marketerVolume 30, Issue 1, February 2011 The Journal of the Society for Marketing Professional Services

on pointReality Checksby Linda Mastaglio

business developmentThe ROI of BD Costsby Mel Lester

organizationFirm Culture by Nancy Egan

points & pixelsSocial Media Plansby Dana Galvin

researchLeading from the Middleby Lisa Fingar and Tom Zimmerman

toolsTips on Internal Newslettersby Claudia Ward-de León

Lessons LearnedWeathering Tough Times, Marketers Get Creative

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BY LINDA MASTAGLIO, ABC

Lessons RevealedMarketers Perform Their Own Reality Checks…and Share the Results

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“It is critical to maintain a learning posture. While seeking to grow has always been important, it is even more vital with new technologies being birthed every day. Not only are the mediums changing but the reaction of the culture is constantly morphing as well. It’s vital that we mix time-tested models with new opportunities to position our clients for success.”

—Brian Brandt, Summit Solution Group

Marketing during a recession is a challenge. Period. Regardless of a firm’s talent, skill, backlog, or niche specialty, we all face dilemmas when dog-paddling our way through an extended financial downturn.

The good news is that we all learn a great deal when we navigate the rough seas of recession, and in the spirit of that knowledge, I reached out to colleagues to ask them to share what they’ve learned from being a marketer in these tough times. Although I opened the opportunity to colleagues around the country, the majority of responses came from the great state of Texas.

In developing the outline for this story, I also concluded that we often talk to each other and share knowledge within our community of A/E/C marketers without getting much input from tertiary marketers and suppliers who have their own sets of brilliant ideas. So, although many of the responses below are from SMPS members, I also reached out to a broader community of people who provide support services to A/E/C marketers. These include marketing and communications consultants, lawyers, photographers, technology types, and ad specialty providers. I also received some input from the client side. The result? Well, you be the judge. Hopefully, you’ll grab hold of an ah-ha moment as you read the following pearls of practical wisdom.

Lessons Revealed

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Capture New Work Through CommunicationWhy is communication always at the top of the list when talking about business challenges? Because, the bottom line is that A/E/C firms sell knowledge and people. Clients learn to believe in you because of their experience with you or their trust in what others have said about you and your firm. “Relationships and good will seem to have influenced my clients the most,” says Brian McLaren, AIA, a sole practitioner and volunteer editor of AIA Dallas’ Columns magazine. “Both my existing clients and a couple new ones seem to be drawn to my practice either by good words they’ve heard from other clients or by positive comments they have heard about the volunteer and nonprofit board work that I do. I think this basically reinforces the idea that clients want to work with nice, socially responsible people who care about their profession and their community.”

While McLaren’s comments express foundational truths, there is a subsidiary truth that clients appreciate people who appreciate them. Dennis Peck, AIA, vice president and regional marketing director for HOK, put it this way: “During a follow-up meeting with the vice president for facilities planning and design for a major healthcare institution, I was informed, again, that the institution was budget-constrained and that no new facility projects were planned for the next 24 months. The vice president also stated that he recognized my diligence in wanting to stay in front of him (even knowing that budgets had been curtailed) and that he would remember that fact when the economy turned and the possibility of new projects would return. His statements struck a chord—it is important to show interest when times are lush and when they are lean.”

This example energized HOK to strongly focus its 2011 marketing strategies on existing and past clients, making sure the client representatives recognize how important they are to the firm and that HOK values the trust and confidence they place in it. “We are rewarded by the commissions they give us, and we have built our service portfolios to address their needs,” Peck adds. “We recognize that economic trends can impact all of us and we are just as committed to the continued success of their business when budgets are cut—and are willing to ride out the bad times so we can be there when things improve.”

In a similar vein, Nate Eudaly, executive director of the Dallas Architecture Forum, believes client appreciation has to be reinforced regularly, even when times are hard.

