28
Feb

Building stronger AEC partnerships through collaborative marketing

February 28, 2025
by: in Marketing strategy , Architecture, Engineering and Construction No comments  

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is built on personal connection. Projects aren’t just about blueprints and budgets. They’re about people. 

Moreover, the journey from concept to project completion isn’t one that any AEC professional embarks on alone. Architects conceptualize designs, engineers optimize their plans, and construction professionals transform ideas into tangible things. It’s an incredibly collaborative field, so why shouldn’t that collaboration extend to marketing?

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23
Jan

The power shift: What AEC marketers can learn from the 2024 election

January 23, 2025
by: in Marketing strategy , Public relations , Architecture, Engineering and Construction No comments  

The 2024 U.S. presidential election vividly illustrated a significant shift in media consumption and, more specifically, who people trust for information and news. For the first time in American history, presidential nominees and their running mates leveraged podcasts more than mainstream media to reach voters, reflecting broader changes in how younger generations access and engage with information.

This transformation is not limited to politics. It’s reshaping the B2B landscape as well. B2B marketers who want to remain a trusted source for their audience need to pay attention to the media landscape shift and adapt their marketing and PR practices to become an industry “influencer” to reach their ideal clients.

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05
Nov

Merry and bright: A blueprint for creating your AEC firm’s 2024 holiday card

November 5, 2024
by: in Content marketing , Architecture, Engineering and Construction No comments  

For architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) marketing teams, wrapping up a successful holiday card campaign feels like a sip of hot cup of cocoa on a snowy, blustery day — a comforting relief! However, developing a holiday card concept, securing firmwide support, and executing the plan can feel more like that after-shave scene in Home Alone. You know the one.

via GIPHY

While you may be tempted to send a quick email with an AI-generated image of elves, a wreath, and some mistletoe, that isn’t the personal touch your clients and business partners will melt over. Holiday cards give AEC firms the chance to express their gratitude for the support and collaboration received throughout the year. They can also communicate your company’s values. You don’t have to overcomplicate it but don’t phone it in.

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09
Jul

Maximizing visibility and impact: how to effectively promote your AEC firm’s projects

July 9, 2024
by: in Public relations , Architecture, Engineering and Construction No comments  

Effectively showcasing your architecture, engineering, and construction firm’s projects is essential for attracting clients, skilled project partners, and top talent. But no one likes a show pony. If you’re going to draw attention to yourself, it better be worth it, and you need to know how to capitalize on your audience’s curiosity in a way that leads to new business opportunities.

From innovative designs to sustainable solutions, each project represents your firm’s expertise and creativity. However, promoting these projects requires a strategic approach to ensure maximum visibility and impact. After all, you don’t want to spam potential clients with fluff. 

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26
Mar

How AEC firms can craft a winning DBIA awards submission

March 26, 2024
by: in Public relations , Architecture, Engineering and Construction No comments  

The fields of architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) are incredibly competitive. Securing a bylined article in a reputable industry publication isn’t the only way to capture the attention of your desired clients. The prestige associated with winning certain AEC awards (I know, I know, you don’t do it for the recognition) can also bolster your firm’s reputation. But not all awards are the same.

Clients won’t be won over by a participation prize, much less one you paid for! If you deliver design-build projects and you’re going to invest money in an annual award submission, the Design-Build Institute of America’s national or regional Design-Build Project and Team Awards, similar to the organization’s leadership awards, are a great place to start, as they’re incredibly competitive and highly esteemed. They also recognize a wide scope of projects, from vertical construction to various infrastructure sectors like aviation, water/wastewater and transportation.

Because the DBIA Awards are so competitive, they require a lot of diligence and documentation to verify design-build best practices were used to improve the project outcome, a process the DBIA dubbed “Design-Build Done Right®.” Like high school algebra, it’s not enough to show the end result; you actually have to show your work. I know, I know. I’m full of good news today.

