Congratulations, Recent Graduate!

The Hagerman Group is very proud to announce and celebrate the recent accomplishment of one of our own, Adel Davenport. Recently, Adel graduated from Indiana Tech with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. Along with completing her Bachelor’s Degree and going to classes on campus, Adel is also both a full-time parent and a full-time accountant. This type of determination and effort should not be overlooked, because not only did Adel graduate, she excelled in her studies. When she finished her Associates degree, she was top of her class with a 3.98 GPA and earned Summa Cum Laude honors. Although she wanted to continue her education, Adel then paused her studies in order to make more time for her kids. Once they got a little older, she resumed her studies and just recently received her Bachelor’s Degree and finished with Cum Laude honors. This is not the end of the road in regards for her education, as Adel will begin her pursuit of a Graduate Degree in accounting beginning in September. Adel, from everyone at The Hagerman Group, we are very proud of your accomplishment and congratulate you on your achievement! Also, we wish you the best of luck on your path to a Graduate Degree!

SMPS Indiana Membership Scholarships Announced

The Indiana Chapter for the Society for Marketing Professional Services announced the winners of the three chapter scholarships – Build Business Conference, Heartland Regional Conference, and the CPSM certification. The membership scholarship program was designed to help the Society for Marketing Professional Services' members increase their depth of experience and provide additional professional development opportunities.

The winners are:

Build Business Conference Scholarship - $2000

Christina Nash, Synthesis

Heartland Regional Conference - $500

Stacy Neill, The Hagerman Group

CPSM Certification - $545

Heather Cox, arcDesign

10 ways to get the most out of your next trade show exhibit

Trade shows are a great way to network and get your business name out there. But if you’ve never attended one before, you might be clueless about where to start. That’s why we’ve put together this list of 10 ways to help make your next trade show a success.
Pick the right event
Try to get into the brains of your customers. What trade show would they likely attend? If you’re targeting homeowners, a Home and Garden show would be a great fit. If you’re looking for developers, you might attend Gnomedex. Go where you think your target market will be. That's the perfect place to start!
Market early
Most professional conferences provide a list of companies represented (or a nice shiny pie chart with demographics). If you’re lucky, you might get contacts from the show organizer. Offer a pre-show promotion three months ahead of time. You might even offer to give them a free __________ (fill in the blank - it could be a free demo, consultation, or even a bobblehead...just make sure it’s enticing) if they visit your booth. 
Define your goal
Before you even go, it’s important that your team agrees on the overall goal of the trade show. It could be anything from obtaining leads to educating people about your company or product. Others might attend simply to support an industry or event. Whatever the reason, your goal will help determine your strategy, so make sure you determine which is (or are) the most important to you.
Strategize
Develop a timeline leading up to the event to make sure you have ample time to prepare for everything you want to feature. If you need a fun new video to play, it will take time to produce. And those slick, new brochures likely won’t design or print themselves. Build in time to make your plans become a reality. 
Budget properly
The cost of your booth is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to total price of the event. Plan a budget for travel, hotels, signage, swag, raffle items, staffing, food, etc. The more priority you place on something, obviously the more money you will put toward it. Although some things, like travel, aren’t necessarily negotiable.
Swag
Who doesn’t love free stuff? Offer an easy-to-carry, memorable, useful piece of swag with your logo on it. If you’re at a exhibit in Hawaii (Lucky you!), hand out suntan lotion, flip flops, or water bottle. Your swag doesn't even necessarily have to have anything to do with your product.
Create buzz
The more people you can bring to your booth, the better. Consider a raffle. Obviously, the more valuable the prize, the more of a crowd it will bring. (If someone was giving away a free iPad, I’d definitely put my business card in the fishbowl!) If you can’t afford a big-ticket item, you might consider a Spin the Wheel type game with smaller prizes. The goal here is to create enough buzz around your booth that people will be drawn to it like bees to honey.
Take notes
There will hopefully be lots of people swarming your booth. Take a few moments and jot down a word or phrase on the back of the business card for each person you meet as soon as you finish the conversation. You might mention a physical characteristic (“Gorgeous redhead”) or something you connected about (“allergic to shellfish”). Whatever it is, it will help jog your memory when you go to follow up with them later.
Do something awesome
If everyone else is doing the same thing, why not do something different? Chances are, every other exhibit booth will have the standard signage, pens, and demos. Consider making your booth stand out by turning it into a "consulting station" or some other type of resource for attendees. Bring a bunch of power strips, snacks, and drinks and make your booth an oasis for people to sit down, recharge their phones, and have a drink. If you provide value to the conference attendees, your booth will be one of the most popular.
Follow up
Then you obviously want to follow up with your new list of potential customers. Add them as friends of your company on Facebook and connect with them on LinkedIn. Naturally, you’ll want to thank them for stopping by. You might even want to extend any discounts or promotions you offered during the show for an additional 10 days. If there were clients you especially want to target, write them a handwritten note. The personal touch will go a long way. 
Trade shows can be great opportunities for networking (not to mention people watching)! What other tips do you have for those considering visiting one for the first time? Comment below!

