Lindsay Andrews, Kokosing, Inc. For many construction companies, marketing supports the Business Development department in winning new work. This includes responding to project opportunities through the creation of statements of qualifications, proposals and presentations. Depending on company size, perations staff or team members working in different departments such as HR or Accounting may have marketing responsibilities. In some cases, companies haven’t needed a marketing department until now. If you’re just setting up your marketing department, planning it to support Business Development is priority No. 1. Here are some tips to help you lay the foundation and set your company up for long-term success.

Construction employment increased in 245 out of 358 metro areas between May 2016 and May 2017, declined in 59 and stagnated in 54, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that construction employment gains in many parts of the country are occurring even as most firms report having a hard time finding qualified workers to hire.

Forty-two states added construction jobs between May 2016 and May 2017 amid growing demand for construction services, while 25 states and the District of Columbia lost construction jobs between April and May as firms struggle to find enough workers, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials said workforce shortages appear to be impacting construction employment in parts of the country.

Danielle Feroleto, Small Giants I’m going to go out on a limb and confess and unpopular view…I hate selfie sticks. I actually will alienate myself from almost every reader and tell you I also hate selfies. Now, before you stop reading and throw this offensive article in the trash, let me tell you why. I love networking! Every single little thing about it….from the first uncomfortable conversation to the rewards you reap in relationships built throughout your career, it is, in my opinion, The most important business skill you can acquire. It’s not for everyone and it’s not as easy as most think to do it well. I will give you some of the best tips I have learned in networking all through the reasons I believe your selfie stick is ruining your networking life!

Thirty-nine states added construction jobs between April 2016 and April 2017 amid growing demand for construction services, yet more than half the states lost construction jobs between March and April amid tight labor market conditions, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials said firms in many parts of the country are having a hard time finding qualified workers, which is likely holding back broader employment gains in some states.

Construction employment increased by 5,000 jobs in April to the highest level in more than nine years amid strong demand for new construction services, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned, however, that a shortage of available qualified workers likely limited the number of new jobs added last month.

Kathy Nanowski, Fuss & O'Neill Along with many of you, I receive many marketing journals and articles about the newest trends in managing marketing and business development processes. I bring most of these articles home and highlight what might be relevant to me and my firm. Of course, if I did half the things I highlighted, I would run around frantically, driving senior leadership crazy. Unfortunately, what many people do instead of selectively committing to some of the work is do none of it. What is the best process or metric or program that will give you the biggest return on your investment? Because let’s face it, any new program will require an investment of time and money, both of which are very precious. There are numerous marketing and business development metrics out there. Some of the most popular include: total sales, sales dollars spent versus winning rates, hit rates, and the list goes on. I measure more than seven different sales metrics on a monthly and YTD basis.

Managing the workforce is a focal point at the Associated General Contractors of America Annual Convention in Las Vegas, where it's been noted that competition for top talent has heated up.

Need a vendor? Reach thousands of suppliers and service providers in one place: AGC's official purchasing directory, Constructor Marketplace. This site places you in contact with vendors from more than 50 categories -- everything from acoustical and drywall to windows -- quickly, so you can get the materials or the help you need to get the job done right. Use Constructor Marketplace's free Request for Proposal (RFP) Automator to request custom project bids from multiple Marketplace vendors with just a few clicks.

Craig Clark, President and CEO of Dynalectric and Chair of the Specialty Contractors Council, was selected as Chair of the Year by AGC President Mark Knight from a list of impressive nominees.