August 2005 Newsletter
As we head towards 4specs' 10th birthday in February 2006, our newsletters will focus on where I think sales and marketing of "specified" construction products is heading over the next 5 -10 years.
The Internet environment and usage has changed substantially from 1996. I reread my first article published in the Construction Specifier in November 1996 about delivering your product information using the Internet, and that article was right on topic, and still valid today. The second Specifier article in February 1997 about developing a construction product site was also on target and valid today. You might want to read them. Perhaps a bit simplistic, but the advice was probably better than the advice from many web designers today for specified product sites.
Sept, 1996: https://www.4specs.com/s2a/deliver.html
Feb, 1997: https://www.4specs.com/s2a/develops.html
William A. Draves spoke at the AIA Convention in Las Vegas this spring. His book and website is called Nine Shift.
[site no longer responds]
His premise, quoting from the website, is:
"In just twenty years, between 2000 and 2020, some 75% of our lives will change dramatically. We know this because it happened once before. Between 1900 and 1920, life changed.
Nine Shift explores the uncanny parallels between today and 100 years ago, examining the changes between the two transition periods and the forces that restructure society in the new economic era."
Consider the changes in life between 1896 and 1926. Think about the changes that are possible between 1996 and 2026.
I plan to explore in the newsletters over the next 6 months or so the shifts in marketing to architects and specifiers that have occurred over the past 10 years and project changes likely to occur over the next 5- 10 years. My goal is to give you ideas so you can develop your plan for successful change and successful sales of your products.
I have some ideas of the direction for these newsletters and would appreciate your input and feedback. I plan to ask for feedback in the 4specs Discussion Forum from our specifier and architect users.
Enjoy the rest of the summer,
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Colin Gilboy
Publisher - 4specs
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