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© Bernard Andre Photography© Bernard Andre Photography
SHORTLISTTHE
The “Trampoline”Page 16
Visual Marketing: Thinking Outside the BoxPage 5
Putting a Face to Your Firm Page 12
Visual Storytelling:A Picture is Worth a
Thousand Words
Q2 - 2016 | SMPS SFBAC CHAPTER PUBLICATION
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The shortlist is produced/edited by the Communications Committee of the SMPS San Francisco Bay Area Chapter.
Managing Editor
Al Anderson, NOVA Group
Assignment Editors
Erin Clinch, Leddy Maytum Stacy ArchitectsShannon Daggett, Langan Treadwell Rollo
Designer Ali Wasserman, Dome Construction
Justin Nagy, EnovityTraci Vogel, TEECOM
Contact Us at [email protected]
President’s Quarterly UpdateBy Katie Spurlock
3
Visual Marketing: Thinking Outside the BoxBy Erin Clinch
5
Digital MarketingBy Shannon Daggett
8
Putting a Face to Your Firm: Strategies and Trends in Professional Portrait PhotographyBy Traci Vogel
12
The “Trampoline”: The Art of Collaborative & Successful BrandingBy Heather Perez
16
ArchBy John Grimes
21
The Network 22
The Society PageBy Daniel Carfora
24
Upcoming Events 27
New and Transferred Members 28
New Member SpotlightBy Tina Barni
29
Committee Member SpotlightBy Tina Barni
31
By Heather Perez
Communication Committee
Directors
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 3
MyStory is Unpredictable.Hello wonderful SMPSers! As my last President’s Update for the Shortlist (the next issue will be published in our new board year in September), I’d like to share my story from the past SMPS year. It’s been a fulfilling and enlightening ride as your fearless leader, and I so appreciate your support and enthusiasm for our chapter. Each one of you brings something special to our events and efforts, and it’s because of you that every program in 2016 has sold out, that we are the largest chapter in the nation with 309 members, and that I hear time and time again how new members feel welcomed when attending events. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity of a lifetime to share my hopes, visions, and passion with you during this incredible year.
When I began as president, I imagined my story for the year playing out differently—don’t we all experience that at some point? I had worries about finances and program attendance, but through hard work together, we overcame these challenges. I’m happy we were able to give back to the chapter and finance some fantastic events. Our new Market Share series and Philanthropy events have also been popular and are free to members! If you would like to continue to give back to our charity of the year, we are raising money for La Casa de las Madres here: http://smpssf.org/content.php?page=Community_Involvement. To learn more about our chapter’s finances and other statistics (last year’s data, since we’re in the middle of our current year), please check out our cool new infographic on page 23.
President’sQuarterlyUpdate
“THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME
THIS OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME TO SHARE MY HOPES,
VISIONS, AND PASSION WITH
YOU DURING THIS INCREDIBLE YEAR.”
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 4
I also didn’t expect to be diagnosed with a curable form of colon cancer last month, but despite our best laid plans, life is unpredictable. In a matter of days, I went from what I thought was perfect health with no symptoms to a diagnosis. Despite the initial shock, I know I’m lucky in so many ways: lucky to have a talented surgical team who successfully removed the cancer, lucky it hadn’t spread, lucky I’m being treated at one of the top cancer facilities in the country, and, above all, lucky to have so much love, support, and resources. My prognosis is good and after this course of chemo, I should be cured for the rest of my long life. I’m in excellent health and spirits—the only direction for me is forward.
It was energizing seeing so many of you at our fantastic Digital Marketing Program last month, and I look forward to seeing you at the not-to-be-missed Make the Connection Mixer July 21. Throughout my nine years in SMPS, it’s been a constant source of strength for me in both happy and challenging times. The outpouring of good vibes, positive energy, and pure love from my SMPS network has been healing and inspiring. Thank you, thank you!
As always, please feel free to reach out if there’s anything I can help you with!
Katie SpurlockPresident, SMPS SFBACCharles M. Salter [email protected]
Board and Committee Volunteers at the Digital Marketing Program © Emily Hagopian Photography
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 5
Visual Marketing: Thinking Outside the Box
By Erin Clinch
A common struggle for some marketers can be visuals. In a field where oftentimes a selection committee will take a quick flip through your proposal and quite literally “judge a book by its cover,” you have to pull out all the stops every time to make your proposals and SOQs visually appealing. But, for some firms, this can prove to be a challenge. Not all firms are willing to invest in a professional photographer to showcase their portfolio, and some firms simply do not have projects that are visually stunning. However, that doesn’t mean you still can’t up your game and design beautiful marketing materials! Your fellow marketers have developed a host of useful tips on how you can compete by thinking outside the box.
