Do you want to meet other young professionals in the construction industry? Do you want to give back to your community? The next YPG/YPS event will let you do just that! ABC and Rebuilding Together Seattle’s YPS have decided to hold a joint social Thursday, March 4th from 7:00 – 9:00 pm at FX McRory’s in Seattle!

Rebuilding Together Seattle is a non-profit organization who counts on volunteers and charitable contributions to repair or rebuild homes at no cost to low-income homeowners, particularly those who are elderly, disabled or families with children. To learn more about Rebuilding Together visit their Webpage at http://www.rtseattle.org.

Get to know your fellow young professionals in the industry and raise funds for a YPS project house in the Spring! The cost of the event is $10 per person with all the proceeds of the event going towards the YPS project house fund. Attendees will receive a free raffle ticket with entry, and have the option to buy more raffle tickets if desired.

If you are unable to attend the joint social, ABC is collecting donations to go toward the YPS house. Once the family and location has been chosen by Rebuilding Together Seattle’s YPS, ABC will be encouraging members to volunteer for this great cause.

ABC is finding new ways to help our young professional’s branch out to create new connections. If you would like to register or want more information, please contact Amy Gegoux at (800) 640-7789.

The ABC Membership Council is excited about 2010 and all this year has to offer! They want to remind you of the value you receive by being a member.

Like many of our members, ABC has taken this time as an opportunity to go “back to the basics” and refocus our energy on what members are going to need to be successful today and when the economy turns around. We know that all our members are addressing those areas that need to be refined and/or improved to allow them to be as competitive as possible in these difficult times.

The following is an overview of the services and areas where you can gain a competitive edge:

Promoting Your Company – ABC has many ways for you to promote your company so you remain visible and are shown as a company that is active in the construction industry to your owners, generals, vendors and/or subcontractors:

• Annual Partnership Program
• ABC co-op ads with the Daily Journal of Commerce
• Membership directory

Get the “ABC Advantage” – As a national and local association for the merit shop, ABC can provide programs and training for your company that gets you an advantage in promoting the merit shop way and all the elements that encompass why this method of construction is successful throughout the United States. Use the “ABC Advantage” to strengthen your knowledge and involvement in the following areas which will help you build for a better future today and into tomorrow:

• Safety Alliance program
• Green Contractor Certification
• Accredited Quality Contractor
• Construction management training for your key people
• Lobbying efforts supporting the merit shop
• Industry professionals support teams

Helping your Bottom Line – ABC membership provides members with ways to improve their bottom line. We know that every dollar counts and we want to make sure you are getting the value and service from your investment in ABC. As part of our service to you, we provide the following programs at competitive values to our members:

• ABC’s MBA Group Health insurance program
• ABC Retro Program (including loss control and claims management assistance)
• Safety training and “training on demand” opportunities
• Member 2 Member discount programs

Opportunity for Work - Your ABC leadership and staff have worked hard to provide members with multiple opportunities to meet each other and build working relationships. A key goal within ABC is to have ABC members work with fellow ABC members. Making sure that the ABC forum serves its members in creating business opportunities is a key driver for the growth of all. To do this we provide the following events and opportunities to the members:

• Meet the Generals: a special networking event for general contractors and subcontractors to meet and discuss future projects and how best to work with each other.
• Dinner meetings and free networking events
• Excellence in Construction Awards program
• Annual golf tournament and dinner auction
• Relationships with BOMA, NAIOP, SMPS, CREW and others
• Contractor Peer Groups - Young Professionals Group, Framers Council,
• Green Council and others

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) announced it has received a $90,000 grant from the Turner Foundation, Inc., Atlanta, in support of its national green building initiatives, with a focus on green certification and training.

“ABC is pleased to receive this important national recognition of and support for our strong green building initiatives,” said ABC President and CEO Kirk Pickerel. “The Turner Foundation, founded by media mogul Ted Turner, clearly sees the critical role merit shop construction plays in green building and sustainability practices nationwide, and we welcome this great opportunity to expand and strengthen  our efforts.”

“We are pleased to recognize ABC for its commitment to playing an integral and important role in the construction industry’s move toward greater sustainability,” said Michael Finley, president of the Turner Foundation, Inc. “We look forward to ABC expanding and enhancing its green contractor certification program, as well as its green building education and training programs. Working with partners such as ABC helps to engage, organize and empower new constituencies to ensure the future protection of our environment,” Finley said.

Pickerel said that ABC will use the funding in its green contractor certification program, launched in June 2009, with a focus on obtaining third-party certification to assess and perform onsite inspections of participating construction firms. In addition, ABC will use the funding to develop tools and resources in green building and sustainable building practices for training initiatives focused on craft professionals, including apprentices and craft trainees, as well as journeymen and foremen.

February’s B2B: Building Your Business

ABC’s Business 2 Business Buffet: Building Your Business Network on February 24th from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the Bellevue Hilton has a new format designed to help members have even more opportunities to connect with one another and further establish working relationships. The popular B2B event will no longer have a speaker; instead there will be four table switches giving you more time to get know your fellow members. We recommend that you bring at least 40 business cards to hand out during the reception and table switches.

Beth Gray, meetings manager from Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia, has tips for effective networking to help you grow your network and market yourself.

1. Set realistic expectations. Nobody gets married after one date! Business relationships take time to develop, too. Don’t attend a couple of association events and expect immediate results. Relationships are built out of trust which is developed from people being genuine, authentic and patient. It takes a lot of time and effort to develop relationships that YOU must create. Don’t expect to be handed business relationships simply because you pay dues to an association.

2. Don’t try to sell. Focus on fostering relationships, not generating new business. The second you start a sales pitch, people back off. Don’t be one of those people who dart around passing out business cards practically begging for business. This is a big turnoff to others who will avoid you at future meetings.

3. Discover commonalities. What is everyone’s favorite subject? THEMSELVES! Getting people to talk about themselves puts them at ease and lets you get to know them. Try discovering a “small world” story you may share with the other person by uncovering commonalities. You never know – you may have a common acquaintance, you may have similar interests or the same challenges. Discovering these connections not only provide a foundation for a relationship, but also provide ice breakers for future conversations. Get to know people from both a business and personal perspective.

4. Step out of your comfort zone. It’s okay to attend meetings with a coworker to overcome the apprehension of entering a room of strangers, but make certain you talk to others and don’t talk only to your co-worker. Make a point of sitting at two different tables if there is a sit-down meal at the event.

5. Remember referrals. When you meet someone and discover they are not a potential client, don’t immediately dismiss them. You don’t know who they know! If someone gives you a referral, be certain to follow through quickly. Your actions are a reflection on the person who referred you, so be respectful and they will be more likely to refer you again.

6. Follow-up. After meeting someone you are interested in connecting with, immediately follow-up with them. E-mail is perfectly acceptable for following up, but a hand written note will make more impact. After a connection is established, make random calls. Again, don’t try to sell or your future calls may be avoided. Don’t be that “friend” who only calls when they need something! Just a simple “hello” and perhaps ask to meet for lunch and share ideas.

7. Become active in the association. Join a committee, volunteer for a community project and attend events regularly. Take advantage of conventions where you spend a few days with others members (and sometimes their families). Multi-day events provide hours of networking time in a relaxing environment where you can get to know others on a more personal level. Figure out who the movers and shakers are in the association and make an effort to become part of their circle.

Use these tips to help you foster relationship at ABC’s B2B. If you would like to register for this event or if you would like more information, please contact Amy Gegoux at (800) 640-7789.