X-CUBE
081001 v.2.i.7
X-CUBE is a free E-zine, produced by Out of the Box Marketing Strategies,
Inc., to provide small, minority and women-owned firms in the A/E/C industry
with helpful marketing and business information.
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Hi All!
Welcome to our July/August Summer issue.—X— Out of the Box Marketing
Strategies, Inc. is pleased to announce a new associate to our staff,
Kimberly Hardin. Welcome Kim! —X— WHAT’S NEW!!! Lena West of xynoMedia
Development will be writing a technology tips section for X-CUBE called
«x-squared» and it premiers in this issue. —X— FALL FRENZY!!!
There is so much going on in NYC this Fall and we are going to tell you all
about it – read on!!!
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This issue includes:
* Marketing Know How: Let’s Get Real About Getting Work
* Out and About – What’s Buzzing with A/E/C
* Diversity News
* Cyber scene – Events and Factoids for the Digitally Inclined
* X-Squared – Technology Know How for Small Biz Folk
* Industry Events
* Non-Industry Events
* Marketing Article: follow the web link
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Marketing Know How: Let’s Get Real About Getting Work
—X—
«Okay guys, we’re going to hire a business development fairy and she
is going to get us a bunch of projects in a month or two!» Let’s get
real! I’m paraphrasing but I’ve heard similar comments from Principals of
companies plenty of times. But the reality is, you have to 1) research, 2)
out reach, 3) follow-up, 4) repeat number 3, 5) be patient/take risks, 6)
give a freebie here and there, 7) repeat number 3, 8) get your name out
there, 9) keep your existing clients happy and 10) repeat number 3. Even a
lead that is handed to you –say a government RFP listed in a procurement
journal, may take one to two years to turn into a signed contract. Likewise
for a private gig where you’ve been asked to help seek a site — you’re
still going to wait several months to a couple of years before the project
comes to fruition. This is why it is important to market in good times and
in bad. Treat your marketing effort like another client or project: you have
to tend to it at all times. Still yearning for a lead machine? For a quick
fix, join a leads group like BNI (http://www.bni.com). But when you come
back from those meetings, you should still be reading the five-year plans of
your most desired potential clients and contacting them. Go to it and be
real!
–Really yours,
Elizabeth Geary-Archer
President
Out of the Box Marketing Strategies, Inc.
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Out and About – What’s Buzzing with A/E/C …and New Media!
—X—
The AIA NY Chapter Marketing Committee should be applauded for their
efforts to address e-marketing for architects at two recent forums. But word
has it that the panelists ultimately fell into the
«website-as-brochure» pit. While inspiring panelists like Suzanne
Swift of SpecSimple.com peppered the discussion with inspiring ideas, it
would have been helpful to hear from additional specialists who are using
web marketing techniques. Hopefully a seminar will be held soon for the
small to mid-sized design/construction firm on how to use the internet as a
marketing tool and a method for out reach. Any takers? Find some
alternatives in the Cyber Scene section.
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Housing! Housing! Housing! – New Yorkers want more affordable housing and
they are doing something about it. Maureen Friar of the Supportive Housing
Network of New York (SHNNY) has been lobbying the mayoral candidates to make
affordable housing a priority on their platforms. Realizing the importance
of enrolling the design community in her efforts, she recently held a forum
called «Supportive Housing, Adaptive Reuse and Green
Architecture», where inspiration was drawn from Janna Levitt, architect
(Toronto); Barbara Skarbinski, director of design, HPD; and Hillary Brown,
architect and green architecture technical consultant. SHNNY is also a
supporter of Housing First!, a coalition of public, private and non-profit
groups to push affordable housing development. Learn more about these groups
at http://www.shnny.org and http://www.housingfirst.net. One vehicle for
getting involved is the AIA Housing Committee. Call the AIA NY Chapter for
details (212) 683-0023 or visit the web site at http://www.aiany.org
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latin BITS salsa BYTES and sangria BAR – If the new media market
collapsed, who were all those people crammed into the bar at the South
Street Seaport’s Cabana Restaurant for the ITD’s last networking party???
Glad to see the digital crowd is still thriving here in Gotham’s downtown.
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Our friend, James E. Sanford, has been named Director of Community
Development for Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation (BEDC). In this
newly created position, Mr. Sanford will be BEDC’s liaison to the
Community Economic Development Council, which was created by BEDC to provide
a forum where economic development organizations and other community groups
in the borough can share strategies about how to improve their
neighborhoods. He also will be BEDC’s representative to the greater
Brooklyn community on economic development matters. Mr. Sanford previously
served as the Brooklyn coordinator for the Minority Business Opportunity
Committee. Prior to that position, Mr. Sanford worked in the film and
television industry. “I am excited about the opportunity to expand my role
in serving Brooklyn and participating in its economic development,” Mr.
