Program Sessions
Two Tracks to Guide Your Journey
Our specialized tracks are designed to cater to different levels of experience and professional focus, ensuring that every attendee can discover valuable "golden nuggets" of knowledge. Whether you’re prospecting for foundational skills or mining for advanced strategies, our speakers are ready to help you on your journey.
The Prospector track is perfect for those who are newer to AEC marketing or looking to build a stronger foundation. In this track, you’ll learn from speakers who specialize in the essential elements of marketing and business development, such as:
- Research and Planning: Learn the importance of data-driven decision-making and strategic planning to position your firm for success.
- Client Engagement: Explore best practices for building strong client relationships, from initial outreach to ongoing development.
- Business Development Fundamentals: Gain insight into identifying and pursuing opportunities that can drive your firm’s growth.
Speakers in this track will share proven strategies to help you refine your approach and establish a solid foundation for long-term success.
The Miner track is tailored for seasoned professionals who are ready to dive deep into the more advanced aspects of AEC marketing. This track features sessions focused on:
- Strategic Marketing and Communication: Learn how to create compelling proposals, fine-tune your messaging, and communicate effectively to win over clients.
- Client Interviews and Presentations: Get expert advice on how to stand out in competitive interviews and deliver presentations that leave a lasting impression.
- Operational Marketing Strategies: Discover tools and methods to streamline marketing operations and drive measurable business results.
Speakers in this track will offer advanced strategies and practical tips to help you maximize your firm's potential and drive sustained success.
Business Development for Everyone: Tactics by Skillset and Comfort Level
Wendy Simmons | Middle of Six
Business development can feel overwhelming, especially when the pressure to secure the next big win weighs heavily on your shoulders. This session offers a much-needed reset, both mentally and professionally, for you and your technical colleagues. We'll break down the fundamentals of business development, address the common mental and logistical challenges that hinder relationship building, and provide actionable steps to integrate BD activities into your daily routine. Attendees will learn a range of BD techniques, from entry-level to executive strategies, discover effective methods for prioritizing BD tasks, and gain real-world examples to mentor and guide their teams. Get ready to dismantle the BD juggernaut and turn it into a manageable, successful part of your day.
The Golden Couple: CRM and Storytelling
Courtney Kearney, CPSM | CKearney Consulting
Your CRM is a gold mine waiting to be tapped! You’ve invested in collecting and maintaining your data—now it’s time to uncover the valuable stories hidden within. This session will teach you how to transform raw data into compelling narratives that give your firm a competitive edge. Learn to excavate your data, making it visually engaging and easily understood. Explore the latest generative AI tools to quickly mine insights from your datasets and present them creatively. Master the art of data storytelling, turning numbers into narratives that inspire action. Courtney will showcase real-world examples from the AEC industry and beyond, demonstrating how to become a powerful and persuasive data storyteller. Don’t miss the chance to discover the untold stories in your data and strike gold with your CRM!
Thank you to our Speaker Sponsor!
Showcasing Value: Essential Metrics for AEC Marketing Pros
Stephany Socha | Full Sail Partners
Secure your “seat at the table” by mastering the essential metrics that showcase the true value of your marketing and BD efforts. In this session, Stephany will guide you through the critical metrics every AEC professional should track—like New Business, Utilization Rate, and Win/Capture Rates—that directly impact your firm’s bottom line. Learn how to present compelling data to leadership, validate resource needs, and demonstrate your department's impact. Discover how to set up effective tracking systems, analyze data like a pro, and share results that impress stakeholders. Whether you're new to metrics or seeking to refine your process, this session is packed with insider tips and best practices to help you avoid common pitfalls, make data-driven decisions, and elevate your role within the firm. Don't miss the chance to transform your marketing and BD efforts with powerful metrics!
Mining for Capture Plan Gold!