How To Work With Poor PhotosSometimes, as marketers, the photos we have to work with are low resolution, poorly exposed, or flat and uninspiring. It can feel daunting to be faced with subpar photos when you know your competitors are using beautiful, full-page, full-bleed images to showcase their work. But even if that is the case with your firm, there are valuable tricks on how to make those subpar images stand out and enhance your qualifications package or proposal.
Sandie Wislicenus, Senior Pursuit Coordinator at GHD, has developed a few of her own strategies for working with less-than-stellar images; all you need is Photoshop.
“The first trick I think of for working with low resolution images is to use a transparent color overlay,” Sandie explained. “Choose a color that will be consistent with your branding, and this can turn so-so images into a very polished layout. Using this trick, we have been able to use lower resolution photos as full-page images for section dividers.”
“THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU STILL CAN’T UP YOUR
GAME AND DESIGN BEAUTIFUL MARKETING
MATERIALS.”
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 6
Sometimes the image resolution just isn’t high enough to fill a page, in which case Sandie recommends using a gradient feathering on a color block to blend the picture into a solid color:
“Start with placing the picture where you want it, such as at the top half of the page. Place a rectangular color block over the top of the image, covering the entire page, and choose a color that will blend will with your image. This trick can work well for document covers as it leaves space for clearly read text!”
Even still, you may be working with an image that is high quality but perhaps boring or uninspiring. In these situations, play around with your cropping feature and zoom in on a cool detail of the image.
“Playing with the placement, cropping on an interesting angle, or focusing on a compelling feature can often do the trick,” Sandie said. “On one occasion when I was having a hard time finding an appropriate cover image, the project manager sent me a snap shot of his team working in the field. It had the benefit of being pertinent to the project, but it certainly wasn’t a professional photo. Some magic happened, however, when I found the right placement, focusing the eye on the action between two of the crew!”
How To Work Around Not Having Professional Photos
Other times, graphic issues can be a little bit more complicated. Some firms specialize in specific parts of buildings, like Guttman & Blaevoet, who design energy systems that are hidden behind walls, which are not exactly photogenic. Frances Fowle, Director of Marketing and Business Development at G&B, tends to formulate solutions on a case-by-case basis.
If her client is an architectural practice, she relies on diagrams to tell her firm’s story. Diagrams are a great way to create a beautiful, colorful, and informative graphic to showcase your services.
“They are a useful tool to show architects how we can help them,” Frances said.
However, if her client is the owner, they normally will not care about the fine details as much as an architect might. In these scenarios, she will use photos.
“...PLAY AROUND WITH YOUR CROPPING
FEATURE AND ZOOM IN ON A
COOL DETAIL OF THE IMAGE.”
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 7
About the Author:
Erin Clinch serves at the Marketing Coordinator for Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects and has been involved with SMPS since the beginning of her marketing career; she is an Assignment Editor for the Shortlist newsletter. She can be reached at 415-495-1700 ext. 301 or [email protected].
“Sometimes we go in with the architect on their professional photography packages, but often they don’t take the photos that we would be interested in,” Frances said. “In these cases, we will take our own photos. We have a staff member who is passionate about photography, so I will invite him to site visits throughout the project and to the grand opening.”
In using an in-house amateur photographer, firms are able to choose and control the story that they want to tell about their project, as well as save a little bit of money. If your firm tends to not invest in professional photographers, see if someone on your staff is a skilled photographer and is interested in taking on this aspect of marketing. If there isn’t anyone – teach yourself! As marketers we often wear many hats, so it may be necessary for you to step in to the amateur photographer role as well.
Conclusion
These points are just a couple of the solutions your fellow marketers have come up with to make their marketing materials stand out by thinking creatively. Every firm will have its own unique challenges, and it’s up to the marketer to figure out what will work best for his or her firm. If you keep experimenting and trying new things, you will find that there are endless ways to uniquely market your firm to clients and make yourself stand out no matter what you have to work with. Hearing your peers’ suggestions will hopefully help jumpstart your brainstorming process and lead the way to improved marketing.
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 8
Digital Marketing is a passion for some and a mystery to others. We all want to know what we can do as marketers that will have a lasting impact.
So, it was no surprise that the SMPS event last month, “Six Essential Components Necessary for a Winning Digital Marketing Program,” sold out. The packed audience included long-time veterans and professionals new to the A/E/C industry.
The speaker, Tim Asimos, CPSM, has always been interested in digital marketing, even before he joined the A/E/C industry. Wanting to focus full-time on digital marketing, Tim switched to consulting. He is Vice President and Director of Digital Innovation at circle S studio, a strategic marketing and digital agency focused on helping A/E/C firms grow.
