Build Business Recap: Communication Best Practices, the Words and Why to Use Them

Didn’t have the opportunity to attend Build Business in Philadelphia this year? Do not fear, SMPS CF is here! We are providing you with a Build Business teach back series from our board member’s most valuable sessions.

Presented by: Dorothy Verdon, CPSM, and Amanda Gibney Weko

I had the pleasure of attending Build Business in Philadelphia this year through our generous chapter’s presidential budget for registration and I am thrilled to blog about one of the sessions. Given this is my first blog ever, pleasebear with me and let me give you the highlights.

Writing Tips:

Be specific. Get to the point; say what you mean; mean what you say; and do it in the most concise manner possible.

Tone and voice. Writing is not like talking; when you talk, whether it’s on the phone or face to face, tone, pitch, volume and non-verbal sounds like laughter come into play. In written communication, especially e-mails, this is not the case, hence the digital-age invention of the emoticon. While we are not suggesting emoticons be used in formal business correspondence, paying attention to tone and keeping it consistent throughout your document is important. Positive is good, passive voice is not. Avoid the “could’ve, should’ve, would’ve, may, might” syndrome. You can and you will.

Redundancy and wordiness. Avoid repeating yourself except for carefully planned emphasis of a specific point. When you can say it with a single word, do so. It is amazing how many ways there are to say “because,” but in writing, less is more.

Word usage. Don’t allow spelling demons to possess you! Learn the meaning, proper usage and correct spelling of commonly misused words like effect/affect, comprise/compose, principle/principal, to/too and lead/led. Avoid industry clichés such as bottom line, action item, big picture, extensive (or significant) experience.

All of the above was very helpful, however things turned in a direction I was less enthusiastic about however you may or may not appreciate depending on your role within marketing.

Interview Tips with the media:

Before an interview with a journalist:

• Know the reporter, publication/program, audience, type of story, and interview format.
• Have a goal. What do you wish to accomplish as a result of this interview?
• Know what you want to say. Review your message points.
• Jot down likely questions and appropriate answers.
• Remember your bridging phrases:
• What’s really important here is . . .
• That brings up an interesting point . . .
• I think what you’re asking is . . .
• The fact is . . .
• You may be interested to know . . .
• I think the answer to that question will come after
• I have explained . . .
• Have you ever thought about . . .

During an interview with a journalist:

• Speak in “headlines” – offer conclusion first, briefly and directly and back it up with facts.
• Don’t over answer – short answers are preferable.
• Don’t be fixated by the question. “Bridge” to a related point you want to make.
• Asked about a problem? Talk about a solution.
• Don’t let false charges, facts or figures offered by a reporter stand uncorrected.
• Don’t repeat a reporter’s negative statement or slurs.
• Frame your reply as a positive statement.
• Speak clearly. Avoid jargon and acronyms.
• Be engaging, likable, interesting – add color.
• Don’t know the answer? Don’t fake it. If appropriate, assure the reporter you will find and provide the required facts in a timely manner, or refer the reporter to another source.
• Keep cool. Don’t be provoked.
• Don’t criticize.
• Don’t speculate.
• Don’t go “off the record.”
• Don’t say “no comment.”
• Never lie.

A FEW MORE PIECES OF GOOD ADVICE . . . The following links offer recommendations for writers, PR pros, and marketers.

1. http://authorunlimited.com/writing-inspiration-from-famous-authors/
2. http://firstround.com/review/The-Best-PR-Advice-Youve-Never-Heard-from-Facebooks-Head-of-Tech-Communications
3. http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/The_best_advice_Ive_received_about_PR__12539.aspx
4. http://www.inc.com/lee-clifford-julie-schlosser/tips-from-the-pr-pros.html
5. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226812

– Tara Bleakley, Business Development
TLC Engineering for Architecture, Inc.

Build Business Recap: Trends in Sports Design

Didn’t have the opportunity to attend Build Business in Philadelphia this year? Do not fear, SMPS CF is here! We are providing you with a Build Business teach back series from our board member’s most valuable sessions.

