Marketers Take Flight – Details, episodes & analysis

🎯 Setting SMART performance goals in AEC marketing? Dive into this replay episode where I unpack the art of creating Measurable Performance Goals. 📈 

Discover why hit rates & proposals don't always reflect true success and explore alternative metrics that can. 💡 From organizing information to tracking website traffic, get ready for actionable examples of goals related to pursuits, marketing communication, graphic design, and more. 🖌️ 

Tune in for some bonus SMART goal examples to elevate your team's performance and prepare for a career boost with our upcoming episode on salary negotiation tips. 💼 

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

As we close out this year, I’m bringing back one of the episodes you need to revisit to set yourself up for a killer 2025. We’re digging into a simple, but oh-so-powerful exercise I shared back in 2022 to help you wrap up the year with clarity and intention. These three questions are perfect to help you reflect, learn, and (let’s be real) let go of anything that doesn’t serve you going forward.

So whether you’re deep in goal-setting mode, prepping for performance reviews, or just ready to head into 2025 with a fresh, focused mindset, this episode is exactly what you need. Grab a pen, open up that favorite notebook, and let’s get into it.

Ready for this? Hit play, and let’s set up 2025 to be your best year yet!

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

I’m letting you in on a little secret: you have the power to design the life you want. Yes, even with all the deadlines, obligations, and responsibilities. 🙌

I’m sharing the Full Focus Double Win Formula that transformed how I approach my goals and life. 

✨ What You’ll Learn:

• How to create a 10-Year Life Plan that guides your future.
• Setting Annual SMARTER Goals that excite and challenge you.
• Using daily planning to stay on track toward your big dreams.

Ready to stop drifting and start designing the life you truly want? Let’s do this! 💪

Resources Mentioned:

• Episode 49 - My System for Getting It All Done
• Episode 50 – SMARTER Goals
• Full Focus Planner

If you loved this episode, don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a thing! And if you’re feeling generous, I’d love it if you could leave a review—your feedback means the world to me! 🌟

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

Is there a career path in A/E/C marketing beyond the marketing coordinator role?

If you have been in your role as a marketing coordinator for any length of time, usually around the 2-3 year mark, you begin to wonder what role is next. You can become a Senior Marketing Coordinator and then eventually a Proposal or Marketing Manager. Eventually, you may be managing other staff, larger pursuits, and/or multiple pursuits. 

Can you ever get beyond the proposals? Do you want to? What other career paths are there for A/E/C marketers?

I asked my community of marketing professionals this exact question, and they didn't disappoint. In part 1 of this series, I share the career path stories of seven different marketing, communications, and business development professionals.

There's also a special guest who started as a marketing coordinator, turned to business development, and now is providing project management assistance on the very design-build projects she helped to win.

This is a fun and inspiring episode, so grab a coffee or put on those earbuds and sneakers and listen up.

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

Imagine how it would feel when you are able to manage a proposal process from start to finish that is planned, organized, and follows a predictable schedule. 

You not only know the steps involved in any proposal response situation but take charge of the entire process and delegate with authority and confidence.

You are confident your proposal is compliant, customized, and showcases your firm as the best. 

After you hit that submit button, you feel like a success. It makes your entire marketing department (which might only be you) proud. Firm leaders take notice of how smooth the proposal process was. 

Can you even imagine that? Now that’s #marketingboss 

After managing proposals for 17+ years in the architecture/engineering industry, I have compiled a list of the activities involved in proposal management from the moment that RFP hits your desk to its timestamped by the client. 

I’ve boiled all of it down to three phases—Coordinating, Content Development, and Review, Finalization, and Delivery (RFD). 

And in today’s episode, I am going to narrow on one of those phases – the Content Development phase. And more specifically some best practices on how to approach the order in which you develop your proposal content. 

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

If you have ever opened a trade magazine, you might have thought, 'I can do that.' But you aren't sure where to start.  And that's exactly what we're going to discuss today.  Reputation Ink's Michelle Calcote King is here and we're talking about the content sweet spot, knowledge extraction, and editorial calendars. 

 Consider taking notes on how to work through those steps if you have been thinking about getting published either for your own brand or for your firm.  We have never discussed this topic before, so let's begin.

 Here are some highlights:

• Michelle’s career path: 1:57
• What is media relations: 3:58
• What should you do to get into publications: 7:30 
• Pitching to the Media: 11:39
• What works for trade publications: 12:34
• Getting consistent results: 13:03
• Steps before writing: 13:44
• Formulate your media plan: 15:21
• In-house journalism: 20:02
• Modern marketing: 22:58
• #1 piece of advice for a new AEC marketer: 24:50

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

Capture Planning is an essential element in winning pursuits. It is a methodical process of understanding the client and decision-makers, the potential project, and the competitive landscape; and then turning that into a winning proposal. It often requires a full team of business development, marketing, and technical professionals.

