Full Sail Partners Blog | Building Business

The year is 2025. AI is mainstream. Buyer behavior has changed. And firms that are still using their 2019 marketing playbook—or worse, a budget built on “we’ve always done it this way”—are already falling behind.

If you’re a marketing or firm leader staring at a spreadsheet trying to justify budget requests, you’re not alone. And if you’re still cobbling together tactics that might have worked last year, it’s time to trade in the guesswork for something stronger: research-backed strategy.

Let’s break down how to set a competitive, results-driven marketing budget for your professional services firm—without burning through dollars on outdated efforts.

1. Start with Research, Not Assumptions

One of the most telling findings from the 2025 Deltek AEC Clarity Report is this: high-performing firms are more likely to use data and analytics to drive decision-making. Yet, only 34% of firms reported using CRM and marketing data to inform their BD strategies.

Research isn’t optional—it’s your competitive edge.

In fact, studies by Hinge Marketing show that firms conducting frequent research (at least quarterly) grow 10X faster and are twice as profitable than those that skip it.

Don’t guess what worked last year. Pull your CRM reports. Review marketing metrics. Survey clients. And assess which efforts brought in leads, moved opportunities forward, and converted to wins.

2. Narrow Your Targets (No More Spray-and-Pray)

Trying to market to everyone usually results in connecting with no one.

The most effective firms invest their limited resources in a focused set of target clients and pursuits. According to the 2025 Clarity Report, the top business development challenge cited was identifying new prospects, yet only 38% of firms reported having a defined go/no-go process.

Now is the time to:

• Audit your current client list for commonalities (size, sector, service line, etc.)
• Use CRM and financial data to find which client types bring in the most profit
• Prioritize ideal clients that align with your strategic growth goals

Pro tip: Don’t just define your ideal clients—also define who you don’t serve. It’ll keep your spend efficient and your messaging crystal clear.

3. Shift Budget Toward Online (It’s Where the Buyers Are)

Tradeshow booths and sponsorships still have a place, but they shouldn't dominate your spend. Online lead generation is more scalable, cost-effective, and measurable.

Yet many AEC firms are still overinvested in traditional tactics. According to the 2025 Deltek AEC Clarity Report, the top three areas of marketing spend were:

1. Proposals and pursuits
2. Conferences and tradeshows
3. Website and digital marketing

While proposals and events remain vital, there's a growing intent to shift more budget toward digital—but execution often lags due to limited staff capacity and technology gaps.

Rebalance your budget with a tilt toward:

• Website and SEO improvements
• Strategic content creation (blogs, webinars, whitepapers)
• Email marketing and automation
• Social media marketing and paid campaigns

Firms that increase digital maturity gain more pipeline visibility, stronger marketing ROI, and greater confidence in revenue forecasting.

Start here: Allocate at least 40-50% of your marketing budget to digital—this includes online content, CRM tools, marketing automation, and analytics platforms.

4. Measure What Matters

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. And in 2025, measurement must go beyond vanity metrics like impressions and email opens.

Instead, track metrics that matter to your firm’s growth:

• Leads generated by campaign or channel
• New opportunities created in the pipeline
• Shortlist rates and how often you’re advancing
• Win rates by pursuit type, team, or market
• Client acquisition cost (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV)

The 2025 Clarity Report found that firms with stronger marketing and BD integration were more confident in their forecasts and better able to connect marketing investment to actual revenue growth.

If your current systems don’t support this kind of reporting, it may be time to upgrade your CRM or implement marketing analytics dashboards.

5. Don’t Underspend (or Overspend!)

So how much should you actually allocate?

While every firm is different, Hinge Research suggests that high-growth professional services firms typically invest 5–15% of their revenue into marketing. And many Clarity Report respondents said they planned to increase their BD and marketing budgets in the next year, signaling greater recognition of marketing’s role in growth.

Budgeting too little may leave you invisible. Spending too much without strategy wastes resources. Anchor your budget to strategic goals and your firm’s growth targets.

6. Invest in the Right Tools—and the People Who Use Them

A brilliant strategy can still flop if execution is half-baked. Your budget should reflect not just what you’ll do, but how you’ll do it.

That means factoring in:

• Internal marketing staff capacity
• External partner support (freelancers, agencies, consultants)
• Software subscriptions (CRM, automation, SEO tools)
• Training and professional development for your team

The bottom line: Don’t just plan campaigns—budget to execute them well.