Trends in Sports Design:  It’s all About the Experience

Moderator: 

• Kevin Lewis, Sports Practice Director, Henderson Engineers

Panelists:

• Logan Gerken, Director of Project Development for Sports Group,
  Mortenson Construction
• Mike Haramia, Sports Practice Leader, Henderson Engineers
• Ryan Sickman, Director of Sports, Gensler
• Norman Vosschulte, Director of Guest Experience, Philadelphia Eagles

Trends:

• Displacement ventilation to provide fan comfort – even in open air stadiums, providing heated/cooled air to create thermal comfort
• Medical inclusivity – example Mayo sports clinic in Timberwolves stadium
• Mixed use development – build around stadiums to help create destination, as well as help offset stadium construction costs
• Greater use of public/private partnerships
• College level facilities getting more sophisticated, on level with professional teams
• Use of augmented reality to help owners ‘see’ stadium, help raise donor funds for construction

Interesting Stories Shared:

Gentler – Showed an amazing video rendering of what they proposed for the Washington Wizards stadium at their interview. They were the only DC firm that made the shortlist, thought they were very well positioned to win, so invested in technology to show their concepts.  Lost the project to a Detroit firm – didn’t pay enough attention to the chemistry with the owner and what they wanted, instead got caught up in technology and what Gensler wanted to show.

Gensler again – Texas A & M realized that current students aren’t as engaged with the home football games as traditionally and wanted to understand why. They thought it had to do with the limited bandwidth in the stadium and were getting ready to invest in significant technology improvements to the stadium to draw the students back. Gensler did a pro bono study to help understand why – several team members spent two home game weekends in Austin and during the football games covered Austin to find where the students were and asked a lot of questions. Turned out technology had little to do with the problem. Student complaints were that the student ticket policy was bad, the food and alcohol situation didn’t meet their expectations, that Austin has great music almost every weekend and if you go to the game, you miss the live music. The school solved several of these by awarding student tickets differently, allowing students to sit in more than one section of the stadium, creating a student only tailgate area with food trucks (and wrist bands for those old enough to drink), decreased the number of ads that run during the game and replaced them with live video streams from various music venues around Austin, simulcast some music events and also made some improvements to the Wi-Fi – result was that without spending nearly as much money as they thought they needed to, students came back to the games.

Philly Eagles – how they select design/construction partners – unique in public as City owns the stadium, but looks for relationship, chemistry, understanding of the issues and expects educated questions from their partners.

– Cheryl A. Maze
Principal / Corporate Marketing &
Business Development Manager
TLC Engineering for Architecture

12 “Great” Reasons to Give a GO Decision for an RFP

In her experience as a marketer and business developer with BRPH, Lindsay Diven has listened to hundreds of pitches as to why an RFP should be pursued. In her blog originally posted to Marketers Take Flight, Lindsay shares twelve of the most common arguments made in favor of an RFP’s pursuit.

I have sat in hundreds of Go/No-Go decision meetings and reviewed just as many Go/No-Go submission forms over my decade in this industry. While they bring good discussion and heated debates, there has been a theme to the pleas I get from Project Managers, Business Developers and Principals as to why we should spend time and resources chasing RFPs. Below are about a dozen of the most common pleas I have received over the years.

“Great” Reasons to Pursue an RFP

1. It will get our name in front of the client.
2. We have a project that is similar in scope.
3. The procurement officer asked us to submit.
4. We live in the city (county, area or school district).
5. Our lead architect or project manager went to that school.
6. The submittal is not much effort.
7. We can use the exact proposal we submitted last time.
8. A teaming partner brought this project to us. We don’t want to jeopardize the relationship.
9. Work is awarded in a rotation. If we don’t submit we will get skipped.
10. It’s our turn to win one.
11. We need to get our foot in the door.
12. We did one project with this client (although it was 10 years ago and no one who worked on it is still at your firm).

