Our success with the Construction Marketing Ideas book has led to the development of a new business, which is something of a stretch from our original mandate of producing regional construction publications.
The second title for the book publishing division, How Humans Fight the Laws of Nature ? and Lose by Bill Caswell, covers a much more general theme than our core business. However, just as Ottawa Renvovates stretched us to retail/consumer magazines and products relevant to the construction industry, the original ?stretch? to publish Construction Marketing Ideas provided me the knowledge base and skills to publish other books. Since Bill has a relationship with us, he agreed to the deal and we have started the work on the project.
Accordingly, we?ve set up a web page for the book at fightingnature.com and are conducting a readers? survey to determine the best cover.
In producing this book, I?m applying two fundamental marketing methods you should consider anytime you are thinking about expanding your business scope.
First, it never hurts to listen to your existing clients and build on your current relationships. You don?t have to push against the market when your clients ask for a service you are not currently providing. (Initially I declined the Ottawa Renovates project because I didn?t think I had the capacities for it ? but when our client insisted, I formed a new business with partners skilled in the relevant areas.)
Second, when you have existing capacities but wish to stretch your market into new areas, you are most likely to succeed by working with the people you know and who trust you. They?ll be tolerant of your errors.
Right now, we don?t want you to buy the book ? just to help out with the cover decision. You can complete the 30 second survey here and, if you wish, recieve a free chapter and invitation to a special 25 per cent discount when the book is published in the spring. (Obviously you have no obligation to purchase it.)
Oh . . . about trust and relationships. In designing the book survey form, I left some fields on the documentation which linked to a payment page meant for Construction Marketing Ideas. One of our loyal clients clicked the payment boxes and authorized a $60.00 PayPal payment for the free survey. Of course, I?ve refunded the money and fixed the form. When this sort of thing happens, however, you know you have your marketing in good order.
