They surveyed capital spending patterns on plants and equipment for three years past and anticipated patterns for the next three years. The survey predicted a tremendous increase in capital spending. Flad paid for this study and published the results and received more than 300 requests for copies. The study results were also picked up by the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Sun-Times, and industry publications. Flad repeated the study three years later and has considered doing it again.
Potential customers recognize the survey as a valuable resource.
Besides promoting your business to owners and operators of companies, this value-added marketing research, writing, and lecturing can be a valuable tool for connecting with other design firms. This can result in collaborative projects, often in new areas of the industry. As for the prospective clients who respond to the outreach information, some have immediate needs and some don't, so this approach gives businesses a marketing mix of short and long-term projects. Hornik advises that if you stay abreast of trends and ideas in the marketplace and use that information in a value-added marketing approach, you create a synergy before you actually talk with a customer. This article is for general information and distribution.