Why are Irish AEC companies still doing all their business development the old way?

“This is a pinch point for AEC leadership teams, as their businesses and target sectors grow, they’re finding it more difficult to spread themselves across their sectoral audiences, delivering a veneer of friendship and a smattering of authenticity.”

Does Culture Really Eat Strategy For Breakfast?

But it was ‘The Culture’ - tenders were won on the golf course, relationships were forged over a pint. Now don’t get me wrong, these traditional ways of winning work are not without their merits - nobody loves a good ‘Work Drink’ more than me. But is it strategic to be overly reliant on a small group of interpersonal connections? Apart from the lengthy cultivation periods required, it’s impossible to build strong relationships directly with all of the decision makers and influencers out there. This is a pinch point for leadership teams, as their businesses and target sectors grow, they’re finding it more difficult to spread themselves across their sectoral audiences, delivering a veneer of friendship and a smattering of authenticity. As the digital revolution ramps up, it’s becoming necessary for them to find more efficient ways of getting seen and building trust, and many AEC companies are struggling to adapt.

More Players; The Same Playbook

The stakes have never been higher. You’ve more competitors than ever before; the labour market is showing no sign of cooling. You’re competing for the same projects; the same talent, with lots more players in your space, but you can’t differentiate yourself. You know who you are. I wouldn’t be well known for my ability to sugar coat, so I’ll just be frank - Irish AEC companies are fairly crap at marketing.

The Box Of Brochures In The Boot Of Your Car

This isn't just a gap in using digital tools but a fundamental misunderstanding of what strategic marketing can achieve. Of course if you’re very good at architecture, engineering or construction that’s what made your business what it is today - nobody expects you to know about marketing strategy. And if you’ve always won work through relationships, of course you will default to that method if you’re not presented with alternatives. And if you’re not made aware of the vast potentials of digital outreach and storytelling then how could you know about it? And sure, haven’t you a marketing team over there - they do the bids! And they make the brochures that you keep in the boot of the car (they’re a bit out of date, a few of the lads on the org chart have left and it doesn’t have the latest completed jobs, but it’ll do for now).?

From Clunky to Strategy

So, what you're doing is a bit clunky and you know you need to innovate to engage a wider audience, position yourselves as experts, knowledgeable, experienced and educated, and generate new opportunities in your target sectors. There are a variety of? tools and strategies to build trust and grow:

1. Hiring a Fractional CMO: Not every company needs a full-time Chief Marketing Officer. A fractional CMO can provide the strategic oversight necessary to steer your company’s marketing efforts without the cost of a full-time executive. This role involves crafting strategies that align with your business goals and executing high-impact marketing initiatives.
2. Investing in Video Content: Showcasing projects through videos can significantly enhance visibility. It allows potential clients to see the scale and scope of your capabilities and meet the people behind the scenes. This not only helps in getting seen but is also instrumental in building trust.
3. Revamping the Company Website: Your website should be more than just a digital brochure. It needs to be a strategic stage in the customer journey—a platform that facilitates evaluation and builds trust. Updating your website to include client testimonials, detailed case studies, and interactive content can transform it into a powerful tool that allows your potential customers and hires to evaluate you, and learn to trust you.
4. Leveraging Social Media and email: Effective use of social media can increase your visibility exponentially, reaching audiences that traditional methods simply cannot. Similarly, when done properly, email marketing lets you educate, inspire and entertain people who have a legitimate interest in how you can help them.

The most important bit of this blog is - your competitors are fairly crap at marketing too. So the bar is low - you can seize the opportunity to be different now before they all get a chance to read this!

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