One of Tim’s first slides was aptly titled, “It’s a Brave New Digital World.”
In other words, digital marketing is everywhere. We can no longer be luddites. Here’s what Tim had to say about digital marketing during the SMPS presentation and a separate phone interview.
Think Like the Client
If you want to excel in digital marketing, Tim says you have to “stop trying to be amazing and start being useful.” That certainly helps take the pressure off of us.
So how can we be useful? Think like you are a client. When you encounter a problem that you
cannot solve, from InDesign snafus to getting a stain on your sweater, what do you do? Most of us today go on the web to find the answer.
Digital Marketing
By Shannon Daggett
“STOP TRYING TO BE AMAZING
AND START BEING USEFUL.”
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 9
In the A/E/C industry, our clients are doing just that. They have a complicated project. They search on the web for similar projects and industry advice. This is why websites should focus more heavily on projects and industry news than company culture. Does the prospective client really care about your firm’s core values or your recent company outing? Would you care if you were in their shoes? What the client cares about is how your firm can be useful to them.
Two great mediums for being useful are blog articles and videos.
For posting blog articles, Tim says weekly is the goal and twice a month is the bare minimum. In addition to project news and new regulations, the blog articles should feature evergreen topics that resist being dated in a couple of years.
“We still have people coming to our old blogs from a few years ago,” Tim said.
Of course, one roadblock that marketers face with company blogs is finding technical staff to keep up with writing the blog. Tim recommends that we — the marketing professionals — step into the role of a reporter. By talking with the technical staff person for even five minutes, we can start the draft and save them time and pressure.
“No one wants to face a blank page,” he said.
As for videos, Tim said this is a growing medium for conveying stories and sharing content. The landscape has changed from 1 to 2 minute brand video to “really going beyond to showcase your expertise with client testimonials, more education how-tos, etc.”
So how do you make a video that is interesting rather than stilted?
“Get engineers, architects, and construction in their natural environment,” Tim said.
Tim calls these “hard hat” videos.
“Rather than being in a studio with big bright lights and being asked to say something, you bring them to the site,” Tim said, “They just light up when
“TWO GREAT MEDIUMS FOR
BEING USEFUL ARE BLOG ARTICLES AND VIDEOS.”
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 10
explaining what is really interesting about this project, what was particularly challenging and the feat that they accomplished.”
“Hard hat” videos are a great medium for capturing the story.
“Clients get that this is a $300 million project; it’s huge, and here are the specs,” Tim said. “What they really want to know is what went into the design and construction, and what problems did you resolve?”
Discover the Client
Over the last several years, lead generation and marketing automation software have become top buzz words for marketers. Some of us may balk at hearing these ambiguous terms, but they are simply tracking client interest or inquiry (lead generation) and using the technical tools (marketing automation software) to market your firm via various platforms, from email newsletter to your company’s LinkedIn page, and automate repetitive tasks.
When you prompt website visitors to subscribe to the company blog, or register for a webinar, you are creating new leads (i.e., lead generation).
Marketing automation tools, such as HubSpot and Act-On, integrate social media, email marketing, web analytics, and even CRM systems like Salesforce so you can learn how contacts are engaging with your digital marketing efforts.
“Every day people visit your site, vetting your firm, and you don’t even know that they are there,” Tim said. “Your website has opportunities to identify unknown prospects.”
Marketing automation is still new to most firms. As Tim recently stated in his blog, only 22% of companies are using this software according to Salesforce’s 2015 State of Marketing report. However, marketing automation isn’t going anywhere. Tim gives this analogy: Marketing automation is to marketers what QuickBooks is to accountants.
Another marketing tool is web analytics. Google Analytics, for example, is a free tool that allows you to gain detailed information on visitors coming to your firm’s website. You can track where your website traffic is coming from, the average time a visitor spends on your site, the number of single page visits, the average number of pages visited, and the last page they visited
“YOUR WEBSITE HAS OPPORTUNITIES TO IDENTIFY UNKNOWN
PROSPECTS.”
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 11
before exiting. You can even track the number of unduplicated visitors to your website. By using a web analytics tool, you can hone in on what’s working and not working on your website.
“Your website is becoming a tool for identifying leads and becoming a destination website,” Tim said.
Plant the Seeds
The key to a successful digital marketing campaign is to be practical. Don’t waste energy on channels that you cannot invest the time in and that prospective clients won’t see.
“Whatever you decide to do, it needs to be integrated, strategic, and intentional,” Tim said. “Don’t do things for the sake of doing things. Your efforts need to be tied to the bigger overall picture that you are trying to accomplish.”
