5 Reasons Contractors Should Outsource Social Media Management
5 Reasons Why Contractors Should Outsource Their Social Media Management
1. Accountability
Your Social Media Marketing Agency should host a kick-off strategy session before beginning any social media marketing on behalf of your brand. This session should discuss your brand, your company’s ideas for social media, business goals and what to realistically expect from each social media platform.
After all ideas, goals and expectations have been clearly laid out by your agency, they will produce a content calendar, which outlines what is going to be posted, on which platform and at what time. Each post should clearly relate to your overall brand and social media goals. There should be no surprise posts, blog articles or live videos without prior approval from your staff.
Some companies are hands-off and once an overall strategy has been agreed upon, allowing the Social Media Management Company to post without prior approval. Other companies want to know everything being posted and when. Regardless, these expectations must be clearly outlined upfront so you are able to hold your social media marketing agency accountable for their performance.
Along with a detailed content calendar, you should be clear on when to expect updates from the agency, including account feedback, market statistics and key metrics relating to the initial goals set forth in the up-front strategy session.
"A good agency will provide data-metrics weekly and have bi-weekly summaries of each campaign, consumer feedback and revisions they are making based on the data metrics."
-Joseph, Social Media Manager
Accountability is a major reason contractors should outsource social media management to a qualified agency. It’s easy to hold your Social Media Marketing Agency accountable for the work they are producing. With clear goals and expectations set-forth up front, you’re able to hold them accountable for their progress and performance.
2. Cost
A reputable Social Media Agency charges between $2,000 and $10,000 per month to manage an entire platform of social media accounts, manage blog updates and produce unique content several times each week. For larger companies who are having unique content created daily, especially videos, expect to spend closer to $10,000-$30,000 per month.
Before you gasp at the number, think about the cost to hire a Social Media manager for your company. Outsourcing Social Media Marketing is still less expensive…not to mention you have access to an entire team versus one person. Cost is a major reason contractors should outsource social media management to a qualified agency.
3. It's Not Easy
Do you know what a Facebook pixel is? Do you know how to target your ads to people who have accessed specific content on your website? Do you know the right image dimensions for a Facebook ad and the best image-to-text ratio to ensure that your ads are approved? If you don’t, you’re not alone.
"You can practically get an MBA in this stuff for the amount of time that it can take to learn everything you need to know."
-Joseph, Social Media Manager
That’s why, unless you have a significant amount of time to invest in getting it right, the best way to ensure that you’re getting ROI for your social media ad buy is to bring in a team who has the experience and expertise to do the job right. For a lot of brands, outsourcing social media ad management is the best option.
There are hundreds of social media and digital marketing measurement tools. As 2017 gets rolling, these tools can help your brand to track, test, and improve your social media efforts. That is, if you know what data to look at, and how that data can impact your strategy in the long and short term.
A social agency can direct you to the best tracking tools for your key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze the data to provide you with insights that matter. Then, they can benchmark that data against the industry, and use it to guide you to better social results. The complexity of a true social media campaign is a major reason contractors should outsource social media management to a qualified agency.
4. Less Automation Means More Time
Automation is on the decline for brands. The reason for this is simple. In this digital age, people are still looking for human interaction. They want personality, wit, and a dose of reality.
Problem is, they want it 24 hours, 7 days a week.
This call for less automation coupled with more availability and a faster response time are at the crux of why a social agency is on trend. Outsourcing social media management to a global social agency can utilize their team across the globe to provide true 24/7 coverage. The need for 24/7, personalized attention is a major reason contractors should outsource social media management to a qualified agency.
5. Video Content Is Here To Stay
As we have seen in Q1 of 2017, video continues to trend. This is no surprise, considering social platforms are all investing heavily into the ease and technical excellence of their video sharing abilities.
Instagram introduced their Stories feature, as well as their Live feature. Snapchat is struggling to keep up, with Instagram capturing 100 million users in just two months – a full two thirds of Snapchat’s audience. Facebook Live, as well as native video, continues to outperform both photo and text posts. Youtube is its own beast, where creativity and content are king.
Video is and will continue to reign supreme; however, audiences are picky. They want authentic videos that provide an up close glimpse of life at your company. These videos should fall in-line with your overall strategy and stay true to your brand at heart. Staying current with social media trends, including video production, is a major reason contractors should outsource social media management to a qualified agency.
The Value Of Social Media To Your Business
Whether you’re an international Fortune 500 company or a home service provider serving local residents, as a business in the construction industry, a strong social media presence is more important than ever. In order to understand why contractors should outsource their social media management, it’s important to see the true value of social media on a business.
Social media increases brand recognition, improves brand loyalty, provides contractors with more opportunities to convert leads into customers and helps provide better search rankings.
At Brantley, we’re experienced in managing social media for general contractors. We think about social media strategically: planning your posts, getting your approval, and then posting them for you. We can even handle engagement if you wish. It doesn’t get any easier. Use the form below to reach out and we’ll be happy to discuss options and get you a custom quote. We’d love to hear from you.
Interested in learning more? Connect with us today.
