Leading edge information for
the BC Building Industry
BCBuilding.info's goal is straightforward: to provide BC builders and renovators with
information and resources to help them build the best buildings possible, while adding to their bottom line.
In the short term, this is achieved through the niche, BC focused e-mail newsletter. Over the longer term,
BCBuilding.info plans to include other interesting online tools and resources to
further advance the goal.
The Story:
Ken Farrish has been providing products and services to the BC building industry for over 30 years. He has been a manufacturer of windows, distributor of radiant floor heating, importer of radiant ceiling heating
(not the recalled
brands!), consultant for marketing and project management, facilitator of meetings, and planning sessions, and trainer of installers, trades and sales reps.
Ken is Past President of the Greater Vancouver Home Builders Association and has served on a number of committees at the local and provincial levels.
Ken knows the BC building industry. Ken also has
the motivation and military discipline to
seize the opportunity, research new developments, and share his knowledge amongst
his peers.
The BC building industry is constantly changing - often
at a dramatic pace. Keeping up with new knowledge and skills
is necessary for companies in the residential construction industry.
The problem is, it is very difficult to find good information focused specifically on the BC building industry.
Until now, thanks to BCBuilding.info.
The Challenge:
To properly take advantage of the opportunity.
The Solution:
Start small, track results, and carefully adjust and grow based on what the measurements reveal.
While gauging initial demand, begin with need-to-have
components:
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BCBuilding.info identity |
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base website |
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e-newsletter (build attention,
liking, and preference) |
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advertisements (generate
initial revenue) |
Once initial demand is proved
(through e-newsletter readership and sponsor advertisements),
carefully introduce additional features to further increase
revenue, decrease costs, streamline processes, and improve
training and education for BC building industry companies.
The Identity
Create a logo that is friendly and
comforting to visually differentiate BCBuilding.info from
typical technical information offerings.
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Final Logo |
First Draft |
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It was determined that the 1st
draft looked too much like an outhouse - not the image we wanted
to portray :-) Logo changes were made.
After preliminary testing and subsequent drafts, we changed the
logo colour to blue - a much more
comfortable colour. Research suggests that muscles
actually relax at the sight of the colour blue (Symbol
Sourcebook, Henry Dreyfuss, 1984).
The Website
Tell BC builders and renovators why they need the e-newsletter. Make it very easy for them to subscribe.
The website was made easy-to-use and fast loading to build trust
and credibility with BC builders and renovators.
The e-Newsletter
Present the information in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand format.
We implemented software for the management of the newsletter.
We are
in the process of developing customized software so that
newsletter content can be entered into the design via an online form.
In the meantime, DJ's manually provides newsletter content entry.
Webmaster & Marketing
DJ's hosts the site; provides technical support; helps maintain the search engine positioning and link gathering;
provides and gives feedback on marketing ideas; performs site updates and changes; communicates key "performance indicators"; and also performs custom tasks to help in the implementation of the strategy.
The Result:
BCBuilding.info realizes a steady stream of subscribers and advertisers.
Results are
impressive:
- Hundreds of
subscribers, and the list is growing every day
- On average, two (2) advertisers
per issue
Judging by the feedback and performance indicators, BCBuilding.info
is on the right path to taking advantage of this opportunity.
The Intangibles:
The website was built with expandability in mind. With happy and loyal subscribers in place, BCBuilding.info is
implementing additional online products and services
to further meet the goal - while bringing additional revenue streams to
the bottom line.
Overview | Case
Studies | Design | Programming
| Contact Us
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