Sanford said. “And, I look forward to working closely with the non-profit
organizations that provide direct services to the businesses and residents
in their communities.” — Direct services like housing, we wondered? And
sure enough, we bumped into Mr. Sanford at the Bridge Street Development
Corporation’s celebration of their 94 Hancock Street Designer Show house in
Bedford Stuyvesant on a late June eve.
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News from AlleyCat News – Remember Lisa Novitt, the informative out
reach person from NY Downtown Alliance? Well, she’s now a Vice President
at Linden Alschuler & Kaplan Public Relations. She tells us that
AlleyCat Information Sciences Inc., publisher of AlleyCat News, announced it
has named Bill Britt, a media industry veteran and entrepreneur, as its new
chief executive officer and publisher. The company also announced it has
secured financing from a consortium of seasoned media experts. The group
will serve as AlleyCat’s new Advisory Board. “Despite the downturn in
the market this year, New York will continue to thrive as a marketplace of
innovation,” says Anna Copeland Wheatley, the Editor-In-Chief.
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Diversity News
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Paul Taylor, AIA, President of the National Organization of Minority
Architects (NOMA) has forged efforts with AIA to increase registration of
African-Americans in architecture. On August 1, 2001 at the AIA headquarters
in Washington, D.C., Taylor met with AIA President John D. Anderson, FAIA,
and First Vice President Gordon H. Chong, FAIA. Also present were
representatives of the National Council of Architectural Registration
Boards, Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, and American
Institute of Architecture Students. Taylor provided base statistics to the
group demonstrating the under representation of minorities in the
profession. The organizations embraced his challenge to help increase the
numbers of people who pursue architectural registration. They agreed that
the first step towards achieving that goal would be to gather more data
regarding representation by race and gender. See full story at
http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek/tw0803/0803tw3noma.htm
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AFFIRMATIVE ACTION-Is there a glimmer of hope with our new President
???????
USA Today reports that the President is set to back an affirmative action
policy designed to help Black and other minority highway contractors. The
White House is preparing to defend a federal affirmative action policy at
the heart of a politically charged case the Supreme Court
will hear this fall, administration sources say. To the dismay of some
conservatives, the Bush administration plans to file a legal brief by an
Aug. 10 deadline backing a Department of Transportation program designed to
help black and other minority highway contractors, the
sources say. The case, arising from a challenge by a white contractor in
Colorado, is the
first big test for affirmative action in George W. Bush’s presidency. The
White House’s apparent reluctance to shut the door on race-conscious
policies already is drawing fire from conservatives who expected Bush to
reject measures they say discriminate against whites. Liberals say they are
heartened by the move…See full story at http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20010803/3526827s.htm
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Urban Bankers Coalition, Inc., announced in July that Andrew T. Carr was
elected as its President for a two-year term. «With the elections
behind us, UBC can now focus on the matters at hand, re-energizing our
membership, reshaping the organization’s infrastructure, reconnecting with
old relationships, and forging new relationships,» Carr said. Carr is
the CEO and Founder of A. L. Carr Group. Urban Bankers Coalition, Inc.,
founded in New York City in 1971, is the largest and founding chapter of the
Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC). UFSC has over 3000 (mainly Black
and Latino) professional and entrepreneurial members in the financial
services industry and 54 chapters, located in the US and Canada. For more
information visit their web site at www.UBCNY.org.
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Cyber scene: Events and Factoids for the Digitally Inclined…
—X—
ABOUT FMLINK – Remember how we suggested that you hang where your clients
hang. Well here is the resource mecca for Facilities Managers. Make sure to
take advantage of the free directory listing for suppliers to FMs. FMLink is
a comprehensive, Net-based facilities management (FM) publication. It is the
only publication that blends information from its own sources with those
from so many others, including most leading magazines and associations in
the field. If you don’t have the FM information you’re looking for on
FMLink, they will show you where to find it. Among FMLink’s vast
repertoire are: The latest news impacting FMs; Events calendars; Recent and
pending legislation; Surveys and benchmarking data; Checklists; Discussion
groups; Vendor directories (some are free!); Job marts; And much more to
support facilities professionals in their work. Visit the site at http://www.fmlink.com
—X—
Our friend Florence Adu at the New York Economic Development Corporation
has notified us about yet another cool new media event. (We won’t be there
but maybe Ali Sharif of the DUMBO-based firm DMD will tell us about it
later???) Broadband Brooklyn and Digital NYCsm present: Broadband Brooklyn
Bar Night. When: August 15th from 6-9 PM. Where: Rice Restaurant (81
Washington Street/ DUMBO, Brooklyn) Rice, a new addition to the DUMBO
community, is the sister restaurant to Rice in Nolita and N in SoHo. What:
$1 beers and sangria; complimentary hors d’oeuvres, including paella. RSVP:
The event is FREE, but you must RSVP to Attend. Please RSVP at: http://www.ibrooklyn.com/barnight/.