Of course, these are not good reasons to submit a proposal. Needless to say that if they are using these reasons, they haven’t positioned your firm and team properly. However, they are sometimes used and the marketer is left getting overturned.

Has this happened to you?

Do any of these sound familiar to you?

Have you heard others that are even “better”?

-Lindsay Diven

What do Nora Jones and Rap Music Have To Do With AEC Marketing?

Who inspires you? Who do you look up to? Is there someone you’d like to be in five years?

My biggest professional inspirations are two beautifully and talented women, who are taking the Central Florida AEC marketing world by its reigns. Carrie Davis of Hensel Phelps and Alycia Pollock of H.J. High Construction are SMPS SUPERwomen! Carrie is currently the President-Elect for SMPS Central Floridaand Alycia is the Director of Communications for SMPS CFL. Both are extraordinary ladies who are dedicated to their profession and also to the AEC community. They care about the people they work with, they even take newbies under their wing (like myself) and mentor them through this crazy, fun business.

I got the chance to ask them some questions about themselves, their marketing experience and they shared some advice for new and fellow marketers.

Favorite part of working in the AEC industry?

The beautiful Alycia Pollock

AP: What I love most about our industry is knowing about the developments that shape our community before most people. It’s like being in on a very exciting secret! So often developers come to architects, engineers or contractors with an idea that our teams get to bring to life. Those ideas go on to be iconic Central Florida establishments like Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, the Amway, the Orlando City Stadium, SunRail, theme parks and so many more places that our community lives their lives in.

 

Do you listen to any podcasts or read any blogs that you think others in our industry could benefit from?

AP: Yours! J

CD: I enjoy both podcasts and blogs. My top three are…

1. Communiqueso – https://communiqueso.com/
2. Help Everybody Everyday – http://www.helpeverybodyeveryday.com/
3. Circle S Studios – http://circlesstudio.com/blog/tag/aec-marketing/

Any trade secrets or tips?

AP: Proofread, proofread, proofread! Typos look lazy.

CD: Something that has helped be tremendously is keeping lists and prioritizing things on those lists. Having a game plan or plan of attack for everyday is a huge time saver and you will surprise yourself with how much more efficient you become.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally and how did you overcome it?

AP: Being a woman in the AEC industry is difficult. Our generation has a lot that past generations didn’t but the unfortunate truth is that women still have to fight for respect in a predominately male-filled industry. I’m a big advocate for women in business removing “just” and “sorry” from their vocabulary. Don’t accept disrespect. Take your seat at the table and speak up. If the firm you’re working for has a problem with that – find another firm.

The gorgeous Carrie Davis

CD: By nature, I am not an outgoing person. So being in the Marketing Industry was a strange choice of profession for me. When I would walk into a room full of people my first inclination was to hide in a corner somewhere and hope no one noticed me. It was a struggle of mine long before I even started in the A/E/C industry. When I started at my first job in the industry my boss at the time saw this in me and I am sure that is why I was “volun-told” to join SMPS. Which scared the heck out of me but ended up being the biggest blessing. Slowly, but surely, I gained confidence in myself and my fears disappeared. Get engaged, put yourself out there, be vulnerable and you will reap the rewards tenfold.

What do you look for in a Marketing/BD/Communications coworker?

AP: In any coworker I look for someone I respect, can learn from and can laugh with.

CD: Trust. You can have the most technically savvy co-worker in the entire world but if you can’t trust them nothing else matters.

What’s something you do to help you get in work mode? 

AP: Starbucks Tea Latte (soy) and gangster rap.

CD: I have several different habits when I need to really focus on something but the one that remains constant is music. I turn on iTunes Radio and choose a station depending on what I am in the mood for, usually some variety of country music, Nora Jones, or John Mayer.

How do you keep yourself motivated and engaged?

AP: For me to stay engaged, I have to remember to disengage periodically. Take walks to break up the day. Keep a book handy and read a couple pages every now and then. Use your vacation time! It’s all about perspective.