“Consistently show your current customer base how much your organization values them,” says Eudaly. “It is important that your customers know their loyalty is truly appreciated. We plan to give our existing customers increased value for

their membership during 2011 and to promote these extra benefits as a way to encourage their ongoing participation.”

Effective business development is still about the basics, affirms attorney Mitch Milby, owner of Milby, PLLC. He says that means getting in front of the right people (i.e., the decision-makers who will decide whether to hire you), developing a personal relationship with your clients that will sustain you over the long term, and providing excellent service/work and bottom-line requirements regardless of the economy. “I keep the clients I have developed over the years and continually meet new ones [because] clients refer others to us,” he says.

Communicate Your InnovationSometimes hard times spur new ideas. For CA Partners Inc., construction consultants to commercial lenders, the recession gave impetus for out-of-the-box thinking. “During this economic recession, we used our free time to search out new clients and make contact with past clients we haven’t heard from in awhile,” comments Jill Dutton, the firm’s director of marketing.

“A lot of our past clients had resorted to doing their own in-house services rather than contracting out. However, we used the opportunity to market to them the idea, if they get into a situation that goes beyond their expertise, to call us. We also presented the scenario that they may end up with services required beyond their geographical location, which would require [expensive] travel. We suggested they call us in advance to see if it is in an area in which we are already commuting for some of our other clients and therefore they could engage in a shared cost savings with us.” The result? “Work has increased,” Dutton says, “and I will be following up with clients with whom we used this marketing strategy to keep our name in the forefront and remind them of our availability in this capacity.”

Communicate to Energize/Empower Your StaffLet’s face it. Hard times happen. People get nervous. Rumors start. Employee morale gets slapped by the waves of recession. For Trish Martineck, senior vice president/director of communications at HKS, it’s time to make lemonade with the team. “When times get tough, get creative to engage and liven up your staff,” Martineck says. “This year, we overhauled our outdated tenure program and pumped up our employee awards program, HKS Nice Job, to celebrate our people every month. We’ve also used social media to hold contests (e.g., Lighting Up the Holidays, Tell us Why You Deserve a New HKS Monograph, and Let Us Know Your Favorite HKS Building) to brighten the internal mood.” What lesson did they learn from this exercise? “A little morale boost goes a long way,” Martineck says.

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Jackie Venable, a recipient of multiple awards in multiple categories of the SMPS Marketing Communications Awards, holds a similar view. “Reorganize, train your people, and make the decision to take the expertise [of ] your marketing department into every functional department within your organization. Don’t sell marketing short—your competitors aren’t. It is your life blood for securing new business and for maintaining your existing business.”

It’s also important to view your staff in the way that the client views them. “In the service-sector sales, be very aware, it is the client who chooses the lead contact they prefer to talk to within your organization,” says Kathleen Margolis, chief marketing officer at FKP Architects. “If the client chooses to build a relationship with one of your staff, find a way to support that staff member—do not try to change out the person the client talks to. [This understanding] is changing the way marketing supports key representatives of our firm.”

How’s Your Attitude?Tough times are good times to be sure you’re communicating in a positive manner and not letting the recession turn your thinking toward an unproductive direction. “I make every effort to speak to everyone I see, and I make it a goal every day to make at least one person smile,” comments Kim DeMasters, owner of Key Insurance Agency. “This has impacted my business in that people notice and remember me; therefore, when it comes times to shop their coverages, they will think of that lady who always talks to them and makes them smile.”

In addition, keeping a positive mental attitude can mean lowering or adjusting your expectations. “Slow growth is better than no growth,” comments Denise Stokes, the PR/communications manager of the Frisco, TX, Convention and Visitors Bureau. “I refuse to slam on the brakes. Instead, I will work harder to recognize opportunities to connect and collaborate, to understand consumers, and to define the value of my destination.”

