Firms that invest in marketing consistently drive growth, credibility, and long-term success.
As a leader in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, you have tons of competing priorities. There are always important, urgent tasks begging for your attention. Unfortunately, it can become challenging to focus on anything else when you have a stack of must-do items always waiting for you and fires to put out.
One of the most valuable lessons that any leader must learn is how to delegate. Not only that, but how to trust that the person or team you’ve delegated each responsibility to can handle it. This is ultimately what frees you up to focus on tasks that move the needle in your business.
What exactly does this entail?
Well, once your team is handling most of the urgent matters and your operation is running like a well-oiled machine, you can shift your focus to important and non-urgent items.
These tend to be big-picture activities that directly support the growth and scaling of your business which include:
- Strategic planning
- Marketing
- Hiring
- Onboarding
- Information technology
- Accounting
By directing your attention to these areas, your focus will no longer be limited to what’s happening in the present moment with your business (as others are aptly handling that for you). You’ll be able to envision where you want your business to go and to lay down the framework for it today.
All of these areas of your business are important. But the one I want to speak to right now is marketing.
Marketing is one of the most underutilized departments in the AEC industry. But just because marketing may feel non-urgent, that doesn’t mean you can afford to put it off for another day. Or to underestimate its value to your company.
AEC businesses that invest in marketing see tenfold results.
With an active and intentional marketing strategy, firms can reap a multitude of benefits:
- Get in front of new clients (and higher quality ones)
- Build credibility in the industry with valuable content (thought leadership)
- Stay top-of-mind with clients
- Retain clients by providing extra value
- Increase profits with strategically-promoted content
- Gain a greater market share in the digital space (and real world)
- Attract and hire the best in the business
- Boost employee morale
Historically, marketing has been relegated to proposal writing for many in the AEC industry. Firms that think small when it comes to marketing will see their businesses stay that way.
In my experience, smart firms and the ones with the greatest longevity in this industry invest in marketing holistically. They put time, effort, and money into brand awareness, digital marketing, and client relations – not just proposal writing.
Just as you’d delegate important, urgent tasks to team members, you’ll need to entrust your marketing efforts to others as well. This is a huge job to handle if you want to see a big payoff.
This is where strategic partnerships with consultants come in handy. An outside expert will not only take a lot of this important, non-urgent work off your hands. Their sole goal and responsibility will be to expand your business. With insider knowledge of the trends and direction of the market, they’ll help you pivot your business strategy and marketing accordingly.
If you’re ready to turn your attention away from dealing with urgent emergencies and tasks, and to start preparing for the future, marketing is a must. Finding an advisor who can learn the ins and outs of your business as well as you do (or even better) is the key to achieving that vision you have for your business one, three, five, or even 10 years down the line.
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Lindsay Young, MBA, FSMPS, CPSM is a marketing services advisor with Zweig Group and president and founder of nu marketing. She can be reached at lyoung@zweiggroup.com. |