As the Client Relations Director at Calder Richards Consulting Structural Engineers, there is much to learn from Nancy Wolthuis. She's worked in the AEC industry for 35 years, and has developed the skills and network to help firms grow through leading by example. She knows clients want to communicate with the people working on their projects, and she works hard to shape up her people and spaces to make sure every connection to clients is a strong one.

Most of us in the AEC industry realize that a new name, icon, or logo will not create a new brand for our firm. Creating an “All In” mentality is crucial to forming the brand message necessary to make a lasting impression. The ultimate goal is for every person who interacts with anyone at your firm, in any capacity, to have a structured, consistent, and carefully orchestrated experience.

Often misunderstood, PR is an influential tool – a way of turning cold calls into warm prospects. While some people think of PR strictly as press releases and advertising, we suggest you turn that notion on its head. PR is “Perception = Reality.” When used as a support tactic, it will help you win work.

For Myrna Wagner, Vice President of Business Development at Swinerton Management and Consulting, the most important step to marketing mentality was to create a culture of collaboration and accountability with the leadership team. Her approach is to provide them with tools to help and encourage their involvement with business development. MARKETLINK Principal Stephanie Craft asked some questions to find out more.

MARKETLINK Principal Stephanie Craft caught up with Chuck Hack, a Lionakis principal and owner, to learn more about how he and Lionakis’s leadership have created and fostered a marketing mentality within the firm.

Does your firm have customers or clients? Customers buy a service once; clients have established a long-term relationship. Your firm can be ALL IN for client relations.

What are some ways a firm can get a well-regimented unit of employees with marketing skills? Follow along each week for ideas on how to advise, engage, lead, and execute to ensure everyone is ALL IN.

Written by entrepreneur and performance psychology expert Joshua Medcalf, Chop Wood, Carry Water is a short and easy read with great lessons and examples. “For me, it was much more effective to read and learn from the boy’s experiences than to just read about the lesson and what needs to be done to improve,” explains Daryl. “I like seeing the application and learning the ‘why’ behind the principle.”

Whether you’re a marketing coordinator looking to build your knowledge base and enhance your skills or a firm principal looking to build connections that will lead to business opportunities, the hundreds of resources available at smps.org are at your fingertips.

We’ve all heard the adage “the best way to get somewhere is a straight line,” but author Rich Christiansen suggests otherwise. Christiansen is an entrepreneur who has founded or cofounded more than 30 businesses. Some of them were colossal failures, others were multi-million-dollar successes.