Every AEC marketer knows, it can sometimes be a challenge to get project information from project teams. In this post, we’ll give five ideas to make the process easier.
1. Work with Senior Leadership to Incorporate Marketing Information as Part of the Overall Bonus Structure
It’s easy for project executives, project managers, and superintendents to get busy in the day-to-day details of a project and forget that the information they are collecting on the job is instrumental in helping the firm secure the next project. If AEC marketers can work with senior leadership to incorporate a percentage of the project bonus or part of the annual bonus to rely on the level of completion for project information, this can drastically change the ability of most marketers to have accessible and current project information that they can use to win the next project.
2. Marketers Should Have Clear Goals for the Project Information Needed
Many marketers work hard at reminding project managers for project information. Unfortunately, many emails go unread or answered, which can lead to costly delays when an RFP response is due. Many times, the project team might assume that the information needed might take more time than they have and they’re not aware of how this information will help the AEC firm win the next project. In order for project teams to marketers quickly, it’s best to have a way to quickly communicate how much information is needed and the current state of the information in the marketer’s possession. A simple excel spreadsheet can help. In the Proposal Information Matrix below, project names are listed in the first column and then all of the key project information items are listed on the columns to the right. If the marketer has received an item, there is a 1 and if not, there is a 0. The number of items completed is totaled and divided by the total of items still needed so that the marketer can give a current level of completion. This tool is helpful because it gives a lot of information quickly and can help an office principal or senior leadership gain a quick understanding of what information is missing. Click here to download the tool.
3. Be Clear in the Request for Information
Many marketers in a hurry might send a quick email to a project manager that may be a little vague. In the absence of clarity, the project manager may struggle to provide an answer within the marketer’s deadline. Sometimes having a simple form can make getting project information a little easier. Below is a very simple example of what ProjectMark's project creation form looks like.
4. Set Clear Deadlines and Expectations
At each project milestone, there are opportunities to collect information that can be beneficial to marketers. Unfortunately, due to proposal deadlines, marketers sometimes spend a lot of time trying to capture project data that is months or sometimes years after the project has been closed out. By setting clear deadlines for the type of information needed at each particular stage of the project, marketers can save a lot of frustration for themselves and their project managers.
5. Reward Good Behavior
If the bonus suggestion may not be feasible at a marketer’s firm, another way marketers can get project information easier is to reward good behavior through small gifts and recognition. An Amazon gift card and a positive mention at a company meeting can generate interest in providing project information a little easier.
