Think About Construction

Think Agency has extensive experience promoting many varied areas within the construction industry. We have gained the skills to grasp the ever-increasing list of complex acronyms, understand the difficult and tedious building industry tasks, and turn that information into solid marketing fuel.

This can be seen with tools we developed for two of our clients that greatly helped them to connect with the contractors who install their products and the designers that specify their products to the owners.

Atlas ProAPP™

Think Agency developed the ProAPP^™, a free digital tool for roofing contractors to manage multiple projects for Atlas Roofing. This app provides contractors both input and access project management data directly onto an Apple iPad^®. That information can then be sent directly to the app’s estimating feature to generate immediate and accurate estimates on-site.

For the contractor, ProAPP^™ saves time and increases revenue by using a personalized profile to access, store, update, and track all data from anywhere 24/7. Operating on cloud technology, this mobile app has everything a roofing contractor needs to run a professional business, complete with Atlas products, literature, promotions, and training tools. Click here to watch a tutorial video about how to get started with the ProAPP^™.

WikiSTIK^™

Think Agency realized that all members of a build team need accurate product information and technical data. In the past, manufacturers provided this information in massive technical binders, or more recently on CDs or DVDs. Such tools may have been state-of-the-art in their day, but all suffered from one very large drawback. Specifically, they were immediately outdated at the time of delivery.

Architects, specifiers, and contractors who need quick access to building product information from manufacturers, like Kingspan Insulated Panels, can now have that access at their fingertips. Think Agency developed the Kingspan WikiSTIK^™, a flash drive that requires no special installation. It eliminates the need for the tedious updating and distribution of manufacturer notebooks.

WikiSTIK and WikiSTIK Mobile gives design and construction professionals immediate access to comprehensive product literature that is always up-to-date. Convenient links to other manufacturer’s web-based technologies and tools are accessible as well as. This includes all product marketing and technical materials, manuals, images, brochures, videos, case studies, and web resources.

Because Think Agency developed Kingspan WikiSTIK, design professionals no longer have to navigate dozens of manufacturer's websites trying to figure out how those companies archive needed critical information. With WikiSTIK there are no drill downs, no searching, no frustration, and no need to store or waste paper.

Think About This

Think Agency has assisted construction sector companies in every part of the sales channel both nationally and internationally. We have guided them through up and down markets, helping them grow their brand reach, better connect with their customers and increase sales revenues.

Get the information that will get your information to your customers. Fill out the introductory contact form on www.thinkagency.com and let us demonstrate how to better think about construction.

Craft Your Website To Engage Customers

Millions of websites are viewed by thousands per day, but not too many stay on a website for over 30 seconds. When a customer visits a particular webpage and leaves the site after 30 seconds, that website’s bounce rate increases. This could be due to many factors. We have narrowed down a short checklist for you to cover when crafting the perfect website for your company.

Responsiveness counts.

If your site isn’t already responsive, you need a new design, as this is the main concern pertaining to websites in general, even over aesthetic appeal! Make sure your website is sized for viewing on multiple devices: mobile use, tablet use, computer use for both large and small monitors and even for viewing on a watch. Budget this into your marketing financials to monitor SEO performance and make changes along the way for maximum optimized viewing.

Keep it simple.

Make sure whoever is visiting your website, whether a savvy 16-year-old or your grandmother, anyone should be able to get to where he or she wants to go in only three clicks of the mouse.

Ghost buttons to envy.

Ghost buttons provide a minimal and classy look to keys or switches placed over images, content, or a blank section of your website. Ghost buttons are also an amazing call-to-action piece, drawing in both customers and outside designers. Not to mention the speed of your website will experience an increase in speed!

Typography matters.

Think nobody notices what font you use? Wrong. If you select an ugly font, customers will notice right away. Even if customers do not have an automatic reaction to your font choice, their subconscious will because fonts form an emphasis on what your company represents value and ethics wise. If you already know ‘content is king’ this will be no surprise to you.

Design defines.

