Commemorating the role of women in A/E/C marketing and business development.

In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, we’d like to acknowledge our members in advancing the work of women in the A/E/C industries. Your contributions to our industries and professions continue to make an impact. To highlight some of our members, we’ve picked a few videos and articles that showcase thought leadership.

Two Cents in Two Minutes | Krystle English, MBA, CPSM

Working from home while managing a household can be tricky. In an episode of Two Cents in Two Minutes, Krystle English, CPSM, shares five tips on managing your workload and your family.

Two Cents in Two Minutes | Maisha Hagan

Some things are out of our control—but some things are within our influence. In Two Cents in Two Minutes, Maisha Hagan shares three goals to leverage influence for short- and long-term career success.

Two Cents in Two Minutes | Jen Newman, FSMPS, CPSM

The way you say something is more important than the words you choose. During Two Cents in Two Minutes, Jen Newman, FSMPS, CPSM, shares tips on how to make sure your message comes across as intended.

How 1 Case Study = 3 Wins | Leslie A. Blaize, CPSM

A/E/C firms continually look for ways to differentiate themselves. Case studies can provide an important step toward achieving that goal. Add them to your toolbox, and you’ll find countless ways to repurpose content.

How 1 Case Study = 3 Wins was featured in the December 2020 issue of Marketer. Our featured photographer for the issue was Ines Leong. Based in Brooklyn, NY, Ines has collaborated with clients in the built environment globally. Her work has also been featured in A+U, Architectural Record, and The New York Times, to name a few.

Social Media in A/E/C | Sherilyn Tkacz

In today’s virtual climate, social media becomes more important than ever. It’s a continuous avenue and a highlight reel with which to impress potential clients and employees.

Executive Horizontal Mentoring means pairing two executives together for a mutually beneficial relationship. In contrast to traditional mentorship, there isn’t a mentee and a mentor, but two executives that are open to learning from each other.  

After operating Executive Horizontal Mentoring programs, one of the biggest things I have learned is the benefit of being able to relate to another leader and how powerful connection can be.

In a recent discussion, a CEO of a software company compared it to a therapist going to another therapist for therapy.

The Chief Financial Officer of an insurance company found it relieving to know that even somebody in a different industry and size of company as him faced very similar issues.

The Chief People Officer for a financial firm felt that he could be significantly more vulnerable in a mentor relationship with an HR executive outside of his company than with somebody from within the company.

As an executive, being able to relate to somebody else has immense benefits. This article sheds light on 3 major benefits of executive mentoring and the benefit of being able to relate.

Affirmation

A person doesn’t become an executive by accident. It takes hard work, persistence, and patience waiting for the proper circumstances and the right opportunity to align itself. Once you have earned your way to this position, you might feel like you need to have all of the answers. As an executive for my own company, I personally felt this. It felt like because I had worked up to this role for so long, I needed to be the bedrock of answers that I thought my team needed, even when I had no clue what the best move should be. 

Having an executive mentor can help reinforce and affirm your decisions. You may have a team that is reluctant to challenge you. Because of this, their words of affirmation probably won’t mean as much to you since they may have additional reasons to agree with you (even if they don’t realize it!). 

Hearing honest feedback from another executive who has been through similar things is powerful. You know they don’t feel the pressure to simply affirm your beliefs. Instead, they choose to agree because they truly believe that you made the right decision and this feels incredible!

That feeling of affirmation from a peer can be exalting. It gives you the confidence to continue taking strong steps in the direction you have chosen because an unbiased, but experienced, party is backing you up.

To give an example of this, I will share the story of my business partner, Dave Criswell, who is incredible at affirming people. Dave and I met on the tennis court (we both play in a doubles tennis group). Dave is in his mid-50’s, doesn’t move particularly fast, and doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard. But he rarely loses in doubles. Why? Because he is incredible at affirming his partner. Dave has played tennis long enough that he knows what good strategy is. He never gets mad at his partner for mistakes but is great at conveying the positives and negatives based on certain strategies deployed during a rally (e.g. hit down the line, lob over the net player, hit cross-court, etc.).