7. Keep the Budget Agile

Gone are the days of set-it-and-forget-it annual budgets. In 2025, the smart move is to:

• Set quarterly checkpoints
• Reallocate funds based on campaign performance
• Leave a “test and learn” portion of the budget for new channels or experiments

This flexibility allows you to scale what’s working—and shut down what’s not—before it drains your resources.

Final Thought: Lead with Strategy, Not Spreadsheets

Your marketing budget isn’t just a list of line items—it’s a declaration of how you plan to grow.

Lead with research. Focus on ROI. Measure obsessively. And give your marketing team the tools and support they need to turn strategy into results.

Because in a sea of competition, smart marketing isn’t just nice to have—it’s the only way to stand out.

Need help aligning your marketing plan with your firm’s growth goals?

Full Sail Partners offers strategic consulting, system support, and CRM integration to help professional services firms turn insight into action. Let’s talk.

Let’s be honest—tracking Master Service Agreements (MSAs), IDIQ contracts, and their related Task Orders in Deltek Vantagepoint isn’t exactly straightforward. If you’ve been juggling spreadsheets, cross-referencing records, or constantly second-guessing your contract metrics… we feel your pain.

And we built something better.

Here at Full Sail Partners, we love solving real challenges for project-based firms. One request we’ve heard time and again from our clients is this: “We need a better way to track Master Agreements in Vantagepoint.”

So, we got to work—and we’re excited to introduce a custom-built hub designed to do just that. Whether you're tracking indefinite delivery contracts, parent agreements, or ongoing on-call projects, this solution gives you the clarity and control Vantagepoint users have been missing.

Why a Custom Hub for Master Agreements?

Standard functionality in Deltek Vantagepoint is powerful, but when it comes to managing large umbrella contracts—especially those that span multiple years, multiple task orders, and multiple departments—things can get messy fast.

Here’s where things typically break down:

• You’re tracking MSAs in spreadsheets… while also trying to manage projects in Vantagepoint.
• You’ve got multiple pursuits tied to a single agreement, but no centralized place to view them.
• Your pipeline reports are double-counting opportunities, inflating projections and skewing metrics.
• Finance and marketing teams are using different “versions of the truth.”

Sound familiar? That’s exactly why we developed this custom Master Agreement Hub.

What the Custom Hub Does (and Doesn’t Do)

This custom solution adds a new “hub” in Vantagepoint where you can create a Master Agreement record and link all relevant pursuits and projects to it. Think of it like a command center for your most complex contracts.

With this custom hub, you can:

✅ Track and manage Master Service Agreements, IDIQs, and Task Orders

✅ Link pursuits and projects back to the parent agreement

✅ Automatically pull in key data from related records

✅ Display total contracted value, awarded work, pipeline, and more

✅ Eliminate duplicate reporting across business development and finance

✅ Create reports that make sense to your entire team

It doesn’t replace the Projects Hub—it enhances it. You’ll still manage your pursuits and active jobs in their respective places. But now, you have a smarter way to see the whole picture.

Real-World Scenarios: When This Custom Hub Really Shines

Let’s look at a few common use cases where this custom solution becomes a game changer:

📌 Scenario 1: Federal or Statewide IDIQ Contracts
Your firm wins an IDIQ contract with a state agency that allows task orders over a five-year period. You’re pursuing multiple task orders each quarter, but your team can’t keep track of what’s been awarded, what’s in pursuit, and what’s been completed.

With this hub, you can tie every task order to the original IDIQ contract, view real-time status across all pursuits, and see total contract metrics at a glance.

📌 Scenario 2: Municipal On-Call Agreements
You’ve got an on-call services contract with a local government. Projects are added sporadically over time, and different PMs are handling different scopes. Your leadership wants to know: “What’s the total value of this agreement and how much have we actually won?”

Now, you can answer that in seconds—with visuals to back it up.

📌 Scenario 3: Large Client with Multiple Ongoing Projects
A major higher education or healthcare client has multiple campuses and dozens of concurrent projects under a single master services agreement. You want to evaluate performance across the whole contract, but your data is scattered.

Link all the projects to the MSA, track total billings and revenue, and identify which departments or service lines are driving results.

See It in Action: Free Mini-Demo

Want to see how it works? You're in luck.

Join us Wednesday, June 25 at 1pm ET for a 15-minute live mini-demo where Principal Consultant Amanda Roussel will walk you through this new functionality using sample records and reports.

👉 Click here to register now 

Who Should Attend?

