2009, RIBA Enterprises Monthly Briefing
Today has been one of those days when the unexpected has just taken over.
First Published: 1st May 2009, Construction News Plus
Despite these difficult times life just got harder.
First Published: 6th March 2009, Construction News
With the pressure on budgets, now is the ideal time to take a fresh look at where money should be spent. In the past there have been a number of reports on communicating with specifiers, mostly published by RIBA and CMP International (publishers of Building and the Barbour Compendium). More recently there has been a report on the use of the internet by another directory publisher, ESI and Competitive Advantage recently published our own impartial report “Specifier Communication Channels”.
First Published: February 2009, AIS Interiors Insight
After all the recent doom and gloom it was good to celebrate some success last week at the Construction Marketing Awards.
First Published: 4th December 2008, Construction News Plus
Don't make false economies to save costs. Spend wisely to gain leverage.
First Published: 7th November 2008, Construction News Plus
If you have not already done so, now is a good time to be introducing Key Account Management (KAM) to your organisation. It is a process which allows you to build close, long lasting relationships with your customers and provides a framework from which you can take cost out of the supply chain. Important at any time, it is especially so when times are tough.
First Published: 2nd October 2008, Construction News
So here we go again. As events in America with Lehman unfolded over the weekend most of us were probably wondering what this would mean for UK construction and us in particular.
Over the summer there has been as much doom and gloom as rain. Plenty of reports threatening a difficult time for the industry, with Construction News deciding to call its economic forecast 'Construction Downturn'. Even going on holiday to escape it all is fraught with worry! But there are stories of success and profit tucked away between the messages of doom.
First Published: 19th September 2008, Construction News Plus
I read in the press that the Home Builders Federation is in the process of reducing its staff from 25 to 12 because their funding, which is linked to member outputs is falling.
First Published: 22nd August 2008, Construction News Plus
Did you hear about the 5,000 new homes to be built by John Laing and Balfour Beatty?
First Published: 8th August 2008, Construction News Plus
There is money in education, if you understand your customers needs.
First Published: 4th August 2008, Construction News Plus
Don't give away margin, work with your customer to take out costs.
First Published: 11th July 2008, Construction News Plus