When you are his partner in tennis, even if you take an action that he doesn’t agree with, he is great at affirming your move by understanding the potential upside if your action works, while also doing a great job of conveying the alternative options that are available that might have been an easier method to achieving the ultimate outcome (e.g. winning the point). Dave brings out the best in me (and anybody he plays tennis with) because I know that the feedback he is giving me is authentic, that he trusts me to make whatever decision I believe is best at that moment, and that he could easily get angry when I make a mistake but he instead chooses to teach me. Individually, Dave and I aren’t necessarily the best tennis players. Together, however, we have (occasionally!) beaten guys who played tennis in college. No small feat! 

In an executive mentoring relationship, having somebody to affirm you and believe in you feels incredible.

Vulnerability

Having somebody outside of your company to be vulnerable with can be life-changing. As an executive, I have friends that I grab drinks with and share business updates with, but those conversations are inconsistent and usually unfocused. They have their own business to focus on and we aren’t truly intentionally listening, reflecting, and empathizing with each other. 

In an executive mentoring relationship, there are two executives who have committed to building a deep relationship with another executive who can relate. This is another person who is in a similar position as you, maybe not the same industry or size of company, but that cares about listening, learning, and understanding your situation just as much as you are of theirs. 

Once rapport is built, it is significantly easier to be vulnerable with each other which then leads to trust and legitimate business outcomes.

To put it into context, how often do you share your business goals with your executive friends? If you do, how often are they intentionally listening to what you are saying, willing to challenge you based on inconsistencies you have mentioned in the past, and follow up with you monthly to see if you are on track for these goals? 

The answer is probably no for the first question, but if it is yes, it is probably no for the second question. Why? Because executives are busy! If you haven’t set an intentional agenda and consistent meetings committed to you working on these goals, you are probably not achieving the outcomes you would like from your executive peer network. 

An executive mentoring relationship creates an environment conducive for two busy executives to spend their time effectively and meaningfully so then they can achieve maximum business results in the least amount of time. 

Those results multiply when both executives feel comfortable being vulnerable with each other.

Growth

Growth incorporates both business and personal outcomes. If your business is growing but your personal life is falling apart, eventually your personal life will creep into your work life and those effects could be irreversible. 

An executive mentor can help you find a balance between work and personal life. The benefit of being able to relate is that your excuses for why you can’t spend time with your family, spouse, and friends, are no different from theirs: they are in the same position as you. If they have discovered ways to find balance, you can, too. And they will probably pick up a tip or two from you at the same time. 

You may not be comfortable sharing these personal issues with just anyone. Whether it’s your colleagues at work, multiple people in your executive peer network, or a coach, they may not know or be able to relate to exactly what you are going through. 

An executive mentor solves this by providing a safe place for you to share. Just by being able to acknowledge the challenges you are going through, you are already on a trajectory towards growth. Holding it all in doesn’t help you or anyone that you live or work with. 

The ability to relate to another executive in a mentoring relationship can not only drive professional growth but personal growth as well.

Overall, executive horizontal mentoring can have a massive benefit on the impact of leaders. The ability to relate to another executive provides a lens into what could be for an executive and an opportunity to drive personal and professional growth. Executive mentors help executives avoid wasted time and mistakes by being able to build a bond with another executive who can relate.

This article first appeared on Ambition In Motion’s blog and is authored by Garrett Mintz, founder of Ambition In Motion.

Horizontal mentorship is the premier way to implement an employee mentor program. It’s a mentoring relationship between employees across or within departments free from the influence of the workplace hierarchy.

In theory, the idea of vertical mentorship makes sense. A more experienced/knowledgeable person providing wisdom to a less experienced/knowledgeable person.

But, what vertical mentorship alone doesn’t account for is the personal drivers of each person in the relationship and its impact on the longevity and quality of that relationship over time.

Vertical mentorship opens the door for ego and ego is the biggest deterrent to successful mentoring relationships.

To show this point, let’s discuss the story of Shawn. Shawn is the CFO of a major company. He loves the idea of mentorship and believes that he has a lot of wisdom to share with somebody else. But, because Shawn is an executive, he doesn’t necessarily see the relationship being mutual. He’s fine with only providing his wisdom without any expectation of anything in return.

On the surface, this seems altruistic of Shawn…but in reality, Shawn is a nightmare for the other person he is in a mentoring relationship with.