How Tim, a Virginia native, came to present for the SMPS SFBAC is a great example. One of our local chapter members, Nicole La, was searching on Google for marketing automation articles when she came across Tim’s blog on his company website. She found his article informative and decided to subscribe to his blog (lead generation!).
Fast forward a couple of years later and he’s being flown out to San Francisco to speak in front of a packed audience on digital marketing. This all started from one person’s Google search.
About the Author:Shannon Daggett has been a journalist and worked for several years as a marketer for a law firm. Currently, she is the Marketing Manager at Langan, an engineering firm for ground and below. She can be reached at 415-955-5288 or [email protected].
“THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL
MARKETING CAMPAIGN IS TO BE PRACTICAL.”
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 12
Nothing represents the human face of your business more effectively than… well, the human face. In today’s competitive A/E/C market, when relationships define a business strategy, staff portrait photography has taken on new significance. Gary Wagner, who has been professionally photographing the leaders of the A/E/C industry for more than 25 years, says, “Portraits convey the personality both of the individual and the firm. They can create connection.”
That’s why it’s important to establish a clear portrait photography strategy for your firm. Aspects to consider include:
How will your portraits be used?
You will likely want to get as much use out of your portraits as possible, so it’s worth determining what dimensions (vertical, horizontal, square?), background, and style work best for you. For example, if your portraits will be used for print resumes, in organizational charts, and on your website,
Putting a Face to Your Firm: Strategies & Trends in Professional Portrait Photography By Traci Vogel
© Gary Wagner Photography
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 13
a simple background may be best. “Photographing people against a white background is a big trend right now,” says Wagner, “because it’s easy to Photoshop different backgrounds in, or use no background at all.”
What brand attributes do you want to convey?
Compile a list of characteristics that represent your firm’s values. These might include things like confidence, reliability, safe, or edgy. How might these be communicated through your staff portraits? “Most companies want their people to look approachable and happy,” says Eric Muetterties, who has photographed everyone from Blues artist Augusta Lee Collins to the professionals at Enovity, “That’s why it’s important to have a photographer who’s able to interact with different types of people and get them to relax.”
How will your portraits contribute to your firm’s story?
Beyond representing individual staff, your corporate portraits should support your firm’s larger story. Architectural and portrait photographer Emily Hagopian fields a lot of requests for candid shots of teams working together. “The theme is to provide imagery that the viewer can connect with,” she says, “Something to draw people beyond the barrier of whatever he/she may associate with the firm’s brand or service.”
Muetterties sees a trend toward “corporate lifestyle” portraits, with people apparently caught in the moment of doing work or interacting with colleagues. “These are a little more organic,” he says, “not so contrived like the old corporate portraits on a gray background.”
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 14
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 15
About the Author:
Traci Vogel is the Marketing Manager at TEECOM in Oakland. She serves as Co-Director of the SMPS SFBAC Communications Committee.
Eric Muetterites Photography: www.ericmuetterties.com
Gary Wagner Photos: www.garywagner.com
Emily Hagopian Photography: www.emilyhagopian.com
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 16
The “Trampoline”: The Art of Collaborative and Successful Branding
If your company was a car, would it be a Volvo or a Toyota? If it was a politician, Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump?
Branding speaks loudly, often louder than we think.
A successful branding strategy expresses the desired message through effective words and tone, thereby resulting in new customers and influencing sales transactions, regardless of the business sector or industry. Branding contributes towards creating a strong team spirit. It attracts top talent.
In other words, a great brand helps to build a strong business.
Whether we are launching a new brand or revamping an existing one, we are faced with the decisions of how to develop the right branding for our company or product line, one that resonates with its leaders’ vision and its actual and potential customers.
By Heather Perez
“BRANDING SPEAKS
LOUDLY, OFTEN LOUDER THAN WE THINK.”
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 17
This subject was explored at SMPS Market Share - East Bay’s January meeting, where we participated in a series of branding exercises referred to by advertising agencies as “the trampoline.”
Our presenter, Jacynthe Prince, a marketing and communications professional with over 10 years of experience in advertising and branding, has worked as an advertising agency Account Director with such firms as bleublancrouge and Lg2, two of Canada’s most prestigious agencies, and most recently with the marketing team at Old Navy. She has led many creative teams and clients, within B2B and B2C industries, including Quebec National Lottery, Eastern Canada’s leading gas station and convenience store network, Canada’s First Lifestyle Center, and other clients from the banking, tourism, and retail industries, through the branding process.
Here is a summary of what was explored during that presentation.
The Trampoline: Overview
• Premise: We believe that the key to coming up with the right branding is doing it together – getting the organization stakeholders and leaders’ input up front, and help them define what they have in mind for the future of the brand. This is the purpose of the “trampoline.”
