 SMPS Missouri Valley Regional Conference 2024 (Pictured left to right - Gabe Lett, Holly Bolton, Frank Lippert, Andrea Story, Lindsay Young) You are an A/E/C professional marketer. You work for professional architects, engineers, and construction experts. Your firms typically have professionals who take care of payroll, accounts payable and receivable, IT and other technologies. The firm does well when everyone does their job and executes tasks based on their skills and expertise.
The Marketing Squeeze As a professional marketer you have specific skills and expertise that are unique to you. It is why you are hired, or maybe why you should have been hired. But this marketing gig is often a frustrating and sometimes confusing role to tackle.
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Why AEC Firms Can’t Afford to Ignore Marketing Leadership It's been a minute since I've written on theaecguide.com blog. Several things have changed over the summer. I took a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) position at Prairie Engineers in July. With the new role, the Amplify AEC conference, and a short family vacation, I've missed writing. But I'm back in the saddle and ready to keep pushing the AEC marketing profession forward! CMO Doesn't Mean "Consider Marketing Optional" The CMO position for AEC companies is not a common one, but a growing need. According to Michael Racis, "In recent years, fractional marketing leadership has grown much more popular as mid-sized firms look to realize the benefits of working with an experienced marketing leader without the price tag of a full-time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)" (The Fractional CMO: What it is + How it Can Benefit AEC Marketing | LinkedIn). Many firms are using the "fractional CMO" to fill the marketing leadership gap. Others see the long-term benefits of a full-time CMO. So, what exactly is a CMO and what value does this role bring to a firm? To answer this question well, it is important to lay the groundwork in answering "why?" Why is marketing critical to AEC business . . . or is it? Is AEC marketing business-critical or business-convenient? AEC services predate the permission to market them. So, many firms have lagged in making marketing business-critical. The commitment of a firm to recognize the value of a marketing executive who participates in the top leadership says something about that firm. So does the lack of commitment to elevate marketing professionals into top leadership roles. "The commitment of a firm to recognize the value of a marketing executive who participates in the top leadership says something about that firm." Business-Critical or Business-Convenient? Business-critical functions are those that serve a company in its sustainment, growth, and profitability. Payroll, accounting, HR, and operations are critical business functions. These are sustaining functions. However, leadership, strategy, technical delivery, sales, and marketing are growth and profitability functions. Most AEC firms accept leadership and technical delivery as business-critical. When it comes to strategy, sales, and marketing, it gets a bit fuzzier. That is because so much of what AEC businesses provide are essential for living and economic stability. Firm owners have a long-standing belief that the phone will simply keep ringing and work will keep flowing. While this may be true in strong economies and stable markets, those who have been around a while know this is shifting sand. Marketing Leadership Solves Challenges There are several factors shifting the AEC industry. Recruitment and retention continue to be a primary challenge. Inflation and rising wages challenge financial performance and profitability. Firms wish to diversify by discovering new project opportunities in current markets or pre-positioning in new markets. As technology changes how firms deliver projects, finding your edge means quickly adopting and implementing it. (Blog | New SN Research Sheds Light on State of AEC Industry Heading Into 2024 (stambaughness.com) These challenges can all be positively impacted by great marketing leadership! The principles of marketing your services to clients are the same as marketing your company to future employees. Firms utilizing their marketing leaders for recruitment and retention campaigns are discovering a competitive edge. Firms that have discovered their differentiators and employ laser-focused marketing strategy enjoy better financial performance and profitability. Marketing helps firm leaders better identify their ideal clients and markets. Finding growth opportunities in current markets or pre-positioning in a new market is not guesswork. Marketing leaders understand how to research and skillfully adapt to market changes. The state of the AEC industry demands business-critical marketing leadership. The growing role of the Chief Marketing Officer is evidence that firms are catching up and catching on.  Where is the best cheeseburger in your town? If you're vegan, where is your favorite vegan burger? Pause . . . imagine sitting down at your favorite burger joint. What does it smell like? What is the atmosphere like? Let your imagination run. Salivating yet? I am. My favorite burger in town is at Tropicana Bar & Grill. I put myself there in this little exercise. It's 8:00 AM on a Wednesday, and I just made myself hungry for that awesome cheeseburger. This imagination exercise is marketing. There is a nuance I would like for us to pick up on. I hopefully made you hungry for your favorite burger. I attempted to market your favorite burger by helping you answer the "why" question, not the "how" question. The "why" is your reason for enjoying a great burger. Your why has to do with hunger, flavor, and aroma. Your why has to do with experience. If I can successfully get you thinking about your "why" I can sell that burger to you more easily. But what if I tried to market this burger by answering "how" questions? I start by having you imagine the butchering of a cow. I explain the processing of meat and then how it is preserved and shipped. I then explain how the hamburger is grilled, at what temperature, and for how long. I add the details of the bun and condiments. I bet your taste buds are dancing with excitement! Yet, this is what too many engineers, architects, and contractors do to market themselves. Our instinct is to try and impress clients by answering "how" questions. The practitioners love to discuss the "how." I get it! The "how" is impressive. The intricate details of how infrastructure and buildings get designed and built are fascinating. But the "how" answers do not provide an experience. They do not move the soul or inspire. Learn to answer your client's "why." When I am sick, I want to feel better. I'm not interested in the chemistry of the medicine and the microbiology of how it works. I am only interested in feeling better. "How" my medicine is made and "how" it works is irrelevant to me when I am feverish, aching, and vomiting. "Why" I take the medicine is much more relevant. The "how" answers do not provide an experience. They do not move the soul or inspire. "How" you design a bridge is irrelevant to me when I just want an easier and safer way to cross the river.
"How" electricity gets generated and delivered to my home is irrelevant when I need my air to work on a hot summer day. Start reviewing your marketing messages. Are you trying to answer "how" or "why?" Review your website, brochures, blog posts, social media channels, and proposal documents. If you find you are answering more "how" questions, it's time to update. Start answering the "why" questions. |
AuthorGabe Lett, FSMPS, CPSM, LPC 
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November 2025
The views and opinions expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of any current or previous employers.
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