Class of 2022 Tackles Business Development & Marketing

The Leadership Institute Class of 2022 met last week for its second session – Business Development & Marketing: What it Takes to Win Work. Veteran A/E marketing expert Barbara Shuck provided a roadmap for business development and marketing. Barbara presented business development strategies, tips for writing winning proposals and how to deliver successful presentations.

To put their business development skills to the test, the Class of 2022 participated in a mock sales call exercise. Teams strategized their approach to the exercise then participated in a simulated meeting. To lend reality to the meetings, volunteers played the roles of clients. The facilitator and volunteers provided useful feedback and shared lessons learned. Many thanks to our volunteer clients: Dave Arnott, PE; Ruekert/Mielke; Matt Bednarski, PE, ENV SP, CDM Smith; Carrie Bristoll-Groll, PE, CFM, Stormwater Solutions Engineering; Kris Cotharn, PE LEED AP, IMEG Corp.; and Rory Rhinesmith, PE; SRF Consulting Inc.

"The sales call exercise was informative and helpful. Many topics discussed will be applicable in the future."

A key piece to winning work is the ability to present clearly and effectively in proposals and interviews. The importance of non-verbal cues is as important as the information presented. Presentation coaching helped hone presentation skills through practice and feedback. In the age of the virtual meeting, we also covered best practices and tips to enhance virtual presentations.