Two IPFW Students Awarded Theodore F. Hagerman Memorial Scholarship Scholarships

Two IPFW students were recently awarded the Theodore F. Hagerman Memorial Scholarship. This merit-based scholarship, founded in memory of Ted Hagerman, is awarded annually to IPFW students enrolled in Engineering or Construction Technology.  Christopher Davis and Peter Truong each received a scholarship in memory of the former President of The Hagerman Group, who led the organization for more than 30 years.

Ted Hagerman, the former CEO of The Hagerman Group, led the construction of the first buildings on IPFW’s campus in the early 1960s.  Following Ted’s passing in 1999, his family members and company employees founded the scholarship in his name.  Ted’s son, Mark, joined the company in 1967 and currently serves as Chairman.  Ted’s Grandson, Jeff, joined the company in 1997 and currently serves as President.

Shown left to right: Nate Fink, President of Hagerman Construction;  Christopher Davis, Scholarship Recipient;  Peter Truong, Scholarship Recipient; Max Yen, Dean of IPFW's College of Engineering 

THG Recognized for Internship Work

Recently, The Hagerman Group was honored as a 30-year internship sponsor by the Construction Engineering & Management (CEM) department at Purdue University.  The award was handed out at the annual Beta Tau Banquet, which was highlighted by a speech from former Purdue president Martin Jischke. 

Our experiences with CEM students over the years have been nothing but positive, and we continue to see the excellence of the program reflected in the work these students produce.  CEM interns can be counted on to show willingness and a passion to learn about the construction industry while sharpening their skills in “real world” applications.  CEM interns are punctual, well-spoken, and take initiative to go above and beyond the normal call of duty.

While we appreciate the efforts of the interns, the CEM Department staff, both past and present, must be acknowledged as well.  The individuals within the department work tirelessly to ensure that their students are well prepared for the challenges in front of them.  These fine folks have always been willing to provide assistance and support to the sponsor firms, and have established the program guidelines that will keep Purdue CEM on the forefront for many years to come.  We would also like to recognize the members of the CEM Advisory Board, as they play a major role in the direction and success of the program.  So, for all contributors to the CEM department over its years of existence, a very sincere Hagerman Group “thank you”!

Below: THG accepts the sponsorship award.  Pictured are (from L to R): Michael Ryan, current THG intern; Adam Keller, THG Internship Coordinator; and Brandon Fulk, CEM Internship Director.

Written By: Adam Keller | Project Engineer  

Why the new LinkedIn iPad app will blow your mind

LinkedIn is the premier online business network and is growing at a rate of 2 new members each second. At over 160 million members worldwide, it's easy to see why LinkedIn is a business networking powerhouse. We cover a lot of powerful tips and tricks for using LinkedIn more effectively in our free webinar: Become a LinkedIn Power User.

Aside from the website, LinkedIn offers an iPhone app and a nice mobile site. However, the business-focused social media site recently unveiled a shiny new iPad app and it is amazing.

For starters, the app is beautiful and well-designed. Upon launch, you are presented with a nice, clean screen with 3 options: All Updates, You, and Inbox. Tapping "You" leads to a nice snapshot of your profile, including who has recently viewed it, and suggestions for people you may know. It also gives you quick access to sharing an update.

"Inbox" leads to your messages and correspondence with others. It also includes open invitations to connect, letting you easily manage them in one place.

The real beauty of the app is demonstrated, however, when opening the "All Updates" option. This opens up a rich landscape of industry articles and content from your network that is presented in a visually-stunning newpaper format. If you've ever used Flipboard, you'll notice some similarites. The app arranges update and articles in a gorgeous image-heavy format that makes it fun to use LinkedIn.

Additionally, one of the coolest features is the "Link Your Calendar" option in this section. After doing this, I now have a list of my upcoming events along with the names and photos of everyone who is on the meeting invite. It automatically pulls in the LinkedIn profiles of everyone in the meeting! I can see a lot of value here for sales professionals or anyone who wants to gather information about who they are meeting with prior to the appointment.

After playing around with the app a bit, I get the impression that LinkedIn is positioning itself to become the default news app for the iPad. It's pretty brilliant because not only do you get relevant industry news, but you also get content and posts from people in your network. This mix of content creates a very personalized experience and rivals what any newspaper can do.

LinkedIn remains one of my favorite social networks and the new iPad app makes it even more useful. I can see this being extremely valuable for business owners, sales professionals, marketing people, and really anyone who networks.

Hagerman Safety News Briefs #1

OSHA Issues Top Ten Most Frequently Cited Standards for 2012

1.    Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501)

2.    Hazard communication standard, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200)

3.    Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451)

4.    Respiratory protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134)

5.    Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147)

6.    Powered industrial trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178)

7.    Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053)

8.    Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, general industry (29 CFR 1910.305)

9.    Machines, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.212)

10. Electrical systems design, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.303)

In addition, OSHA compiled a list of the standards for which the highest penalties were assessed in FY 2012. The top three standards responsible for the highest penalties were fall protection, construction; scaffolding, general requirements, construction; and control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry.