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2015 Be loud, proud of your marketing Marketing awards allow firms to recognize support staff’s contributions to overall efforts of the company, provide a measure of return on investments. O P I N I O N
A s we at Zweig Group prepare for our annual Hot Firm and A/E Industry Awards Conference, I am reminded of when I was leading marketing for my A/E firm and the excitement and sense of pride that we had when we won a marketing award.
❚ ❚ Marketing awards reinforce that your marketing messaging is truly differentiated, and that is a powerful affirmation. Too many firms are saying the same things: “Cost effective innovative solutions!” or something similar. There are some really great ideas out there, and to beat them speaks volumes. ❚ ❚ It exposes your team to new ideas. Normally, these award programs are accompanied by an awards banquet or ceremony where attendees get to see other award winning work (at Zweig Group’s conference in September, the Marketing Excellence Awards Luncheon is on Friday, the same day as the Hot Firm and A/E Industry Black Tie Awards Ceremony). This infuses new ideas and approaches that can be used in the future. And don’t worry; your idea is not so good that it cannot be shared. Share and share alike! ❚ ❚ It’s a powerful marketing metric! So, we know establishing marketing metrics can be challenging for design firms. Winning a marketing award says you are on the right track and that you are getting a return on your investment that is beyond that of most of your peers. ❚ ❚ Getting your marketing recognized gives your firm a personality and defines the brand outside of the projects you work on. This gives you positive PR exposure through new channels and can help you in your recruiting and retention efforts. Recognizing your marketing has many benefits. It is important to have an investment strategy that is company-wide and focuses on investment in critical areas like marketing and that you utilize every opportunity to recognize and reward those who are in this critical support function. “Winning a marketing award says you are on the right track and that you are getting a return on your investment that is beyond that of most of your peers.”
When we won our first award, it was the first time in the company’s 89-year history that we had even entered a marketing competition. Both entering the competition and winning the award marked a significant time in our history. For us, it made a statement that we had evolved past the typical engineering firm that only focused on projects into one with a dream and a vision for growth and that we were making investments in marketing that were paying off. “Getting your marketing recognized reinforces the importance of your support teams to the overall success of the firm.” Many firms submit regularly for project awards like those awarded by the ACEC and AIA, and that is fantastic. But, when a firm has the kind of marketing that can compete for an award, it really makes a statement. To me, it says the firm is investing in a critical area that drives growth, business development, and sales. As I have stated in previous articles, many firms find it difficult to invest in marketing because of the challenge in measuring the return. Here are some reasons your firm should be producing award-winning marketing: ❚ ❚ Getting your marketing recognized reinforces the importance of your support teams to the overall success of the firm. There are many ways project teams get recognized, and when we shed a spotlight on support functions, it really motivates and inspires further creativity. I have seen it time and time again: Firms that focus on winning awards have motivated and inspired people. “Attending marketing award ceremonies exposes your team to new ideas ... And don’t worry; your idea is not so good that it cannot be shared. Share and share alike.”
CHAD CLINEHENS is Zweig Group’s executive vice president. Contact him at cec@zweiggroup.com .
THE ZWEIG LETTER AUGUST 17, 2015, ISSUE 1116
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