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The new age of selling Creating a hybrid seller-doer team comprised of business development people and technical experts is a good way to win new work.
A s few as 25 years ago, our industry relied almost exclusively on relationships as the means to obtain work. It was actually taboo to use the word “sell” as it implied that we as architects and engineers were no different than a street vendor, hawking his wares to anyone who happened to walk past. Just like that vendor, we only sold to those who happened to pass by. Our only difference was that we were not as vocal.
Stephen Lucy
MARKET RESEARCH WILL DRIVE SUCCESS. Research must be a cornerstone to maintain existing markets and clients, and in the expansion into new markets and acquisition of new clients. Strong business developers must perform due diligence that dives deep into their firm’s market sectors and analyzes those trends that impact our industry, such as the economic environment, population growth, and more global issues based on local, state, or federal policy changes or funding opportunities. The most important role of the business developer is to acquire knowledge that informs you about what you should or shouldn’t be doing in target- ing prospects. All firms tend to tout the technical knowledge of their professional staff, but market
Fortunately, times have changed and our industry has grown to appreciate the value and absolute necessity of marketing and business development. But as we have grown to embrace selling, are we as effective as we can be in positioning our firms to obtain work? After all, we are just one of many options from which the consumer can choose. In the recently released 2016 Fellows Survey by the SMPS Foundation, several trends highlight evolving methods of selling that will impact both technical and non-technical professionals in the AEC world. Although seller-doer remains the prevalent overarching business development/ procurement model, enhancements to the process must be implemented to assure maximizing firm success.
See STEPHEN LUCY, page 8
THE ZWEIG LETTER August 22, 2016, ISSUE 1165
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