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OPINION
Chasing the shiny ball
I n today’s marketplace, there is so much going on. Recruiting is tough. Meeting clients’ schedules and budgets is tough. Business is much different today than it was even five years ago. The market is tightening in some areas. New clients are coming out of the woodwork. Perhaps there are more opportunities for your firm. Is that a good thing? Maybe. AEC firms should prioritize a clear marketing and business development plan to avoid distractions and strategically pursue profitable, aligned clients and markets.
Lindsay Young, MBA, FSMPS, CPSM
What I mean by that is, don’t let the shiny ball distract you from your firm’s focus! New industries and new clients can be great, but make sure they’re in line with what your firm’s goals are too. By having a clear marketing and business development plan, you can focus on the right industries and the right clients. Knowing what types of clients you want to work for – and the types of projects – helps you steer clear of chasing after that shiny ball and veering off course. Take some time drawing and analyzing your ideal client. Where do they spend their time? What do they enjoy doing? Think of the clients you love to work for right now. What are their characteristics? Why do you love working for them? This is a great place to start when determining what types of clients and markets you should chase. You need to also analyze what
your employees like working on, because they will be more productive and get more fulfillment when working on projects they enjoy. Analyze what clients and markets are profitable. This continually changes, so you must keep a pulse on this. Sometimes government work is more profitable or there is just more available; other times the hot spot is technology companies and data centers. Does your team have the experience to work on these types of projects? Every architect can design. Every engineer can engineer. Every contractor can build. But does it make sense for your firm to design, engineer, or build this type of project for this client? You must ask yourself this question every time you are chasing a new shiny ball.
See LINDSAY YOUNG, page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 9, 2024, ISSUE 1564
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