Pre-Conference Workshops
Pre-Conference Learning Labs
The conference begins with Pre-Conference Learning Labs on Wednesday, April 9th, designed to provide a hands-on, deep dive into key areas of AEC marketing and business development. These workshops offer an intensive learning experience led by industry experts and will cover a range of specialized topics. Choose from morning or afternoon sessions or attend a full-day lab to get the most out of your pre-conference experience.
- Morning Lab (8 AM - 12 PM): Focus on foundational skills, perfect for newer professionals or those looking to reinforce key marketing techniques.
- Afternoon Lab (1 PM - 5 PM): Dive deeper into advanced strategies that can transform your firm’s marketing and business development efforts.
- Full-Day Lab (8 AM - 5 PM, lunch included): A comprehensive, full-day workshop that covers both foundational and advanced strategies to ensure you're fully equipped for the rest of the conference.
These learning labs will provide you with actionable takeaways and practical skills that you can immediately implement in your day-to-day work, setting the tone for a productive and insightful conference experience.
Note: Both AI sessions are included in the Pre-Conference Afternoon Session registration.
Morning Session
Wednesday
April 9, 2025
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Supercharge Your InDesign Workflow
Julie Shaffer, FSMPS, CPSM | Shaffer Creative
Streamline your proposal development process and enhance design consistency with InDesign expert Julie Shaffer. In this session, Julie will reveal top strategies to maximize your InDesign efficiency, from precision design techniques to powerful automation tools. Discover how to use scripts to automate routine tasks, unlock the potential of GREP for faster workflows, and leverage hidden features, including AI automation, to save hours of work. Whether you're an intermediate user or looking to refine your skills, this session will equip you with essential tools to elevate your design process and transform your documents with expert insights.
Afternoon Session
Everyday AI in Proposals
Angie Wolfe | Ideas at Dawn
Harness the power of AI to transform your proposal development process. Discover how to streamline workflows, craft compelling content, and gain valuable insights that give you a competitive edge in the AEC industry. Learn to develop AI-powered matrices, analyze data from RFPs, and uncover hidden efficiencies that can boost your proposal win rate. Through practical examples and case studies, you’ll refine your techniques, enhancing proposal quality and efficiency to consistently strike gold with winning proposals.
Wednesday
April 9, 2025
1:00 - 2:45 pm
Panning for Gold: Leveraging AI to Sift Out Monotony and Improve Efficiency
Brad Thompson | SDB Contracting Services
In today's AEC industry, the ability to sift through vast data to uncover valuable insights is key to striking gold in your marketing and business development efforts. This session will explore how cutting-edge AI tools can transform your approach to routine tasks, making your processes more efficient and your decision-making sharper. Through real-world examples, you'll learn best practices for implementing AI solutions that streamline workflows, enhance strategic focus, and integrate seamlessly into your existing systems. Discover how to leverage AI to unearth the hidden potential in your data and gain a competitive edge.
Wednesday
April 9, 2025
3:00 - 4:45 pm