Tips for Success: 8 Small Things You Can Do Everyday To Become Highly Successful
Tips for Success: There are 8 small things you can do every day to ensure that you’re being intentional with your time and spending it on priorities to help you become highly successful. Incorporate these tips for success into your daily routine and watch your success soar!
1. Pick 3 Priorities
What are your main three priorities in your life? Do your priorities match up with where you’re spending your time? If so, awesome. If not, you’ll need to work extra hard to be intentional about spending more time on your priorities, and getting rid of the junk that prevents you from doing what’s important to you.
Is Candy Crush or stalking your high school friend on Facebook on your priority list? How about the latest Netflix series? If not, then stop spending so much time doing it. The average American spends 14 hours each week watching TV and 90 minutes each day on Social Media. Really think about how you want to spend your life – you will likely only feel successful if you spend your time on what matters most to you.
Looking for tips for success but having a tough time focusing on just three? Try an idea dump. Dump all of your priorities, ideas and focus points onto a piece of paper and narrow the list down from there. Once you have just three, make an effort to spend the majority of your time on one of these priorities.
“When sharing their tips for success, it’s clear: Nothing happens by osmosis where ultra-successful people are concerned. They plan their lives and they constantly work their plan.”
2. Have An Agenda
Have an agenda for the day and when you meet with people. Too many people only plan generically for the day.
“The world’s most highly successful people and smart thinkers take time to plan out their days to the hour, even minutes…not to mention outlining their weeks, months, and long-term goals.”
They also don't walk into meetings, parties and coffee dates blind. They decide what they want to learn from people before walking through the door.
An agenda helps you prioritize and see the big picture. By giving each task the appropriate amount of time in your day, you won’t waste time on smaller things while having to rush more important tasks. When you map out your day, you can put a segment of time towards research and generating new ideas, rather than getting caught up with day-to-day issues. Working smarter not harder means you’ll have more time to spend on your other priorities. Enjoy the calm feeling of having a clear structure to your day. Starting each day by carefully mapping out all your tasks means you won’t be able to ignore those ones you enjoy doing less.
3. Choose Optimism
Martin Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania has studied this phenomenon more than anyone else has, and he’s found that success in life is driven by one critical distinction -- whether you believe that your failures are produced by personal deficits beyond your control or that they are mistakes you can fix with effort.
“It’s truly fascinating how successful people approach problems. Where others see impenetrable barriers, they see challenges to embrace and obstacles to overcome. Their confidence in the face of hardship is driven by the ability to let go of the negativity that holds so many otherwise sensible people back.”
Success isn’t the only thing determined by your mindset. Seligman has found much higher rates of depression in people who attribute their failures to personal deficits. Optimists fare better; they treat failure as learning experiences and believe they can do better in the future.
This success mindset requires emotional intelligence (EQ), and it’s no wonder that, among the million-plus people that TalentSmart has tested, 90 percent of top performers have high EQs.
Research shows that people tend to be optimistic by nature, but what if you're naturally more of an Eeyore? Strengthen your sense of hope: The trick is to act like an optimistic person, even if you aren't feeling particularly hopeful. "If you think that the future can be positive, you're more willing to put in time and energy to make that come about," says Suzanne Segerstrom, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. By being engaged and persistent, even if you don't feel particularly positive, the benefits of optimism—like satisfaction and health—will soon follow.
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill
4. Read. Read Anything!
When was the last time you read a book, or a substantial magazine article? Do your daily reading habits center around tweets, Facebook updates, or the directions on your instant oatmeal packet? If you’re one of countless people who don’t make a habit of reading regularly, you’re missing out. Science is clear, reading has a significant number of benefits.
“Self-investment is the most important practical step anyone can take when pursuing success.”
Ultra-successful people sow life seeds all the time. They invest both time and money into their future.
In this hectic and crazy world we all live in, the ultra-successful set aside time for themselves. In this world of materialism, they realize the power of spending money on their future success.
Start with just 30 minutes each day and you’ll be smarter, more confident and one step further than your peers. Studies show that reading helps improve short-term memory & the ability to concentrate, stabilizes moods, forges new brain pathways and helps strengthen existing ones.
Reading invigorates us, opens our minds and increases our vocabulary. Research shows that those who are well-read, well-spoken, and knowledgeable on a variety of topics are better entrepreneurs and tend to get promotions more quickly (and more often) than those with smaller vocabularies and lack of awareness of literature, scientific breakthroughs, and global events.
Read material that inspires you and lights your fire. Delve into self-development. Absorb as much information as you possibly can. There’s always more to learn.
5. Remove Toxic People
Successful people believe in a simple notion: you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Just think about it -- some of the most successful companies in recent history were founded by brilliant pairs. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak of Apple lived in the same neighborhood, Bill Gates and Paul Allen of Microsoft met in prep school, and Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google met at Stanford.
Just as great people help you to reach your full potential, toxic people drag you right down with them. Whether it's negativity, cruelty, the victim syndrome or just plain craziness, toxic people create stress and strife that should be avoided at all costs.