• What is The Trampoline? A series of branding exercises meant to be done by a group that all have one point in common: encourage our brains to take new and different routes to get to unexpected answers.
• Why is it named “The Trampoline”? Because, even the biggest elephants can jump! I know it’s impossible to imagine, but we experienced it, and you can too! Even stiff, inflexible companies can be creative.
• What is the expected output? A creative brief, which could lead to a new name and logo, a new design.
The Set-Up
• Where: A playground – a neutral zone, out of the office, a place to be inspired, to be challenged.
• Who: The right people (8-12), including the head of the brand (market-ing team, president, founder) and the heart (designer, writer, architect, etc). You also need an animator, someone whose job will be to lead the discussion and make people jump higher! (As a marketing special-ist, you could also play that role.)
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 18
• How: A working session, not a presentation. Big post-its versus Pow-erPoint projections – everyone talks, no wrong or right answers; chal-lenge each other and ask questions. Take breaks. Mostly, have fun!
• Length: A half-day to a full day
The Exercises
To bring tangibility to the exercise, the presenter selected a fictitious client for the exercise for our Market Share – East Bay meeting: a new dental office.
Part I: Understanding Where We Are
1. What are we trying to solve? What is the product/service? This is usually a very short presentation by a brand representative. (Example: Create a brand for a dentist, who is opening a new dental office.)
2. What is the brand’s history? How did it start? Why did it start? What were its original ambitions? This is usually a short presentation by a brand representative.
3. Who is the target? What does the target audience think of the product/service, category, our brand, and our competitors’ brands? (Example: Patients – people with (or without) teeth; Example: Dentistry is painful, insurance can be a hassle, etc.)
Part II: Defining Where We Want To Go
1. What does the actual brand stand for? What are its values, beliefs, pillars? What should the future brand stand for? (Example: Holistic health, beauty, personalized service, caring, etc.)
2. What should the brand not be, or represent? Use the answers here to help define what the brand should be. (Example: uncomfortable, outdated, inconvenient, etc.)
3. What is the brand’s elevator pitch? If you had only 30 seconds to sell/explain the brand to someone, what would you say? What’s the brand’s pick-up line? How does it differentiate itself from all the other brands (fish) in the sea? (Example: Happy place to visit, clean, insurance specialists, etc.)
4. What do we want people to say about the brand? This is a #hashtag exercise. (Example: #iwanttobefriendswithmydentist, #hasslefreedentistry, #ilovemydentist)
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 19
5. If the brand was a celebrity, who would it be, and why? (Example: Julia Roberts (not controversial, beautiful smile, reassuring personality))
6. If the brand was a hotel, what would it be like? What type of music would be playing? What’s the atmosphere? People can name other brands or simply give a more general reference. (Example: W Hotel, spa, garden views, etc.)
7. Magazine exercise: You need to bring a bunch of magazines to the Trampoline session. Those magazines should be completely unrelated to your business: Cooking, Travel, and Fashion magazines, for example. Then, ask everyone to pick 2 or 3 images that, in their opinion, represent something about the brand that you are in the process of defining. When everyone is done choosing (after 10 minutes), everyone shares their images, and why they chose them. It might be that they liked the color palette or the attitude of the model in the ad. This exercise helps to fine tune the other discussion points.
8. Post-it craziness: Ask people to gather in small teams and come up with as many ideas as possible on how to make this brand, that we have defined together, come to life. We are mostly looking for elements of brand experience: something tangible for the target. We need one idea per post-it. The team who has the longest line of post-its wins. The idea is to eliminate the filters we impose upon ourselves throughout the brainstorming process. (Example: Massage chairs, manicures, ipod for each patient, playzone for kids, indoor garden, gorgeous dental staff, etc.)
9. Where do you see the brand in 10 years?
At the End of the Day….
Once you are done with all the exercises, take a break, and then, as a group, go over all the notes and highlight what now seems to be the most inspiring and relevant items.
What happens here is amazing. Without having specifically asked for it, you will have defined the brand’s new pillars, ambitions, essence, tone, and personality.
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 20
The Output: The Creative Brief
Once this process is complete, the facilitator produces a summary, which highlights the key findings of this exercise. Try to condense it to one to two pages. This will then become your reference to produce other brand-related documents.
About the Author:
Heather Perez is the Director of Marketing & Business Development at Acutherm. She has been involved with SMPS-SFBAC since 2006 and currently serves on the Outreach & Development Committee as the Market Share – East Bay Leader. She can be reached at 415-370-4109 or [email protected].