This mini-demo is ideal for:

• Marketing teams who need to track pursuits tied to a single agreement
• Project managers juggling multiple jobs under one umbrella contract
• Operations and finance teams who want better visibility into pipeline and awarded revenue
• Anyone tired of reconciling conflicting reports from different departments

If you’ve ever said, “There has to be a better way,” this demo is for you.

Let’s Make Contract Chaos a Thing of the Past

This isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s the kind of enhancement that can bring sanity back to your project tracking. Contracts are only getting more complex, and your systems should make managing them easier, not harder.

Join us for the demo. Ask your questions. See what’s possible.

Then decide if this custom hub could be the solution your firm didn’t know it needed.

👉 [ Register now ] and get access to the live demo and the recording.

In today’s relentless business environment, a strong marketing strategy isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” It’s the cornerstone of real, measurable growth.

And here’s the kicker—we’re a consulting firm that sells, configures, and trains on CRM systems, and even we will tell you: a killer system means nothing without a smart strategy to back it up.

Tools are just tools. Your CRM won’t magically generate demand, build relationships, or close deals on its own. That’s where a strategic marketing approach comes in—giving your tools direction, your messaging purpose, and your entire growth engine momentum.

Below, we’re diving into five strategic elements professional services firms should prioritize to build a bold, results-driven marketing plan.

1. Balancing Operations and Creativity

Marketing is a balancing act—a mix of analytical rigor and creative expression.

It’s not just about operations and logistics, and it’s not just about eye-catching visuals or clever taglines. The real magic happens when creative ideas are paired with structured systems and supported by insightful analysis.

Compelling messaging, thoughtful targeting, consistent branding, automated processes, and performance tracking—these all need to come together in harmony. Without that balance, marketing either becomes disorganized chaos or stale corporate noise.

🛠 Pro Tip: Make room for creative thinking, but ground it in strategy and data. That's how you move from busy work to impactful work.

2️. Prioritize Speed and Clarity—Not Perfection

Let’s be honest: the pursuit of perfection is often the enemy of progress. The firms winning today are the ones who are agile—moving fast, testing ideas, getting feedback, and making adjustments on the fly.

Launch that campaign before it’s “perfect.” Ask for feedback through surveys or focus groups. Test messaging with different segments. Use what you learn to refine, optimize, and iterate.

With the right tracking in place, you can monitor performance in real time. Which campaigns are generating leads? Which ones are getting short-listed? What’s your win rate?

These insights allow you to pivot quickly, amplify what works, and cut what doesn’t. Perfection is overrated. Clarity and action? That’s where the ROI lives.

3. Foster Cross-Functional Alignment

Want better marketing results? Tear down the silos.

The best marketing strategies are built on collaboration—especially between marketing, business development, and technical experts (a.k.a. your seller-doers). In professional services firms, these roles often overlap—but each brings unique value to the client journey:

Marketing

Objective: Build brand awareness and generate leads

Focus:

• Identify and segment target audiences
• Create educational and value-driven content
• Maintain brand consistency across channels
• Drive traffic and engagement through campaigns
• Conduct market and client research to inform strategy

Business Development

Objective: Build relationships and identify growth opportunities

Focus:

• Network and engage with potential clients and partners
• Explore strategic partnerships and industry involvement
• Identify future project opportunities
• Collaborate with marketing and technical teams on pursuit strategies and proposals

Technical Experts / Seller-Doers

Objective: Deliver expertise, build trust, and help close the deal

Focus:

• Participate in early-stage conversations with prospects
• Provide technical insight and solutions during pursuit phases
• Collaborate on proposals, presentations, and interviews
• Build long-term client relationships through successful project delivery
• Identify additional client needs and opportunities for future work

Each team has a distinct role, but the magic happens when they align—sharing insights, speaking the same language, and working together toward common business goals. When marketing, BD, and technical experts collaborate, your firm becomes more responsive, more strategic, and way more successful at winning the right work.

4. Use Marketing Attribution for Smarter Decisions

Attribution isn’t just about patting yourself on the back for a conversion. It’s about learning.

When you can identify which messages, campaigns, or touchpoints lead to action—whether that’s a meeting request, a site visit, or a proposal request—you unlock a feedback loop for continuous improvement.

Smart attribution helps you:

• Understand what’s working (and what’s not)
• Allocate budget more efficiently
• Align teams around proven strategies
• Improve cross-sell and upsell opportunities

Plus, when teams work from a shared data set, collaboration becomes easier—and marketing becomes more cost-efficient without compromising on quality.