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26
Mar

How to build your speaking strategy before this year’s conference season

March 26, 2024
by: in Law , Marketing strategy , Lead generation No comments  

Legalweek. ILTACON. American Bar Association (ABA) section seminars. Sector-specific conferences. 

These eclectic events share two things in common: potential clients in attendance and invaluable speaking opportunities to reach them.

Leaders and professionals should consider joining the legal speaking circuit to amp up their profile and build their clientele. After all, speaking engagements are more than just additional CV bullets; they demonstrate authority and expertise to prospects.

However, lawyers and business leaders cannot expect panel invites based on reputation alone (unless they are U.S. Supreme Court justices or Fortune 500 CEOs). The average professional plebian can avoid the submission slush pile by approaching conference season like litigators: building a robust case with strong evidence of prior engagements and accomplishments.

Fortunately, a competitive submission does not need to feature a laundry list of prior speaking engagements — or any at all! What matters more is whether a speaker candidate made an effort to establish their expertise. Establishing third-party credibility through article writing, podcast appearances, smaller speaking engagements and more can give organizers the confidence and social proof they need to gamble on accomplished professionals with valuable insights.

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21
Dec

Going for gold: how to build a reputation as an AEC industry safety leader

December 21, 2023
by: in Public relations , Architecture, Engineering and Construction No comments  

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is becoming more competitive than the Olympic games. There were 3,919,352 businesses in the United States in the construction field alone as of 2022. Building a reputation as a safety leader is a highly effective way to set your company apart from the competition. 

A strong safety record can determine if you win gold (are awarded a new contract) or are sent back to the training room. But if maintaining excellent safety metrics is how a contractor walks the walk, how they market those metrics is how they talk the talk. Both are vital to business development, and each requires a strategic approach. 

I’m no expert at establishing a winning construction safety program, but I can offer eight marketing and public relations tips to get you to the winner’s podium. 

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28
Nov

Shutting the revolving door: how AEC firms can leverage marketing for employee retention

November 28, 2023
by: in Marketing strategy , Architecture, Engineering and Construction No comments  

Labor woes have the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industries in a chokehold. A decreased interest in the trades has caused the pool of skilled workers to dwindle, while the number of AEC professionals entering retirement is threatening to drain the pool altogether. 

The U.S. construction industry had 374,000 job openings in June of 2023, according to a recently released report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These dire statistics underscore the importance of retaining skilled labor and should motivate AEC firms to leverage marketing to combat the exodus. 

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28
Nov

How law firms can speak with one voice through a comprehensive messaging strategy

November 28, 2023
by: in Law , Public relations No comments  

Law firms are known for the diverse minds and unique perspectives they bring to the table for clients. These qualities can be beneficial when developing legal strategies heading into a case or transaction. But that approach does not always lend itself well to law firm PR and content marketing. 

Consider the potential ethics issues that might arise if lawyers don’t have specific client approval to pursue PR on a particular matter. 

Imagine how recruiting could suffer if partners and associates share very different views about what it’s like to work at the firm and promotion opportunities. 

What if the way a firm communicates with clients is far from standardized? 

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11
May

The do’s and don’ts of lawyer cross-marketing during PR opportunities

May 11, 2023
by: in Law , Public relations No comments  

Humor me a hypothetical. 

Let’s say your law firm’s publicist secures you a guest appearance on a leading podcast that caters to one of your primary practice areas. It’s the day of the podcast, and you’re three-quarters through an in-depth Zoom interview. Of course, you’re nailing every question and hitting your talking points — all while showcasing your extensive legal experience and knowledge.

As you relax in your chair (or adjust your feet, for you standing-desk folks), a question arises that brings to mind one of your colleague’s recent successes. But you don’t mention it. The host moves on to the following questions, and the banter continues.

Minutes later, as you close out of your Zoom room and throw on a more casual top, some nagging questions cross your mind:

“Should I have talked about my colleague’s case? Did I miss a big opportunity to promote other attorneys at my firm?”

The answer to both, unfortunately, echoes a trite but true phrase known well to those in the legal industry: “It depends.”

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