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 21
About the Author:Trained and employed as a city planner in suburban DC and Marin County, and later the owner of a greeting card company, I’ve made most of my living as a cartoonist/illustrator for the last 30 years, primarily for magazines, books and online. Dove into marketing for architecture (and Shortlist cartoons) in 2008 when Gutenberg was overtaken by Zuckerberg, then transitioned to freelance art and slothful semi-retirement in 2013. More at grimescartoons.com
ArchBy John Grimes
Thank You John Grimes!
As the Managing Editor of the Shortlist, I would like to personally thank John Grimes for all of his efforts on behalf of the Shortlist over the past eight years. In this time he has drawn more than 30 original cartoons, which couldn’t have been easy, as our chosen field of endeavor, though beloved, is generally not conducive to inspiring the fine arts. To our regret, he has announced his “retirement” from the Shortlist, and the cartoon on this page will be his last original (though perhaps he can be persuaded to allow us to reprint some past classics in the future). Unfortunately, we have no handy gold watch we can give him, nor even a laurel wreath, but I do offer on behalf of myself, my previous editors, and our entire readership our thanks for all your contributions, which have added so much to the quality of the Shortlist. Thank you John!
— Al Anderson
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 22
The Network
Welcome to The Network, our regular column mapping SMPS SFBAC members on the move. We want to hear about your notices of promotion, job changes, firm mergers and acquisitions, and office openings or relocations. Please send updates to [email protected].
Several members made exciting moves this quarter. Please join us in congratulating the following:
Chap
ter N
ews
Moves & Promotions:
• Daniel Carfora is now Associate, Business Development Manager at SmithGroupJJR in San Francisco.
• Lauren Beckwith has been promoted to Communications Manager at Fehr & Peers San Francisco, effective July 1.
• Traci Vogel is now Marketing Manager at TEECOM in Oakland.
• Ali Wasserman is now Proposal Manager at Dome Construction, working out of Dome’s San Francisco office.
• Mai Bui is now Business Development & Marketing Manager at Kwan Henmi Architecture & Planning in San Francisco.
• Lisa Kenneweg is now Marketing Associate at Gates + Associates in San Ramon.
• Sandie Wislicenus is now Senior Pursuit Coordinator at GHD in San Francisco.
• Hannah Waen is now Marketing & Business Development Coordinator at SB Architects in San Francisco.
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 23
• RIM Architects celebrates “30 Years of Design with Purpose” this year!
• Rutherford + Chekene, structural and geotechnical engineers, has moved to new offices at 375 Beale Street, Suite 310, San Francisco. Phone numbers remain the same.
Also of Note:
SMPS SF BAY AREA CHAPTERThe Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is a national community of marketing and business development professionals working to secure profitable business relationships for their A/E/C companies. The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, one of the oldest and largest chapters in SMPS, advances the industry through networking, business intelligence, and research, in order to gain members a competitive advantage in positioning their firms successfully in the marketplace. SMPS SFBAC offers programs, publications, and professional development relevant to industry trends and best practices.
WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO
ABOUT OUR CHAPTER2014-2015
WE HAVE OVER
300MEMBERS
WE HOST OVER
50EVENTS
WE PUBLISH OVER
30JOB POSTS
WE PROVIDE
1:1MENTORING
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
05% MEMBER DUES
08% JOB BANK
17% DONATIONS
31% SPONSORSHIPS
39% PROGRAM FEES
TOTAL REVENUE
$114,406
TOTAL EXPENSES
$106,476
$7,930COMMUNICATIONS 02%
SPECIAL PROGRAMS 02%
MEMBER SERVICES 05%
SOCIETY ENGAGEMENT 06%
GIVING BACK 22%
CHAPTER OPERATIONS 23%
EDUCATION AND 40% NETWORKING EVENTS 40%
OF EVERY$19 MEMBER DUESGOES THROUGHTHIS CHAPTER
WE OFFER OVER
300EDUCATION HOURS
GIVEN BACK TO$23KTHE COMMUNITYTHROUGHPHILANTHROPY
EVENTS OFFERED33 WERE FREETO ATTENDFOR MEMBERS62
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.SMPSSF.ORG
THIS WILL BE SPENT ON 2016 PROGRAMS & GIVING BACK.
2.3 MILLIONOPPORTUNITIESTO CONNECTTO OTHERS
WE SEND WEEKLY EMAILS TO
1,271INDUSTRY CONTACTS
SMPS SFBAC | THE SHORTLIST - 24
The Society Page
By Daniel Carfora
As a member of The Society’s Informed Strategies committee, I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about and be involved with the Foundation’s recent efforts to develop research initiatives. Here are a few that are currently in development or available to you online at smps.org:
A/E/C Web Sellers Perspective
Websites have now been an essential part of an A/E/C firm’s marketing toolkit for more than 20 years. In that time, web technology has been reinvented to the point that a website can offer a unique experience for nearly every visitor. So how are firms utilizing the web today now that much of online marketing takes place through social media channels? The committee is drafting its report now of the survey findings. Look out for the final report as it is paired with a client’s perspective on the viability of firm websites.