Favorite event you’ve attended?

AP: I think my favorite event hasn’t happened yet. The SMPS Central Florida AEC Art Gala at the Orlando Museum of Art in August 2016 is going to be one for the books!

Advice to someone new to the industry?

AP: Join SMPS! Find your people. There will be others like you that want to get involved and grow. Find them, befriend them, and before you know it you’ll be vacationing together and find them to be in all your photos. There’s also a good chance you and your people will be the next generation of SMPS Central Florida leadership.

CD: I couldn’t narrow it down so here are my top four tips to someone new to the industry:

1. Ask Questions.
2. Be a sponge – soak it all up!
3. Find a Mentor.
4. Get involved on a committee.

 

-Courtney Franklin, Marketing Strategist

Graduating from the Default-Setting

The emergence of groups of interns in our offices marks the beginning of a new season—it’s graduation season and the time has come for high-school and college students alike to don their caps and gowns and prepare to walk across a stage to lay hands on a long-sought piece of paper marking the successful completion of their formal education. Before this ceremonial conclusion can occur, these students, along with their friends and families in attendance, will listen to a commencement speech likely filled with lines of inspiration, noting the students’ accomplishments and looking ahead toward a bright future of boundless opportunity. This past weekend I listened to such a speech while attending my cousin’s high-school graduation in Lakeland, Florida. The speaker who addressed my cousin’s class admitted to not remembering a single word of the commencement speech from his own graduation and acknowledged that these students were unlikely to remember his words in the years to come. Aside from this admission—I don’t recall anything this speaker said, nor do I remember who spoke at my own high-school graduation or what presumably encouraging messages he or she shared. However, a particular graduation speech, delivered by one of my favorite authors to Kenyon College’s graduating class of 2005, and subsequently shared online, has stuck with me since I first heard the words spoken in a video on YouTube.

In his address to Kenyon College’s graduating seniors, David Foster Wallace shared a message that, while not inspirational or all that encouraging, is extremely important nonetheless. Wallace spoke to these seniors about the monotony of day-in, day-out living: the tedious, oftentimes boring routine of adult life that most of us are all too familiar with and graduating seniors have yet to experience. Upon completing our education and entering the “real world,” we experience an existence in which we wake up, drive to our challenging jobs, work a long day, drive home, make dinner, clean up, and get ready to repeat the whole thing over—over and over and over again, while somehow finding time to buy groceries, clean the house, take care of the kids, hit the gym, go to the dentist, service our cars, etc. Throughout this routine of everyday living we place ourselves at the constant center, and this self-centered approach that Wallace calls our “default-setting” has us automatically programmed to view those around us as being in our way. In this tedious existence, the petty frustrations brought upon us by the people we encounter too often stand in the way of our happiness.

How often do petty frustrations form a roadblock to your pursuit of happiness? How often do these annoyances occur in your work, affecting your productivity and job satisfaction? Our jobs are challenging, and we will all encounter computer or printer problems, late nights in the office, difficult clients, feeling unappreciated, dirty dishes in the break room, or those people who don’t read your e-mails, have loud and obnoxious personal conversations when you’re trying to focus, or make you cringe when you catch them clipping their finger- or toenails at their desk. While these grievances are an inevitable circumstance of work life, the way we respond to them, Wallace asserts, is entirely our decision.
In every instance we have the ability to operate apart from our “default-setting” that automatically pits others against us and holds life’s irritations to be great injustices. Instead we can acknowledge that we are not the center of the universe. We can approach others from a place of compassion and understanding, even when we find them rude, obnoxious, or cringe inducing.

While this may seem like moral advice, it isn’t. This call for a greater awareness in our thinking is a means of navigating life’s waters so that petty problems are pacified in our minds before they become infuriating. It is a disciplined effort that we can choose to not become bogged down by the monotony of day-to-day life and the unavoidable frustrations that come with it. Our personal happiness, our satisfaction in life and in our work, hinges on our willingness to reach beyond our automatic, “default” way of thinking, and open ourselves to a more conscious, controlled way to address problems as they occur.

