Marketing Plans
(By Elizabeth Tuico) It’s that time of year when A/E/C marketing departments develop their plans for the next business cycle. How do you make the most of this process? Consider the following recommendations:
Evaluate the Current Year
Start by determining what went well and what didn’t. Did you submit a significant number of proposals to one group or market sector, and didn’t get to the shortlist? Is it worth the time and money to keep going? Are you thinking about switching CRM systems? Is a key team member heading out on maternity leave? Do a deep dive to analyze pursuits, processes and staff.
Develop Your Roadmap
The next step is to list very specific goals. Note a time frame and the initial strategy for each.
Analyze Your Tactics
Determining what tactics are needed to achieve your goals is an important piece of the puzzle. Be sure to include the best channels and action items for each goal.
Note: It may help to actually draw out your map on a piece of paper. Place goals at the top, and outline the action items below.
Competitor Analysis
It doesn’t take much effort to find out what the competition is doing. Review news sections on websites and activity on social channels. What are the latest wins and new hires? What incumbent contracts do they hold?
Budget
Setting financial parameters will help you achieve goals faster. Don’t forget expenses for consultants, software, events, conferences and training.
Financial Projections
With a draft plan in place, estimate your return on investment. If you work for an architecture firm and the business is divided into studios, you can estimate probable wins for each studio. Other firms use market sectors to determine financial projections.
Metrics
How will you track your progress? To be successful, you need to go beyond win/loss proposal metrics. Look at your website’s traffic, search engine optimization (SEO) stats through Google Analytics, email blast conversion rates, pipeline revenue and prospect conversion rates.
To compile a draft report, develop an executive summary and weave these sections together. Be sure to get input from stakeholders and incorporate their comments into your final document.
A marketing plan is a living document. Consult it regularly to verify your team is on track. It’s okay to make changes along the way. If an initiative is clearly not working, consider abandoning it mid-year. If you come across something you’d like to implement in the summer, amend your marketing plan and readjust resources. A successful plan is a flexible one.
A/E/C firms: do you need help with your marketing plan? Rebel Road Creative can work with your team to develop an effective marketing strategy for the upcoming year. Get in touch.
Clients in the A/E/C (architecture/engineering/construction) and tech industries turn to Rebel Road Creative for marketing ideas, training and content creation. Looking for a spark to light up your business? We’re here to help.