Overall, your company will be based on its overall visual appearance. Flat designs started to trend in 2014 and continue to have momentum through mid-2015. This is due to how we consume content and our need for less is more. By taking on the minimalist approach, your customers will spend more time on your website and be more inclined to share your website with others.

Tip: Our website actually uses a flat design for example!

Make sure everything works well on your website, that there are no broken links or faulty images. Your website speaks volumes and taking the little time to update once, if not twice, a year, along with continually providing new content and call-to-action pieces will drop your bounce rate and attract new clients. Take care of your website so it can take care of your company.

How To Dress For Your Work Environment

For those of you who are unsure of the typical in-the-office etiquette on corporate to causal swag, this post is for you! What makes an outfit acceptable or not isn’t what is physically being worn, but how people perceive you when wearing a certain item.

Corporate Attire

A 2-piece dark suit in a classic cut with pinstripes or another simple pattern is your safety, go-to outfit. Accompany your suit blazer with a white, crisp dress shirt. Traditional patent leather shoes are a solid wear for men and patent leather pumps for the ladies. You can never go wrong with neutral colored makeup and neatly styled hair.

Business Attire

Similar to corporate attire, a 2-piece blazer and dress pants also works under this dress code category. The exception? Throw some flair out there with colorful prints and patterns! You can use a wide range of styles here so go for it!  Shoes and makeup should remain neutral, unless your outfit is neutral, then spunk it up with some eye-catching shoes and a belt. Jewelry and nail polish is also a nice personality popper, still trustworthy to sport in a conservative work environment.

Business Casual aka Smart Casual Day

Big question when it comes to casual Friday! Let me lay down the law ... jeans are appropriate as long as holes, tears, stains or any other demeaning spot is obviously noticeable, as well as the condition that clients are absent from the office. Cardigans, vests, and flats are also allowed.

Note that women and men have different style guidelines to follow … like how men can wear shorts and women probably should avoid wearing shorts, even if allowed. Under some circumstances, shorts may quite possibly be appropriate if they are on the longer, baggier side, with stockings or leggings underneath to hide all visible flesh.

It is a good idea to see if your company has a strict dress code policy and if you are still unsure, it never hurts to ask! When it comes to your professional image, always be play the safe hand as you only get one shot to ruin your reputation.

Fun fact: If you work at an advertising agency, anything Star Wars related might earn you some brownie points on your higher rank’s personality!

Your Reputation Is Everything, But Why?

All anyone ever truly holds as their own is their name and reputation. A name determines your self-worth by representing who you are. Once a rotten connotation is associated to your person, all may be lost if recovery isn’t accomplished right away. Never let someone wrongfully slander or dismantle your reputation, always be on the alert for potential attacks.

People will always judge what they can see to make an opinion. It doesn’t matter if you are the sweetest person in the world … what people don’t know they don’t care about. Think about it this way … we make someone out to be a certain way just by what he or she wears. If we see someone in all black they must be depressed and if we see someone in all pink they must be an airhead. How did we get this way? By making assumptions that a person is a certain way based on an appearance that ultimately associates a type of person to that individual.

So what can you do to prevent destruction before riding into war?

·       Ignore bad comments on social media outlets. It is better to delete a negative comment and block someone rather than comment back. Trolls develop and people will never back down from a comment battle.

·       Not sure what to do? Do nothing at all. Making a move you are not 100% sure about could hurt you more than it would help.

·       Do what you say you are going to do. If you know you cannot follow through, revert back to elementary school rules and don’t make promises you can’t keep.

·       Take the extra step and go beyond what is expected of you.

·       Be likeable. Watch your body language when around others as you may not be aware of how you come off. Don’t cross your arms. Dress the part. Smile!

·       Be involved with your community and what is going on around you. This will not only be easy networking but reflect back upon you with clear and brilliant lighting!

Unfortunately, we live in a society where the opinion of others matters. If you happen to attach yourself to a bad personality, use it to your advantage like Oscar Wilde did with his reputation making him seem arrogant and isolated. He became unapproachable and feared even. You are the master of your fate, so decide where you want your future to be.