Education
Upcoming Educational Programs Stay Tuned! Past Programs BrandAid Workshop Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Place: CDi Engineers 4200 194th St. SW, Suite 200 Lynnwood, WA 98036 Is your firm's branding outdated? Do you need a new logo and/or identity? Are you the only one in your firm who believes this? If you answered "yes" to any of the above, be sure not to miss SMPS Seattle's upcoming workshop on firm branding. Presented by Gretchen Cook, Principal of g design co., and Julaine Fleetwood, Marketing Director for CDi Engineers, the BrandAid workshop will address corporate branding from two perspectives: From the designer - what is needed from the firm and the firm's marketing group to make the branding process a true success From the marketer - how to prove and persuade the firm's decision-makers that a new brand is needed, how to keep the process going after it's started, and how to kick-off the new brand both internally and externally Gretchen Cook is a graphic designer working for more than 14 years as a senior designer for large design firms such as Tim Girvin Design and Hornall Anderson, and who now owns her own business located in Edmonds, WA. She has created brand identities for many well-known organizations including the Seattle Space Needle, Blue Nile, Bellevue's Lincoln Square, Premera Blue Cross, as well as for smaller firms and non-profits. Julaine Fleetwood has more than 25 years working in the A/E/C industry; 18 in marketing. She has facilitated new and updated brand identities for four A/E entities and two non-profit organizations. Julaine has been an SMPS member for 18 years. A/E Marketing 101 Proposals and Presentations That Win! Workshop Date: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Back by Popular Demand--"A/E Marketing 101" Half-day Workshop with Carla Thompson, FSMPS. SMPS is bringing to you a portion of the popular series "A/E Marketing 101" in a half-day workshop titled "Everything You’ll Ever Need to Know to Develop Proposals and Presentations That WIN!" This workshop is intended for anyone with marketing or proposal responsibilities for architectural, interior design, engineering or environmental consultants, general contractors, or related service providers who want to learn or brush up on the latest proposal and presentation techniques and strategies. Learn creative approaches and working formulas to gaining new business from one of Seattle's best-known A/E marketing professionals, Carla Thompson, FSMPS. Carla is one of the originators of this effective workshop, and has shared her insight with many A/E professionals and marketers. Thompson is a Fellow in the Society for Marketing Professional Services, as well as a former President of the Seattle Chapter and member of the National Board of Directors and Board of Trustees for the SMPS Foundation. Owners, principals, project managers, marketing specialists and administrative staff will learn how to strategize and apply trade secrets to win proposals and develop presentation tools and techniques. These are the important steps that will not only get your firm noticed, but win the work! As the energy infiltrates the participants, ideas are shared and strategies revealed. Come to build on your network as well as your knowledge. These are just some of the topics that will be covered: Elements of a Winning Proposal * Go/No Go decisions * Proposal budgets * Developing sales themes (why select us?) * Formatting and packaging * Standard Form 330 * Debriefing the client Presentation Strategies and Structure * Developing a strategy and theme * Presentation tools and techniques * Environmental factors * Coaching the presentation team * Win or lose—how to get the next job * Proposal and presentation war stories you won’t believe! This program will be led by one of Seattle’s best-known marketing professionals, Carla Thompson, FSMPS. Thompson is a Fellow in the Society for Marketing Professional Services, as well as a former President of the Seattle Chapter and member of the National Board of Directors and Board of Trustees for the SMPS Foundation. Motivate and Train Technical Staff to be Effective Business Developers Date: Tuesday, February 19, 2008 Time: 11:00 AM Place: Parker Smith & Feek 2233 112th Avenue NE - Bellevue, WA 98004 SMPS Seattle is inviting you to a BROWN BAG luncheon webinar at the offices of Parker, Smith & Feek in Bellevue. Bring your lunch and sit in on a great session presented by the National SMPS office. This Webinar presents key strategies for developing marketing and sales skills among technical staff. Through a series of case studies, it explores how to motivate technical professionals to become effective business developers and how to sustain their efforts over time. One of the greatest marketing resources any firm has is the expertise and knowledge of its technical staff. Often, gaining trust and getting technical staff involved in marketing are difficult propositions. Overcoming these challenges takes creativity and an understanding of the communication styles of both marketing and technical professionals. During this Webinar, industry veteran Kay Godwin will provide you with the ingredients for success in developing marketing and sales skills among technical staff. Through a series of building industry case studies, you will explore how to motivate technical professionals to become effective business developers. In addition, you will learn to develop internal training programs to keep them involved in the long-term. You will walk away with real-world models from firms that have overcome the challenges of getting