Still, in the A/E/C industry, a positive attitude must be nourished by a dose of realism. “I have learned this year just how much our industry’s approach to marketing and business development has completely changed,” notes Kristi Chavarria, director

of marketing and client services with Schrickel, Rollins and Associates Inc. “The economy has made the competition fiercer and at times shockingly close to crossing the line. Risks are taken that would have never been [taken] before. Hunger has tainted the friendly competitive environment we use to enjoy. As a result, I have learned that it is even more crucial to hold your honor and keep your trusted contacts close to you. Lift up those in your network and assist them with their firm’s marketing and business development efforts. They will return the favor! The most valuable things you have in your arsenal now are your contacts and references. [However], we will continue to take our competitive research and refine it as it relates to our pursuits and brand. Our focus will remain on our core services and values. In other words, we will continue to hold our breath a little longer under the water’s surface but use what we learn to swim harder and farther.”

Another lesson in tenacity is to remove negative assumptions about your business and turn them into opportunity. “We never say ‘we don’t,’” comments Cynthia Brown, CPSM, business developer for education science and technology at WHR Architects. “Our firm used to say, ‘We don’t work for developers, we don’t work for for-profit healthcare clients, and we don’t do housing.’ This is a great time to reinvent your firm and explore new service lines and new project types.” How has such invention impacted WHR? “We are looking at teaming with our former competitors to increase our chances of winning work among tougher competition,” Brown says. “We are spending more time helping our clients find new and creative ways to solve challenges with fewer financial and staff resources.”

CybernologyYes, it’s true that this is a word I just put together. There is a term called portmanteau, which means to make a single new word out of two or more distinct words. I put cyberspace and technology together to form cybernology. Now before you start writing me emails, I admit that the word is highly Google-able (761 hits when I tried it), but I still couldn’t find a definition for it. So, my contribution to the lessons learned from this recession is that writing about innovation in the recession can lead to the creation of portmanteaus. (If you have one you’ve created, send it to me, and maybe I’ll write an article using your word.)

“The best way to deal with the shrunken marketing opportunities is to create attention by being as creatively unique as the client will permit. You need to utilize what I call ‘head turners’—unusual approaches to get the audience’s attention. I plan to explain that necessity for success to clients, and then show them that I’m a specialist at producing that kind of ‘head-turning’ marketing for them.”

—Larry Miller, Springheim Enterprose+

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At any rate, do not discount the importance of social media in a down market. “When the budget falls away for producing marketing materials, you have to substitute with a pull marketing strategy, giving consumers multiple outlets by which they choose to receive information,” offers Kerrie Sparks, communications coordinator with AIA Dallas. “We’re making a huge leap by launching a blog, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and ramping up our Facebook promotions, including developing pages for each of our major events to be managed by multiple committees. In addition, we’re ensuring all of these forms of social media relate to one another. Each has its own audience, with some crossover, but it’s important to get your message out across multiple platforms.”

Others heartily concur. “I learned not to underestimate the power that social media has in marketing,” says Laura Hunter, owner of Snowfury Productions and author of Trading Pain for Pain. “My focus for 2011 is going to be on how I can find creative marketing outlets through social media and blogs instead of more expensive methods of advertising.”

Greg Brown, program director for the Dallas Center for Archi-tecture, says it another way: ”Social media has become a force to be reckoned with; not only are most people using it regularly but consumers are also becoming sophisticated in the kinds of messages they expect. As we Facebook and Tweet, we won’t be just posting commercials (i.e., event reminders), but finding ways to truly engage our followers—interactive discussions, links to unusual articles and interesting fact postings that support our mission.”

Opportunities to invest in the cyber-culture continue to compound. When Carrie Stallwitz, the principal with Witz! PR, counsels her clients about online options, she encourages them to carefully follow conversations through multiple venues. “People are going to talk about your brand. It’s up to marketers to give citizen journalists (and regular folks who just like to interact online) the information to fuel positive comments. I will be keeping a closer eye on who is talking about my clients, what they are saying, and using that information to engage in more relevant conversations, and hopefully create brand evangelists in the process. We are (and will be) in the age of citizen journalism. Combined with the 24/7 news cycle and limitless channels, marketers have to be more vigilant about watching and protecting their brand. There are plenty of free tools to monitor: Twitter, Facebook, blogs, message boards, Google searches, Trendrr, Blogpulse, and socialmention to name just a few. [These] make it easy for marketers to know who is talking about their brand, what is being said, and how much it matters.”

