After two years in quarantine, going Banff to present a workshop at the Alberta Association of Architects’ annual conference, was truly the best way to ‘rejoin the world’, and I couldn’t have chosen a more spectacular place to do it.

We always tailor our programs for each specific event and location. To understand market conditions in Alberta, we polled AAA members and interviewed leaders at several firms. What we found was both distressing - and very encouranging. The 2015 drop in oil prices greatly affected the Alberta economy, particularly the commercial real estate sector in Calgary, where a flight of oil companies left the downtown core with more than 14 million sqare feet of empty office space, and many towers up to 90% empty.

To stay afloat, Alberta architects have become extremely effective at identifying the best opportunties and markets for work, and at finding prospects and pursuing work. They prove that strategic, focused and linked marketing and business development drive results.

We showed how to build on the marketinb and business development foundation they have established with strategies for differentiating their firm and positionoing against competitors.

For the past decade, Oomph CEO Johanna Hoffmann has delivered workshops on design marketing across Canada and the United States - but always to owners and leaders of design firms. Presenting to fellow design marketers is a career first for Johanna and creating content for an audience of professional marketers has been a fascinating experience. We are thrilled at the opportunity and I'm really looking forward to next Tuesday, January 18!

The program focuses on the need for a comprehensive strategy that integrates marketing and business development. Deta

Marketing design services have come a long way since the early 2000s when printed brochures were the standard sales tool, public relations the most common promotional tool, and marketing teams were practically unknown. Since then, economic shocks, globalization, and the rise of publicly traded corporate super firms have intensified the competitive climate, forcing everyone to upgrade their marketing and business development practices.

Today, sophisticated websites, animated presentations, social media, public relations, and magazine-like pursuits are standard. But most firms still lack a complete marketing strategy with established activities, tactics, schedule, and budget – all linked to business development!

The AEC industry is entering a period of economic disruption, driven by digital tools and the need for faster and cheaper means of construction. Having a cohesive marketing strategy is essential to maintaining a resilient practice and sustaining growth. This session will address:

• Why you need a comprehensive marketing plan.

• Selling up: getting buy-in from the firm’s leadership

• The importance of linking marketing with business development.

• Understanding the buying journey

• Selling design is about telling stories

• Establishing themes and content management

• Promoting the firm: tactics for establishing awareness

• Promoting the firm: tactics for establishing relationships

• Creating a comprehensive marketing plan, schedule, and budget

When: Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST

To register: SMPS Program

We are thrilled to be presenting at Buildex Vancouver, and honoured to be the second session following the key note address on September 27th! Our presentation is timely and has been written to help firms manage and maintain a healthy practice, through market ups and downs, with specific strategies for dealing with COVID-19.

All programs are available online. To register visit: BUILDEX Amplified 2021 (informaengage.com)

Building and Maintaining a Resilient Practice

Session Code: M02

Monday, 27 September 2021 10:30am - 11:30am

PST/PDT (Pacific Daylight, GMT-7)

An agile, resilient practice is one that adapts, evolves and grows through long-term industry trends and changes and has the systems and flexibility to withstand sudden emergencies, business interruptions and economic downturns. Being able to target and proactively procure work is the foundation of an agile practice. In this session you will learn five strategies to strengthen your firm, and getting the work you want - through good times and bad.  

1. Your brand: know who you are, what you are selling and to whom to better tailor your services and stand out from competitors.

2. The tools and systems you need to respond quickly to RFPs and new clients requests.

3. How to enhance your ability to compete and how to pivot if necessary

4. How to build a network to drive work

5. How to enhance your visibility to support BD activities