Eric D. Colburn, PLS

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

Read the rest of this entry →

Social Media, Old Media, and the Professional Land Surveyor

Yesterday I was doing my usual routine of checking into the various social media communities I frequent, like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and I came across a link to an interesting forum post by the administrator of Land Surveyors United about why other surveying publications and sites will not link to Land Surveyors United. In general, Land Surveyors United feels it’s receiving a cold shoulder from the conventional media magazines and that its initiative to create a social network for professional land surveyors is being copied by one of them in particular. From my own personal experience, this is not at all surprising to me.

First, a little background

It is not surprising to me because of the first hand experience I had with one of the conventional media magazines that touts itself as social media and internet engaged, when in fact, as it turned out, they are really only interested in the appearance of building an online community and largely regurgitate their printed materials (which don’t get me wrong, their magazine is very well done). With this media company (which isn’t POB, by the way) I discovered that they value the business of producing a magazine and selling advertising over that of improving our profession. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, after all business is business, what I found particularly disturbing was their absolutely disingenuous use of social media, not as a community building tool, but as a rather jaded attempt to rig the system.

Read the rest of this entry →

The Professional Land Surveyor Podcast (PLSP)

Shownotes – Episode 2
Read the rest of this entry →

PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR SURVEY

In this week’s PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR SURVEY I’m asking the question:

What is Your Favorite Social Networking Site?

In the last two or more years I’ve seen more and more professional land surveyors, engineers, AutoCAD users, and designers using social networking sites like Facebook, Land Surveyors United, Linkedin, MySpace, Twitter, and Tumblr. These are just a few of the more popular social networking sites on the interwebs nowadays. While I don’t know which ones will still be around in another year or two, which is equal to eons in “Internet-Years”, but I do know this:

Social networking is here to stay, so join the revolution or get left behind!

If you or your professional land surveying business haven’t implemented social media and social networking to boost your marketing, brand, and branding efforts, then I suggest you start to do so immediately. If you haven’t already done so, then you’re missing out on an opportunity to improve your business, brand, “awareness”, and build relationships with your customers (existing and new). After you take this week’s Professional Land Surveying Survey about your favorite social networking sites, you’ll find a list I’ve created with my links on these social networks so that we can connect. Contact me if you are new to social networking and are interested in working with me to use social media marketing in your business.

Take This Week’s Professional Land Surveyor Survey! Read the rest of this entry →

The Professional Land Surveyor Podcast (PLSP)

Shownotes – Episode 1
Read the rest of this entry →

Here are a few of the many fantastic and interesting photographs submitted on the Professional Land Surveyor Facebook Group. Visit our group to see all of the other wonderful photographs and to submit your favorite land surveying pictures, too!

Ice Road Surveying on Alaska's North Slope in early November, along the Chukchi Sea. Photo by Ken DeCamp

Read the rest of this entry →

Just a quick note about the Professional Land Surveyor Newsletters. If you already subscribe you no doubt have noticed that I’ve added a few new features to these weekly newsletters, which I hope helps you to broaden your knowledge of other professionals and specifically helps you to navigate the social media sites making a few new friends, clients, and business partners.

If you haven’t already subscribed to my newsletters, I invite you to do so. You can subscribe to the following Newsletters:

• Professional Land Surveyor Newsletter – Generally a Monthly Newsletter.
• Professional Land Surveyor Digest – Receive Weekly and Monthly updates of the latest posts, a weekly message from me, and more!
• Sponsor Email List – Receive special offers and updates relevant to sponsors and vendors.

If you haven’t already delved into social media, and maybe more important – social media marketing – this is a fantastic way to meet your fellow professionals and market yourself and your company.

If you’re not already into Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, now’s the time to sign up and learn about each other, what we each have to offer, and perhaps, share a little about yourself.

Here are the great sites on the web, terrific twitterers and facebook friends you can find in our newsletters and more if you subscribe:

Read the rest of this entry →

Summer is finally here and after a long, dark and rainy spring in New England. The economy has also remained dark and turbulent.

I had some hope that in late March and early April business would pick up a little. And, that’s just what business did – It picked up a little, very little.

Life and business has as its ups and its downs, like the weather and the tides. I am still hopeful that the economy will be improving soon. It’s only a matter of time, but the 64,000 dollar question is who will be left standing when the relentless tide of this recession recedes?

Read the rest of this entry →

I really want to thank Bill Murphy of Loyola Enterprises for sharing this video on Facebook.

It’s great!

This is a really creative ad using land surveyors to make a wonderful and humorous point about doing what you love to do. This video really made my day and I think that you’ll love it, too!

Read the rest of this entry →

It’s nearing the end of March and finally winter is ebbing and spring is slowly setting in. To me, it seemed like a long cold winter and I glad it’s over. I look forward to spring and the rebirth of nature after the dark, cold, snowy winter. It’s amazing how just a few warmer sunny days can lift ones spirits.

I think this may also apply to the economy. After a long dark and gloomy period, maybe, just maybe, the economy is starting to improve and this recession might come to an end this year. I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch, but I’m hopeful that I get at least some of the work I’ve recently prepared proposals on. Within the last couple of weeks the phones have started to ring again and there finally seems to be some work available. As there has been virtually no work available and the phones have been dead for the last six months, or so, it was very encouraging to see that the consumer is feeling more confident and willing to spend money again.

I have no doubt that the economic stimulus package and the plan to help banks with their toxic assets is starting to improve the economy, at least a little. The small business owner, such as myself, has once again been largely ignored and again taken for granted, but sooner or later, once the “shovel ready” projects get going we should see some benefits when this money trickles down through the market place. You just have to hope that you can hold on long enough to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

As Paul Harvey said:

“In times like these, it helps to recall that there have always been times like these”.

Everything is cyclical and the economy will eventually improve. Eventually the housing markets will recover and Read the rest of this entry →