“If you’re unhappy with where you are in your life, just take a look around. More often than not, the people you’ve surrounded yourself with are the root of your problems. You’ll never reach your peak until you surround yourself with the right people.“
This general group of people — whom we can safely call “toxic” — might resent your journey to becoming a highly successful person for any number of reasons. Perhaps they think you’ll no longer be in their life if you improve too much. Maybe they feel like your improvement exposes their own shortcomings. Or perhaps they’re just threatened by the idea of change.
The causes are less important than the effects, which can take the form of anger, resentment, frustration, manipulation or cruelty (or a debilitating combination thereof). At any given moment, you might be finding yourself dealing with toxic friends, family members or colleagues who — consciously or unconsciously — are sabotaging your happiness and growth. Identifying these individuals and understanding how to manage them is absolutely crucial to your well-being, success and happiness.
6. Make Real Connections
Hitting the “friend” button isn’t enough in 2017. Real success, the kind that exists on multiple levels, is impossible without building great relationships. Real success is impossible unless you treat other people with kindness, regard, and respect. Your network should be one of people who know you, like you and trust you.
“Having a usable network of connections is a key indicator of success in both your business and personal life.”
Feel like you're collecting names, not building meaningful relationships? Then chances are your networking strategy needs an overhaul. The most extraordinary professional relationships are built by ordinary actions.
A great relationship is mutually beneficial. In business terms that means connecting with people who can be mentors, who can share information, who can help create other connections; in short, that means going into a relationship wanting something.
The person who builds great relationships doesn't think about what she wants; she starts by thinking about what she can give. She sees giving as the best way to establish a real relationship and a lasting connection. She approaches building relationships as if it's all about the other person and not about her, and in the process builds relationships with people who follow the same approach.
People who build extraordinary relationships pay close attention to their connections so they can tell when others are struggling. Then they offer to help, but not in a general, "Is there something I can do to help you?" way. Instead they come up with specific ways they can help so they can push past the reflexive, "No, I'm okay..." objections.
“People who build great connections can roll up their sleeves and make a difference in another person’s life; not because they want to build a better relationship, although that is certainly the result, but simply because they care.”
Where relationships are concerned, face value is usually without value. Often people will ask a different question than the one they really want answered.
A colleague might ask you whether he should teach a class at a local college; what he really wants to talk about is how to take his life in a different direction.
A partner might ask how you felt about the idea he presented during the last board meeting; what he really wants to talk about is his diminished role in the running of the company.
An employee might ask how you built a successful business; instead of kissing up he might be looking for some advice--and encouragement--to help him follow his own dreams.
Behind many simple questions is often a larger question that goes unasked. People who build great relationships think about what lies underneath so they can answer that question, too.
7. Wake Up Early
It's exhausting, this modern life. While it may seem like you should squeeze as many extra minutes of sleep out of the morning as possible, the opposite is usually true.
“Your energy, focus and mental capacity are at their highest during the morning hours and proceed to wane throughout the rest of the day.”
Take advantage of that time before breakfast when the chaos of the day has yet to set in. For most people, waking up early is a learned practice. No kids yelling, no babies crying, no soccer balls, no cars, no television noise. The early morning hours are so peaceful, so quiet and so productive.
First, make sure you're cognizant enough to make the decision. Putting your alarm clock right next to your pillow is bound to result in you hitting snooze from a dazed state. You can't be expected to make smart choices while you're still dreaming. In addition, waking up early needs to become a pleasant experience. So if the thought of going straight from your warm bed to a shower or treadmill seems abrupt, then don't do it. Instead, move from your bed to the cozy corner chair in your living room and read for a bit with a mug of coffee. What you do early on doesn't matter, what matters is that you use the time in productive ways.
8. Take Action...Massive Action
It’s one thing to have an idea. It’s another thing to take action.
“Ideas have a short shelf life. You must act on them before the expiration date.”
Every journey to success has a Point A (starting place) and Point B (goal place). You may have a plan on how you’re getting from point A to point B, but you probably aren’t taking action each day to get closer to point B. Most people with a plan don't take enough action. You've got to totally immerse yourself in your goals and take action each and every day to get there.
Have you always dreamed of owning your own business? Awesome! Take action today. That doesn’t mean quit your job this second…but identify the steps that needs to take place in order to achieve your goal and work on them every day.
“Action is uncomfortable and at times daunting, but goals are achieved through persistence, hard-work and action.”
What gives you a pit in your stomach that you know will make you a better person, a better parent, a better boss, a better employee, or will help you reach your big audacious goals? If it’s uncomfortable, it’s probably something we know we should start doing.
Interested in learning more? Connect with us today.
Downtown LA Hasn’t Seen This Much Construction Since the 1920s
On the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles, workers are putting the finishing touches on the Wilshire Grand, the West Coast’s tallest building. Owned by Korean Air, it rises 1,100 feet and will have a hotel, offices and observation deck when finished. Downtown Los Angeles Construction is here to stay.
Two blocks away, China’s Greenland Group is busy erecting the four-tower Metropolis community, a $1-billion development with 350 hotel rooms and more than 1,500 condos.