A/E/C Web Buyers Perspective
An accompaniment to the A/E/C Web Sellers Perspective is the forthcoming Buyer’s Perspective. The Buyer’s Perspective is gaining client insight from surveys that evaluate how A/E/C firm websites are utilized in the decision-making process for hiring and selecting. Survey results will be included in the SMPS Foundation’s upcoming Informed Strategies Report that provides an overview about A/E/C Firms and the Web from both the seller’s and buyer’s perspectives.
2016 Fellows Survey
Now available is the Fellows Survey report, comprised of insights and findings from 44 Fellows on the design and construction industry. The research
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was derived from in-depth interviews from a cross-section of members representing principals, senior marketers, and marketing consultants. The report culminates feedback on identified trends and topics ranging from global competition, the role of business developers and marketers in a seller-doer model, mergers and acquisitions impacting small firms, commoditization’s impact of firm profitability, funding for aging infrastructure projects, diversity in the A/E/C workforce, leadership transition in an intergenerational workforce, and adapting to changes in technology.
With the institutional knowledge many of the Fellows bring, it’s interesting to hear how the prediction of the seller-doer model negating the need of marketers in our profession was a conversation being had in the early 90’s. We have seen cycles of this repeat with every shift in the economy, swinging the pendulum between the need for marketing and its inevitable obsolescence. Fast-forward 25 years, and we see business developers aiding seller-doers with research, coaching, writing, and preparing for key client introductions. One of the key take-aways from the survey is the importance that marketing will have on a firm’s HR practices to attract and retain talent through more strategic communication efforts.
A copy of the Fellows Survey is available free to SMPS members here on The Society website: http://www.smps.org/pv/core/orders/product.aspx?catid=1&prodid=60
2016 Business Development Report
The research for this report started in March 2015, and, with over 1,300 surveys completed, The Foundation has made “Sell. Do. Win Business” available to members. The Foundation partnered with SMPS to explore how firms approach business development responsibilities and which efforts were successful in winning work.
The key finding in the survey points out that over the past 10 years, large engineering firms and construction firms reported that the number of business developers employed at their firm has increased. In general, the roles are clearly defined by business developers being responsible for identifying and securing potential clients, and seller-doers being responsible for maintaining existing client relationships. In smaller firms, seller-doers are more likely to focus on both new and existing clients.
What stands out the most is the notion that the seller-doer model is progressively changing the role for business development due to increased
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needs from clients to meet with team members working on their projects. Seventy percent of survey respondents indicate this client expectation, yet survey results also demonstrated that firms in all three categories of discipline were more successful with business development roles in place than solely a seller-doer model.
A copy of “Sell. Do. Win Business.” is available here for download: http://www.smps.org/Recent-Updates/SMPS-and-the-SMPS-Foundation-Release-Report-on-Business-Development/
The Talent War
One of the topics we are addressing this year is The Talent War. As many of you are experiencing in your own firms, finding and retaining talent so soon after recovering from the recession has proven to be another growth challenge in our professions. In response to this issue, we have released a Call for Authors recently and have reviewed submissions from researchers with experience on the subject.
The research will look at different perspectives, starting with the client’s and how a firm’s staffing availability impacts the decision to award large-scale projects. The A/E/C firm’s perspective will address how owners are responding to client needs and recruitment strategies in this competitive marketplace. As we addressed earlier, there are opportunities for marketing and HR departments to collaborate to develop strategies that speak to the next generation of internal clients – technical staff coming from colleges and universities. And, concurrently, the student perspective will gain insight on how students are evaluating which firms to contact for future employment.
Stay tuned for the report to be available later this fall. For a list of available research and white papers, visit http://www.smps.org/Foundation/Research-and-White-Papers/.
About the Author:
Daniel Carfora is a Business Development Manager for SmithGroupJJR. In addition to serving as Society Liaison for our SMPS chapter, he’s co-founder of the award-winning Business Leaders Forum and served as the 2008-09 Chapter President. Reach him at [email protected] or www.linkedin.com/in/dcarforahale.
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Upcoming Events:
more events: http://smpssf.org/calendar.php
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MEET THE PRESSSeptember 15th | 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM AIA, San Francisco, CA
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Ryan Amaya, VP of Marketing, Kier & Wright Civil Engineers & Surveyors, Inc.
