Building Business

85% Want More Info On How To "Go Green"

2010-08-12T10:55:55-05:00

“Going green” is a pretty well-established phrase in the sustainability movement. People have heard it, and understand that is has to do with saving our planet and finding a healthier future for ourselves. Beyond those terms, though, people – and thereby businesses – are confused about initiating and participating in green initiatives. As FoodCEO acknowledges in its article, Sustainability study discovers “Green Confusion” among businesses, nine out of 10 people believe sustainability practices are important, but only 42 percent feel confident about what that means. However, that isn’t to say we’re not progressing as 85 percent state they would like to receive more information related to “going green,” and businesses are undertaking initiatives (energy-efficient light bulbs [67%] and recycling [75%]) to do their part.

@KyleGWilson

Underwater Homes in CA Drop to 21.5%

2010-08-10T11:49:36-05:00

In what might be a possible forecast for the rest of the nation, less California homes were underwater in the second quarter of 2010. As Ashley Lutz notes in Fewer U.S. Homeowners Underwater as Calif Home Prices Rise, the percentage of people owing more on their homes than their worth dropped from 23.3 to 21.5 percent, according to real estate date provider, Zillow.com. Numbers were bolstered by both federal and state incentives, such as tax credits. However, that isn’t to say the news is all good. Also reported was that home values dropped 3.2 percent and that nearly 26 percent of the homes sold in June went for lower than the seller originally paid. A ray of sunlight surrounded by clouds

@KyleGWilson

Japan Building Houses On Only 300 Sq. Ft.

2010-08-09T14:09:18-05:00

Innovation in building isn’t exactly a new concept, and not many people would admit to wanting an old home, especially in America. We thrive on what’s new, now, next. But with acres and acres of open land to explore, we generally tend to default to traditional structures and architecture. Not so across the Pacific. According to an article by Lucy Craft, In Japan, Living Large In Really Tiny Houses, builders are finding ways to utilize what small pieces of land they can to innovate wondrous houses (some on only 300 sq. ft.). The kind we thought of as kids watching The Jetsons. Compact, eye-catching and high-tech, the Japanese building aesthetic not only develops out of being inquisitive, but necessity. And when the two are fused well, incredible things happen.

@KyleGWilson

Why Green Building is Here To Stay

2010-08-05T11:33:32-05:00

Still not building green (or only testing the waters)? Well it might be worth dunking you and your building company fast. According to a recent Green Marketing article by Shel Horowitz, Why Green Consumers Make the BEST Customers, green isn’t only good for new business, but horizon business. The first and most simple reason to go green, as Horowitz notes, is because green is hip, and consumers are more likely to employ green companies. Second, green is still at a tipping point where new leads happen everyday based on referrals and recommendations. The value of word-of-mouth can never be overestimated. Finally, it’s the way of the future. Green will displace almost every common building product in the decades to come. In other words, don’t try swimming up a raging river.

@KyleGWilson

$500 Billion Per Year to be Invested in Green by 2050

2010-08-03T09:27:58-05:00

There was a certain amount of irony in “going green” in the past. Because green, if anything, was not green – it cut into funds, was inconvenient and didn’t have mass market appeal. However, if the dawn of the 21st century has taught us anything, it’s that green can be green. Take a recent press release from Chatham House, Green No Longer Not Nice but Necessary. According to the update, clean and renewable energy is burgeoning like never before, and the expected level of investment should reach $500 billion per year by 2050. This statistic is not only huge for green itself, but for businesses hoping to cash in on the new opportunity. And for building products marketers, it’s a number that won’t just make up a portion of a company’s income, but the majority.

@KyleGWilson

Building Social Media Into Your Marketing Plan

2010-08-02T14:49:55-05:00

Social media isn’t just for the kids anymore. According to a recent Tradesmens Insights blog, Industrial Marketers Focus on Social Media, John Sonnhalter notes how social media is multi-faceted, and that if you are discouraged by one outlet, simply move on to the next. Easier said that done maybe, as social media requires one to invest, at least minimally, in an ongoing conversation about your products, services and company as a whole. But, as Sonnhalter displays, social-media sites can be cooperative for you rather than competitive with one another. Consider teasing a product in a Twitter post, providing background information on Facebook and promoting conversation on a building forum. Compounding social-media services can dually increase your business.

@KyleGWilson

Make the Sum of Your Building Products Marketing Greater Than its Parts

2010-07-30T10:30:49-05:00

Traditional marketing sometimes seems like the old dog to our brand new puppy, social media. But like that old dog, there are important lessons to learn from the time-honored method of consumer communication, and moreover advantages to using it. As a recent Steve Kleber article, Marketing Home Products in a Segmented Marketplace, relates, a company can’t focus all its time on traditional or digital marketing anymore. From B2B to B2C, you’ll never reach your client potential by putting all your proverbial eggs in one basket. And while digital is proving to be beneficial, it is an investment of time and energy, not simply a “build it and they will come” cause and effect, as the aforementioned article states.

@NeilAndrewJames

Image Credit - Taneli Tikka

New Construction Trends You Need to Know Now

2010-07-29T09:05:18-05:00

What consumers want from their builders today is different from what they wanted in 2005. Far different. But while we all know consumers are a bit tougher at the negotiating table today than they were five years ago, what else are consumers demanding their new construction provides? New Homes Section addresses this topic in their new article, Emerging Trends in New Home Building. Among the observed consumer trends are a demand for smaller homes, fewer luxuries, finished lots and energy-efficient construction.

@NeilAndrewJames

Your Customers Still Want a Phone Number, Please

2010-07-28T08:54:56-05:00

We all have our preferred means of contact. Some of us prefer e-mails while others prefer actual conversation over the phone. Our children prefer text. Yet, in marketing, the only contact preference that matters is the consumers. This important lesson is reinforced by Michael Stone in a recent article, Help Them Call! Stone laments a recent direct mail advertisement he received that underplayed the phone number, reminding us that our customers and clients sometimes have very real and legitimate reasons for preferring contact via phone.

@NeilAndrewJames

"We Chose Not to Participate In the Recession"

2010-07-27T08:00:00-05:00

It's no secret that the housing market has been unkind to to those in the building products sector. Yet, Rick Pogue of Arrowhead Building Supply, unlike his competitors, viewed the recession as an ideal opportunity for growth and expansion. So what exactly has Pogue done to add 700 new accounts in the past two years? Carla Waldemar finds out in her article for Building Products Magazine, Fighting With a Sword (pages 17-18). Pogue discusses his out-of-the-box strategies, including deliveries within three hours, linking to weather reports and shifting internal resources to generate sales through basic followup. The results? In 2009, the company posted $27.5 million in revenues, beating its previous best year, 2002, by more than five million!

@NeilAndrewJames