Wallace’s message was not the typical inspirational speech most of us have come to expect from a graduation commencement. While he may not have left the Kenyon College graduating seniors feeling encouraged to take on the world, he nevertheless provided the students with an important message, a message that applies not only to young professionals entering the “real world” for the first time, but those of us who have lived the reality of adult monotony day after day, year after year. Wallace’s words have stuck with me longer than those spoken at my own graduation commencement, and will likely stay with me longer than any future graduation speech I hear, while serving as a constant reminder that the way I think about life’s petty frustrations and how they affect me is entirely my decision to make.

-Michael Porter, Marketing Coordinator
PCL Construction Services

Referenced speech / video:

This is Water by David Foster Wallace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfw2Qf1VfJo

 

SMPS Member Spotlight | Scott Nichols, CPSM

Meet Scott

Scott Nichols is a Senior Graphic Designer and Animator for Brasfield & Gorrie. Scott has over 15 years of experience designing and implementing marketing, branding, and graphic communication strategies. He constantly looks for innovative ways to implement and apply new technologies to A/E/C marketing pursuits and client communications. In addition to a solid foundation in graphic design, motion graphics, 3d printing, and animation, Scott’s background is in organizational communication, which encompasses corporate communication, message development, marketing, public relations and branding.

Fun Facts about Scott:

If you could trade places with one person for a day,  who would it be and why?

Toss-up between Sir Jonathan Ive, Chief Design Officer at Apple and Bruce Mau of Bruce Mau Design and the Massive Change Network. Both have a keen sense of design and both have been successful in raising awareness of the use of design to solve business and social problems.

Where is your favorite vacation spot?  

So far… Paris, France… in the future, possibly Kauai.

Your greatest extravagance?  

Anything that enriches my daughter’s life.

Which of your personal attributes has made you most successful in your career?  

Sedulity.

What’s one question you always ask a potential employee?  

What was/has been your most rewarding career experience?

What’s your favorite Central Florida restaurant and why? 

Hawkers.  Great food… great concept

Your most interesting deal? 

P3 Proposal for the New Long Beach Courthouse.  Managing the proposal production for a 2,000 page submission, including 7 binders, a custom telescoping box, 30 large format design boards and 10 full size sets of drawing. The submission had to be shipped on a shipping palette.

One thing you’d teach someone in your industry? 

The importance of storytelling in marketing.

Best lesson from a mentor? 

You can’t stand out and fit in at the same time.

Your worst subject? 

Victorian Literature

Favorite book?  

Good to Great by Jim Collins

One thing you wish everyone knew about your job?  

Design thinking is a tool for solving business problems… just look at Apple. Design-driven companies outperform S&P by 228% over ten years – THE ‘DMI DESIGN VALUE INDEX’

 

Spring Ahead Speakers: Tim Asimos and Cyndi Gundy

Our mission is to help SMPS Central Florida members grow in their careers through education, skill development, and fostering relationships with other industry professionals. This Thursday marketers are invited to attend a full day education event, Spring Ahead, at the Lake Mary Westin. This year’s speakers will deliver key messages to give members the tools they need to BE MORE educated, skilled, informed, and connected.

Our first two speakers will be Tim Asimos and Cyndi Gundy.

Tim Asimos, CPSM :The Evolution of the Modern Marketer: Critical Skills Needs to Remain Relevant Now and in the Future

Tim Asimos, CPSM is Vice President and Director of Digital Innovation at circle S studio, a strategic marketing and design agency where he helps A/E/C firms grow in today’s increasingly chaotic digital landscape. Tim leads the online marketing team to develop innovative strategies in web development, content marketing and online lead generation. His unique approach is based on more than a decade of previous experience in corporate B2B and A/E/C marketing—placing him in the same seat as many of circle S studio’s clients.