Donna Corlew FSMPS, CPSM | C*Connect
When an unexpected RFP lands in your inbox with no time to position or plan, marketing can step up and lead the charge. In this interactive, hands-on session, you'll bring a recent or pending “emergency” proposal to use as a case study. We’ll dive into how to quickly gather critical insights from principals and project managers, develop a winning strategy on the fly, and create compelling client-focused messaging. You'll leave with practical tools, including a worksheet to guide a swift discovery process, and the confidence to manage your team effectively, cutting through the noise of the RFP response to deliver a powerful, competitive proposal. This is your chance to turn a cold start into a hot win!
Thank you to our Speaker Sponsor!
Excuse SME?! Navigating Technical & Marketing Staff Relationships
Rachelle Ray | RMR Consulting & Jeff Visnic | Reclamation Collaborative
Managing proposal efforts can be overwhelming, especially when technical staff seem uncooperative or disengaged. But what if their behavior isn’t intentional? In this candid session, marketer Rachelle Ray and engineer Jeff Visnic explore what’s really happening “on the other side” of the proposal process. Together, they’ll uncover the common challenges technical staff face and offer practical strategies to bridge the gap between proposal teams and SMEs. Learn how to foster better communication, keep SMEs on schedule, and collaborate effectively to ensure high-quality proposal deliverables on time. Gain valuable insights from both perspectives to transform your proposal process into a more harmonious and productive experience.
Hidden Gold: How to Use Email Marketing to Generate Referrals and Repeat Business
Michelle Calcote King | Reputation Ink
Email marketing is the top B2B marketing channel, yet many AEC firms use it ineffectively. This session will explore why email marketing often falls flat and how, when done right, it can become a powerful tool for nurturing relationships and driving referrals. You'll learn best practices for managing an email program, creating content that resonates, and staying compliant with spam laws. The session will also cover how to avoid spam filters, leverage AI tools to enhance your campaigns, and ensure your emails are read, shared, and forwarded. Ideal for firms looking to maximize the impact of their email strategy, this interactive presentation will provide actionable insights to elevate your email marketing efforts and strengthen client relationships.
From Thoughts to Actions: The Golden Art of Expressing Leadership
Barbara Shuck, FSMPS, CPSM | Everest Marketing Services
Effective leadership drives innovation, fosters collaboration, and achieves business success. This engaging session will delve into the language of leadership as a crucial career skill, exploring how leaders use thoughts, words, and actions to inspire teams, cultivate a positive workplace culture, and elevate their organizations. You'll learn to cultivate a leadership mindset through self-awareness, align personal and professional goals with organizational objectives, and embrace a growth mindset for continuous improvement. Discover how to communicate with impact by mastering persuasive and empathetic communication, building trust through transparency, and demonstrating integrity in all actions. By leading by example, encouraging innovation, and fostering collaboration and inclusion, you'll enhance team dynamics and drive your organization to new heights.
"X" Marks the Spot: Tips and Tricks to Keep Your Pursuit Deadline on Track
Briana Carter, CPSM | Page
In the high-stakes world of proposal pursuits, staying on track is essential to striking gold with your clients. This session will equip you with the tools to effectively manage the entire proposal process, ensuring you meet deadlines and keep your pursuit on course. Whether you're leading a prime firm or working as part of a team, you'll learn how to craft and maintain a proposal kickoff form, build and communicate schedules efficiently, and make the most of your available resources. Additionally, you'll discover how to collaborate seamlessly with consultants and other firms, particularly in design-build or joint-venture projects. Gain the skills to navigate the proposal pursuit process with confidence and precision, ensuring your team hits every deadline.
Harnessing Internal Marketing to Drive Employee Engagement and Business Success
Tamara Goff, CPSM | HBG Design
In this session, Tamara Goff, Marketing Leader at HBG Design, will reveal how marketing leadership can play a pivotal role in successful business transformations. As HBG transitioned leadership to a new generation, Tamara recognized the critical need for employee engagement and alignment with the firm's core values. She implemented innovative internal marketing strategies that made the firm's "Core Vision" part of everyday vocabulary, connected employees to the company’s legacy, and aligned individual contributions with the firm's goals.
