Greetings!
Some signs of hope have come through during the month, with a report that the commercial real estate market has bottomed out and the CIPS survey stating the rate of decline is slowing. There have also been further releases of funding into the public residential sector (see below). To help you get a fix on where the market is, the government has published its latest edition of construction statistics, covering 2008. Finally I have listed some development events to help ensure your teams marketing and sales skill are sharpened. |
| Housing Investment |
This week £127 million of government funding was announced for the construction of 2000 new council homes. Funding is shared amongst 47 councils. Two weeks ago the Homes and Communities Agency announced the successful bidders for £8.8 m of projects, principally for the installation of CHP systems. A summary of progress with implementation of the low carbon infrastructure is also available on the HCA website. |
| Construction Statistics |
The latest government construction statistics covering 2008 are now available on the Office for National Statistics website. Unlike previous years when these were published as a PDF document, this year the contents page takes you to a series of Excel spreadsheets covering a range of subjects including New Orders, Output, Government departments' construction plans and National Lottery funded projects. This makes it much easier to manipulate the data. A definitive and free source of industry statistics, it is worth a visit. |
| Development Events |
Here are a series of full day, half day and evening events which can ensure you and your colleagues are up to date with latest industry developments. The first is an opportunity to view a CIMCIG event online for free.
Marketing to Architects
CIMCIG in association with RIBA Enterprises Chartered Institute of Marketing Construction Industry Group 22nd September 2009 Half day at RIBA, London
A half day seminar for building products manufacturers, looking at recent developments in communication methods with architects. Speakers will talk about how architects' requirements are changing, the use of NBS specifications, benefits of CPD, the role of the Sustainability Consultant and specifier communication channels. The seminar will finish with a panel discussion.
Developed in response to demand for marketing training that is specific to the construction industry. This course is ideal for those with a basic marketing understanding who are new to the construction industry. It also provides a check list and source of new ideas for the more experienced marketing professional.
Key Account Management
Competitive Advantage in collaboration with the Building Centre
8th October 2009 Full day at The Building Centre, London
As pressures on profitability increase companies need to develop new and imaginative methods of retaining customers. Key account identification and management is a process which does this, while using internal resources effectively.
A chaired panel discussion on the future of construction & property media provides a group discussion of the combined effect of the internet and the recession on the sector's printed, event and web-based media, with questions from the audience encouraged. Speakers are editors of leading industry publications, and top construction marketers.
Specification selling has become an extremely complex process with many influences on final product selection. The company which understands who the different specifiers are, what is important to them and the circumstances when they are most important has the greatest chance of sales success.
Marketing Building Products into a Sustainable MarketCompetitive Advantage in collaboration with the Building Centre
28th October 2009 Full day at The Building Centre, London
This seminar views sustainability from the commercial perspective. It covers the basic issues of sustainability and suggests how you can identify and promote your businesses' sustainable practices to achieve a marketing advantage and ultimately improve profitability. |
