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Construction Sales and Marketing Newsletter
June 2013
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Greetings!
Welcome to this month's edition of the Construction Sales and Marketing Newsletter. This month, to mark the launch of the 2013 Construction Media Index Report, we have focused on market research. We provide information about the 2013 CMI Report findings and how to purchase a copy, we take a look at the Net Promoter Score and how you can measure brand strength, we provide some useful links in our 'What's being said' section on generic research into marketing channels. And to help you with your own research we are offering readers a complimentary copy of our eBook: Market Research that informs your business strategy, normally priced at £20+VAT.
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Construction market activity
The ONS released its figures for New Orders in the Construction Industry Q1 2013 earlier this month, these figures show that new orders were10% lower in Q1 2013 than the previous quarter, and 0.2% lower than Q1 2012. New housing fared best with a 0.4% increase in the private housing sector. No doubt helped by the Help to Buy Equity Loan Scheme, which the Home Builders Federation said got off to a very good start, with 4000 people reserving homes through the scheme since its launch on 1 April. Housing output is expected to increase significantly with 400 builders now registered with the scheme across the UK. However The British Chambers of Commerce said the Help to Buy scheme should have been accompanied by a house building programme, which would increase its effectiveness and avoid sharp increases in house prices.
The Nationwide House Price Index has reported that house prices rose by just 0.4% in May, bringing them 1.1% higher than in May 2012. The Halifax House Price Index also shows that house prices increased by 0.4% in May, also showing that in the 3 months to May house prices were 1.5% higher than the preceding 3 months.
However some contractors are still feeling the pain, Willmott Dixon has announced a fall in 2012 pre-tax profit of 26%, describing it as the toughest year throughout the current economic cycle. Unfortunately the Green Deal has still to deliver on the government's promises of increased work for the industry, with Enact Energy going into administration with suggestions that this was due to delays in the role-out of the programme.
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Regulations & initiatives - a quick update
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2013 Construction Media Index - Available Now!
 The Construction Media Index report, now in its third year, is the only impartial research for the construction industry reporting on traditional and digital communication channels. Purchase online now! The four key reports, each containing over 150 charts, looks at communication channels for Architects, Civil Engineers, Main Contractors and Roofing Contractors. The research reviews online and hardcopy journal readership, usage of; websites, blogs, eNews, social networks, video and webinars, Apps and QR codes, technical seminars, product directories as well as devices used. There is a detailed, impartial report on journal readership and another that focusses on digital communications and a further 8 reports that look at journal readership for key sectors. In total the report consists of 14 sections that can be bought separately or as a set. The whole report contains over 1500 charts of data, for which 550 targeted telephone interviews were conducted during April 2013 with Architects, Engineers, Main Contractors and Roofing Contractors. Find out more by visiting our website
or view our slideshare presentation. I recently previewed the findings of the 2013 report at a CIMCIG seminar, a summary of which can be read in my blog communicating with construction industry decision makers - making the right media choices. And David Ing of CFA Marketing, in a blog interview, has kindly provided his advice on developing an integrated strategy. For those interested in the M&E sector the 2012 reports on Building Services Engineers and M&E contractors are still available at reduced prices. |
Free eBook - Market Research that informs your business strategy
To mark the launch of the Construction Media Index 2013 research report we have produced this eNews with a focus on research. Therefore it seems fitting to provide a special offer to our readers.
Our eBook "Market Research that informs your business strategy" will guide you through:
- how to write a comprehensive brief
- the different market research processes
- the advantages and disadvantages for each research method
- how to use research to inform your business strategy
The book, priced at £20+ VAT, contains 34 pages which look at customer perception studies, satisfaction surveys, market evaluation, mystery shopper, interview processes and sample sizing. It also includes 7 handy one-pagers to print and refer to.
Request your free copy today by emailing learn@cadvantage.co.uk
To complement this why not consider attending our webinar?
Market Research that informs your business strategy
being hosted on Friday 26 July, 12.30 - 13.30
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The Net Promoter Score - Measuring Brand Strength
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a loyalty metric developed by Fred Reichheld. In his book 'The Ultimate Question' NPS is presented as the most important metric for business.
Developed for consumer marketing, the Net Promoter Score tracks how customers represent a company to their friends and associates. Reichheld argues that this consumer representation is free marketing that greatly influences business growth. Supporters of the method cite Apple as the company with the greatest NPS, and draw correlations to its recent growth.
Working with some of our clients, Competitive Advantage has developed a process which uses the Net Promoter Score concept to measure specifiers' loyalty to leading brands. We ask the specifier how likely they are to specify a brand for a project. This can then be scored in a similar way described by Reichheld. By matching the results against the environment the specifier works in, we can then give our clients a feel for their brand strength in various sectors. By repeating the research regularly our clients can track their performance, comparing it with sales and marketing initiatives.
For more information or to participate email learn@cadvantage.co.uk
Read more...
Blog: measuring brand strength
An interview with Fred Reichheld
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What's being said - a round-up of useful marketing items
As this eNews is dedicated to market research below you will find a number of links that provide research findings to inform your communications strategy. And for all marketers there is the Hubspot infographic looking at The History of Marketing: An Exhaustive Timeline!
Inbound marketing
Hubspot claim that 54% more leads are generated by inbound rather than by outbound in their new Inbound Marketing 2013 Report. They have also taken this report and tailored it for the European market and have summarised it in their blog: 10 remarkable discoveries about inbound marketing in Europe
Mobile marketing
Although from the US, research by EMA Group into Contractors makes interesting reading and a good comparison for our UK CMI research into Communication Channels for Main Contractors. EMA Group provide insight into smartphone usage onsite and also the importance of SEO with the use of product search by contractors.
The Chartered Institute of Marketing have provided their own look at smartphone usage and have called it the seven ages of smartphone usage, a rather fun look at how different generations interact with the device.
Digital marketing
On slideshare there is an informative presentation by Mary Meeker on Internet Trends.
The 2013 Digital Summit, to be hosted on the 28 June in London, will coincide with the launch of wave three of the CIM Social Media Benchmarking Report. For the results from wave one and wave two visit: www.smbenchmark.com/the-benchmark
For a more specific look at how industry professionals are using digital media than take a look at our CMI research into Digital Communication Channels.
Photography
Images are a key part of promoting your project be it hardcopy or digital. In his article 'Make your Picture Count' Rick Osman gives some good tips.
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Forthcoming events
On demand training
Over the last eight months we have hosted a number of webinars covering sales and marketing in relation to construction. These webinars are now available to purchase as a Windows media video file and slide pack. For a full list of titles visit on-demand training.
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 Chris Ashworth Competitive Advantage Consultancy Ltd |
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