Masonry Magazine August 1998 Page. 31
Building Relationships is Key to Successful Promotion
By: Kevin Krebs, Executive Director, Masonry Industry Promotion Group
Promotional campaigns. Too many times in the masonry industry, they're nothing more than a time-consuming and often expensive distraction from "real" business.
But real business can't be done without architects who design in masonry, without engineers who know how to build in masonry, or without qualified workers to do the jobs, all of which are products of a well-planned, multi-faceted promotional campaign. Promotion is all about building relationships in your region that, over time, result not only in more business, but also in greater awareness of and respect for the industry.
That's been our experience at the Masonry Industry Promotion Group, a 26-year-old promotion effort that serves the masonry industry in Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
Our group's efforts are targeted in three areas. First, we reach out to vocational educators and high school students to ensure that there will be qualified workers entering the trades in the future. Another program targets budding architects, engineers and construction managers at the college level, to help ensure that masonry is an option they'll turn to during their careers. And finally, we strive to maintain contact with seasoned professionals, to keep them abreast of innovations and encourage their use of masonry products.
We measure the success of these programs in the continuing popularity of masonry, as well as in intangibles: The high school student earnestly quizzing a journeyman bricklayer about his career, or the college student who goes on to become his firm's "masonry expert" because of the exposure we helped provide during his education.
Contractors, Union Collaborate
The Masonry Industry Promotion Group was founded in 1972 due to the foresight of the union mason contractors in our area. They realized that competing wall systems were promoting their industries heavily to architects and engineers, and that the masonry industry should do the same.
Through a collective bargaining agreement, the contractors negotiated with the union to begin a promotion fund, for which mason contractors act as trustees. Contractors make contributions to the promotion fund for every hour worked by a bricklayer. In 1972, that contribution was 5 cents per hour; today, it is 85 cents per hour. Several years ago the laborers wanted to get involved, too, and now contractors contribute 34 cents per hour for every hour worked by a hod-carrier.
First Contact is in High School
As is the case in many parts of the country, masonry companies and unions in our area are struggling to find high-quality workers to ensure the future of the industry. Yet in the past, local high schools haven't emphasized apprenticeship opportunities as an important and viable career option.