Marketing Strategies for Design-Build Contracting

by William D. Booth

Overview

With a jolt you pull your car to the side of the road and read the job sign that can't be more than one day old: New Home of ABC Inc.; General Contractor, XYZ Construction Co. You think out loud, "I knew the property had been sold," and your eyes roam over the real estate sign with the angled "sold" sticker proclaiming that the agent has been successful. "Thought the job would have come out on the bid list by now," you mutter as you move back onto the road and head for your office. Later in the day you get the agent on the phone: "Jim, how did XYZ get the ABC job? I saw nothing on the builders' exchange about it." "John, XYZ has been negotiating with ABC for the past six weeks. They did one fine job of selling the owner. Under­ stand they just called on him out of the blue asking for a chance. They put the whole package together, plans and all." "Didn't he get another price, Jim?" "Sure did; two, as a matter of fact. He asked me to get two other contractors capable of doing design-build projects. He liked XYZ better. I don't know the prices, but I really feel those ix x Preface boys impressed him by going to him. Were you planning to bid the job?" "Thinking about it," you answer, trying to sound very casual.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781461358688
Publisher:	Springer US
Publication date:	12/12/2011
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1995
Pages:	183
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.02(d)
Age Range:	Up to 18 Years

Table of Contents

1 The Construction Design-Build Concept.- Definition.- Sales Territory.- Design-Build Capability.- Design-Build Team.- Environmental Construction.- Project Steps.- 2 The Art of Selling Design-Build Construction.- On and Off Buttons.- Low Profile and Soft Sell.- Time Interval.- Empathy.- Understanding the Business Prospect.- 3 Cultivating New Business Perspectives.- Giving Out Information.- Advertising.- Adviser Capacity.- Remaining Objective.- 4 Locating the Prospective Owner.- Personal Contacts.- Referrals.- Advertising.- Trends in Specific Business Areas.- Redevelopment Projects.- Relocation Projects.- Industrial Commissions.- Rejected Bids.- Cold Calls.- Disaster Leads.- Bonus to Employees: Finder’s Fees.- Zoning Changes and Deed Transfers.- Records.- Who Requires Careful Consideration.- Contract Potential.- 5 Qualifying the Prospective Owner.- Site.- Finances.- Reason for Building.- Interest.- Talking to the Decision Makers.- Personal Problems the Lead Might Have.- 6 Selling the Design-Build Method.- Security.- Prospect List.- Selling Yourself.- Selling Your Company.- Selling the Job.- Combating Competition.- 7 Contractual Procedures.- Letter of Intent.- Special Letter Contracts and Formal Contracts.- Retainage and Bonds.- Changes.- Checking Owner Financing.- 8 Building Phase Communications.- Start-up.- Work Schedule Information.- Acquainting People on Site with the Owner.- Acquainting the Owner with Construction Problems.- Keeping the Owner in the Picture.- Owner Problems During Construction.- 9 The Design-Build Sales Department.- Integrating the Sales Department into the Overall Operation.- A Salesperson’s Responsibility to the Company.- Finding the Construction Salesperson.- Sales Territories.- Salesperson Remuneration.

Editorial Reviews

...a useful book for the aspiring construction salesperson, and the owenr of the small or medium-sized construction company...and those setting out to market it for the first time. - Construction Management and Economics

From the Publisher

A general contractor explains to others in his profession how the design-build concept can improve business if an appropriate strategy is adopted for marketing the service. He considers such aspects as creating a design-build team, locating and qualifying new customers, cultivating repeat customers (but not by having your first building for them fall down), communicating with owners, and developing a marketing and sales department. No bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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