Within walking distance are two other massive projects that will add a combined five towers, 1,152 luxury residential units, 184 hotel rooms and 214,000 square feet of retail space.
”What is happening now is amazing,” said Carol Schatz, president of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District.
Downtown Los Angeles is undergoing its largest construction boom in modern times — an explosion encouraged by the city’s adaptive reuse ordinance passed in 1999 and juiced by foreign investment that’s adding thousands of residences, construction jobs and a multitude of shops and restaurants.
The construction boom has quickly transformed Downtown Los Angeles from a sleepy, even dangerous, city center, into one filled with lofts, restaurants and art galleries.
Since 2010, according to real estate data firm CoStar, 42 developments of at least 50,000 square feet have been built, remaking L.A.’s skyline in the process — a figure that includes large adaptive reuse projects such as converting an aging warehouse into new offices. An additional 37 large projects are under construction.
Foreign Funding in Downtown Los Angeles Construction
Overseas investors and developers have been rushing in to fund the revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles, in addition to buying assets in other locations throughout the county. It’s gotten to the point where local players have complained that it’s becoming hard to compete with their cold hard cash offers. Who are these investors and where is their money coming from? Some of the biggest sources of foreign capital come from oil-rich countries such as Qatar as well as some of the U.S.’s closest neighbors, such as Canada.
From 2014 until this summer, Chinese developers were involved in at least seven of 18 land deals downtown valued in excess of $19 million, according to real estate firm Transwestern.
In addition to Metropolis from Shanghai’s Greenland Group, another marquee South Park project from a Chinese builder is the $1-billion Oceanwide Plaza, being built across from Staples Center by Beijing-based Oceanwide Holdings.
Oceanwide Plaza
Oceanwide Real Estate Group, the Chinese developer behind the project, is well into the construction process for three high-rise towers on the city block bounded by 11th, 12th, Figueroa and Flower Streets. When completed in 2019, the sprawling 4.6-acre site will yield 504 condominiums, 184 hotel rooms and more than 150,000 square feet of commercial space.
The tallest of the three buildings, slated to rise 677 feet above street level, will offer two pool decks for hotel guests and residents. The smaller buildings, which take the form of twin 40-story towers, will share a park-like amenity deck a basketball court, a jogging track and shade trees.
Oceanwide Plaza will introduce a globally inspired sophistication to the West Coast, featuring the new Park Hyatt Los Angeles, an extraordinary collection of residential offerings and an open-air retail destination.
The project is highlighted by 100-foot tall podium, which will house a galleria of stores and restaurants. A large LED screen will wrap the structure for the full length of Figueroa between 11th and 12th Streets. Elevating the shopping and dining experience in the heart of Downtown, the retail portion of Oceanwide Plaza, dubbed the The Collection at Oceanwide Plaza, will offer a curated selection of shops and restaurants, a 50-foot open-air galleria and a third-floor deck overlooking the Staples Center and L.A. Live.
“The draw power of this location is tremendous. We’re in the heart of the entertainment and sports district,” said Thomas Feng, chief executive of Oceanwide’s American subsidiary, who is counting on the millions of people who attend games and concerts at Staples Center and events at the Convention Center.
Circa
Located on a 2.7-acre parcel, Circa is a $500-million, mixed-use development that includes 648 luxury rental apartments and 48,000 square feet of retail. It will provide a desirable urban lifestyle in the heart of downtown LA’s sports and entertainment district. Developed by Jamison Services Inc. and Hankey Investment Co., two Los Angeles companies, Circa is a highlight among downtown Los Angeles construction and furthers the high-tech, state-of-the-art vision for this District, an extensive LED light array with animated signage and public art wraps six above-grade parking levels (two below-grade parking levels also planned). The towers feature a curved glass face that points toward Downtown’s skyline. Sleek façade protrusions add definition to the sides of the buildings.
“We want to take advantage of the panoramic views, so the curve of the towers is facing the skyline, The owners had some concerns about the curve and the way it would affect floor plans, but we demonstrated that it is practical and works well.” – Daniel Benjamin, Architect at Harley Ellis Devereaux
Metropolis
An exclusive new collection of residential towers and a gem among new downtown Los Angeles construction, skyparks and pools, dining, and upscale hotel in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, Metropolis is a city within a city featuring luxury residences from the high $600,000’s to over $2 million. Each tower offers a collection of designer-appointed studios, 1 and 2 bedroom condominiums and penthouses with stunning floor-to-ceiling views of downtown Los Angeles.
Located six floors up, Met Six is the Tower I residence clubhouse offering lushly landscaped ground including a resort-style pool, cabanas, dog park, all overlooking the city. Inside residents can enjoy a wealth of amenities including a clubhouse lounge, screening room, fitness center, steam rooms, yoga studio, and meditation garden. The complex also features a retail shopping center, luxury hotel and various skyparks.
Downtown Los Angeles Construction Putting People To Work
The ongoing downtown Los Angeles construction projects are putting thousands to work in a construction industry decimated when the housing bubble popped last decade.
Ron Miller, executive secretary of the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, estimated that at just Metropolis and the Wilshire Grand there are roughly 2,800 union construction workers on the job.
