How events help build online communities

Now that Be2camp@WorkingBuildings2009 activities have begun to wound down, I can start reflecting upon the event. While there were upsides and downsides to holding this event alongside a trade show (see my Be2camp blog post), I think it is clear that events – whether online or offline (or a combination of both) – can play [...]

Resistance is futile!

The ripples from my talk at last week’s CIMCIG event have yet to stop. To date, the Ustream recording has had 76 views, the SlideShare deck has had 345 views, and I’ve had some interesting emails. In one missive, the writer wonders about the relevance of social media to us construction folk:
One of my concerns [...]

Lessons in applying Web 2.0 to construction PR and marketing

I spoke last night to the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Construction Interest Group (CIMCIG) at the Building Centre in London. My talk was something of a gallop through some basics of social media before looking at how the tools and techniques are actually being applied in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) market, including Be2camp.
I [...]

Ten things to manage in a recession: 8 – (e)mail

This is the eighth in a series inspired by my friend Ross Sturley’s Ten Things to Cut in a Recession Before You Cut Your Marketing (presented in recent Construction News marketing e-newsletters and on his Chart Lane website).
Number eight: “Cut mail”
In Going postal, Ross turns his attention on the monetary and environmental waste involved in [...]

Ten things to manage in a recession: 7 – corporate entertainment

This is the seventh in a series expanding on my friend Ross Sturleys’ Ten Things to Cut in a Recession Before You Cut Your Marketing (as presented in recent Construction News marketing e-newsletters and in his Chart Lane website).
Number seven: “Cut corporate entertainment”
The latest target for Ross’s cost-cutting zeal is ‘golf days’ (see his Construction [...]

Be2camp expanding

As a co-founder of Be2camp, the online network for people interested in applying Web 2.0 approaches to the architecture, engineering, construction and property sector, I am – of course – completely biased about the achievements of the community. Take last Friday, for example….
… On a zero budget, we managed to organise a Be2camp North workshop [...]

Life at HOK

International planning and design practice HOK has, as you might expect, an excellent corporate website (great if you like Flash-driven sites) but did you know that it also has a strong Web 2.0 presence?
Life at HOK is a blog to which numerous HOK people contribute – judging from the side-bar, 30 people have submitted around [...]

Ten things to manage in a recession: 3 – administration

This is the third in a series expandng on my friend Ross Sturleys’ Ten Things to Cut in a Recession Before You Cut Your Marketing (presented at last month’s CIMCIG conference and in recent Construction News marketing e-newsletters).
Number three: “Cut administration”
Ross argues that there are opportunities, if money is really tight, for administration tasks to [...]

Mission-crittall

No, the title’s not a typo – it reflects an interesting part of my presentation at today’s CIMCIG conference at the Building Centre in London. As outlined on Monday, I was down to talk about the rise of online communications as part of the marketing mix, particularly during a construction recession.
Last week I asked the [...]