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BUSINESS NEWS BOWMAN CONTRACTED BY ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR I-55 CORRIDOR REHABILITATION PROJECT Bowman Consulting Group Ltd., a national engineering services firm delivering infrastructure design solutions and project management services to customers who own, develop, and maintain the built environment, has been contracted by the Illinois Department of Transportation to provide corridor management and design services for a 15.6-mile corridor of I-55. “We are excited to start working on the highly impactful and innovative I-55 corridor assignment,” said Gary Bowman, chairman and CEO of Bowman. “This is one of several awards where we’ve been anticipating and planning for a
final contract and notice to proceed for several months. We had the necessary resources for the assignment in place, so we were able to mobilize quickly and immediately commence work on the project. Our transportation practice has unparalleled experience with the complexities of large-scale infrastructure projects in Illinois, and we appreciate this opportunity to help IDOT improve and modernize one of the most heavily traveled expressways in the state for its constituents.” Corridor management is an innovative approach to transportation system management whereby public agencies and private contractors commit to working together to manage a transportation corridor holistically rather
than the more traditional approach of managing individual assets discretely. This contract is a key component of the state’s $45 billion Rebuild Illinois infrastructure investment strategy. Under this engagement, Bowman will manage all projects within the highly trafficked stretch of I-55, which connects Chicago to its southwest suburbs, a corridor that transits more than 100,000 vehicles daily. Additionally, Bowman will prepare bridge repair plans for 16 bridges within the corridor, as well as develop roadway improvement plans of the expressway. These enhancements have been identified as key to improving safety, reducing congestion and extending the lifespan of Illinois’ transportation infrastructure.
Visibility. Your firm gains greater online visibility for high-value keyword searches, attracting potential clients who are actively searching for the services you offer. Consistent lead generation. Currently, more than 80 percent of our firm’s potential client inquiries are from online searches. By securing strong brand positioning among relevant search results, your firm can build digital reach that can over time become a steady source of new leads over extended periods. Backlinks. High-authority sites linking back to your firm’s website can significantly improve its visibility and performance on high-value SERPs. Link building is arguably the most important component of ranking well. Gaining backlinks or links back to your site from other relevant and trusted sites sends signals to search engines that the linked website content is valuable, credible, and useful. Interestingly, backlinks formed the foundation of Google’s original algorithm published in 1998, known as “PageRank.” ■ Direct outreach to decision-makers, editors, and journalists. All earned media we have secured started with cold outreach, whether through a call or email. Identify key contacts. Locate the names of editors and journalists who author relevant articles. While these contacts are not always openly displayed, a variety of software platforms assist in locating direct contacts, such as a professional email address. Craft a compelling pitch. To craft an effective pitch, start with an engaging subject line. Make sure the content is highly relevant to the targeted audience. Remember that less is more, so keep the email body succinct. Highlight the most noteworthy points of interest and perceived connections to the audience in the first few lines, ensuring the message is
customized rather than generic. Finally, close with a question to elicit a response. Go directly to the top. We have experienced success in securing earned media is considerably higher when contacting high-level editors and journalists directly, rather than through general inquiry channels. For example, through an email to an editor-in-chief, we secured an eight-page feature spread in an industry- relevant national publication that prints more than 1 million copies of each issue. Leverage social media. Social media platforms like LinkedIn have massive audience reach potential in your target markets. Sending direct messages on platforms can be an effective way to connect with decision-makers at scale. Local opportunities. Don’t overlook local earned media opportunities. Local television segments, podcasts, and publications can be valuable platforms to showcase your firm’s work and services. Depending on your firm’s location, these “local” channels could reach millions of people who reside in your firm’s target markets. continued earned media coverage that can strengthen your firm’s presence in the industry. By maintaining regular and strategic outreach efforts, your firm’s marketing team can develop connections with decision-makers, editors, and other gatekeepers, creating accelerated pathways to publication and unlocking the doors to industry-relevant connections and opportunities. Justin Stephenson is the marketing director at 180 Degrees Design + Build. He specializes in implementing growth strategies through strategic search engine optimization, paid advertising, earned media, and business development. Contact him at jstephenson@180degreesinc.com. ■ Consistency wins. Consistency is key to securing
THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 21, 2024, ISSUE 1558
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