“These are good middle-class jobs — averaging $60,000, $65,000 a year,” he said.
Downtown Los Angeles Construction Surpassing Past Booms
To find a time of greater construction one would have to go back to the Roaring ’20s, when many of downtown’s most famous historic buildings were erected, including majestic movie palaces, the Biltmore Hotel and City Hall.
In all, 155 projects of at least 50,000 square feet were constructed from 1920 to 1929, according to CoStar.
The amount of downtown Los Angeles construction taking place today is staggering, and unlike the two-decade expansion seen in the 1970s and 1980s — which largely consisted of corporate office towers on Bunker Hill — the current construction is varied and more widespread.
The rapid pace means that by decade’s end, today’s boom should easily surpass the 1980s — a time when developers built office skyscrapers on Bunker Hill as part of an urban renewal effort that flattened the neighborhood’s Victorian mansions in the decades prior.
The most notable project of the 1980s boom was the U.S. Bank Tower, which opened in 1989 as First Interstate World Center. It was the tallest building west of the Mississippi until being recently eclipsed by the spire of the Wilshire Grand Center, which is expected to open this year.
A Changing Scene
Over the last decade, people have moved into neighborhoods once considered rundown, and bars and restaurants have sprung up to serve those residents. No longer is investment largely limited to office towers on Bunker Hill, which left downtown a ghost town after 5 p.m.
Last decade, 59 large projects were finished, and developers drew up plans for even grander buildings.
Though the Great Recession sidelined those and threatened to stall downtown’s revitalization, new residents kept moving in, partly attracted by cheap rentals that developers had intended to sell as condos.
When the economy began to recover, downtown, like other city centers across the nation, stood ready to benefit from an accelerating trend toward urban living among young professionals.
“Investors and developers said, ‘Hey, this is a big city and there is not a lot of new product here and it seems there is a little niche and a real opportunity to fill that,” said Chris Casey, managing director of capital markets for JLL.
That’s the opportunity Carmel Partners saw.
In 2012, the San Francisco company purchased a development site at 8th Street and Grand Avenue, believing that downtown Los Angeles construction was at a “tipping point” and “making that turn to officially becoming a 24/7 destination,” said Carmel managing partner Dan Garibaldi.
In late 2015, the firm opened Eighth & Grand, a 700-unit apartment building with a Whole Foods on the bottom floor where a studio starts at $2,300.
Interested in learning more? Connect with us today.
Psychology of Colors In Marketing
Purple or pink flowers? The red or blue jacket? From cars to furniture to iPhones, we make decisions about color all the time. Determining the psychology of colors in marketing is complex; however, scientists are starting to figure out why we like the hues we do.
Color has long been understood to be something which appeals greatly to your visual senses, and it is frequently a tool utilized in marketing. Countless studies of color psychology have found that particular colors have varying effects on consumers, with some colors stimulating areas of the brain in ways which will promote excitement, spontaneity or tranquility.
Marketers have quickly realized that companies are able to have major influence in their target market simply by choosing the right combination of colors.
Research has shown that color preferences are influenced by more than chance. Our experiences with objects determine how we feel about the colors of those objects. To determine the psychology behind colors in marketing, scientists have determined general trends and patterns in color specifically found across cultures. The colors that have a positive response in people relate to their personal preference, cultural upbringing, and the context in which they are seeing the color.
Color Psychology for
Men vs. Women
Psychologist Joe Hallock conducted extensive research on the psychology of marketing, particularly on color preferences of men as compared to women in Western societies. Not surprising, research showcases clear preferences in certain colors across genders regarding color shades, tints and hues. The takeaway: both genders love blue and have opposite views on the color purple.
Men prefer bold color while women prefer softer colors. Men prefer colors with black added (shades) and women prefer colors with white added (tints).
A recent study out of the University of California Berkeley has suggested that the psychology of color preference for men and women relates to evolution, suggesting that we like colors that are tied to things that are healthy and promote survival.
A blue sky, for example, indicates calm weather, which might explain why blue tends to be a favored color across cultures. Dark yellows and oranges, on the other hand, invoke urine, feces, vomit and rotting food. As expected, there is usually a dip in preference for these hues in studies around the world. Scientists have also predicted a preference for red among women, who would’ve needed to spot red berries against green foliage in our ancestral hunter-gatherer societies.
Although it’s hard to determine exactly how a certain color will impact each customer of your brand, utilizing research on color psychology allows marketers to gain a better understanding of the probable emotional response your brand will have.
How Color Psychology Can
Influence People
Red
Trying to encourage movement, excitement and passion? Incorporate red into your marketing. Often used by fast-food chains and for clearance sales, red is high in energy and immediately pulls focus. Studies on the psychology of colors in marketing show that red encourages appetites and physically stimulates the human body by raising blood pressure and heart rate.
Blue
If you’re trying to have the opposite effect, go with blue. As the preferred color by men and a favorite among women, blue is associated with both peace and reliability. Providing a sense of security and trust in brands, blue is the preferred color of conservative corporate brands and offices. Science shows that blue curbs appetites and stimulates productivity.
