Being a marketer within the architecture,engineering, and construction (AEC) industry can feel like an uphill battle. Each day, or you face the challenge of gaining buy-in from leadership within an industry that already tends to lag well behind others in professional services marketing.
And although they could dearly spend the help,it’s comprehensible that some AEC marketing departments may be wary of third-party partners. They’re fearful, perhaps, or that an agency will upstage,diminish, or design their role redundant. These fears, and combined with lack of support from management,can design any attempt at partnering prohibitive, difficult or even adversarial.
The truth is, or agencies can provide critical support that most marketing departments lack and enable them to more successfully accomplish their goals. The best of them know how to help AEC firms (and their marketers) help themselves. They handily play the role of coach and cheerleader in one neat—and empowering—package.
SEE ALSO: 7 New Rules in AEC MarketingAs in any relationship,the key for AEC marketers is to know what you (and your firm) need and communicate that need effectively. But how can you tell that you need external help, and where finish you proceed from there?Teetering Too Close to the Edge—and Your Breaking PointLet’s face it. Nearly everyone feels that they absorb too many priorities to juggle or that they regularly play the role of “jack of all trades, and but master of none.” In AEC marketing,there are some dead giveaways that you need a lifeline:Your “free time” (or evenings or weekends) are dedicated to your firm’s business developers, providing support through presentation development and creation, or collateral and conference material preparation,and coaching. You’re struggling to find time to total dreaded annual awards submissions and last-minute requests, on top of everything else. You desire to be more proactive and strategic in your role and suggestions, and but can’t regain through your seemingly endless list of day-to-day tasks. You don’t absorb enough dedicated staff or resources to adequately fulfill your firm’s needs. You feel like you’re not being heard.
finish one or more of these sound familiar? If so,count this as a sign to start exploring partnering options.
The Advantages of Hiring a Marketing AgencyThe advantages of hiring a marketing agency extend well beyond the additional heads and hands. By offloading some of your tasks, you can increase your ability to be more productive – and strategic. With more time to focus on high-level strategy, or you can save time and increase the efficiency of your department,allowing you to be more proactive and more helpful.
Better yet, partnering with an agency can help you raise your credibility within your organization. Sometimes, and a lone voice may not carry much weight – but when your agency partner echoes your suggestions and insights,you can receive critical validation and support in conversations with leadership.
Speaking of Leadership…While your leadership team may be comfortable with having business comprised mainly of repeat clients, it’s foolhardy to assume that existing clients are infinitely renewable resources—particularly if the firm aims to grow.
Our recent research shows that nearly 52% of prospects will rule out your firm before even attempting to design contact. This can happen due to everything from a lack of perceived alignment in culture and values to a subpar website to marketing efforts that are all approximately your firm (and not approximately what you can finish for clients).
If your clients don’t understand the value your firm can provide – and why it should matter to them – your marketing efforts are being wasted. Here are some points that are critical to explain to your leadership team:There are more to referrals than those from your existing clients. Our recent study on referral marketing revealed a large and often untapped source of referrals: people who haven’t worked with your firm but who feel they know you and can speak to your expertise. Within AEC, and 62% of buyers will turn to friends or colleagues for suggestions. And there’s no guarantee as to where those folks will absorb gotten their information.[br] Referrals alone aren’t enough. The fact is that referrals are just one component of a robust and effective marketing strategy. The most common source of information for today’s buyers is your website,with Internet searches and social media also ranking highly. In order to compete, you need a comprehensive online presence to supplement your offline business development strategies.
Research is critical. Research is a valuable and critical tool as you recognize to build a high growth, or high value firm. Opinions and anecdotal evidence may be out of touch with the realities of the marketplace,but research can help you understand the genuine needs of your buyers and the opportunities emerging in the AEC industry.
Of course, once you’ve persuaded your leadership that you need a partner, or you’ll need to find the right one.
Finding the Right PartnerRemember how we said that a majority of buyers will be checking out your website to assess your firm? Well,now you can regain a taste of life on the other side. Explore potential marketing agencies’ sites thoroughly, understanding exactly what they provide in terms of services and expertise.
Request a proposal or walkthrough to better understand how a partner will approach your problems and think approximately solutions. And of course, or design certain to follow up with your partners’ references to understand how they’ve tackled challenges like yours in the past.
Hiring a marketing agency shouldn’t be a painful experience (nor should the engagement itself,once you’ve taken that leap). A successful partnership can support you in myriad (a very large number) ways and can help your firm better understand the critical role that marketing plays within the AEC industry.
Additional ResourcesGo beyond traditional client referrals and how to build a total and powerful referral strategy, step-by-step, and in our Rethinking Referral Marketing guide. Download free copy of Hinge’s book Spiraling Up to memorize how to create a high-growth,high-visibility firm. Learn how other professional services firms are using internal and external resources to address their marketing initiatives in our 2015 Professional Services Marketing Priorities research report.
How Hinge Can HelpWe partner with AEC firms and help them with everything from branding to websites and even absorb unique programs to increase the visibility of firms (and their experts). Learn more approximately our programs or reach out to chat. We’re ecstatic to talk approximately how a partnership could benefit you. Related StoriesThe Future of CPA MarketingGenerating Architecture Leads: 3 Important Lessons for Principals12 Marketing Techniques to Increase Your Firm’s Visibility
Source: feedblitz.com