Participants will explore case studies showcasing these strategies, including the creation of an internal branding lexicon, reimagined employee recognition events, and the impactful GOH Travel Scholarship. The session includes interactive breakouts for attendees to brainstorm and develop their internal marketing strategies. Learn how to enhance employee engagement and drive organizational success through the power of strategic internal communication.
Building Your Firm's Social Media for the Future
Duncan Robertson, CPSM | Tamarack Grove Engineering
In this transformative session, you'll revamp your firm's social media presence for enduring success. We'll begin by auditing your current content and strategy, laying a solid foundation for a robust social media plan. Learn to establish content pillars that resonate with your audience, from firm updates to evergreen content that keeps them engaged. We’ll highlight the impressive results from Tamarack Grove's social media overhaul, demonstrating the benefits of a well-executed strategy. Discover how to balance various content types—photos, videos, and PDFs—and understand why consistent posting is crucial. You'll explore the advantages of social media tools that streamline your workflow, allowing you to "set it and forget it," and gain techniques for efficient content creation that free up time for other vital tasks. Embrace simplicity in design, boost your posting frequency without overwhelming your audience, and learn to experiment with new ideas. By the end of this session, you'll be equipped with practical strategies to enhance your social media presence and ensure long-term success in the digital landscape.
Thank you to our Speaker Sponsor!
Emphasize the Individuals to Build Your Firm’s Brand
Alexandra Pony | PONY Communications & Amanda Walter | Walter Communications
This session reveals how to turn your firm's leaders and team members into powerful brand ambassadors, boosting visibility, credibility, and client loyalty. In today’s competitive landscape, a strong brand reflects a firm’s culture and the collective strength of its people. Learn actionable strategies and see real-life examples of how to harness your team’s unique strengths to effectively communicate your firm's core messages. We’ll cover empowering your team to engage in branding initiatives, from PR to social media, and provide tools to measure and scale success. Ideal for CEOs, CMOs, and team members, this workshop equips you with the insights to activate your team as brand ambassadors and build a distinct, enduring identity in the marketplace.
Beyond Charts and Graphs: Inspire Action with Data Visualizations
Tully Mahoney | Page
We’ve all endured presentations where cluttered, confusing slides make data feel like alien code. But data should be clear and accessible, especially as AEC firms use it to guide budget plans, recommend projects, and enhance energy efficiency. In this workshop, you'll learn to transform bewildering charts into impactful visualizations that convey compelling narratives. Through before-and-after analyses and hands-on activities, you'll gain strategies to create clear, engaging graphics that captivate your audience. Discover how to tailor visualizations to your audience, differentiate designs for presentations versus documents, and master techniques to enhance clarity, impact, and persuasiveness in your data presentations. Say goodbye to confusing charts and hello to data that drives action.
Navigating the Road Ahead: Translating Research into Strategy
Julie Witecki, CPSM | FMI Consulting
This presentation highlights the vital role of market research and strategic planning in the A/E/C industry, providing professionals with the tools to leverage market trends and data for informed decision-making and business growth. You’ll explore the fundamentals of market research, economic forecasting, and how to apply research insights to strategic planning. Learn to identify and analyze market trends, understand geographic and demographic shifts, and use these insights to craft effective growth strategies. The session includes a customized FMI forecast for the Southwest region, practical tips to integrate regular market research into your routine, and techniques to use data for strategic business decisions. Interactive exercises and group discussions will further enhance your learning and ensure practical application.
Brain Bending: Leveraging Neuromarketing to Win the Interview
Allie Horne, CPSM | Meeks Marketing & Melanie Meeks, CPSM | Meeks Marketing
Join veteran marketers Melanie Meeks, CPSM, and Allie Horne, CPSM, as they guide you through the world of neuromarketing to help you win more interviews. Neuromarketing taps into the subconscious aspects of decision-making, giving you a competitive edge. This session will teach you how to incorporate five key neuromarketing strategies—Fear Appeal, Anchoring Principle, Reciprocity, The Decoy Effect, and Emotional Marketing—into your firm's interviews. Whether you're a psychology enthusiast or just looking to enhance your interview success, you'll gain practical tools to positively influence decision-makers and secure more wins.