Many marketers echo the opinion of Deby Warner, owner of Just Imagine, an ad specialties firm. She says, “I am paying closer attention to my online presence in 2011. Presence and follow-up are everything!”

Remember, too, that email remains the number one force and source when it comes to pushing your message out to primary audiences. Barbara O’Toole, the owner and creative marketing engineer for O’Toole Marketing, deals with email message management every day, and she offers two points regarding message delivery. Her research shows that emails always receive higher open rates with subject lines that are “news-headline oriented.” She also explained the challenge of creating messages that “cut through the clutter” has never been greater. “The ability to use email for message testing is affordable and efficient, and with search and segment features, you have the ability to re-send only to those who did not open the first time,” she says. “Our overall 2011 marketing strategy focuses on improving headlines and copywriting across all channels, online and print. We’ll use email for testing message relevance and ultimately, of course, effectiveness.”

Maximize Your MoneyThere are many ways to lower costs, and some can be very productive, without taking away from your strategic goals. For example, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is embracing expanded partnering options. “It is always good business to leverage messages so that outreach within limited budgets is maximized,” says Sue Bauman, DART’s vice president of marketing and communications. “This is especially important when dealing with advertising. Value-added partnerships can be a win-win for both parties and target markets. We had great partners [in 2010 and] will continue to explore partnerships and other cost-effective strategies to maximize our marketing efforts to reach our strategic goals.”

Brian Brandt, owner of Summit Solution Group, also is espousing the partnering perspective. “Collaboration can be a great way to provide even greater value in the service of our clients,” he says. “Scaling back the egos and putting our customers first is a great way to deliver and learn from one another. With several clients,

“We’ve had to review our communications/marketing strategy to make sure we are reaching our clients—and potential clients—while cutting extraneous activities. More isn’t necessarily better. Our streamlined, strategic efforts have yielded great results.”

—Trish Martineck, HKS

“Clients want to work with nice, socially responsible people who care about their profession and their community.”

—Dennis Peck, HOK

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I’ll be engaging with niche experts who can help ensure that I maximize opportunities for my clients. By providing an even stronger integrated marketing strategy, I expect to deliver even stronger results.”

Perhaps the strongest statement came from veteran communica-tions leader Jack Flanders, of Jack Flanders Communications. He said, “[What was] reaffirmed for me this past year is that, in periods of recession—and essentially that’s all the nation has known since 2000—companies are looking for their marketing consultants to also serve as business advisers. That’s because many if not most small and mid-size firms do not have outside advisory boards. We marketers must be willing to assume this role and share our broader-than-average knowledge of the marketplace with clients who exist in only one commercial sector. We must provide honest advice, even if it means smaller marketing expen-ditures. Whatever short-term pain this may cause will be offset by client trust and the long-term relationship such trust fosters.”

Flanders also provided a great summary statement from which we can all learn: “Because every dollar must be protected,” he said, “I intend to push clients harder to conduct more market research before enacting advertising/marketing strategies. I also intend to move some clients away from online social networking and back to traditional, mass-market media. Because of the recession, some companies have been focusing too narrowly. It’s time to venture back out into the blue water again.”

About the Author

Contributing Editor Linda Mastaglio, ABC, who wrote the “Silent Presses” cover story in the August 2009 issue, has helped many engineering, architecture, and construction firms use public relations and marketing to improve their businesses, their reputations, and their bottom lines. Chair of the 1997 SMPS Marketing Communications Awards program, she can be reached at 903.963.8923 or Linda@twi-pr.com.

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