Does this scenario sound familiar? You target a prospect. You connect with that prospect, and you take special care to execute all the 'right' steps to build a relationship. You develop what you feel is a robust, trusting rapport. You may even prepare a fee proposal, or feel that a request for … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #150: “I get the message. This is the last time I’ll reach out to you.”
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Scarlett Letter #149: Observations of a leader: be open; be generous; be an inspiration
Personal coaching is not an 'official' service that I proactively market. Yet, every year I somehow secure a handful of clients in a one-on-one, coaching capacity. I'm partial to these assignments because I feel the learning exchange is mutual. With my input and guidance, I hope that my clients grow … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #149: Observations of a leader: be open; be generous; be an inspiration
Scarlett Letter #148: How to manage your impatience during inefficient meetings.
{Preface: the individuals of whom I mention are well intentioned. I have no doubt they are dedicated to their academic professions and to the students.} Recently, I attended a meeting to discuss Columbia College's Oral Communications classes for Fall and beyond. There were four part-time faculty … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #148: How to manage your impatience during inefficient meetings.
Scarlett Letter #147: Want to charm new people in your network? Try this.
Recently, I received a letter from a non-competitor in my industry (architecture/engineering/construction). It turns out that we are just 'one degree of separation' from one another. To quickly close the gap, she decided to dig around---just enough to uncover any commonalities that we might have … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #147: Want to charm new people in your network? Try this.
Scarlett Letter #146: Desperately seeking inspiration (for content)!
With all the (high quality!) content that we strive to produce to satisfy our AEC content marketing efforts, many of us find ourselves staring at the dreaded *blank page*. We fret about what to write, to share, or to comment on….all in an effort to create online engagement with future and existing … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #146: Desperately seeking inspiration (for content)!
Scarlett Letter #145: Hard and Soft Social Media ROI. Return on Investment (and Impressions!)
In preparation for an upcoming NEOCON presentation, I recently calculated my social media ROI from 2012 YTD contracts. It was encouraging to discover that---relative to 2011---Scarlett Consulting's overall business has indeed grown from leads that originated online. This straightforward calculation … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #145: Hard and Soft Social Media ROI. Return on Investment (and Impressions!)
Scarlett Letter #144: Re-tracing the steps of how you won a client
In this current frenzy of content marketing to boost social media/online marketing engagement, AEC marketers often talk about 'crafting a story' or 'developing a narrative' to make their content more compelling. That's terrific, as it encourages our peers to present their opinions, insights, and … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #144: Re-tracing the steps of how you won a client
Scarlett Letter #143: “Yes, and” self-talk worked for me!
As seasoned professionals, we've all developed our own methods for coping with stress and negativity. This quarter, unusually high stress reared its ugly head in both professional and teaching situations. And no matter how many chill-out techniques I tried, I couldn't conquer my tension. I finally … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #143: “Yes, and” self-talk worked for me!
Scarlett Letter #142: Be specific on what your firm is NOT.
What is your firm about? What do you do? Tell us about your company. We are constantly communicating about what our firm does. It's woven within firm descriptions, networking pitches, fee proposals, introductory prospective client meetings, online profiles, ...you name it. Yet, how often are we … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #142: Be specific on what your firm is NOT.
Scarlett Letter #141: AE firms—don’t discount your price!
Architects, engineers, and interior design professionals.....why oh why do you acquiesce to clients when they ask you to 'sharpen your pencil', aka reduce your fee? Don't do it. Or, let me rephrase. If you honestly built your fee based on value (and perhaps cross-checked it with the man hours it … [Read more...] about Scarlett Letter #141: AE firms—don’t discount your price!