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Christopher Halapy, Shook ConstructionClients’ needs and expectations relative to the services provided by their design and construction partners are evolving. Savvy clients have increased their demand for turnkey services and a higher level of detailed information far earlier in the project planning process. Beyond programming, owners are looking to understand milestone dates, disruption of ongoing operations, and a firm cost for the project, all earlier than this information is typically provided.

Construction employment increased by 24,000 jobs in November to the highest level since November 2008, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that tight margins are keeping firms from paying even more to attract hard-to-find workers, noting that efforts to cut tax rates should help lead to higher average hourly earnings for the sector.

Forty-one states added construction jobs between October 2016 and October 2017, while 26 states added construction jobs between September and October, continuing a pattern of widespread but uneven growth in industry employment, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. The association’s chief economist suggested that recent job gains would have been more widespread if enough qualified workers were available.

Jenny Grounds, BOUDREAUXThe idea of performing market research can often feel like a burden for small marketing groups. The everyday tasks already on your to-do list can easily fill up a 40-hour work week. Where do you find the time to research, compile, and analyze piles of data on top of everything else? Market research doesn’t have to be complex or require robust, expensive studies to be effective. By breaking it into small, manageable pieces, you can gather information that will directly benefit your A/E/C firm without overtasking your teams.

Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between September 2016 and September 2017, while 26 states added construction jobs between August and September as some state employment levels were impacted by recent hurricanes, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials noted that construction employment in many parts of the country would have been higher if more qualified workers were available.

In order to ensure that the �鶹��ý Business Development Forum is fulfilling its mission to advise �鶹��ý members of new market opportunities, follow and report on trends in the construction market, and advise members on the techniques and tools of BD, the Steering Committee has developed a brief electronic survey. To submit your suggestions and ideas, please click on the following link or copy and paste this link into your browser’s address field: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PBVZTKX.

The Steering Committee is an active group-meeting 8-10 times a year via teleconference and in-person twice a year in conjunction with other �鶹��ý events. The current objectives of the Business Development Forum Steering Committee over the next few years are to: Write and share BD Best Practices Develop WebEd Content for Membership Engage the Forum Activate Member Sharing

The Steering Committee is an active group-meeting 8-10 times a year via teleconference and in-person twice a year in conjunction with other �鶹��ý events. The current objectives of the Business Development Forum Steering Committee over the next few years are to: Write and share BD Best Practices Develop WebEd Content for Membership Engage the Forum Activate Member Sharing

The Business Development Best Practices are an ongoing effort by the �鶹��ý Business Development Forum Steering Committee to bring more BD resources and best practices to the �鶹��ý membership. Written and developed by industry experts in Business Development, these best practices cover a wide range of topics, from relationship building and sales to marketing and proposals. This month, the Business Development Forum Steering Committee highlights: Companies spend significant resources on online marketing only to be left wondering why it’s not working. It’s not surprising. Gaining traction through content alone is not easy—especially if you want to do more than build awareness. In her article, “First Contact: Using Incentives and Automation to Spur Web Visitors to Action”, Ida Cheinman, Substance151, walks you through her strategy to nurture your website visitors so that they are ready to be engaged prospects.

�鶹��ý’s 2017 BuildCon brings together leaders, owners and peers of the industry to share, learn and discuss vital business topics so you can compete and excel in today’s market. This year's programming focuses on lean practices and prefabrication and looking at implementation from multiple perspectives. Session highlight: The Practical Applications of Lean: Find out how lean principles were applied to planning and building a 930,000 square foot, $1.2Billion, hospital in the heart of San Francisco, CA. Learn how the use of On-Boarding Videos, Big-Room collaboration, Team Building, pre-fabbed duct assemblies, modular plumbing kits, pre-manufactured porta-potties and many other innovative ideas uncommon to traditional construction made for a safer, under-budget and cutting-edge project.