July 18, 2006 Lauren Kolbe of KolbeCo Marketing Resources, a marketing and public relations firm, was the featured speaker at the July meeting of the St. Louis NARI chapter. NARI is the National Association of the Remodeling Industry.

Kolbe was asked to speak about the current state of the remodeling industry in the St. Louis area, and what remodelers can do to effectively market themselves. KolbeCo represents a number of clients in the residential construction industry, both in new homes and remodeling. Clients include Mosby Building Arts, Sinn Design Build, Riggs Construction, Metropolitan Design Build, Highland Homes, Vantage Homes, and others.

Kolbe described the St. Louis housing market, noting the predominance of aging stock in need of updating and repair. “According to data from Joe Zanola and Market Graphics of St. Louis, the average age of the housing stock in St. Louis County is around 40 years old,” explained Kolbe. “Along with the severly limited amount of land for new construction in St. Louis County, this means we have a great pent-up demand for remodeling services. Now is the time for remodelers to position themselves to take advantage of this.”

Kolbe recommended that remodelers find their voice, passion and strengths when preparing to market to target prospects. “Speak with a cohesive voice, find a simple rallying cry that motivates prospects, and be consistent. Don’t think that one ad or one direct mail piece is going to be your magic bullet. Create a campaign, mix your media, and stick with it,” advised Kolbe. “Remember, you’re in this with your customers for the long haul.”

A copy of Kolbe’s presentation is available electronically by request. Please email info@kolbeco.net to receive a copy.

KolbeCo is a full-service Marketing and Communications firm focusing on small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of industries, including construction, manufacturing, health care, and professional services. KolbeCo provides strategic planning, advertising, graphic design, direct mail, web design, special events, and a full range of public relations services. For more information, please call Lauren Kolbe at 636-916-3785 or visit KolbeCo online at www.kolbeco.net

July 01, 2006 Lauren Kolbe, President of KolbeCo Marketing Resources in St. Charles, has been elected President of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Marketing Association.

A member of the chapter’s Board of Directors since 2002, Kolbe has served as Vice President of Administration and spent the 2005-2006 AMA season as President-Elect.

“I’m looking forward to expanding AMA’s reach to small businesses in both St. Louis and St. Charles counties,” Kolbe said. “During the 2006-2007 season, we’ll be actively seeking to diversify our programming to include more networking and educational opportunities, as well as special events in St. Charles county and the Metro East.”

Kolbe has added new positions to the AMA board this year in preparation for new initiatives, including a VP of Community Relations and a VP of Professional Development. “I’m fortunate to have a wonderful board, one that’s made up of marketers who are committed to serving our membership through education, professional development, and community based activities.”

AMA St. Louis’ mission is “To advance the study and practice of marketing.” The 2006-2007 season will kick off with a networking social at Busch’s Grove in Ladue on Thursday, August 3rd at 5:30. Lunch meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month beginning in September. Details and schedule will be posted at www.ama-stl.org onced finalized.

KolbeCo is a full service marketing and public relations firm located in St. Charles. For more information, please call 636-379-3895, or visit www.kolbeco.net.