Tim is a syndicated blogger and frequent speaker on the topics of online marketing, lead generation, and content marketing. An SMPS Member and Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM), his A/E/C industry expertise has been featured in numerous publications, webinars, programs and conferences. He’s also a member of the American Marketing Association and is currently President of the Richmond, Virginia chapter. He holds a B.S. in Communication Studies and an M.B.A. from Liberty University.

Cyndi Gundy: 4 Hot Topics in A/E/C Marketing for 2016

Cyndi Gundy is an award-winning Marketing Instructor at the University of Central Florida where she has taught courses in professional selling, services marketing, sports marketing and other courses in the discipline for 14 years. She is also an active business development consultant and professional development trainer, with the majority of her clients in the A/E/C industry. Cyndi assists her clients with training in the areas of business development strategy, personal selling technique and delivering strong presentations. A longtime member of the Central Florida Chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services, Cyndi has the privilege of serving as the faculty advisor for their 80+ member student chapter.

Focus Forward: Experiencing the SMPS Southeastern Regional Conference

In March of this year I attended the SMPS Southeastern Regional Conference, Focus Forward where I had the pleasure of meeting wonderful marketing professionals from cities through the southeast. In between enjoying the offerings of our host city, Charleston, South Carolina with my new SPMS friends, from the beauty of the historic downtown to the dozens of incredible restaurants within walking distance from the Francis Marion Hotel where the conference was held (and a few too many margaritas), I attended seminars with industry experts who shared strategic methods to alter our messaging as marketers to improve our communication with clients. Three of my favorite speakers shared a similar theme in their presentations, expressing the importance of engaging clients by framing your marketing materials in a way that promotes the client and the client’s interests ahead of your own.

Jen Hebblethwaite | Focus on Your Clients: Helping vs. Selling Storytelling

Jen Hebblethwaite is the the director of Graceworks, a company that coaches clients to form human connections through their writing and presentations. In her Focus Foward presentation, Jen urged the conference attendees to stop beginning their marketing efforts by sharing the “we-we” show. How many marketers begin to engage their audience with an “About Our Company” overview? Jen’s experience has shown that this “we-we” approach is ineffective. Clients don’t care, and what is important to the client, is the client. Begin instead by telling the “you-you” show; show you understand the client by identifying their wants and needs for their project. Determine the challenges facing the client, offer plausible solutions to the problem, and back yourself up with proof from your past successes. This approach allows you to communicate your experience and achievements, while doing so in a way that puts the client’s interests ahead of your own. You’re not selling your story to the client, you are presenting your client with helpful information to assist in meeting the client’s needs.

Wayne & Holly Paige | Video Storytelling: Marketing in the Digital Age

Wayne and Holly Paige of Wave One Group specialize in creating visual storytelling that inspires audiences through emotional connection. Wayne and Holly identify three questions to answer as the building blocks of a great story: What, How, and Why? When creating a video of your project experience, footage of end-users enjoying the space your firm created is a strong way to answer the question of “Why” your company does the work they do, while creating an emotional connection that engages your client in your work experience. Allow your project team to speak with passion about the work they do day in and day out. Use testimonials from previous clients to appeal to prospective clients, or employ corporate responsibility videos to give your audience an appreciation for the work you do to better the local community. The intent of your visual storytelling should never be to boast about your experience and capabilities. To engage your audience and earn the trust of your client, brainstorm ways to tell your story while creating an emotional connection to your viewers.

Rachael Frohardt | Elevating the Proposal Process

Rachael Frohardt is Orlando’s marketing manager for PCL Construction, the 6th largest general contracting firm in the United States. In her conference presentation, Rachael spoke from her experience managing proposals for high-profile clients like Disney and Ritz-Carlton, in what was my favorite presentation of the conference (Rachael is also my manager and my review is coming up). In a competitive construction market, proposals are a key way to differentiate yourself from your competition. Elevating the proposal process means taking the time to research and understand your client and customizing your proposal response to suit their needs. Read every word of the RFP to understand what information your client is asking for, and read between the lines to discover the concerns your client has. Engage your coworkers to determine who has worked for this client before and what their experience was like. What you uncover in your research will inform your approach to your proposal response, from the use of color and graphics to the project and personnel experience you present to the client. Standing out from the competition is a matter of demonstrating that your understanding of the client’s goals exceeds that of your competition.