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Entrepreneurship and Technology Workshops Be sure to check out the FREE
workshops at The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) of York College.
The SBDC has locations all across America
that provide free counseling and services to start and grow your
business. Upcoming events are: Challenges of IP Technologies in the New
Millenium on Sept. 26th, Expanding Opportunities and Strategic Challenges
for Global Telecom and Computer Development on Oct. 3rd and Developing a
High Tech Company on Oct. 10th. Contact them at: 718-262-2880 for
registration information.
Also visit their website at http://www.nyssbdc.org/
—X—
Seminar: Expanding Your Practice with the Internet: Design and Build a
Successful Internet Strategy – September 11 New York. The Internet is
transforming the building industry–how will it affect your firm? This
one-day program, led by author Jonathan Cohen, AIA, is designed for building
owners, architects, planners, engineers, and construction managers.
Attendees will gain an overview of the issues they need to understand–and
the skills they need to acquire–to prepare their firms for practice in the
networked economy. Learn how to: Plan, design, and manage Web sites ;
Present graphics, CAD, GIS, 3D, and multimedia; Communicate with clients,
partners, regulatory agencies and the public; Enable participatory planning
and design; Create an intranet to connect your firm and build internal
cohesion; Manage projects worldwide with extranets; Use the Web for real
estate asset management; Build networked design organizations and expand
your services; Win new clients and recruit top talent; Get the most from
Internet- and application service providers; Learn more at the Web site:
http://communication-design.net/seminars.html Register online or by calling
1-888-875-9802. Cost of $299 includes a copy of the new book, Communication
and Design with the Internet, A Guide for Architects, Planners and Building
Professionals. 3 or more from the same firm: $275 each. AIA members receive
6.5 AIA/CES learning units
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x-squared – Technology Know How for Small Biz Folk
VIRUS VICTORY
Technology experts estimate that there are 57,000 virus threats in
existence in the cyber-ether today. There are also many systems that have
been infected, unbeknownst to their owners. Here’s a 4 point, sure-fire plan
to help you beat the odds:
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INSTALL ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE. The best protection comes in the form of
software. Buy, it, install it, activate it – but most importantly, UPDATE
it. Due to the fact that a plethora of virus programs are released daily,
you must update your anti-virus software to ensure adequate protection. The
updates are usually released once or twice a month and in some cases, once
you register your software, new update alerts are automatically sent to you
via email.
Recommendations:
http://www.mcafeeb2b.com
http://www.symantec.com/product/ (click on Virus Protection)
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KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED. The usual suspects are attachments that end in
.exe and .vbs (Visual Basic Script), both popular virus carriers. Want to
take it a step further? Disable macros in your word processing and
spreadsheet programs. If a document contains a macro, a dialog box will ask
you if you wish to enable macros for that particular document. You can then
decide if the document comes from a trusted source and if you wish to enable
macros.
—X—
SPEAKING OF TRUSTED SOURCES. If you get an unexpected attachment with a
non-descript or odd message («I sent this for your review»), be on
alert — even if the source is known. Many virus programs manipulate the
sender’s address book and automatically send nonspecific messages and
attachments to the addresses listed in the email program. Note: Contrary to
popular belief, you cannot activate a virus by simply opening the email. The
virus is activated by opening the attached file. If you open the email and
you DO NOT open the attachment, your system has not been compromised. Simply
delete the email and be sure to remove it from your trash folder.
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HINDSIGHT. What do you do if you’ve already opened the attachment?
Remove your computer from the Internet, immediately. This will stop the
virus from automatically sending any email. Run your virus protection
software, if you’ve followed the advice in #1, you’ll have the updated
software. If the virus has done serious damage, try to restore your system
files from your backup (you ARE backing up, aren’t you? – more on this
in a later issue of x-squared). If you don’t feel comfortable taking on
the beast yourself, enlist the assistance of a technical professional.
—X—
Lena L. West is the Founder & CEO of xynoMedia Development, a
technology consulting firm in Yonkers, NY. She can be reached at LWest@xynoMedia.com,
when she’s not fighting in the war against virus programs.
