Engineering Inc. - September/October 2009 - 23

Don’t Underestimate Power of Positioning “You have to know what you are when it comes to promotion of a company,” notes David Stone, one of ACEC’s core faculty for its Business of Design Consulting four-day educational program. “Consider automobiles: Volvo is safe; Ferrari is fast; Jeep is rugged; but Chevrolet is …? The problem with Chevrolet is that they have been trying to be all things to all people.” In positioning your company, Stone suggests three factors to consider: internal capabilities (your company’s competent professionals and unique routines), competition (how you outperform competitors or accentuate market advantages) and marketplace (whether stable or volatile, in need of your company’s services or looking for different products). Firms can control only the first variable; the other two force them to react. Once a firm has decided on its position within a market, it can promote its wares to target audiences. Promotion is based on two basic concepts, says Stone: market share, which is the percent of the total market for goods or services that your firm controls; and mind share, which is the percent of potential customers in the marketplace who know about your business. Stone’s marketing lesson is that all firms must build mind share before gaining additional market share. To learn more from David Stone and other Business of Design Consulting faculty, register for the Oct. 21–24 course in St. Louis by logging on to www.acec.org. Inspiring Young People to Choose Engineering Careers Since its publication earlier this year, ACEC’s Choose Engineering as Your College Major has increasingly filled a need for firms interested in actively promoting engineering as a desirable career choice for today’s middle- and high-school students. “This career guide focuses on the aesthetics, creativity and accomplishment of engineers,” says ACEC President Dave Raymond. “Our message is that these professionals are always conquering the next frontier, applying new knowledge and building a better world for tomorrow.” The compelling, 32-page brochure can be viewed on ACEC’s related interactive website (www.acec.org/engineeringcareers), a go-to source for young people seeking information about professional engineering opportunities. Showcasing the many benefits of a career in engineering—from making a positive impact on the world to career options to job satisfaction—the brochure is ideal for engineering firms, schools and other organizations to distribute at events such as National Engineers Week, career days, school science fairs, or meetings with high-school science clubs. On the website, students can learn about ACEC’s engineering scholarships, order books about engineering careers, link directly to engineering programs at more than 350 U.S. colleges and universities, or scour hundreds of job postings at the ACEC Job Board for an idea about engineering career possibilities. Employee Health Care Costs Double In 10 Years Health care costs for both employees and employers have more than doubled since 1999, according to a new Engineering Business Advisory Report released recently by ACEC. Health Insurance Coverage for Engineering and A/E/C Firms: Challenges and Strategies is an analysis of health care and health insurance options, including fee-for-service plans, HMOs, Preferred Provider and Point-of-Service plans, self-insurance and consumer-directed plans. The report includes a guideline “health plans shopping model” for firms seeking better or more affordable coverage options. Among the recommendations of the report are strategies for enrolling employees in wellness and disease management programs, restructuring pharmaceutical benefits and consideration of association health plans (with larger pools to absorb risk). The report is available through the ACEC Bookstore at https://netforum.acec. org/eweb/ (keyword search: health). Cost to Members: $29 for electronic download, $49 for print. The ACEC Institute for Business Management provides comprehensive and accessible business management education for engineering company principals and their staffs. Visit ACEC’s online educational events calendar at http://www. acec.org/calendar/index.cfm or bookstore at https://netforum. acec.org/eweb/?site=acec_store, or call 202-347-7474 for further information. The American Council of Engineering Companies is the business association of America’s engineering industry, representing more than 5,700 engineering companies engaged in the development of transportation, environmental, industrial, and other infrastructure nationwide. INSIGHTS FROM ACEC’S INSTITUTE FOR BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Choose Engin eering ou as Y r College Major www.acec.org/engineeringcareers SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2009 1015 15th Street, NW 8th Floor Washington, DC 20005 www.acec.org ENGINEERING INC. 23

http://www.acec.org https://netforum.acec.org/eweb https://netforum.acec.org/eweb http://www.acec.org/engineeringcareers http://www.acec.org/calendar/index.cfm http://www.acec.org/calendar/index.cfm https://netforum.acec.org/eweb/?site=acec_store https://netforum.acec.org/eweb/?site=acec_store

Engineering Inc. - September/October 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - September/October 2009