Green
Frequently associated with health, tranquility and nature, green is often used in stores to relax customers. Most commonly found in the promotion of healthy or environmentally conscious products or services, green can also be used to give the perception of a wealthy person or brand. Studies on the psychology of colors in marketing show that green leads to quick decision making due to its ability to stimulate harmony in the brain and encourage balance between body and emotions.
Purple
A favorite among women but hated among men, purple is often associated with royalty, wisdom and respect. Most commonly used in the beauty industry, particularly with anti-aging products, purple represents a creative, wise and imaginative brand. Science shows that purple stimulates the brain and promotes creativity.
Orange & Yellow
Often grouped together in research on the psychology of colors in marketing, orange and yellow both increase cheerfulness, enthusiasm and optimism. Given the right setting, orange and yellow can be used for a multitude of purposes. On one hand, the colors can be used to draw in impulsive buyers and window shoppers and on the other hand, studies on the psychology of colors in marketing show that orange and yellow stimulate the logic center of the brain.
Black, Grey & White
While black, grey and white are often used interchangeably, each evokes a different emotion and stimulates different areas of the brain. Black is often perceived as a symbol of intelligence and is associated with authority, power, stability, and strength. Studies on the psychology of colors in marketing show that grey symbolizes feelings of practicality, timelessness and solidarity in life, but can also draw in emotions of old age and death. White is associated with feelings of purity, cleanliness and safety and can also be used to spark a feeling of creativity as it acts as a clean slate.
Despite the general trends between the sexes on color preference, there are wide-ranging differences among individuals about which colors they like. To dive deeper, scientists have conducted a series of experiments on color psychology and the science of colors in marketing. Researchers showed slide shows of colored objects to a group of participants. The images were biased, so that some people might see nice red things, like yummy strawberries, but unpleasant green images like slime. Others saw unpleasant red things like blood but nice green objects, like trees. Afterwards, the researchers reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, people preferred whichever color had been linked to the positive images they saw, whether red or green.
5 Simple Steps
That Work
The Isolation Effect
It’s no secret that when an item stands out more to a consumer, they are more likely to remember it. Common sense, right? Putting proof to the theory that “less is more,” the psychological principle known as the Isolation Effect states that an item that “stands out like a sore thumb” is more likely to be remembered. Research on the psychology of colors in marketing clearly shows that participants are able to recognize and recall an item far better — be it text or an image — when it blatantly sticks out from its surroundings.
Contrast
Contrast reduces eyestrain and focuses the user’s attention onto a specific item. Research on color psychology shows that use of a highly contrasting accent color garners attention and creates more memorable marketing pieces for consumers. Choosing a stark, complementary color alleviates visual strain and creates an easy to read area. PRO TIP: If you’re trying to highlight a specific section of a website or marketing piece, choose a color scheme where the item is the brightest element of the design. Try a light background with a dark colored item or vice versa for the most user friendly design.
Vibrancy
Vibrancy dictates the type of emotion a design evokes in consumers. Research on color psychology shows that bright colors lead to users feeling more energetic and often elicits more of a response, both positive and negative, out of consumers. Neutral or darker colors are best used if the website or marketing piece has a lot of information because science shows the user becomes more relaxed and has an easier time absorbing the information.
Fitting the Brand
According to published research on color psychology and the Psychology of Colors in Marketing, colors are most effective when consumers believe that the brand’s color “fits” the brand. If you sell to organic foodies, it makes more sense to use green or brown than macaroni and cheese orange. Sometimes brown is used for something natural, perfect for those organic foodies. Other times it’s rugged and masculine, perfect for hunters and motocross athletes. The world’s most successful brands utilize colors that are appropriate for the type of message they are trying to portray and the emotion they are hoping to evoke.
Choosing a Color Scheme
Research on the psychology of colors in marketing shows that various color schemes elicit different emotions. Using 1, 2 or 3 colors in a marketing piece or website can produce vastly different responses. Monochromatic color schemes consist of using a singular color in various shades and hues. This tends to be easier on the eye and works great in web based marketing applications. If you’re looking for a minimalistic or simple look, the monochromatic color scheme produces the best results.
Print marketing materials often use a two color system of complementary colors. Research shows that the most appeasing complementary colors are on opposite sides of the color wheel (red/green, yellow/purple, orange/blue).
Web designers and modern brands most commonly employ the triple color scheme creating a bolder and more modern aesthetic. When using three colors, research shows that to create the most harmonious effect, the three colors should be equally spaced on the color wheel (blue/red/yellow, orange/purple/green)
Successful Use of Colors in
Big Brands
McDonalds:
The signature red and yellow logo of McDonalds is most appealing to children. Red is used to increase appetite and to increase of sense of urgency, getting customers inside to order faster. On the other hand, yellow is the color of cheeriness and optimism, creating an atmosphere of positivity about the brand. When put together, science shows that red and yellow together can be agitating to consumers.
Starbucks:
Uniquely to Starbucks, studies on color psychology point out that the green logo creates a relaxing environment for its customers and promotes a stress-free rest or work zone. The use of the mermaid logo also stimulates the customers associations with nature.