The issue is that Shawn sees himself as an altruistic provider of information. What Shawn doesn’t realize is that his lack of willingness to listen and learn from the other person he is in a mentoring relationship with cripples the relationship. The person Shawn is in a relationship with cannot feel fully connected to Shawn because all Shawn does is spout advice. Shawn doesn’t come prepared with questions to meetings because Shawn perceives himself as a “reactive mentor” meaning that he can excuse himself from preparing for mentor meetings because his reactions to the other person’s questions should be enough to make the relationship valuable.

The result, the relationship fades away because the other person is frustrated with Shawn not being open to learning something from him while Shawn has no idea why the relationship ended and perceives the other person as being ungrateful for not taking full advantage of his wisdom.

The point is that vertical mentorship exaggerates workplace hierarchies and dehumanizes the mentoring relationship.

As opposed to the mentoring relationship being mutual where two people can give to and take from the relationship, it creates an awkward relationship where one person feels belittled and the other person feels disrespected. Vertical mentorship feels more like a transaction and less like a mutually beneficial relationship.

Horizontal mentorship leverages the inherent drives and values people have at work (Work Orientation) and matches them based on those drives.  

No matter the matches’ age, years of experience, or area of expertise, when people are matched together in horizontal mentorship, they are on a level playing field.

This means that both participants come prepared to each mentor meeting with questions for each other and stories to share. 

This means that both participants are willing to be open-minded enough to learn from somebody else regardless of their age or experience, willing to ask questions, and willing to share past mistakes.

Horizontal mentorship removes the transactional nature of vertical mentorship. It breaks through communication barriers and creates empathy between employees at work. 

For building an employee mentor program, horizontal mentorship is the way to go. 

Even if the goal is for a junior employee to learn a skill from a senior employee, if the perception is vertical mentorship, the senior employee is going to perceive the relationship as a hassle while the junior employee is going to feel belittled. If the perception is that this type of mentor relationship is horizontal, it empowers the junior employee and gives the senior employee motivation to engage in the relationship because he now stands to gain something from the relationship.

This article first appeared on Ambition In Motion’s blog and is authored by Garrett Mintz, founder of Ambition In Motion.

Marketing is a unique field because it requires its professionals to use both analytical and creative skills. As with many other creative industries, it can be difficult to come up with an idea that speaks to everyone. That’s why, when crafting proposals, it’s important to ensure you’re collecting honest feedback from your team throughout the process. Although this seems like a simple task, obstacles like groupthink can easily derail a whole project. Working remotely has added an additional barrier that makes this process even more difficult.

To learn how to avoid these pitfalls and craft excellent proposals remotely, we collected insights from 11 marketing experts. With their techniques and strategies, you can ensure you’re delivering a proposal that will maximize your company’s or client’s market dominance.

Seek Feedback from Others

Sometimes it’s difficult to peel the mask off a marketer and see the flaws in a marketing plan. This is where seeking the input and feedback from a team member outside the project can be one of the most important steps of finalizing a proposal. Find someone who hasn’t been involved and have them look at the proposal as if they’re the ones being pitched. They know the company so they will understand what to look for without the bias of being part of the team–Kimberly Kriewald, Avana Capital

Have the Courage to Pick up the Phone

There are several tools and platforms that allow you to see who is online, have a video call, share screens, create polls and even collaborate in the same document in real time–all with just a few clicks. So, become a master of the tools you have to collaborate in a remote environment and embrace video. Also remember it takes initiative to break the norm and put the tools to use. If you do, you’ll gain valuable insights and develop stronger proposals with the added benefit of building better relationships with your coworkers.–Justin Juley, HNTB

Communicate Now About How To Communicate Later

First, be patient. A person on your team might have kids doing home school right now, their spouse might be having a rough day or another number of reasons they’re not responding to your requests. Second, ask them how they prefer to communicate in different scenarios before you get in a bind. For example, when you need an answer fast, is text OK? Or when you just need input when they can get to it, is an email ok? When should I just call you and ask a question? Especially in tight timeframes, make the questions simple and easy to answer so you can produce a well drafted marketing proposal.–Frank Lippert, GO Strategies

Make Your Goals Clear 

When working remotely, on something especially as extensive as a marketing proposal, it’s easy to lose sight of the overall goal and mission you hope to accomplish. Sit down on a call with your team and identify your main objectives and how you hope to achieve them so everyone is on the same page. –Chris Dunkin, Portable Air 

