Skip to content

Narrow screen resolution Wide screen resolution Auto adjust screen size Increase font size Decrease font size Default font size default color brick color green color
You are here:Home arrow BTR Blog

Nov 19
2008

Free Webcast Service for a Limited Time

Posted by Ed Andriessen in TechnologyMarketing

My favorite conference call service is offering an upgraded version of their service until the end of December.

If you have wanted to try out webcasting as a communication tool (selling, demonstrating, collaborating) then give this a try:

Freeconference.com

I've used this excellent teleconference service for several years and I value its reliability.  I'm sure their webcast service will be as good.  Give it a try

Jun 10
2008

Simplify your life with scheduling polls

Posted by Ed Andriessen in Management

Have you ever e-mailed back and forth with multiple individuals trying to settle on a date and time for an e-meeting? You can easily generate 20 to 25 e-mails between a little as three individuals just to set up one meeting! Well all of that can now go away, thank you.

There are several new, easy to use and free tools that will allow you to send one e-mail to poll multiple attendees for the best time to meet. Most of these tools do the same thing, but with slightly different styles and interfaces.  Here are my recommendations:

May 30
2008

Fujio Cho Can Make You More Profitable

Posted by Ed Andriessen in Quality

Fujio_Cho

Who is Fujio Cho and why would some guy in Japan have anything to do with residential homebuilding?

Fujio Cho is chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation, one of the most profitable automobile companies in the world. He is an advocate for environmentally friendly car building and the methodology called "lean".

Lean is really what makes Toyota (and Fujio Cho) unique. Fujio Cho was instrumental for promoting Lean at Toyota. No other company in the world does Lean better. Toyota does lean so well that other companies study and publish books on their methods.

When a company adopts Lean, here is what happens:

Mar 19
2008

Compelling Endorsements for $30 a Year

Posted by Ed Andriessen in Marketing

Voicethread Logo

I love it when technology offers fantastic marketing tools for practically no money!

I just came across a new online application that can create mini-commercial for your products easily and quickly for $30 a year.

The application is called Voicethread. This application will hold essentially any type of media (images, documents and videos) and allows people to make comments in 5 different ways - using voice (with a microphone or telephone), text, audio file, or video (with a webcam) - and share them with anyone they wish

Here are some of the applications for voicethread:

Jan 24
2008

Developing Flexibility

Posted by Ed Andriessen in Management

I am an avid fan of LinkedIn , the business networking site. LinkedIn has a section where professionals share their expertise by asking and answering questions.

An important question about flexibility came up and I thought I would share my answer. I believe flexibility is an importnat management skill and it is not employed in the workplace as much as it should (could) be.

Question:

Can you share with me how you are practically thinking "flexibility" at work?
Do you need to accomodate a multi-generational workforce? How do you think “flexibility”? What are the strategies and tools involved in creating a more flexible approach to the multi-generational workforce? How do you make sure that you’re asking the right people the right questions? How, when and why do you choose different methods?

My Answer...

Jan 24
2008

Welcome

Posted by Ed Andriessen in myblog

Welcome to the BTR Blog!

On a continuing basis, I'll be posting articles that focus on a variety of topics for the residential construction and land development industry. My primary focus will be on:

  • Management
  • Sales
  • Quality
  • Process
  • Technology
  • Career management

Depending on your input and comments, I'll expand on any additional topic that my readers find relevant.

I look forward to delivering useful and relevant information and getting your feedback on whats important to you in today's market.