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.
In the AE industry, terms like marketing, sales, and business development get thrown around casually, often meaning different things to different people. Here are PSMJ’s definitions:
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Marketing – All the activities involved in finding a client with a project and deciding to pursue that project.
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Sales – All the activities from the time a “go” decision is made to pursue a project until the firm is selected and the contract is signed.
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Client Management – All the activities for existing clients whose goal is to find new leads, either with that client or from a referral from that client.
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Business Development – The umbrella that covers marketing, sales, and client management.
As firms create a firm's Business Development Plan, it's important to treat each “leg” of the triangle separately—they each require a different approach. For example:
Marketing – What characteristics are you looking for in a quality client? Where can you find such clients? How do you create an environment where they seek you out?
Sales – What is your hit rate on competitive proposals? How can you raise it?
Client management – Who are your existing quality clients? Are you getting all the work you can from them? If not, what else can you get, how can you get it and who is responsible for getting it?
Project managers are the gatekeepers to the firm's profits and long-term health. With a better understanding of business development, project managers can become more effective seller-doers, feel more comfortable in the business development role, and increase value in their firms.
About the Author: David Burstein P.E. is Director of Client Services for PSMJ Resources, Inc., the nation’s largest provider of management information to the engineering/architectural professions. As part of his responsibilities, he provides consulting and training services on the subjects of strategic planning, marketing, project management, human resources, quality, finance and ownership transition. He is lead instructor and developer of PSMJ's AEC Project Management Bootcamp.
Architecture, engineering, and construction firms have plenty of ways to spend money, but only one way to make it...through projects. A wise investment in project management is absolutely a wise investment in improved profits, improved client satisfaction, and improved value. Unlike a generic project management training seminar, PSMJ's AEC Project Management Bootcamp is focused on real-world AEC project management, and is delivered by proven AEC project management experts.
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