Suzanne Angeo, Project Consultant, Blue Book Building & Construction Netwrk
Ellen Blattel, CEO, Blattel Communications
Doug Brown, Creative Director, Manmade Workshop
Katie Campion, Business Development, Butler Armsden Architects
Amanda Chaudhary, Executive Assistant, McGuire & Hester
Meg Daniels, Director of Business Development, Glumac
Amy Garcia, Marketing Coordinator, Rosendin Electric
Paul Jacob, Student Member, Saint Mary’s College of California
Ellen Knobeloch, Marketing Director, Habitec Architecture & Interior Design
Bridget Martinez, Marketing Manager, JKL Construction Services, inc.
Ellen Mcamis, Marketing / Communications, Noll and Tam
Diane Mccormick, Director, Anderson Brulé Architects, Inc.
Caitlin Miller, Marketing/BD Coordinator, Solomon Cordwell Buenz
Sarah Misherghi, Southland Industries
Terresa Moran, Marketing Coordinator, YEI Engineers, Inc.
Gretchen Price, Proposal Manager, Swinerton Builders
Omer Razi, Marketing Coordinator, AlfaTech
Renee Remillard, Graphics Desinger, GHD
Molly Schremmer, Marketing Coordinator, Integral Group
William Sowa, Principal, HMH
Kazia, Sticklinski, Communications Manager, Aedis Architects
Aimee Thompson, Marketing Assistant, AlfaTech
Brandon Thrasher, Associate Principal, HLB Lighting Design
New & Transferred Members:
New and Transferred Members
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New Member Spotlight:Emily Hagopian, Architectural PhotographerBy Tina Barni
As an architectural photographer, Emily Hagopian joined SMPS this year as a new member with the aim to gain knowledge of the A/E/C industry and expand her network. Emily, the owner of Emily Hagopian Photography, has been an independent photographer since 2005.
“I am excited to continue to document the networking and educational events for the SMPS communications team throughout the year,” says Emily.
As a graduate student at Brooks Institute of Photography, she was immediately attracted to photographing structures and focused her thesis on Architectural Photography and Sustainable Design.
“Though most of my training was developed as an assistant photographing hotels and resorts, I knew that my end goal would be
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to photograph architecture more generally,” says Emily, “I have always been especially interested in capturing how people occupy and interact with well-designed spaces and structures.”
About eight years into her career, Emily found that it is vital to have a clear understanding of target markets. She believes that SMPS provides an outlet to establish lifelong relationships.
“As a photographer I network with professionals who already have an understanding of the value of my services,” says Emily, “I also realize how vital interpersonal business relationships are.”
Fun Facts about Emily:
Emily enjoys paddle boarding and is interested in sustainable design.
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About the Author:
Tina Barni is a Senior Marketing Coordinator at Degenkolb Engineers. She is a member of the Communications Committee. Contact her at 415.354.6511 or [email protected].
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Coming from a diverse background, Kat Walenter joined SMPS in 2015, with the desire to get involved in the group. Currently a member of the Communications Committee, Kat enjoys the interaction across the committees.
“I love that SMPS offers events and opportunities for all levels of marketers—from entry level to senior level,” says Kat, “SMPS SFBAC offers so many workshops,
networking events, and fundraisers. There are always more people to meet and ways to get involved.”
Kat received her bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration and worked at a private medical practice for two years. While earning her MBA, she worked at an outdoor education program on a farm. Kat entered into AEC in 2015. She is now a community relations specialist for Craig Communications.
She enjoys engaging with community projects and developing outreach strategies.
“I wrote an RFP for a project requesting community relations support to engage the local Latino community near a planned station for the California High-Speed Rail in a South Bay Area town,” says Kat, “We recently found out we won the bid. I look forward to developing and executing outreach strategies in a new community.”
Committee Member Spotlight:Kat Walenter, Craig CommunicationsBy Tina BarniCh
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Fun Facts About Kat:
Kat has been riding horses since she was 7 years old. She is also passionate about supporting sustainable agriculture and small, local farms. She regularly volunteers at a local farm.
Committee Member Spotlight (Cont.)
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About the Author:
Tina Barni is a Senior Marketing Coordinator at Degenkolb Engineers. She is a member of the Communications Committee. Contact her at 415.354.6511 or [email protected].
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SMPSSF.ORG
The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is a community of marketing and business development professionals working to advance industry best practices and develop business relationships for their A/E/C companies. Through networking, business intelligence, and research, SMPS members gain a competitive advantage in positioning their firms successfully in the marketplace. SMPS offers members professional development, leadership opportunities, and marketing resources to advance their careers.
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