The goal is to have the right information to create compelling and compliant submissions that win! As you can imagine, much of the Capture Planning effort happens before the RFP is released. This important process assesses opportunities, and positions firms accordingly.

And, part of the Capture Planning involves meeting with clients, stakeholders, and other decision-makers to gain intelligence about the project and its goals. To help you uncover the best information, you need to know what questions to ask and how to ask them. 

In this episode, I share a lesson from my Proposal Pro Course - Gap Finding. In this lesson, I explain what a gap is and why it's critical to help differentiate your firm. And then how to find gaps for your pursuits. (Hint: it involves asking great questions!)

To help you get started, download my handout that includes dozens of gap-finding questions.  Use this list to help prepare your business development and technical staff before they meet with clients. You can download this free pdf on the show notes page.

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

You most likely have a LinkedIn page for your firm. And, you're most likely posting employee get-togethers and industry events you're attending. Am I right?

But are you really maximizing LinkedIn to showcase your subject matter expertise and position your firm as the industry leader?

What if there were some other features of LinkedIn that you could add to your marketing strategy that actually attracts your ideal clients and prospects? And, by adding those wouldn't take too much time, effort, or resources? Would you be interested in learning about those?

That's what this week's Marketers Take Flight podcast episode is all about - introducing you to a few new LinkedIn features and why AEC firms should add those to their marketing strategies. 

I've got a special guest, Mindi Rosser, who specializes in helping B2B firms build the personal brands of their SMEs as well as company brands, specifically on LinkedIn. She brings a broader perspective of how other B2B companies are leveraging LinkedIn to start meaningful conversations to fill their pipelines of potential new work.  

Additionally, Mindi discusses our profile, the importance of an up-to-date profile picture, and what a good headline should include.  We discuss how our firms can help us with that headline and how it can be used to acquire new prospects or clients.  This episode is packed with actionable strategies. 

Here are some highlights:

• New features on LinkedIn: 6:02
• LinkedIn newsletters: 7:16
• LinkedIn live: 9:45
• What happens on LinkedIn lives: 15:37
• Personal vs. Firm Brand: 17:37
• How to attract the right people on LinkedIn: 21:34
• Headlines: 23:59
• How can your firm help with headlines: 27:52
• Recap: Your LinkedIn strategy and approach: 31:36

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

We all know how difficult it’s been to find and hire experienced marketing coordinators for our AEC firms.

We are all usually underwater with deadlines and need help. Once we get that approval to hire, we need to not only find someone quickly but get that person up to speed and fully functionally ASAP. If you are one of the lucky ones to find this AEC marketing coordinator unicorn, you will want to make sure you set a great first impression, so he/she stays with your company for a long time. 

This is where a great onboarding experience can come into play. And that’s what today’s episode is about. I’m going to break down the different phases of onboarding and give you some ideas to make this experience better for the new hire and you so everyone feels good about the decision and even better, the new hire can feel like they are making meaningful contributions right away. 

Here are some episode highlights:

• Defining what onboarding is and isn’t
• How you can start to make a great first impression before the new hire’s first day
• Two tools you can prepare to help the new marketing coordinator be productive faster
• Setting the right first impression on the first day
• Best practices to make the first 90 days productive and rewarding
• Examples of how to make the first year successful – for both you and the new hire
• How you can shape the new hire onboarding experience, even if HR already has their own

I provide you with two download freebies to help you start enhancing your marketing onboarding experience – the Resource Guidebook and Help Source Card questionnaires. You can download those for free over on the show notes page – marketerstakeflight.com/60. 

I hope you enjoyed this episode. I hope this gives you some ideas to enhance your new hire onboarding experience for your marketing department. I know we have a lot of creative people in the audience. So tell us, friends, what are some creative ways or experiences you provide to your new marketers? Share them with us in the comments on the show notes page. 

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

It’s all in the data.  Data is being used more than ever before. It's being used to make decisions, create products and services, to find solutions to problems; it's not just about managing the data, it's about using the data for something. Are you using that data to its fullest potential?   

Stacey Ho, CPSM loves all things data. She's here on the show today to talk to us about the four pillars of data collection and auditing: training, collection, auditing, and reporting. She’ll share with us examples of this data being used effectively to make intelligent decisions and prepare effective proposals.

 Here are some highlights:

• Best practices for data collection and data auditing: 4:14
• How can firms automate data collecting and auditing: 11:53
• Dashboards make it easier: 14:33
• Visualizing the data: 16:14
• What else can the data tell you: 16:47
• Get the whole data story: 19:36
• Using data for decisions and proposals: 23:17
• Next-level marketing is the future: 27:55

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.