Whether planning a presentation, producing a video, or creating a proposal, your job as a marketer is to put yourself in the shoes of your client. Understanding a project from the client’s perspective allows you to form your marketing materials in a way that puts the client in the spotlight. In doing so, you are able to communicate your story with finesse. Your client will listen to what you have to say because they recognize your understanding and desire to help them overcome challenges. Ultimately your client will view you as someone who they want to work with, and you will achieve more success in your pursuits.

-Michael Porter, Marketing/Communications Coordinator
PCL Construction Services, Inc.

 

Obtaining CPSM Expands Network and Opens New Opportunity

By: Lindsay Diven

In early 2013 I was working as a marketing manager in a mid-size engineering firm. It was then I decided to take the leap to study and obtain my CPSM license. From the beginning of this journey, I began to realize the CPSM’s value. I was part of the SMPS Central Florida’s CPSM Study group with a half-dozen other marketing leaders. Not only did we study together, but each session was taught another CPSM, veterans in our industry. Each of them brought with them a unique perspective of how they studied and applied the material in their roles. I formed a bond with the members of that group while studying and passing the certification. This will bond will keep us close for years to come.

Beyond just developing relationships with other marketers, studying for the exam provided me with insight into the organization and function of the business side of our firms. While I had nearly eight years of proposal experience under my belt, I wasn’t exposed to the business and strategic planning at that point. Through my reading and studying, I learned this side of the business which has helped immensely in my current role.

Upon obtaining my certification, I felt that doors opened and opportunities for career advancement presented themselves. I was contacted by several recruiters who mentioned that they were searching specifically for CPSM marketers in the Central Florida area. Later that year, I joined BRPH as their Director of Marketing and Business Development. It has been a wonderful experience as I have been able to build a marketing and business development team that includes 12 talented professionals. As I built this team, I incorporated the fundamentals of the Domains and requirements of the CPSM for Marketing Coordinator advancement.

I highly recommend anyone looking to advance their career in AEC marketing to obtain their CPSM.

Here are some of my tips to successfully pass the CPSM:

• Join a local study group – This helped me stay accountable for my own reading even with fluctuating deadlines at work. Through this group, I also was able to build close relationships with other SMPS members outside my normal circle.
• Purchase or Borrow all of the recommended materials – When I was going through the certification, there were about a half-dozen books. I purchased all of them and read all of the recommended reading. It seems like a lot of reading, but it really does show up on the test. (note: some of this has changed recently)
• Dedicate time every day – It has been a while since I was in college and had to study for tests, so I was a bit rusty! It was better for me to read for 30-60 minutes each day to keep the information fresh in my head. If I missed a day or two, I felt like I was going backwards to remember what the topic was covering.
• Schedule the test before you are ready – We all work toward deadlines. If you never actually schedule the test, you won’t ever take it. Schedule the test with enough time to study (8-10 weeks out) and then start studying. Work backwards from the deadline (similar to a proposal submission) and divide your studying. If you join a local study group, then this should be done for you!

I am available to anyone who has any questions or concerns.

I hope to see you at next year’s CPSM Celebration!

---

Lindsay Diven, CPSM serves as the Director of Marketing and Business Development, a Principal and Member of the Board of Directors for BRPH Architects-Engineers. She also manages the Marketers Take Flight blog, focusing on helping marketers new to the AEC industry acclimate to the proposal environment. Over the past 10 years, she has specialized in developing marketing and business development teams with emphasis on creating workable processes and accountability measures. Lindsay has been a member of SMPS since 2005 and is currently serving on the Student Chapter Committee for SMPS Central Florida and as a Chapter Liaison for SMPS Southeastern Regional Conference committee.