Greetings!
Welcome to the first electronic newsletter from Competitive Advantage, this is intended to keep you up to date with our initiatives and informed about activities in the industry. I hope you will find it interesting, but if you do not want to receive future edition please use the SafeUnsubscribe option of the foot of this email.
|
| Housing Market |
In the last few months there is no doubt that the housing market has suffered a significant loss of confidence, with house builders starting to report a freeze on new sites. In April Nationwide reported that house prices had fallen by 1% in the last 12 months no doubt this will lead to many buyers delaying a purchase decision in anticipation of further house price falls, adding more pressure to the house builder.
Despite this, Competitive Advantage's recently completed Housebuilder Watch suggested that the situation is not as dire as the press might suggest. Our survey of 200 offices of private sector housebuilders shows that although optimism has fallen significantly expectations are that the situation will now remain the same. There were also regional variations and a small proportion of respondents even reported an increase in sales. If you would like to purchase the report you can learn more by following the link to Housebuilder Watch. |
| Marketing your Company's Sustainability |
Sustainability has been a major focus for us in recent months. I have run a series of seminars with Jeremy Sumeray, Director of Strategy at the UK Green Building Council when delegates had the basics of sustainability in construction presented and we looked at how to gain competitive advantage by marketing a company's sustainable credentials. These courses have now come to an end but I am offering a new in-house course "Innovating Sustainability". I am working with Paul Sloane a leader in innovative thinking and head of the British Quality Foundation Innovation Unit. The workshop is designed to help companies to develop new products to meet the needs of sustainable construction.
We have also just completed a major piece of research, "The Influence of the Sustainability Consultant". This group of people are increasingly involved in a building's design at an early stage, advising architects on ways to minimise the carbon footprint and achieve low energy consumption in their buildings. Our report explains the role of the Sustainability Consultant, the influences on product selection and also provides a database of contacts. If you are interested in purchasing the report you can learn more by following the link to The Influence of the Sustainability Consultant.
A very recent development in sustainability is BRE's proposal for Responsibly Sourced Materials certification. This is still at the consultation stage but could become a major influence upon product selection, providing clients and specifiers with reassurance about the products they are selecting. |
| CIMCIG seminar in London |
CIMCIG is the Chartered Institute of Marketing's Construction Industry Group. It assists marketers working throughout the construction industry. A new programme of evening events has recently been announced. Taking place at the Building Centre in London, the first will be held on 22nd May and is entitled "Value for money marketing in today's economic climate". I will be one of 4 speakers presenting ideas for cost effective marketing. If you are in or near London why not come along from for a couple of hours and meet people with similar issues and challenges working in the construction sector. Light refreshments will be served and costs are only £20, or just £10 if you are a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. To learn more go to the CIMCIG website www.cimcig.org
|