technical staff involved in marketing and, most importantly, strategies to implement in your firm. Learning Objectives Develop a business development culture within your firm Build effective, long-term business development training programs for technical staff Learn valuable strategies to keep technical staff motivated while avoiding common pitfalls Presenter: Kay Godwin, FSMPS, CPSM, Principal, Marketing Avenues. Kay Godwin, FSMPS, CPSM, has worked in the A/E/C industry since 1980, helping engineers, architects, contractors, and other consultants develop and implement marketing and professional development programs. Before starting her own company in 1992, she managed corporate marketing services for a number of consulting engineering firms. Kay has served on the SMPS National Board and is a past president of the San Francisco chapter, from whom she received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. She has taught workshops for numerous organizations, including AIA, ACEC, the Professional Environmental Marketing Association (PEMA), and SMPS. Networking & Ales Date: Tuesday February 07, 2006 Time: 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM Place: Pyramid Ale House 1201 First Avenue South Seattle, WA 98134 No, that's not a typo! Beginning in February, join your SMPS friends at the Pyramid Ale House in SODO for monthly networking. This event is open to all members and non-members interested in learning more about SMPS. There is no cost to attend and there will be a no host bar. Join us from 6 to 7:30 p.m., but stay as long as you like. Websites and Branding - If You Fix Your Website Will You Fix Your Brand? Speaker: Steve Ater of Arscentia Date: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 Time: 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM Place: Parker, Smith & Feek in Bellevue The seminar should appeal to anyone looking for ways to evaluate and assess the impact of their website. Attendees can expect to learn: * How the internet has affected marketing today * What we have learned from the internet about marketing and branding * The biggest myth about the internet - technology is a substitute for communication * How effective branding will result in an effective internet effort * What can your website do for you anyway * How to use professional agencies wisely Marketing Leaders are Made, Not Born Ideas, Challenges and Insights for Professional Development from Two Grizzled Veterans Abstract: Over the past three decades, marketing careers in professional service companies have matured from the occasional oddity or necessary evil to integral positions within companies of all sizes. The profession has matured significantly, with broad appreciation of and desire to have the skills of professional marketers-strategic analysis and development, written and spoken communications, brand management, business development-within A/E/C companies. But how many marketers have risen to the highest levels of company management, and have become leaders-both within their companies and in the broader community-representing the core visions and missions of their companies? Becoming that leader, that voice, is what this program is about. The class is not so much about how to rise on the career ladder or advance title or pay; it is about how marketers can become catalysts for growth within their company and themselves become an integral part of the fundamental operations. The class is about understanding personalities, yourself, and how to work expertly with others to their success and yours. In a word: this class is about how to become leaders. The content will address two areas of competency: Leading yourself: skills and attitudes you can use within yourself to become a leader * being a professional, a business person * understanding the technical/operational core of the company * creating support and energy in yourself and from your community Leading the group: how to work with others in your firm * becoming an expert at collaboration and working with people * setting vision and motivating others * managing the group dynamic and making it work for you Date/Time: Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Place: Lease Crutcher Lewis - Seattle Tame the Domains - Making the Pieces Fit Domain 6 - Information, Resource, and Organizational Management Title: Marketing Infrastructures - What You Need To Do To Get Your Act Together Abstract: Every firm in the world has a Marketing Infrastructure. It is the backbone that enables the firm to reach its strategic and business goals. What does your infrastructure look like? Does it work well for your firm? Is it easy to change it if it doesn't? What's out there that can help fix it? These are some of the fundamental questions that will be answered as we look at what your marketing infrastructures look like, how to fix them and learn about the tools on the market that can help. Speaker: Jan Flesher Flesher Marketing Infrastructures specializes in assisting professional service firms with developing, implementing and maintaining healthy, flexible marketing programs that guide them toward their strategic and business goals. Currently, Jan is providing business development services for Arup, a global engineering and design firm located here in Seattle. Previously, Jan spent nearly 15 years providing business development and marketing services at some of the leading A/E/C firms across the country. Her current clients range from small, boutique firms to large enterprise organizations from across North America. As a professional speaker, Jan has addressed numerous organizations and