Eight tips to boost the fun factor. Published in Modern Steel Construction. “I need to have more fun at work!” I hear this sentiment often—whether from a partner in an engineering firm, or a head of compliance at an accounting firm, or a fellow adjunct professor. The desire to truly enjoy one’s … [Read more...] about Are you having fun at work?
Blog
Best Practices for Preparing AEP Fee Proposals
Published in RainToday. Finally, you receive a long-anticipated RFP. Don’t let all your prep work go to waste by submitting a lackluster fee proposal! Let’s rewind. In the architecture/engineering/planning (AEP) space, the selling cycle is often years in the making. Years! During the process, you … [Read more...] about Best Practices for Preparing AEP Fee Proposals
Improve your writing; Improve your business.
Published in RainToday. Your colleague sends you a mediocre email correspondence about a co-selling opportunity. It contains minor grammatical and spelling errors, and most of the piece is written in passive voice. You open a sub-consultant’s fee proposal to incorporate into your full-service … [Read more...] about Improve your writing; Improve your business.
The Millennials: How to Sell to This New Generation of Buyers
Selling services to Millennials Published in RainToday and Modern Steel Construction. Let's paint the scenario. Through your network, you uncover this hot lead: a local community college has completed its master plan and will now begin hiring a variety of firms (to spread the work!) for project … [Read more...] about The Millennials: How to Sell to This New Generation of Buyers
Business Development: Set Your Tech Professionals Up to Succeed
Published in Rain Today. As AEC business developers, we go to great lengths to fill our firm's pipeline with long-term, robust clients. Because this is a daunting task, we often hope that the entire firm will jump on the 'Everyone sells!' bandwagon. Yet there are days when it feels like we're … [Read more...] about Business Development: Set Your Tech Professionals Up to Succeed
Ideas-Driven Networking Connects You with the Right People
Published in RainToday and Modern Steel Construction. An interactive breakout session during a conference. Lunch and socializing before a panel discussion. A celebratory event held at a prospective client's office. An elevator. The valet queue. Wherever. As we know so well, networking opportunities … [Read more...] about Ideas-Driven Networking Connects You with the Right People
How to Remain Relevant In an Ever-Changing Business World
Published in RainToday and Modern Steel Construction. What is your first reaction to this statement: "To maintain career satisfaction and job security, you must remain relevant?" Do you exclaim: "Challenge accepted!" Does it create anxiety? Or does it perplex you because you're not exactly sure … [Read more...] about How to Remain Relevant In an Ever-Changing Business World
Procrastination in Business (and Sales)
If you must procrastinate, then at least make it work for you. Published in Modern Steel Construction and RainToday. Where do you fall on the procrastinator spectrum, particularly when it comes to business and sales? The old me was a "get it done" type of person. But when I recently experienced a … [Read more...] about Procrastination in Business (and Sales)
I’m sorry…you were saying?
Published in RainToday and Modern Steel Construction. Recently, my firm received a query from a ‘hot prospect’ through our website. Based upon a series of initial conversations, I deduced that the prospect had a notably short attention span. It is possible – but certainly not my business – that she … [Read more...] about I’m sorry…you were saying?
Delivering—and receiving—bad news in business
Published in Modern Steel Construction and RainToday. In the professional services realm—regardless of your industry—you will repeatedly experience disappointments, setbacks, unwanted surprises, conflicts, and even devastations. Let's call it "bad news." Maybe the bad news comes from the client. … [Read more...] about Delivering—and receiving—bad news in business