Engage with Team Members 

We’ve all had to adapt to this virtual environment quickly. For marketers, it’s all about relationships. Without face-to-face meetings, maintaining relationships can be challenging. However, today’s technology is so powerful and let’s face it, video has been around for quite some time. While working remotely, the key is to go the extra mile to connect and engage with your team members). A quick video call can be much more effective than a two-hour email chain. And most importantly, video gives us the opportunity to connect using eye contact and body language and get more things done.–Tiffany Gibson, DLZ

Look at Proposals From a Different Perspective

Ask about where the initial idea came from and how it leads to a specific feature. This will give you insight into the process and history of the marketing proposal. After that, creating a realistic and appealing marketing message is a lot easier. It’s easy to get lost in the world of marketing terms and techniques, so take a moment to consider your proposal from other departments’ perspectives to see if you can find unique benefits.–Dr. Marc M. Batschkus, Archiware

Virtually Observe Body Language

Don’t be afraid to ask them your team to hop on a video call with you. Emails and chats are usually ineffective at seeking feedback for large projects such as marketing proposals. Use the video call as a sort of mock-pitch and have them sit in as an executive or client. Observe their facial expressions and comments. You will catch mistakes and strengths that you may have missed before and you can obtain comments from another person who does not have any bias toward the work already done.–Jon Schneider, Recruiterie 

Cut to the Meat of the Conversation

These days, remote work somehow manages to make the smallest tasks ten times more hectic. If you’re seeking advice from someone that’s outside your department, ensure that you cut to the meat of the conversation of what you need from them. This includes providing them a list of questions beforehand and specifying the areas that you want them to focus on when they review your proposal. Using team management software such as Asana, assign them tasks with detailed descriptions and deadlines so that they can better organize their time to help you. Giving team members the proper tools beforehand will better equip them when it gets down to actually finalizing a proposal.–Thylan Le, Markitors

Collaborate  

Working for a fast-paced startup, I have learned the importance of collaboration and to lean on my insightful and knowledgeable colleagues. While working remotely,  I recommend utilizing your company’s internal messaging system if it’s a short request, but if you need more time to go over something, I would schedule a meeting via Zoom. Come prepared with questions and take notes. Sometimes I’ll even record a Zoom call if I think the information will be extremely useful down the road, then I can go back and revisit the conversation at any time (I always ask for everyone’s permission before pressing record though.). I also make sure to be respectful of everyone’s time by sticking to the scheduled meeting end time and following up via email afterwards, if there’s anything additional needed. Despite working remotely, it’s still very possible (and important) to stay connected and gain insights from others on your team.–Marissa Litner, SmartRent

Commit to Deadlines and Celebrate Minor Wins

When you can’t walk down the hall for information, an effective proposal kick-off meeting with the right parties involved is more important than ever. Set expectations to use video ahead of time to avoid multitasking. Keep the team engaged and avoid dead air with a strong agenda outlining the goals for the meeting. Pro-tip: have contributors commit to their deadlines on the video call, and follow up with a team summary to add an extra layer of commitment and accountability. Celebrating major wins and sharing pursuits through a monthly report or call also helps everyone realize the importance of a request when it comes across their desk. And don’t forget, gratitude goes a long way when you have something unexpected pop up.–Brittany Williams, Mead & Hunt

Set Up the Best Virtual Environment for Feedback

Technical staff are full of valuable knowledge, it is important to provide them a space to discuss their work versus asking for a boiled down 100-word description. Conducting a video call where you can screen-share helps foster these types of conversations. Oftentimes what they currently have up on their screen is something that adds value to your proposal, presentation, etc. Start by explaining the purpose of the meeting, provide an overview of the RFP scope, client hot buttons, etc., outline the winning angle, then review the images and associated information, asking for input throughout the conversation. “Do you think that this project/image demonstrates this best, or do you have a better suggestion? Is this a problem (or project type) that your clients are concerned with?” This type of interaction seems to be far more productive than sending a draft and requesting verbiage or an updated image. Allow them some space to think outside of the box and your proposal will reap the benefits.–Lauren Homme, Environments for Health Architecture

This article has been provided by Markitors, a digital marketing company located in Arizona.

When popular search engines review and rank your firm’s website content, the content in your social channels is also included. So, too, are mentions about your firm in the news media. Smarter bot algorithms and organic human searches are converging to quickly assess the relevance of all that content in microseconds. Are you worthy of showing up in search results?