Veuve Clicqot:
Yellow provides standout for premium champagne brand Veuve Clicquot – cutting through a sea of green, gold and cream with a punchy shot of bright yellow. Exuding luxury with each component of this 300 year old brand, every bottle is still adorned with the signature of it’s founder and a portrait of her can be found on the metal cork cap. The anchor, which was used to identify the champagne from others before bottle labels were standard, is also an original identifying mark of the Veuve Clicqot bottle.
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5 Construction Industry Trends You Need To Know For 2017
With 2016 behind us, the construction industry is turning its attention to the year ahead. While construction spending failed to meet analyst expectations last year, economists predict 5% growth in the value of projects getting started in 2017, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. Despite that positive forecast, a feeling of uncertainty continues to loom over the industry. We spoke with experts from various sectors of the construction sector to find out their predictions of construction industry trends for 2017. While questions regarding what the incoming Trump administration means for construction dominated the conversation, they also described the new technologies, project delivery methods and workforce management trends they expect to shape the industry this year.
Here are the top 5 Construction Industry Trends to watch in 2017:
1. The Labor Shortage Is Here To Stay
One of the construction industry trends that the industry hoped would fade away is, instead, raging on. The skilled labor shortage is a major concern for firms across the U.S. as trade contractors struggle to staff their job sites.
What’s the cause? Between April 2006 and January 2011, the construction industry eliminated more than 40% of its work force, cutting nearly 2.3 million jobs. Unfortunately, a significant portion of those workers haven’t returned. Much of the domestic construction workforce either pursued higher education, or found other, less-cyclical professions. Meanwhile much of the foreign-born construction workforce returned to their home countries. Many of them haven’t come back to America, thanks to improved economic conditions in their homeland–and tougher immigration enforcement. This has particularly hurt markets with disproportionately high immigrant populations, such as Texas and California, where roughly 40% of the construction workforce is foreign-born.
A lack of technical training in schools is also contributing to a smaller pool of workers entering the industry. Combined with an aging workforce, those factors are creating a struggle for construction firms seeking employees for positions ranging from skilled trades to managerial roles.
“If the economy stays strong and there’s continued investment in infrastructure, the labor shortage is here to stay,” says Dan Martin, economist for the Association of General Contractors. “The labor shortage will continue to be on the list of construction industry trends.”
Aside from the long-term implications of a dwindling labor pool, firms are feeling the immediate impacts of the worker shortage, as it can lead to higher costs and longer project schedules.
The shortages have harmed contractor’s abilities to both form their own workforces, and hire subcontractors, such as bricklayers and electricians. The net result, according to the 2016 survey, is that 75% of builders say they’ve had to pay higher wages and bids, 64% have delayed projects, and 68% have raised prices by more than 10%.
Ready to see this taken off the construction industry trends list? Filling this gap is going to take a concerted effort on all fronts, including encouraging America’s youth to return to the construction industry.
2. Design-Build Will Continue To Gain Traction
The days of design-bid-build domination might be winding down, as experts expect collaborative approaches, especially design-build, to become more common for projects. Design-build is one of the construction industry trends that is here to stay!
According to the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), an association founded in 1993 to promote single-source project delivery within the design and construction community, about 60 percent of all nonresidential construction projects in both the public and private sector now use this approach, in contrast to fewer than 10 percent two decades ago.
Simply put, design-build describes a method of project delivery in which the client holds only one contract with the entity that will design and build the structure in question. This is in contrast to the so-called traditional project delivery method known as “design-bid-build,” in which the client holds two contracts: the first with the design firm that conceptualizes the project, generates the construction documents, assists the client in procuring a builder, and advocates on behalf of the client to ensure that the project is built according to the drawings and specifications; the second is with the builder.
“Design-build is one of the construction industry trends that is increasingly popular in Texas and California, and is quickly becoming the norm throughout the country,” said Michael Vardaro, managing partner at Zetlin & De Chiara. “It allows more collaboration and gets you to the completed product much faster.”
Opportunities and involvement for architects in a design-build situation vary from state-to-state. The AIA’s first Code of Ethics, adopted in 1909, forbade its members from participating in design-build projects due to a perceived conflict of interest in protecting the owner while at the same time profiting from the construction labor and materials. In addition, federal and state procurement laws were based solely on the design-bid-build method and therefore did not permit the use of a combined design-build contract.
Due to various and complex forces, the fate of design-build began to shift in the latter half of the century. AIA adopted a new Code of Ethics in 1986 that no longer forbade design-build; the federal government has gradually come to embrace the process; and—according to G. William Quatman, FAIA, a licensed architect and attorney with the law firm of Shughart Thomson & Kilroy in Kansas City, Missouri—currently all but six states have laws that permit some level of design-build for public projects.
Design build is one of the most useful construction industry trends when a project is driven by cost and schedule and the project is well defined from the start by the client.
3. Political Uncertainty
Last year was defined by uncertainty, as construction firms awaited the results of the presidential election. The next administration has the power to significantly alter regulations, taxes, labor policy and countless other aspects of business…giving them a huge impact on future construction industry trends.
