Eric D. Colburn, PLS

Here are a few tips to help you succeed in having a more productive next week.

Question: Why Saturday?

Answer: Why not? No seriously now; because the best way to execute success is to plan for success. The day really isn’t important, so let’s call it “End of the Week” Tips for a More Productive Next Week, if you prefer.

Question: It was a tough week this week, so why can’t I just put this off and worry about it next week? Besides, I love the exhilaration of scrambling everyday to make deadlines and putting out client and project fires as they arise!

Answer: Think about it, you probably experienced a tough week at work, scrambling to make deadlines while putting out all those client and project fires, because you didn’t plan for the things you could control.

Question: But I can’t plan because I’ll just have to change everything next week as circumstances change?

Answer: So what? What you said and what I heard are two different things. I heard, besides fear, is “I choose guaranteed failure rather than give myself a great chance at success” or, maybe even, “I’m really comfortable with chronic failure”. It’s not cast in stone; it’s just a plan for goodness sake – so change it as need be.

Those who set goals and plan for success more often reach their goals and enjoy success than those who don’t.

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Before I get to this article about marketing a land surveying business online, first a little about how you might be reading this post. This is my first endeavor in creating a post exclusively for you, a Premium Member. Congratulations on joining my site as a Premium Member!

With that said, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few glitches and bumps in the road: If you, as a Premium Member to this site, had any troubles accessing this post, then please let me know about your experience. If you’re not a Premium Member you will be asked to register in order to read this post.

Now let’s get down to business

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PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR SURVEY

In this week’s Professional Land Surveyor Survey, I’m asking  you:

How Important Is Technology For Running Your Business?

Yesterday, I wrote about 5 Winning Strategies To Running A Professional Land Surveying Business where I, in a nutshell, outlined five more or less old-fashioned common sense strategies behind running and operating a professional land surveying business.

Which got me to thinking:

I started to think about how important technology is to me, and to you, to the success of your land surveying business.

What do you think?

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5 Winning Strategies To Running A Professional Land Surveying Business

5 Winning Strategies To Running A Professional Land Surveying Business

I’m hoping that you all had an awesome week last week. News on the economy was mixed, with private sector jobs showing another small gain, while the jobs market, overall, is anything other than awesome. I did hear, over the weekend, that one pundit is predicting that the housing market will double in the next two years pulling us out of this recession. Sounds good to me!

How are you making out in these times?

While I’ve seen an uptick in the economy, and I’m grateful for it, it’s nothing to make me think that we’re out of the woods yet. The flow of money is loosening up, a little, and people are increasingly more willing to spend a few of their hard-earned money on things, like professional services. It is, however, a bumpy road to recovery with weeks looking up, and others not cooperating so much.

Is technology the answer?

Last week I posted the Professional Land Surveyor Survey-Business Conditions Survey for August 2010?, and had a few lively discussions about the economy and running a land surveying business. One land surveyor asked me what I thought was a winning strategy in these times. That’s a good question!

Immediately, I began to think about implementing technology and the like, which are generally all good ideas. But after giving it some thought, and knowing that it’s the basics that often matter the most, these are my answers:

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Professional Land Surveyor Forum Update – Land Surveying Problems

Recently, I added a new discussion board on the Free Professional Land Surveyor Forum called Land Surveying Problems.

From time to time I’ll be posting land surveying problems that I think are interesting, and hopefully, challenging. Feel free to post your challenging land surveying problems, too.

These might be problems you would typically find in a land surveying text book, problems you might find on a professional land surveying exam, or real-life problems you’ve seen in your professional land surveying practice.

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What Are Your Customers Buying Motives

Have you ever thought about your customer’s buying motives? If you’re working on marketing land surveying services, either for an ongoing concern or for a new business you’re planning on starting, then this is a key question to ask yourself. More important, is to know the answer!

To answer the question of what is motivating, or will motivate, customers to by your land surveying services it’s also helpful to answer the following questions:

• What are the reasons that your customers buy from you?
• Why do they need your services and products?

I would also look into answering these questions, too:

• Are groups of customers motivated for different reasons?
• What are the fluctuations and changes in customers buying motives? If so, why and when do these fluctuations and changes occur?

There are many concepts and ideas to master in developing a marketing plan for your professional land surveying company. But first, I think, is to answer the above questions to understand exactly what are your customers buying motives.

ACSM

ACSM Lobby Day Webinar Rebroadcast

Join the American Congress on Surveying & Mapping (ACSM) for a Webinar on August 3, 2010. This Lobby Day Webinar, originally broadcast on June 22, discusses useful tips for ACSM members in securing and attending meetings with your Members of Congress.

You may or may not be aware that ACSM is not having a Lobby Day on Capitol Hill this year, and instead is asking ACSM members to visit their Representatives and Senators during summer recess, from August 9 to September 9. In addition to the tips found in this Webinar, you will also find the following three issues that ACSM would like you to specifically discuss with your Representatives and Senators during the recess:

1. Preservation of Railroad Monumentation.
2. Repeal of the 3% Withholding Tax on Government Contracts.
3. Federal Funding for Trig-Star.

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PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR SURVEY

In this week’s Professional Land Surveyor Survey, I’m asking the question:

Should NSPS Separate from ACSM?

Recently, the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) announced that it is seeking to separate from the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM). In a joint NSPS letter by Wayne Harrison, NSPS President, John Matonich, NSPS Immediate Past President, and Curt Sumner, NSPS Executive Director, entitled “The Evolution of a National Voice, The Future of the National Society of Professional Surveyors“, the three layout the timeline set in place (2 years) and the reasons for this potential departure. You can read their letter here »» The Evolution of a National Voice, The Future of the National Society of Professional Surveyors.

On the flip side of this brewing controversy, if you visit the ACSM website you will find under Developing News, the following:

“NSPS to re-define its relationship to ACSM“

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Professional Land Surveyor News

Professional Land Surveyor News: Securely Renew Your Kansas Land Surveyor Professional License Online

I just came across this news item concerning the license renewal period for Kansas Land Surveyors and Professional Engineers, which is currently open, and thought I’d share it with you. If your a professional land surveyor in Kansas, then this is obviously of interest to you, but what I found interesting is the ability to renew your license online. This is a good use of technology, it’s secure,  it’s business friendly, and I think that every state should look into doing this, too.

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New Professional Land Surveyor Learning Center (PLSLC) Course: AutoCAD Civil 3D Basic Units Settings

New Professional Land Surveyor Learning Center (PLSLC) Course: AutoCAD Civil 3D Basic Units Settings

Yesterday I announced the new online Professional Land Surveyor Learning Center (PLSLC) I’ve created for professional land surveyors, AutoCAD Civil 3D users, and designers.

Today I want to let you know about the first available course called AutoCAD Civil 3D Basic Units Settings. Here’s a little information about this online course:

C3D-101: AutoCAD Civil 3D Basic Units Settings

This course discusses the processes and procedures to setup your AutoCAD Civil 3D drawing Basic Unit Settings to eliminate mistakes due to inappropriate and inconsistent settings.

Specific AutoCAD Civil 3D Basic Units Settings covered in this course are:

1. Units and Zone Settings.
2. Survey Database and Survey Database Zone Settings.
3. LandXML Data Imperial Units Settings.
4. Angle Format Settings.
5. Drawing Scale Settings.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials. This course cost $19.00.

For full access to this course you’ll need to take a minute to create a new account for yourself on the Professional Land Surveyor Learning Center (PLSLC) if it is your first time.

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