There was a lot of architecture and engineering industry-related content published on this blog in February 2020,and so it's easy for some important articles to slip through the cracks and get lost in the clutter. In an effort to keep you up-to-date on the hottest topics, PSMJ has compiled a list of our top ten most-viewed blogs posted last month.
10. Market Your A/E Firm's Innovative Practices in 5 Simple Steps – Architecture or engineering firm’s can use their unique skills for new market entry and penetration. Many companies have leverage points within their technical and operations platforms. These may exist as skill sets (personnel expertise), processes (proprietary or advanced ways to accomplish work), or entire practices (teams of people dedicated to a service area). Often these are underutilized, not exploited for their full marketing benefit.
9. Bright Idea: Turn Your PMs into Seller-Doers – Many small architecture or engineering firms can’t afford the number of full-time sales people necessary to build the long-term, trusting relationships essential to success. Thus, principals at these firms are encouraged to look to their project and operations teams for help.
8. Five “Hot” Markets Show Increased Proposal Activity in Q4 2019 – When architecture/engineering/ construction market trends change (either positively or negatively), this is observed first as a change in the number of available proposal opportunities. These changes in proposal opportunities later become changes in backlog, revenues, and cash flow. Thus, increasing proposal activity generally indicates a good growth market, and thus the greatest opportunity for firms looking to grow.
7. PM Need to Know: What is Business Development? – Project managers can and should play a key role in developing new business in the architecture and engineering firm. Some do, but too many project managers don’t know enough about marketing, sales, or client management. As a result, they miss opportunities to grow their firms and themselves.
6. How Sabbaticals Can Grow You and Your Organization – Has the new year already lost its luster? Are you or your architecture/engineering firm leadership team already feeling overwhelmed or uninspired?
5. Cultural Mismatch Kills Deals…And is Completely Preventable – In a people-based business like architecture or engineering, the cultural fit between two organizations can really make or break a transaction. But, unlike the financial mechanics of the deal, a company’s culture can be quite difficult to truly define and measure.
4. Find Your Actionable KPIs for Firm Success – Many architecture and engineering firms suffer from a lack of return on investment on the accounting time spent making sure that invoices get out on time, and that the debits and credits are done right. You produce financial statements, they land on the principal’s desk, and are there for two seconds before they’re put in the file drawer.
3. 8 Compensation Errors You Don't Want to Make – In today's architecture and engineering firm, designing and implementing an effective compensation and benefits plan can be challenging, especially as the war for talent heats up. Meanwhile, employee and executive comp is your largest expense category. Could a minor adjustment deliver eye-popping returns?
2. January A/E/C Mergers and Acquisitions in the News – Here’s a recap of some of the latest A/E/C mergers and acquisitions that have been announced in recent weeks.
1. Are You Doing Strategic Planning All Wrong? – We’re into a new year and a new decade and this is always a good time to question where your firm is going and how it will get there. Done correctly, strategic planning is a great way to create a roadmap for your A/E/C firm’s growth trajectory. Done incorrectly, it is a colossal waste of time that only causes frustration and friction!
Thank you contributing to the growth of the PSMJ A/E/C Pulse blog in February 2020! For an archived list of our past blog posts, click HERE. We look forward to continuing to bring you powerful tips and top news from the A/E/C industry.
Thank you for reading!
Now its your turn: We invite you to submit a blog post on any hot topic related to the A/E/C industry.
