The Electronic Holiday Card
'Tis the Season.I just had a fantastic networking/brainstorming meeting last week with an excellent group of AEC marketing folks in DC. Interestingly enough, the topic of holiday cards came up and I was surprised how many firms were not doing anything at all, and even...
The Value of Reputation…and Marketing
The past few weeks I've been in search of several different service providers: accountants and programmers to name a few. In each case I reached out to my network as a first step. Who do I know that may have used these services recently, and whom did they call?My...
But all the Architects are doing it!
Jumping off the social media bridgeI'm the first to admit that I'm kind of a nut about my website and blog analytics...almost obsessive about it really. I love looking at traffic swings from day-to-day, month-to-month and beyond. Of course, who doesn't love to look at...
How much more can we say on a booth display?
Depending upon your particular perspective, conferences can be a necessary evil or a welcome opportunity for networking and business development. Regardless of how you view them, if you exhibit at any conferences at all, you've grappled with booth design, how many...
Service Is Still King
Most of my posts focus on the importance and benefits of marketing for businesses in the architecture, engineering, construction and real estate industry.Where does client service fit in? After all, it isn't really related to marketing, right?People often think that...
Learning from Consumer America
It's a fact that marketing for professional services (especially firms in the AEC industry) is a whole different ball of wax than consumer product marketing.It is also a fact however, that decision makers "buying" services are people, just like the consumers that buy...
How is your 2010 looking?
According to the Consensus Construction Forecast from a few months ago, next year still isn't looking wonderful for the industry...at least the nonresidential side.So when we're so busy thinking about making it through this week, next week, next month...how do we...
How Can My Firm Benefit from Hiring a Consultant?
I decided to write this post as a follow up to a few conversations I've had in the past two weeks. I thought the subject matter (although a bit self-serving, I'll admit), was a great one because so many people have asked questions about When or Why to hire a...
Frank Lloyd Wright as a Marketer?
Frank Lloyd Wright, "the greatest architect America has ever produced", is revered for his practice of organic architecture. His attention to the site and surroundings of his works often inspired the outcome of his buildings greatly.As I read this article in the...
Clear Ways to Measure the Success of Your Marketing Efforts
Proving the success of your marketing efforts can be a moving target. While most AEC businesses wish it was as simple as "Hi, I'm calling because I saw your ad..." it rarely is. Because of the complex and often indirect nature of successful marketing campaigns it is...
What to ask for in a business development person.
I know hiring a business development person CAN work...but often it doesn't. With firms across the country looking for new ways to bring in contracts, a business development person is a likely scenario for many. If your business, whether an architecture/engineering...
What’s in a name?
I’d like to throw this post out for fun to provoke a potential shift in industry thinking about AEC firm brands.In a utopian society, every project your firm completes would:Evoke an emotional responseLeave a lasting impressionBe relevant to, yet remarkable amongst,...