Engineering Inc. - May/June 2008 - (Page 22) M arketing is a carefully defined and crafted strategy for raising awareness of what a firm is, and what it can do to help clients get the best results. Donna J. CorLew SCHneIDer CorPoraTIon gets of a sound marketing strategy. In an age where talent is increasingly hard to come by, engineers also are promoting their profession. “Given the engineering industry’s talent shortage, the image a firm projects will go a long way in its ability to recruit the next generation of engineers,” Cerro says. “It also will cultivate a greater appreciation of what the profession offers to society among clients, decision-makers and the public.” Breaking Down Barriers and resources necessary to be effective,” says Corlew. “You have to have a plan and follow through on it.” Consistency is equally essential for building a bond of trust with customers— even if they aren’t customers yet. “Too many firms respond to a [request for proposal] and expect something to happen overnight,” says Tholo. “It won’t because the buyers don’t know them. Building trust is something that we as an industry don’t do extremely well. We tend to be engineers first, and businesspeople second.” Essentials for Effectiveness Corlew, business development manager for the Schneider Corporation in Indianapolis and president of the Society for Marketing Professional Services. “Without it, there’s no way an engineering firm can survive and grow.” Marketing also helps an engineering firm differentiate from its peers, a key factor in a business environment increasingly dominated by price and commoditization. “As an industry, we’ve become our own worst enemy in that regard, especially when working for contractors or architects,” says Nick Cerro, director of marketing for the C&S Companies in Syracuse, N.Y. “When a client considers everyone equally qualified, you need to convey the experience of working with your firm, and how you can serve them differently—and better.” Another factor that distinguishes effective marketing is its emphasis on longterm, strategic goals, rather than the shortterm focus of winning a specific project. It also can help a firm gain immediate visibility in a new geographic area or service market. “Marketing helps establish and build your brand, and helps you gain recognition of your expertise and capabilities,” says Alethea O’Dell, marketing director for San Francisco–based Degenkolb Engineers, “which also spotlights its advocacy on earthquake safety issues as part of its marketing strategy. Prospective clients aren’t the only tar22 ENGINEERING INC. MAY / JUNE 2008 That engineering firms often struggle with marketing comes as no surprise to O’Dell. “On the inside, you’re always thinking about your firm, but forget that current and prospective clients are not,” she says. “You may have the greatest technical skills in the world, or do something really great. But without marketing, those qualities and accomplishments won’t take you anywhere.” Lester agrees, noting that effective marketing boils down to communication—a skill that not all technically minded people have or know how to do well. “There are few practitioners who excel at it, and most others are brought into it grudgingly,” he says. That doesn’t mean marketing talents can’t be cultivated. Doug Tholo, strategic business development manager for the Howard R. Green Company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, says personality studies have found that the majority of engineers are honest and caring—“the same traits that are needed to influence somebody to buy something. If engineers feel that they can be themselves in marketing settings, people will trust them.” But, like any project, success requires a significant upfront investment. Poorly executed marketing campaigns often suffer from inconsistency, improper follow-up, mixed or unclear messages and a lack of distinctive elements that make positive, lasting impressions. “That’s why a marketing strategy needs the full buy-in and support of senior management to ensure that it receives the time Some look at effective marketing strategies as an exercise in matchmaking—determining how their firm can help clients achieve positive results. That process begins with thoughtful research and assessments. Winslow “Bud” Johnson, president of Stamford Marketing Group in Stamford, Conn., says, “It means analyzing the market and what it needs; analyzing your services and how well they meet those needs; analyzing your prices to make sure they are competitive, yet profitable; and analyzing promotional tools to select a mix that works best.” G iven the industry’s talent shortage, the image a firm projects will go a long way in its ability to recruit the next generation of engineers. nICk Cerro C&S CoMPanIeS
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