With Donald Trump winning the election, many firms were cautiously optimistic about his construction and development background, his promises to cut regulations and his massive infrastructure proposal. However, experts say the feeling of uncertainty hasn’t disappeared — and likely won’t in the months to come. That fear of the unknown could keep owners from starting or continuing new projects.
“I don’t know if anybody can predict what the new administration will really do,” said Gina Vitiello, construction attorney at Chamberlain Hrdlicka. “There’s a sense of uncertainty among contractors. If I’m planning on a major contract and it might not go forward, that’s a little scary. It’s hard to predict the next construction industry trends with the new administration.”
Some experts are concerned about possible trade conflicts with China and other countries — which could rock the U.S. economy and raise material prices — as well as the impact of stricter immigration policies on the construction labor force.
“I worry our industry is going to be so tied to the administration, which is not a status quo administration,” said Stuart Meurer, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Windover Construction. “I’m fearful of people’s reaction to it. I think it’ll curtail construction in 2018.”
4. Offsite and Modular Construction Gets Better
Modular construction, sometimes referred to as off-site construction, is transforming the construction industry. Though it started out as a way to create temporary buildings, it has transformed into a common way of building permanent structures. Its promise of efficiencies makes it enticing to architects, specifiers and builders alike.
One of the more controversial construction industry trends, permanent modular construction is the process of building a module within a controlled setting and transporting it to a job site for assembly into a complete structure. This mode of construction can increase efficiency, consistency and sustainability while reducing common job-site delays, especially when the right materials are specified.
Offsite construction, also called modular or prefab, isn’t new to the construction industry. However, experts predict the building method will grow substantially in 2017 and 2018, as quality, time and labor concerns make alternatives to traditional construction methods more attractive.
“There’s always an emphasis on condensing the construction schedule of a project and saving cost — two very important points in any development scenario,” John Atkins of the Association of General Contractors said. “Modular has the ability to suppress schedule. If you’re fabricating a module in a factory, sometimes it’s easier to maintain quality control. You don’t have to deal with weather.”
Reducing job-site delays is a major benefit of modular construction. Weather is often a major factor when jobs get pushed off schedule, as rain, strong winds and freezing temperatures impact installation time. With modular construction, since a majority of the construction process takes place in a factory, weather is no longer a risk factor.
Another common job-site concern is a potential lack of on-site storage. Oftentimes, the footprint of the structure is equal to the footprint of the land. This does not allow for storage of materials on site, making modular construction the only solution for the job. This quickens installation time, as the modules are shipped to the site and installed into their final position right off the truck.
It’s also possible to condense overall construction schedules with modular construction. Depending on the modular builder, modules can arrive on a job site up to 95% completed, ready for installation and final finishing. This is advantageous to construction crews, as it lessens the amount of work that takes place on the job site.
5. Technology Will Continue To Embed Itself At Job Sites
Drones, GoPro, RFID, Oculus Rift, augmented reality, 360 cameras, 3D laser scanners, GIS systems are all a part of a construction industry trend that is all the rage…not to mention super trendy for companies trying to attract younger employees. There’s no shortage of tech gadgets that are ripe for adoption on commercial construction projects, especially for the architects involved. Making these tech tools even more enticing for construction firms are the low barrier to entry—for example, professional-grade drones go for as low as $650—and improved integration with existing workflows and systems.
As contractors and subs continue their quest to cut costs and improve efficiencies, many are turning to technology to improve site operations, including equipment and employee tracking, wearables, drone surveying and other information collected on the job site.
“It’s been overwhelming at times just trying to get a handle on all the new innovations,” says James Barrett, VP and Chief Innovation Officer with Turner Construction. “It’s easy to get caught up in the coolness of these tools, but I feel like some of them are just a solution looking for a problem.” Turner takes an incremental approach to technology adoption, selecting the tools that offer the most favorable cost-to-benefit ratio.
In late 2013, Suffolk Construction formed a 12-person R&D team to help keep up with emerging technologies. The group, led by Senior Project Manager Jason Seaburg, has a formal process for testing new gadgets, including twice-monthly conference calls and timelines for testing.
“We work in an industry that, quite honestly, is a decade behind the times when it comes to technology,” says Seaburg. “We need to foster a culture and mindset where it’s OK to beta test all these new technologies hitting the market, and where it’s OK to fail. If a particular tool doesn’t work, that’s fine, we’ll move on to the next thing.”
Wearables, for instance, can track workers in the field and ensure that they protected from or at least aware of job site hazards and other potential injuries, and equipment sensors can monitor whether machinery is in need of repair.
Willy Schlacks, president at EquipmentShare, pointed to labor tracking as a major technology trend poised to take off in construction. “The amount of waste in labor mistakes or labor fraud is enormous in the construction industry,” he said. “The adoption of labor tracking technology has been so quick because there’s such a strong correlation to the bottom line.”
Harley said he believes the construction industry is still in the process of embracing new technologies, with a group of progressive contractors leading the way. Companies that fail to keep up with the newest technologies risk getting left behind.