As an AEC marketing coordinator, you play an important role in supporting your firm's marketing plan. Wondering about how you can support your firm's marketing efforts and contribute to its success? Here are seven recommendations to expand your knowledge and become an invaluable member of your marketing team.
1. Study your firm's marketing plan
Knowing your firm’s target market sectors, perceived strengths and weaknesses, potential clients, strategic direction, and revenue goals is essential to making sure your firm’s marketing plan is successful. By studying the marketing plan, identify the objectives you can prioritize and when to apply resources within your control to accomplish those goals. Areas to consider include branding, website, public relations, proposals, content marketing, social media, etc. To maximize success, however, the study must be ongoing in order to remain current with AEC market trends and client needs.
2. Focus on a few tasks where you can make a significant impact
Being disciplined enough to focus on a few key AEC marketing tasks is more helpful than trying to assist on every effort. Feeling like you can contribute and make an impact on every element of your firm’s marketing plan will guarantee one thing: you will do a lot but do nothing 100%. Focusing on website improvements, social media strategies, email marketing campaigns, proposals, marketing collateral, content development, tradeshows, or general communications is the best scenario for you and your firm. Not only will these items help increase public awareness of your firm’s services, but they are important tools in building relationships and maintaining continuing client loyalty.
3. Create measurable goals that show a return
AEC management leaders often want to see the ROI (return on investment) for marketing efforts. Little do they know how difficult it is to measure with traditional analytics. Measuring success in the form of ROE (return on effort) can be a more effective way to show results in AEC marketing. As you analyze the marketing plan, look for defined objectives and goals. Consider defining an outcome based on efforts such as the number of potential client meetings, number of project pages finalized, list of project photographs needed and completed, etc. These defined outcomes can more be effective in demonstrating marketing ROE.
4. Embrace AEC digital marketing tactics
There’s been a lot of talk about the need to embrace a digital-first mindset when it comes to marketing. That's not just because technology is advancing so quickly, but because there’s no longer such a thing as AEC digital marketing—it’s just marketing in a digital world. There are numerous advantages to embracing this digital-first mindset and taking advantage of new strategies and technologies. Digital marketing gives your firm more control in reaching existing and target clients, better measurement and tracking of results, and improved efficiency through automation. AEC marketing activities such as conferences, social media, website, collateral, or proposals should be planned and executed to enhance the experience or support the effort with digital avenues.
5. Evaluate and optimize technology for AEC marketing tasks
Audit your marketing toolbox to gain a solid understanding of the software tools and services you are using to support your current marketing goals and processes. For example, if you’re using HubSpot for analytics it’s important to evaluate its effectiveness. The same applies to Hootsuite or Loomly for social media automation and planning, Crazy Egg for heat maps and A/B testing, Cosential for CRM services, Semrush for SEO tracking, and Vimeo for video hosting. During such reviews, the goal is to ensure that all these tools are being used in an efficient manner and that there is no redundancy or overlap in functions. By optimizing marketing technology options, you can streamline processes while maximizing the firm’s investment.
6. Provide more proactive client relations and business development support
When you focus on providing marketing support, it gives your marketing and business development leaders and technical staff more time to focus on high-priority target clients. Assisting business developers and seller-doers in focusing on their highest priority existing and potential clients can make a measurable impact on business development and the bottom line. Marketing teams can add tremendous value by developing highly personalized business development plans that target key clients and stakeholders proactively.
7. Ensure AEC content marketing is knowledge-based
Your role as an AEC marketing coordinator means you’re the keeper of content. Keep the focus on sharing knowledge and best practices—not selling your firm. This approach will attract clients and promote the expertise of your firm’s services and professionals. This tactic is successful if applied to all content such as emails, blog articles, social media updates, and even proposals. Ensure that your thought leadership efforts include establishing the firm as the industry expert.
As a marketing coordinator, you are the backbone of your AEC firm’s marketing process. From proposal and RFP responses to website updates and blog posts, you play a vital role in how your company is perceived by existing and potential clients. It is essential that you take the time to learn as much as you can about AEC marketing processes and procedures and how it applies to your firm. Don’t be afraid to take initiative and support your team in any way possible. The more involved you are, the greater the impact you’ll have on your firm’s bottom line.
Finally, make sure to communicate with members of your team regularly. By working together and sharing ideas, you can magnify your role within the firm and contribute to its success for years to come.
