Zweig Group releases 2025 Marketing & Business Development Report

Sep 24, 2025

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Zweig Group, the leading provider of management consulting, research, and education for the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, has released its 2025 Marketing & Business Development Reportthe industry’s most comprehensive resource on how firms approach marketing and business development in today’s competitive environment.

Drawing on responses from leaders across the AEC industry, the report delivers more than 100 data points and benchmarks covering organizational structures, budgets, staffing, technology, and performance metrics. This in-depth resource provides firm leaders with actionable insights into how their peers are structuring, funding, and evolving marketing and BD functions in a rapidly changing landscape.

Key findings include:

  • Marketing leadership. Seventy-nine percent of firms have a full-time marketing leader; nearly 60% combine marketing and business development functions.
  • Business development models. Fifty-five percent of firms rely primarily on seller-doers, while 45% employ dedicated business development staff.
  • AI adoption. AI is increasingly being adopted to support marketing and business development efforts, with 33% of firms using AI regularly and 39% testing AI.
  • Budgets. Median firm-wide marketing budgets rose to $400,000, with large firms reporting annual spend exceeding $3 million.

The 2025 edition is designed for AEC firms seeking to better understand the shifting marketing landscape, benchmark against peers, and identify strategies that drive measurable results. Access the full report here!

About Zweig Group

Zweig Group, a four-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree, is the premier authority in AEC management consulting, the go-to source for industry research, and the leading provider of customized learning and training. Zweig Group specializes in four core consulting areas: Talent, Performance, Growth, and Transition, including innovative solutions in mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, financial management, ownership transition, executive search, business development, valuation, and more. With a mission to Elevate the Industry®, Zweig Group exists to help AEC firms succeed in a competitive marketplace. The firm has offices in Dallas and Fayetteville, Arkansas.