Our Readers Choice Awards is growing!

Last year we started with 8 categories and based on recommendations from our readers we have added 6 new categories. We have also expanded to add sponsors for this years awards. This morning when this poster was created we had 3 sponsor signed up in less then a weeks time and just got our fourth with Modspace.

Over the next two weeks we will be adding more sponsors and companies who are donating prizes. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of an award you can for only $1000. What do you get for your sponsorship dollars:

1) Logo on all posters
2) Logo on all print ads
3) Free 1/10 page ad in any feature we do on a winning company or finalist in your category
4) Logo on web site
5) Logo on awards presented in your category

We will be tweaking our online nomination system over the next week and will officially open lines for you to cast your nominations through an online process or you can simply email with who you would like to nominate and why. Maybe I should set up a deal with Rogers so you can text your votes as well, watch out Canadian Idol.

If you want more information on becoming a sponsor, donating prizes or nominations send me an email at chasemarketing@sympatico.ca or call me at 905-228-1151.

 

Last weekend I had the opprotunity to rub shoulders with the industry leading general contractors at Blue Mountain. As the director of client services for the Construction News and Report Group I was in the ultimate networking venue for leads on news stories, new products and great projects to feature.

Most of the event was spent in the bubble (a cool dome, sorry no retractable roof) with over 600 people from the construction industry. Each day I made it my goal to meet someone new and never sit at the same table with the same people. I was impressed with the quality of the speakers for the learning sessions, the work of the OGCS staff to run the event and hands on approach by the OGCA President Clive Thurston. 2007 saw over almost 500 people, 2008 600 and change, does 2009 hold 80o?

Over the next few months I will be working with a group of the contacts I made on some great features ranging from unions, special construction machinary and a few interesting infrastructure projects. It was amazing to see how much work I got done in 2 and a half days while there but the follow up afterwards did not get done until last night.

Well as I put away the business cards tomorrow and return a few phone calls I will be packing up for another Trade Show for IAPA- The Health and Safety Trade Show at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Monday April 21st and Tuesday April 22nd. If you are in the GTA stop by our booth #1432.

If you are a fellow Trade Show/conference Groupie like myself let me know where you will be and your thoughts on the value of attending them.

By the way the sexy guy in the photo is me, lol.

       

What associations are you a member of?

What are the benefits you see to being a member?

What are the draw backs?

I will follow up to your responses when I get back from the symposium.

Recently I posted update on my marketing campaign for my client at Howard Johnsons in Toronto about tracking results for him with his advertising by incoporating a promotion code into his ad. I recieved some feedback which I will share with you from <the_web_gal> aka Chris:

fyi…..there was a forrester report that came out a month or so ago that indicated that print ads were one of the most ineffective mediums currently available.

I appreciate the feedback and will look into tracking down the report mentioned or you can email me a copy at chasemarketing@sympatico.ca

My very first post touched on the use of multiple marketing channels to help my client track value for his advertising dollars. In todays electronic age with movies, news and information only a mouse click away I agree print advertising is not the essential medium anymore as it was 50 years ago. The great thing about the print medium today is it is now extended into the electronic realm of the internet. In the past a newspaper would be passed around and end up at the bottom of a bird cage a few days later. Now that same paper can be posted online and updated on a regular basis. Copies of the paper can be emailed across the world and reach readers never imagined due to the limitations of printing.

Does this mean printed copies will disappear, I do not think so. I remember when books could be downloaded off the web and people thought we would never see a printed copy again, it has not happened, yet… In the next 10 to 20 years will see the evolution of information in printed form and those cool looking tablets you see the Star Trek crew members using could replace the black ink newsprint leaves on your finger. Who knows when you subscribe to the National Post the new marketing tool may be to get a National Post electronic tablet to read daily.

Keep the feedback coming and I will expand more on my marketing project for Howard Johnsons in the next few weeks and show how print media enhances the new electronic age.

Currently I am developing a survey for the members of the Niagara Home Builders Association (NHBA)  to get their feedback after the succcessful launch this month of the Structures Newspaper.

The intent of the survey will be to identify areas we could improve upon, news topics for coverage, find out who would like to submit guest editorial and invite general feedback. In the above logo you can click through to read the first issue. This will be the first survey I have used since joining the Construction News and Report Group so I am very excited and nervous at the same time.

The hard part with the survey is determining which qestions to ask and how to ask them. I can remember in a past life (I am referring to a pasr career, lol) doing a survey telemarketing program where we asked 5 questions that were really only one presented differently. Over 65% of the answers were different with only 30% of them being consistent and the person picking the same option 5 times. At first I thought it was strange that a client would ask 5 questions that way, later only I found out the true purpose was to determin which question generated the response they were looking for. This is a dangerous thing to do since a surbey should generate both positive and negative responses so you can identify areas to improve.

If you have recently developed a survey to gather information or participated in share with me your insights. Once I have my NHBA survey completed I will post it here for you to review and share the results we generated.

Okay the the statement should really say ‘Show me the money!” but for the first step to helping my client track value for his advertising dollars this helps get the point across.

In the world of print advertising the impact of a visual ad is the impression it leaves with the viewer. Nine times out of 10 unless someone is looking for or considering the product is goes almost unnoticed. The key with branding in print advertising is repeat impressions to potential customers, but what gets lost in that is playing the old game, “One of these do not belong!” What I mean by this is updating your ad or changing your message so people notice the changes. The best example of this I can give you is the Doritos commercials that started airng last year where they were promoting a new Sweet Chili flavour of chips thatr had 3 sides to them (Doristos or shaped liked trianagles) and each time the commercial aired and the guy walking along a path came across a bear he would he the chip froma different side and the ending of the commercial would always be different. If someone from Doritos is reading this you can send me a free case!

This month I have updated my clients ad to include a special/exclusive ‘Promotion Code” for our readers to mention when they book their stays so the client can track results. The next step for mewill be to promote this to our subscribers through an email newsletter letting them know of the exclusive promotion our client is offering to our readers.  Now the other change I have proposed to my customer is adding colour to his ad which has been running in black and white for the past year. To help get the impact across of the difference between the two ads I had my designed send them side by side on a new proof sheet. Of course adding colour has a higher cost but it need not run like this each month to help change the ad up so people take notice of the changes.

I have inlcuded the ad here for you to review and I ask you let me know which you prefer as well as letting me know if you think the added cost of colour is wirth it. I will update you with my clients thoughts as well as yours next week. I will also speak of the next step in helping my client track value in this multi branding exercise.

Check out my facebook page I set up to market all our papers as well as the profile I set up for the GTA Construction Report. This is a very effective, easy and inexpensive way to promote your company or yourself.

Add me as a friend and share with me your experiences using facebook for business networking.

Just exploring the blog settings and thought I would post some work materials.

I am looking to add a calendar of events for coverage within Ontario. Send me the details of your construction related events. These events could be on the of the following:

- Grand Openings
- Ground Breaking Ceremony
- Customer Appreciation Events
- Association Meetings
- Trade Shows
- Conferences

Send me your media releases by email to chasemarketing@sympatico.ca