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Industry Events
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The Competitive Edge VIII – The Eighth Annual Conference for
Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Business Enterprises focuses on «The
Paradigm Shift». August 20th from 5:30 to 8:00 pm (Pre-Conference
Reception) and August 21st from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Join NY City and State
leaders for networking, on-the-spot assigning of contracts, panel
discussions, and exhibitors. Call for more information: Nadia Blake-Reeder,
BPCA (212) 416-5319.
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East Side Story: AIA New York Chapter cordially invites you to East Side
Story a luncheon boat tour and panel discussion focusing on the
redevelopment efforts around the East River. It will be held on September
20, 2001 at 12 Noon Sharp. Topics will include the Guggenheim’s plans for a
new museum on Wall Street, the Con Ed Redevelopment Project in midtown
Manhattan, the UN’s plans for expansion, Queens West, Long Island City
Redevelopment, the Olympics Plan for 2012 and the Brooklyn Bridge Park
Redevelopment. This event will coincide with the Waterfront Center’s
Annual Conference in Brooklyn, September 20 – 22 (http://www.waterfrontcenter.org/mtg_wrkshops.html).
Contact mark@cplusga.com for registration information.
—X—
Join ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) as they kick off
NeoCon New York, October 31-November 1, 2001 with their gala event, «ASID…a
Celebration». It will be held on October 30th at the Roosevelt Hotel,
Madison Ave. at 45th Street. For further details and for other events
scheduled that week, visit their site: http://www.asid.org/learning/course_offerings/university_campus_event.asp
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Check out the Professional Women in Construction (PWC) events calendar
for August – Wednesday, August 15 – 8:00 am to 10:00 am
W/MBE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORKSHOP (AMEC is co-presenter) At AMEC, 1633
Broadway, NYC. Women and minorities owning 51 % of company may be eligible
for government certification to participate in public works contracts. Gwen
Kushner contract compliance specialist will conduct this seminar.
Opportunity to meet w/mbe business development chiefs of major companies and
government agencies. Members: no charge / others: $25 / limited seating.
–
Tuesday, August 21 – 5:30 to 8:00 P.M.
MEET THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY –
networking with exhibit tables at La Maganette / tickets: $50 members $65
nonmembers. Membership rates apply to members of the following
organizations: AACE – AIA -AMENY – AREW – ASPE -Bldrs. Inst. – CCIA – CMAA –
CREW- FWI – GBC- GCA – GNYCUC -IFMA – NARI – NAWBO – NMBC – NFIB- NMBC -NYBC
– NYWA – NYSA – PMI – Real Estate Academy – SMPS – STA – WAWBO – WHF –WTS
Call PWC FOR RESERVATIONS or INFORMATION: (212) 486-7745 or fax (212)
486-0228 or visit the web site at http://www.pwcusa.org
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Non-Industry Events:
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Connect with your dream job! – Look out for the NAACP Diversity &
High-Tech Career Fair coming soon to your area. For more information,
including dates and locations visit the site at http://www.naacpcareerfair.com/index.html
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«New Economy Business-to-Business Exchange» – Sponsored by:
Supported by Five Offices of NYC Mayor Giuliani, Crains NY Business &
Infinity Broadcasting. The «New Economy Business-to-Business
Exchange» is an important event that gives your company the opportunity
to GENERATE THOUSANDS OF USEABLE SALES LEADS. Cost: Open to all business
professionals; Date: Thursday, September 13, 2001; Time: 10:00 AM to 6:00
PM; For more information including booth rental and speaking opportunities;
contact Laura Sabia: Laura@marketmatchnyc.com. Phone: 718 – 237-4485 Fax:
718 – 237-4907 Email Web: www.marketmatchnyc.com
—X—
The Office of Business Opportunities (OBO) is lending their technical
expertise to help minorities and women successfully compete in the NYCHA
bidding system. In September, NYCHA’s Office of Business Opportunities will
begin two series of four technical seminars on Doing Business With NYCHA.
They will take place Thursday evenings from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm in Conference
Room A, 250 Broadway, 24th floor in Manhattan. The first series will take
place on September 6, September 20, October 4 and October 18. The second
series will take place November 1, November 15, December 6 and December 13.
Each series will include topics on Bidding and Bonding, Estimating, Contract
Performance and Obtaining Capital.
Visit their site for more info: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/mwbe.html
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Marketing Article: Plan to be Innovative – Unrealistic deadlines for
media plans, the race to keep up on new technologies, and strained personnel
resources can all be enemies of innovation, which is often the secret of our
success. So you have to watch your agency processes and work habits. – Tom
Hespos Click on this link (or paste the address into your browser) to read
the article.
http://clickz.com/article/cz.4190.html
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If you have any comments, suggestions, or if you have an event that you
would like us to include in X-CUBE, please email Elizabeth Geary-Archer at
ega@outoftheboxmarketing.net
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