associations throughout the country. Her audiences are eager to have the technical jargon of marketing explained in a straightforward, easy to understand way. A lively presenter and never one to mince words, Jan engages her audience. With an interactive approach, her presentations and workshops are focused on cutting through to give people tools to use in their every day lives. Date/Time: Tuesday, June 7, 2005 - 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Location: OTAK - Seattle Tame the Domains - Making the Pieces Fit Domain 4 - SOQ's and Proposals Abstract:This session is based on the various knowledge areas and skill sets of SOQ's and proposals. Some of the topics that may be covered are: Knowledge Areas * RFQ/RFP criteria and decision/selection process * fee pricing/budgeting * federal, state, and local laws and regulations * federal, state, and local forms and guidelines * architectural and engineering terminology * scheduling and tracking systems for individual proposal elements and status * graphic design and production * resources and products for SOQ/proposal production, including printing and binding * desktop publishing software * managing activities of specialized consultants * presentation software * visual aids for use in presentations * procedures for a post-presentation or post-contract award debriefing Skill Set * conduct/participate in an RFQ/RFP review and/or strategy session to analyze a potential client in terms of target market, project size, probability of selection, and timing in order to recommend a go/no go decision * develop strategies to produce SOQs/proposals * manage the preparation and draft the content of proposals, SOQs, letters of interest, and responses to inquiries * produce SOQs/proposals, including typing, editing, graphics, reproduction, binding, and mailing, to ensure that all RFQ/RFP criteria are met * develop a presentation strategy, structure, and style and assist in selecting a presentation team * prepare or assemble written and visual information for presentations * coordinate/coach presentation rehearsals * conduct a post-presentation follow-up internally and with the prospective client * conduct post-award debriefings with prospects regardless of outcome and revise business development and SOQ/proposal strategies as appropriate * perform contract negotiations, including preparation of draft, negotiations, and execution of contract Presented by: Dan Safford of PS Associates. Dan, a local expert, has over 20 years experience managing proposals. He has conducted many proposal training sessions and speaks regularly on proposal related issues. Date/Time: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Location: One Bellevue Center - Chinook Conference Room (411-108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004) Tame the Domains - Making the Pieces Fit Domain 3 - Client and Business Development Title: Rainmaking for Technicals: How to Serve Clients and Develop Business Abstract: A panel discussion focusing on the specific tools to develop business within the A/E/C industry. Facilitated by Karen Johnston, this seasoned panel of professionals will reveal what they have done to become effective marketers, when they realized they, themselves had to market, and how they learned to do it effectively. Skills and knowledge gained from this session will include: * How to build relationships with potential clients when you are already busy doing work for the clients you already have. * How to sustain a relationship with a potential client over time. * How to overcome resistance to being a “sales person”. * How to keep track of your marketing activity. * How engineering, architecture, and contracting firms can work together to acquire clients. Facilitated by: Karen Johnston, President, Johnston Training Group, Inc. Panelists include: Leslie Moldow, Principal, of Mithun, Jeff Feeney, Principal and Senior Manager, of Berger Abam Engineers, and Rodger Benson, Director of Project Development, of M.A. Mortenson Company. Date/Time: Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Tame the Domains - Making the Pieces Fit Domain 2 - Development and Implementation of Marketing Plans Title: Development and Implementing Marketing Plans Abstract: The second session of six is focused on the many elements of the development and implementation of corporate marketing plans. This panel style session includes not only the development of, but more importantly, the implementation of the plan within your firm. The discussion will also incorporate ways to prolong the life of the plan and the value it brings to your firm's goals and objectives. A well planned strategic marketing plan can be the back bone to the success of your firm and provide an avenue for your personal professional development. Speaker: This session will be lead by four senior marketing professionals; Julaine Fleetwood of CDi Engineers, Connie Petersen of Callison Architecture, Valerie Williams of Notkin, and Brenda Nunes of Associated Earth Sciences. Date/Time: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Tame the Domains - Making the Pieces Fit Domain 1 - Marketing Research Title: Got Facts??? Abstract: In our highly competitive marketplace, we use research to develop our strategy to WIN. Research helps identify industry trends and gather intelligence about potential projects, clients, and team members. This session will explore a wide range of tips and tools available to help you succeed in the adventure we call marketing. Speaker: Marcie Lohr, Abacus Engineering Systems Date/Time: Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. |