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BUSINESS NEWS FLUOR PROJECT NAMED POWER ENGINEERING MAGAZINE’S OVERALL PROJECT OF THE YEAR Fluor Corporation announced that Brunswick County Power Station in Virginia was named Project of the Year by Power Engineering magazine during the keynote address at the Power-Gen International conference and exhibition in Orlando. Fluor designed and built the 1,358-megawatt natural gas combined-cycle facility for Dominion Virginia Power. The Power Engineering awards program recognized eight projects as finalists across the four categories of Natural Gas, Renewables, Coal, and Combined Heat and Power. Projects

continuation of Fluor’s relationship with Dominion Virginia Power, a respected and trusted client.” The Brunswick County Power Station began commercial operations in April 2016 with Fluor providing engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning services for the facility. Fluor’s construction staff and craft peaked at more than 1,500 team members. The construction team successfully installed more than 38,000 cubic yards of concrete, 142,000 linear feet of pipe, and 420 miles of cable. The project was completed ahead of schedule.

were evaluated based on technological innovation, local impact, logistical challenges, creativity and capacity. The project was also recognized as the 2016 Natural Gas-Fired Project of the Year. “We are proud that Brunswick County Power Station has been recognized with this respected industry award,” said Wolfgang Greinke, vice president of Fluor’s power business. “With a history spanning nearly 50 years in the natural gas power industry, we are privileged to bring our turnkey services to the next generation of new, advanced technology power facilities. This important project also represents the successful

Now here are the five least effective marketing strategies/ activities: 1) Brochures and direct mail. 2) Hosting and sponsoring events (open houses, etc.). 3) Advertising. 4) Responding to too many RFPs or unqualified leads. 5) Tradeshows. Now for the conundrum. Why is it that you spend the most time and money on the very things that you cite as the least effective? It’s just crazy! As you look to 2017, make a commitment to spend more on marketing. Make sure you have the right leadership for your marketing team. Make sure your marketing leader is fully empowered to make decisions and aid in the execution of the overall strategic plan. Make sure the firm principals are sharing those interesting approaches and new ways of marketing that they are learning at those seminars and conferences and that the marketing leader is accountable for making those things happen. This is far bigger than just making sure all of the proposals get out the door. This is about leadership, seeking opportunities, and building a brand in the marketplace. This is about breaking down the conundrum and focusing on those activities and strategies that are most effective. You know what they are, now see it through! CHAD CLINEHENS is Zweig Group’s president and CEO. Contact him at cclinehens@zweiggroup.com. “This is about leadership, seeking opportunities, and building a brand in the marketplace. This is about breaking down the conundrum and focusing on those activities and strategies that are most effective. You know what they are, now see it through!”

CHAD CLINEHENS , from page 3

provide the instant gratification that the business is built around – working on billable projects. We also have an organizational problem with marketing. It operates off to the side as a support function, often with little leadership or oversight. Until, of course, there is an opportunity to micromanage a proposal or make a thousand changes on the general brochure. But that’s not leadership or oversight, that is unqualified meddling. We don’t hire people who are strategic or who we trust to make decisions, so when something big is in the hopper, the firm’s principals come out of the woodwork to manage things. Because of our chronic underinvestment in marketing, we cannot go to these seminars and conferences and then bring that great information back to the firm for someone to implement. We don’t have the staff or resources to make those things happen. Further evidence of this marketing conundrum is provided by our most recent 2016 Marketing Survey . In it, we ask the open-ended question of what you believe are the most effective marketing strategies/activities. You cite: 1) Personal selling/relationship building. 2) Website, social media, and content marketing. 3) Direct calls to existing clients. 4) Provide training/seminars. 5) Engaging more employees in marketing. I cannot disagree with a single one of those priorities. Bravo. “As you look to 2017, make a commitment to spend more on marketing. Make sure you have the right leadership for your marketing team. Make sure your marketing leader is fully empowered to make decisions and aid in the execution of the overall strategic plan.”

THE ZWEIG LETTER January 23, 2017, ISSUE 1184

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