May AEC firm rankings, lists, awards and PR opportunities

May 14, 2024

Q2 is halfway over. I know!

Historically, this is the time of year when we get a bit more breathing room. The start of summer is often when things slow down a little…

Not this year!

When things are very busy, it may feel too overwhelming for your architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firm to seek out proactive PR opportunities.

No fear! We are here with the strongest opportunities for AEC firms to get the most mileage from their time spent on submissions. Here are a few of our favorites:

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Social media video matters: why and how to do it at your AEC firm (with examples)

April 30, 2024

For better or worse, today’s marketers need to keep the beast we call “Social Media” well-fed. The problem is that the beast’s palette keeps changing.

What’s the optimal post time on each platform? How many posts should I make per week? How is my audience responding? Why are impressions down? Oh wait, they’re up again. Feed? Threads? Stories? Reels? Shorts? Hashtags? What do you mean Congress wants to ban TikTok?!

If you want to keep the social media algorithm happy — and more importantly, your audience engaged — you should consider working video into your strategy.

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April AEC firm rankings, lists, awards and PR opportunities

April 15, 2024

Happy Earth Month!

Whether you’re building green or repurposing content, April is a good time to think about recycling. 

But how to recycle when you don’t know what you’re starting with?

One of the best ways to have an encyclopedia of knowledge about your firm’s work and past projects is to submit for industry awards. These submissions provide a great opportunity to mindfully curate all the reasons why your firm is top tier.

While we keep an eye on AEC awards all year long, below are a few of our favorites for this month:

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How AEC firms can craft a winning DBIA awards submission

March 26, 2024

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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March AEC firm rankings, lists, awards and PR opportunities

March 13, 2024

Mid-March can be a time when luck is top of mind. 

And while we love a found penny and the random four-leaf clover, we see time and again how architecture, engineering and construction firms never luck into coverage. Instead, they proactively seek out opportunities, and we have the best ones for you this month:

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February 2024 AEC firm rankings, lists, awards and PR opportunities

February 16, 2024

Roses are red,

Violets are blue. 

Your AEC firm wants recognition, 

And we want that for you too!

Okay. Writing holiday poems may not be our strong suit. 

But you know what is? Helping our clients find the award programs best suited for their expertise and goals.

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It’s in the (camera) bag: creating an in-house video program

January 29, 2024

Using video in your marketing strategy stacks the odds in your favor — and research proves it!

Multiple studies into buyer behavior demonstrate that people like to see companies use video. It helps them digest information faster and builds brand credibility and authenticity, translating to ROI at a much faster pace. Plus, 91% of businesses are already using video in their marketing strategy, according to one report.

So whether you are an architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firm encouraging your employees to grab more footage in the field or a law firm looking to demonstrate thought leadership with video content, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon, friends!

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

December 21, 2023

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

November 28, 2023

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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Looking for a marketing and PR agency? Consider niche AEC specialists

October 23, 2023

If your company or firm’s marketing team needs a little extra help, or you’re starting from scratch and want to build brand awareness and credibility for your business, hiring a marketing and public relations agency can be a game-changer. 

Maybe you’ve already decided to hire an agency and have begun your search, but how do you find one that is right for your firm? Instead of turning to a jack of all trades who reinvents the wheel with every new client, consider hiring an industry specialist agency. 

This kind of agency (you may already know one!) focuses on one or a few particular sectors, such as the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry (we work with legal clients, too). Because these agencies typically represent clients in only a few focused industries, they offer a level of insider knowledge and experience compared to one representing a grab bag of clients with various needs and nuances. 

So, what are the benefits? 

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