AEC firms that focus on fostering genuine client relationships build trust, loyalty, and long-term success.
With the rapid pace of technological change affecting every aspect of our personal and professional lives, it’s easy to lose sight of what isn’t changing: the AEC business is a relationship business. Remote collaboration and artificial intelligence can’t displace the value that human connection brings to our work; in fact, they arguably make human connection even more valuable. We struggle to truly trust an algorithm, so we long to place our trust in people we know have our best interests at heart.
Inspirational stuff, right? This is where I turn you off by bringing this to the dreaded topic of “sales.” As AEC professionals, many of us tend to love the craft but loathe the process of winning the work. The stigma of the used car salesperson is alive and well, and we often associate the sales process with manipulation and predatory tactics. This is why many firms prefer to hire dedicated sales staff, or “rain makers,” to bear the full burden and responsibility of that activity.
In reality, seller-doers – those who serve both practitioner and client facing roles – can provide tremendous value to AEC firms. Practitioners are best positioned to understand their clients’ needs, how to solve them, and maintain contact throughout the life of projects as those solutions are implemented. As both parties get to know and understand each other, securing the next project becomes much easier. Clients who know and trust you are also more likely to refer you to others and speak well of you out in the world, which is more valuable than any paid advertising you could find. And if you’re the connection point for this tremendous value experienced by your firm, that makes you more valuable.
So, how do you get started on this seller-doer journey? Here are some things to consider:
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Sales strategy. Do you know who your best clients are? Do you even know how your firm defines “best”? Start by understanding who your firm’s best clients are and why. There are many variables one could analyze to make this determination, and no two firms will have the same answer. Answers could include total revenue, profitability, average revenue per project, or average days to pay invoices.
The key is to know what matters most to you and your firm, collect the data, and identify your top 10 percent to 20 percent of clients. Once you know that, focus your love and attention on that group. Also, don’t be afraid to fire the bottom 10 percent to 20 percent of your clients; they are likely responsible for 90 percent of your heartburn. -
Sales tactics. Now that you know who your best clients are, what do you do with them? Tailor your activities and outreach to their interests and your comfort level. Do you and your client both like golf? Great! Do you both like Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal winning pilsners? Great! Find areas of common interest and get it on the calendar. Some clients might like to go catch a professional basketball game; some might like to just grab a cup of coffee. You’ll never know until you ask.
Also, go where your clients are. What conferences, tradeshows, and local organization meetings are they attending? What websites and publications are they following? What hot button topics are affecting their business? Knowing the answers to these questions can guide you to the topics that matter most to them.
Sales does not have to be manipulative or underhanded; all it takes is a mindset shift. Rather than focusing on the outcome (winning new projects), focus on helping others. Understand what your clients need, help them meet that need – whether it leads directly to a project for your firm or not – and be at peace with the outcome. The relationship capital you build over time will be beneficial to you and your firm. Patience is a virtue, and relationships matter now more than ever.
Morgan Stinson is chief operating officer at EEA Consulting Engineers. Contact him at morganstinson@eeace.com.
