Marketers Take Flight

Capture Planning is an essential element in winning pursuits. It is a methodical process of understanding the client and decision-makers, the potential project, and the competitive landscape; and then turning that into a winning proposal. It often requires a full team of business development, marketing, and technical professionals.

The goal is to have the right information to create compelling and compliant submissions that win! As you can imagine, much of the Capture Planning effort happens before the RFP is released. This important process assesses opportunities, and positions firms accordingly.

And, part of the Capture Planning involves meeting with clients, stakeholders, and other decision-makers to gain intelligence about the project and its goals. To help you uncover the best information, you need to know what questions to ask and how to ask them.

In this episode, I share a lesson from my Proposal Pro Course - Gap Finding. In this lesson, I explain what a gap is and why it's critical to help differentiate your firm. And then how to find gaps for your pursuits. (Hint: it involves asking great questions!)
To help you get started, download my handout that includes dozens of gap-finding questions. Use this list to help prepare your business development and technical staff before they meet with clients. You can download this free pdf on the show notes page.

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

Do you often struggle when trying to manage proposals? Do you often feel like whatever you do, no one seems to respect you or worse, even listen to you? What if I told you weren’t alone? What if there were some ways to overcome this? And what if those ways didn’t even involve proposals or anyone else but you?

What? How is that possible? It’s a power you have already inside you. I had it inside me too and it took me years and hundreds of hours of reading and learning to uncover it. And, I want to share it with you so that you uncover and start using your power now. 

Before I get to this power, I wanted to tell you that this is a special, limited-time bonus that will only be available publicly until November 30, 2021. That’s just in a few days! 

This type of inspirational content is just a sample of the type of bonus content you can get by becoming a Marketers Take Flight Community Member. 

If you’re looking for a mentor. Someone to go alongside you AND who gets what it’s like to be an AEC marketing, push you to that next career level while giving you actionable advice, as this very episode, then join the Marketers Take Flight membership community. 

For as little as $5/month you’ll get bonus podcast content, early and discounted access to training, and individualized support from me. Go to marketerstakeflight.com/mentor to learn more and join today.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. This is especially true when you are welcoming a new team member. It’s hard enough these days to convince the firm leaders you need extra help. Then once you get the approval to hire another marketer, to find that perfect person, and convince them to join your firm. 

So, by the time you get to send that offer letter, you want to make sure that person is excited and feels welcome by you and your firm. And, in this episode, I am going to share some creative and fun ways to welcome your new team members.

This is a special bonus episode of the Marketers Take Flight Podcast. And all of these bonus episodes will only be available until November 30, 2021. And it’s just a sample of the type of bonus content you can get by becoming a Marketers Take Flight Community Member. 

If you’re looking for a mentor. Someone to go alongside you AND who gets what it’s like to be an AEC marketing, push you to that next career level while giving you actionable advice, like this very episode, then join the Marketers Take Flight membership community. 

For as little as $5/month you’ll get bonus podcast content, early and discounted access to training, and individualized support from me. Go to marketerstakeflight.com/mentor to learn more and join today.

#006 - What do you with your marketing materials when a key employee leaves your firm? Should you take them off your website, remove their blog posts, or take them out of a proposal you’re already working on?

What do you now do with those materials? Should you take them down or leave them up?

In this episode, I am going to share some experiences and give my opinion on how to handle these situations.
Today's episode is sponsored by:

• MARKET-er's Place - Marketers Place is THE Place to get bite-sized training, templates, and resources specific to A/E/C firms. Find it here: https://www.marketerstakeflight.com/place.

Episode summary:

• Two stories from when a key employee left mid marketing campaign and after a website redesign.
• Considerations of what to do with your marketing materials when a key employee leaves your firm.
• My stance on if that person who is leaving should be listed in the proposal.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with my opinions on how to handle marketing materials and proposals when a key employee leaves your firm? Leave your comments over on the show notes page at marketerstakeflight.com/6.

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. And, don't forget to download the app on iTunes or the Podcast app. Leave a review if you found value listening to this show. Your review will help our show grow and help us connect with more amazing marketers like you. Thank you for being awesome!

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.

What an incredible experience these past few weeks have been!

I just finished delivering my 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Proposal Pros Master Class series and closed registration for the 2020 class of The Proposal Pro Course.

And, I’ve done trainings before including in-person and online, but I have to tell you...this was by far the BEST group of engaged participants I’ve ever had.

Your energy was amazing, and it made ME want to show up even more for you all.

Maybe that’s why I ended up adding another lesson (Your Career Progression Path) and doing an additional 4 hours of live Q&A!

I’m so grateful for each and every one of you who showed up, watched the lessons, asked questions, and put those lessons into action. Some of you wrote back to let me know you are already improved your proposal cover letters and presentations!

I wanted to give you another chance to check out my unadvertised surprise bonus lesson in the master class series. This lesson is all about your career progression path.

So in today’s bonus podcast episode, I am sharing the audio from that lesson. And, I am providing the slides you can download. Just head over to the episode show notes page at marketerstakeflight.com/careerpath to find it.

Want more AEC marketing goodness?

• New to proposals? Download my FREE “RFPs for Beginners – The Ultimate Proposal Management Checklist.”
• Stop planning, start creating with my FREE “Ultimate AEC Content Marketing Starter Kit.”
• Follow Lindsay on LinkedIn and Instagram.
• Collaborate with other AEC Marketers in our Facebook Group.
• Purchase bite-sized, on-demand templates and training at the Marketers Place.
• Enroll in online training: The Proposal Pro or Content Marketing Clarity.