One of the best indicators that your social content is worth displaying is whether you’re increasing your followers and getting them to interact with your content. This is, of course, the goal of every marketer.

In 2019, the top social platforms used by B2B marketers included Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram in that order, according to Social Media Examiner. Video platforms are gaining traction, with YouTube and Facebook in the lead. Yet only 44% of surveyed marketers agreed that they could actually measure ROI from their organic social activities (e.g., posting, commenting, following). And most marketers (95%) still want more tips for engaging audiences.

To read more, download the full article.

Article, written by Christine Nelson, first appeared in the February 2020 issue of Marketer.

More than just a destination, successful trade show management is all about the trip.

Imagine you’re preparing for your dream vacation. Before setting your Out of Office message in your email, you thought ahead. You researched and planned. Maybe you developed a detailed itinerary, coordinated with travel companions, or lined up a pet sitter.

Apply this same scenario to your trade show planning. Each show is a journey, from pre-show marketing to post-show evaluations. Planning, organizing, and follow-up are vital to maximizing your investment as costs for registrations, travel, displays, giveaways, and more add up quickly.

In a November 2018 survey of SMPS members, we asked A/E/C marketers about their trade show experiences. By applying modern trade show practices and tools identified through our survey, marketers can transform their conference processes, achieve business goals, and make a lasting impact on their firms. We hope you’ll use these results to transform your own journey.

To read more, download the full article.

Article written by Amy J. Collins, FSMPS, CPSM, and Ali Detar, CPSM, first appeared in the December 2019 issue of Marketer.

Many A/E/C and environmental firms remain skeptical about social media—and that skepticism can be well-founded. While some firms have jumped in with both feet and even mastered this area, too many are overwhelmed or simply not sure where, or even if, to focus their efforts. For most firms, creating a sustainable, realistic, and effective social media strategy means starting small and mastering what we call Marketing 101 before moving on to more.

The social channel you need to master? LinkedIn.

To read more, download the full article.

This article, written by Rich Friedman, first appeared in the December 2019 issue of Marketer.  

What will the future hold for professional services marketers? This question was top of mind earlier this year when SMPS launched a research initiative to attempt to answer that question. More than 330 members participated in the research, which sought to gain insight into current marketing practices and predictions as to how these practices will evolve over the next three years.

One of the primary drivers for the research was to look at current business-to-consumer (B2C) practices, and to shine a light into how they are being incorporated into the business-to-business (B2B) market space, specifically in the A/E/C industries.

Survey participants were asked about their firm’s use of myriad approaches—what are they currently doing and how likely are they to incorporate these approaches over the course of the next three years?

A trend is defined as a general direction in which something is changing. The predicted trends over the next three years demonstrate that SMPS members believe they will increasingly incorporate marketing techniques being heavily utilized in the B2C sector today.

For instance, consumer-oriented marketers, like Amazon, are heavily focused on elevating the customer experience, incorporating a continual stream of data to customize their offerings and keep their customers coming back again.

To read more, download the full article.

Written by Scott D. Butcher, FSMPS, CPSM, and first appeared in the December 2019 issue of Marketer.

In A/E/C, we have a lot of processes. Your company has a process for deciding which projects you’ll go after. Your marketing team has a process for capturing information for use on proposals. You even have a process for how you start each morning when you get into work. But what do you do when those processes start to create clutter instead of efficiency?

If you’re the boss, you can change those processes. Even if you’re not the boss, you can still have an impact on what will work for you and your team. Decluttering is the process of getting rid of that which no longer serves you. It doesn’t have to be decluttering your closet or your home. Decluttering can help in all aspects of your life, including at work.

Here are five processes you can use to declutter your CRM. These will help you and your teams be more productive and efficient so you can concentrate on winning more work.

To read more, download the article.

Article, written by Krystle English, CPSM, first appeared in the August 2019 issue of Marketer.

Below is an excerpt from the ENR article:

The SMPS report, “Powering Up Technology: A Spotlight on Martech” looks at how MarTech tools help design firms and construction companies by allowing deeper understanding and engagement and supports communication with clients and their target audiences. The data also shows that design firms and construction companies aren’t yet applying MarTech solutions—such as social platforms, client relationship management applications, and content management systems — to their fullest potential. The findings and analysis are based on a survey of 500 SMPS members conducted by the SMPS Foundation in conjunction with the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read the Building Design + Construction article>>

Read the ENR article>>