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Everywhere you look, people are proclaiming how "green" they are. We were even thinking of pointing out how "green" it is to reduce the overall page size of Construction Distribution -- it does use less paper, of course, but it was a design decision, not an environmental one.

But, according to a recent piece in The Wall Street Journal, the whole idea of being green is taking a backseat to a new, more tangible concept: Value. Green hasn't gone away, and probably never will. But, companies are putting sharp pencils to their "value equation." In many cases, people can't or won't pay for premium experiences any more. More than ever, your customers are very concerned with getting "bang for the buck," and asking "what's in it for me?"

The financial crisis we are experiencing changes everything. The success of products and brands is being reshuffled as consumers re-examine the choices they are making.

As the construction industry mandates more "green" building materials, you'll be selling more "green," too. But now's the time evaluate everything you are offering customers to see how you can underline the value of your organization, people and products. Your brand. 

While "Green" will continue to be a hot button, promoting (and delivering) value at every level will be the foundation we all build our futures on. Building your brand on that kind of foundation is a way to step ahead of the competition in a market that's desperate to keep moving forward while pinching every single penny along the way.

By the way, we have changed CD

It should have been obvious when you picked up this issue that Construction Distribution has changed a bit. A magazine is a dynamic, evolving thing; much more than paper and ink. The new logo style and the new size -- it's called an "executive" size, by the way (does that make you feel special?). It provides a more contemporary look and feel. It will fit better in your In Box and on your bookshelves when you file it as a reference. Your mail carrier will probably like it better, too.

While the new pages are a little smaller than the old look, they are larger than conventional journal-size magazines like Time or Newsweek, for example. So, you'll get the same editorial content in an easy-to-read format. Content isn't changing. Look at it like you've looked at the evolution of the battery-operated tools on your shelves -- we've made each issue more compact and more ergonomic while retaining all the power and performance.

If you haven't been to www.constructiondistribution.com recently, we think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you do. It too has been given a new, fresh look and we're pouring more and more content into it almost every day. And, when you jump on the CD website, renew your free subscription while you're there and sign up for our free e-newsletter so you don't miss a thing!

We'd love to hear what you think of the new look -- of the magazine and the website. Shoot me an e-mail at butch.horn@cygnusb2b.com.

-- A.D. "Butch" Horn
butch.horn@cygnusb2b.com
www.constructiondistribution.com