Just because I don't sell stuff, that doesn't mean to say that my being involved in BP is not commercial promotion. As a consultant, one of the main methods of commercial promotion is being visible.
If I am seen out in the marketplace, then people have the opportunity to discover who I am. If along the way I am seen to know something about what I am talking about, then people know that I can help them. If this means that when they have a problem and want somebody to help them, they think of me, then my commercial promotion (or marketing) has worked.
Another useful marketing approach as a consultant is to help people solve little problems without charging. Then they feel an obligation when they've got a bigger problem to see whether they can 'help me' in return. Sometimes it doesn't work. Such is life. Other times it leads to positive long term relationships. It is a bit like the stuff on relationship contracting that was posted a week or two ago.
So if I were to interpret the "no commercial promotion" rule in such a literal sense, then I would have to stop contributing to this list. Because my contributions tell you all that I am here, and can help if you ever need it. And I am happy to contribute to solving people's little problems if I can.
Getting back to Mr Edison and his patching mortar, I apologise if it was through my inclusion of a paragraph in my contribution to the patching debate about wanting to use Edison Coatings' products down here in Australia that gave the impression that Michael Edison was indulging in commercial promotion.
Yes, I went and checked out his website as a result of reading some of his postings to BP (or was it P-L?). And yes, I was impressed by what I saw, and even more so, but what I have heard on an ongoing basis.
However, as you can tell by reading my postings, I don't agree with everything Mike says. That's natural.
So when I decided to try and get some good restoration mortar patching products into the marketplace here (as a specifier, it's a real problem), I went to Michael. Why? Because I had the impression that he knew what he was talking about, and because he was prepared to do the lab testing AND SHARE THE ANSWERS, GOOD OR BAD, with anybody who wanted to see. That is not common in my experienced of dealing with materials manufacturers or suppliers.
So, to come back to my point above, if a manufacturer or a supplier is prepared to share their knowledge about the products they make, and be open with information, then I welcome their contribution to the knowledge pool. If as a result of that, I decide to give them business, that is my choice.
Whilst there has been some criticism of other products, my perception of that is that it has been focussed on either the published data for the product (and if other manufacturers don't publish the same information, then how can we compare), or on philosophies with regard to applicator training and licensing.
Healthy debate is good for the industry, and I think we all learn from it. This debate is also healthy, because it serves to remind us all that on an email forum , as in real life, we don't necessarily know who is listening. So we should be careful to make honest statements that are based on fact and not emotion. I know that I'm still trying to learn that lesson. And so I am grateful to you all for contributing to my personal development.
In case I don't get another chance, best wishes to all on BP for a very merry christmas (but don't drink and drive).
Cheers
david
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david west
Arup Facade Engineering
477 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000
PO Box Q116, QVB Post Office NSW 1230
Australia
Tel: +61 (02) 9320 9447
Fax: +61 (02) 9320 9321
Mobile: +61 (419) 223 405
Email: [log in to unmask]
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