buildingsource Top 5 Articles from April 2013

Here are the top 5 articles for building and marketing your AEC and Design business posted in April by media and professionals I follow:

1. A New Era for A/E/C Professionals: The Making of Visible Experts: "A Visible Expert is an individual with high visibility and acknowledged expertise who can command influence within a specific target audience."

2. Will Google Glass Revolutionize the Construction Process? Imagine super-imposing computer-generated images (BIM files) over a real-world view of a construction site.

3. 4 Ways to Handle a Client that's Too Busy to Collaborate: Setting clear expectations is first on the list for dealing with clients who aren't helping to move the project along systematically or on time.

4. SEC Embraces Social Media: In a recent ruling, the Securities and Exchange Commission said  that postings on sites like Facebook and Twitter are just as good as news releases and company websites.

5. Works for Us: "The iPad is a Mobile Showroom": Tips for using a tablet in the sales process.

5 Reasons Mayor Corey Booker Embraces Social Media

“Not being in social media is almost like Nixon not wanting to put makeup on for a TV appearance. It’s going to become so ridiculous five, ten years from now.” – Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, NJ

Cory Booker discusses why he is known as the "social media mayor."

1. He can take control of his own media.
2. He can crowdsource and touch thousands and thousands
3. He can create collaborative relationships with residents – they are partners in governing.
4. It's an added tool he uses to “supercharge” his ability to connect with residents.
5. Social media helps makes him more accessible.

In his own words...

Designers, AEC and real estate professionals can take control of their media, too. Get your free eBook download, "Building an Internet Presence: An Introduction for the AEC Industry."

Searching for AEC Services

by Karen Davis Burton

When a client searches online for the services you offer, what do they find? And, I’m not asking what do they find when they search for your name or your business name – hopefully, you pop up then.

But what happens when they google “retail architects in Detroit” or “interior designer for hotels near Santa Monica?” Will your prospect find you on page one of Google?

More and more, people are going online to find the building products and AEC services they want and need to purchase. When my water heater was on the fritz late one night – while all my friends that I would call for a referral were asleep – I googled “plumber, water heater” and the search engine gave me a list of service providers in my area.

Traditionally, consumers and businesses have found AEC professional services firms through word-of-mouth referrals, live networking, RFPs, and even through the phone book advertising.

Well, we know most of those phone books get tossed out and recycled as soon as they are dropped off on the porch. Referrals and networking are still the best ways to build business because people want to do business with firms and professionals they know and trust.

Why not let those prospects – and your existing clients – get to know you when they search for your AEC market niche and professional services online. Even if a potential client gets a referral from a reliable source, they probably want to do their own research on the names they’ve received. And when you’re out in the community developing business – at conferences, happy hours, trade organization meetings – shouldn’t your prospects have a way to find out more about you and your business?

By developing relevant content – writing blog posts, articles, and press releases, sharing valuable information on social media sites, posting photos of your work, providing your prospects with testimonials from satisfied clients, and making sure your website is updating regularly – you can work toward getting at the top of the search engine listings so your AEC company will be the first one a prospects sees when they search for your types of services.

Get your free eBook download, "Building an Internet Presence: An Introduction for the AEC Industry."

3 Must-See Homes in Detroit

It's National Architecture Week (April 7-13). Here are three Detroit residences you must visit. Now, don't walk up to these houses and think you can just get in. People live here. Drive or walk by, and enjoy the view.

The Margerum 45-degree House

Photo from Detroit Home magazine

Detroit architect, Roger Margerum, designed his home when he closed his full-time practice. This 3,000 square foot residence has views of the Grayhaven Marina, and Margerum says that instead of moving from room to room, you go "from space-to-space." (More at Detroit Home magazine)


Lafayette Park Townhouses

Photo from Dwell

Lafayette Park was the first urban renewal project in the U.S., and includes two high-rises and one-and two-story townhomes designed by Mies van der Rohe. The townhomes - a sight to behold in the middle of the city - average 1400 square feet and are enveloped by a minimal shell with floor-to-ceiling windows. The interiors showcase floating staircases and clean lines.

See and hear how the residents live in their Mies-designed spaces in this New York Times article. Occasionally, you can catch a tour of the entire Lafayette Park area.*


The Turkel House

Photo from Hour Detroit magazine

Located on Seven Mile Road in Detroit, this is the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home within the Detroit city limits. The 4,300 square foot house is in FLW's Usonian Automoatic style, using inexpensive modular concrete blocks. Current residents purchased the home in 2006 and restored it for nearly $1 million. (More at Hour Detroit magazine)

* After note: The next Lafayette Park Walking Tour will be June 1, 2013. Contact Kiana German through her Style-Detroit blog or tweet her at @KianaGerman

buildingsource Top 5: Articles for Building Business

Here are the top 5 articles from March for building and marketing your AEC business:

1. Negotiating with Confidence: Don't rush contract negotiations, and don't be afraid to request additional funds for out-of-scope work. (By Steven Isaacs on DesignIntelligence)

2. How to Set Your Business Up to Bid on Federal Government Contracts: Entrepreneur magazine lists the first four things to do to begin doing business with the government. The information is taken from Braddock's Procurement Opportunities Guide sponsored by Microsoft. (By Catherine Clifford)

3. 10 Architecture Firm Blogs to Watch in 2013: Review various blogging styles and get some inspiration for your AEC firm's blog. (Listed by Architectural Record magazine)

4. Staying Loose: 25 lessons learned from the recession: Builder magazine talks with builders about how they have adapted to market conditions over the past five years.

5. 7 Lessons from the World's Most Captivating Presenters: Steve Jobs, Scott Harrison, Gary Vaynerchuk... what can you lean from them to improve presentation skills? (from HubSpot)

What Would Steve Do? 10 Lessons from the World's Most Captivating Presenters from HubSpot All-in-one Marketing Software

5 Reasons to Blog for Business

Watch the slide presentation below for 5 reasons to begin blogging and positioning yourself as a market leader.

5 reasons you should be blogging for business from Building Industry Resources

Check out upcoming workshops and events on Eventbrite

How Construction Service Providers Use Social Media

Complimentary Workshop
Friday, April 12, 2013 - 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m
TechTown, Detroit