5. Maximize ROI: Focus on Repeat Audiences While Still Growing New Ones

Here’s a secret not enough firms talk about: sometimes the best new opportunities come from people who already know you.

Targeting repeat audiences—past clients, partners, proposal reviewers, and warm contacts—often yields higher conversion rates. These audiences are already familiar with your brand and more likely to engage with personalized messaging.

Even better? It’s more cost-effective than constantly chasing new leads.

That said, growth still requires expanding your reach. So, balance is key. Continue reaching out to new prospects through campaigns, events, and content while maintaining strong follow-up strategies for past and current clients.

Short-term ROI comes from repeat audiences.
Long-term growth comes from reaching new ones.
You need both to sustain success.

The Bottom Line: Strategy First, Tools Second

Let’s face it—your marketing strategy is the fuel that powers your CRM, your email campaigns, your proposals, and your BD team’s efforts. Without it? You’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping for ROI.

A smart marketing strategy aligns creativity with operations, embraces experimentation over perfection, breaks down silos between teams, tracks performance with purpose, and balances client retention with outreach.

If your firm is still shooting in the dark with disconnected tactics or just "doing what you’ve always done," it might be time to hit pause—and start building a better game plan.

🎯 Need a strategic partner to guide the way?

At Full Sail Partners, we help professional services firms align their marketing strategy with the right tools, processes, and insights. From CRM configuration to campaign execution—we’ve got you covered.

👉 Let’s Talk Strategy

With Deltek ProjectCon 2024 on the horizon, excitement is building for the premier event designed for project-based firms. Set to take place from November 12-14, 2024, at the Gaylord National in the Washington, D.C. area, this year’s conference promises to deliver valuable learning experiences, key industry insights, and unparalleled networking opportunities. As a Gold Sponsor, Full Sail Partners is proud to contribute to the event through educational sessions, strategic kiosks, and a commitment to empowering firms through Deltek Vantagepoint.

Let’s take a closer look at how to prepare for Deltek ProjectCon 2024 and make the most of this exceptional event.

Full Sail Partners: Empowering Firms Through Expert-Led Sessions

One of the highlights of Deltek ProjectCon 2024 will be the sessions led by industry experts, and Full Sail Partners is proud to be at the forefront of these educational opportunities.

Terri Agnew, Principal Consultant at Full Sail Partners, will be presenting "From Analysis to Action: Optimizing Your Vantagepoint Investment.” In this session, Terri will walk attendees through the transformative power of a Navigational Analysis.

Attendees will learn how to evaluate their current systems, identify inefficiencies, and implement actionable recommendations to maximize the value of Deltek Vantagepoint. Whether firms are facing staffing changes, operational bottlenecks, or simply looking to improve their processes, this session offers real-world strategies to drive success. Terri will share examples of client success stories, providing attendees with tangible methods to refresh and optimize their internal practices.

Another presentation will come from Jake Lucas, who will lead a session titled "AI Solutions for Vantagepoint Enabling Next-Level Productivity." As AI continues to revolutionize industries, Jake’s session will explore how out-of-the-box and custom AI solutions can enhance the operational capabilities of project-based firms using Deltek Vantagepoint.

Attendees will not only gain insights into the power of AI but will also learn about potential challenges, such as AI hallucinations and unreliable data responses, and how to address them. Jake will provide practical tips for integrating AI with tools like Microsoft Teams, offering firms a way to streamline workflows and increase productivity.

Whether you are new to AI or looking to deepen its application within your organization, this session will equip you with the knowledge needed to leverage AI effectively.

Supporting Clients: Learning from BSA LifeStructures and kW Engineering

At Full Sail Partners, we pride ourselves on not only delivering expertise but also supporting the success of our clients. This year, two of our clients—BSA LifeStructures and kW Engineering—will be showcasing their innovative solutions during Deltek ProjectCon 2024, and we encourage attendees to explore these sessions.

Ashley Dishroom of BSA LifeStructures will present "Unlock Pursuit Success: Go/No Go Process." In this session, Ashley will demonstrate how BSA LifeStructures has overhauled its CRM system to improve decision-making during project pursuits. By documenting strategic clients and prospects, and integrating a go/no go decision-making process, BSA LifeStructures has been able to boost efficiency and improve project hit rates. This session offers valuable insights for firms looking to enhance their CRM capabilities and refine pursuit strategies.

Similarly, Kris Johnson from kW Engineering will be leading a session titled "Project Pulse: Optimize Project Health, Drive Action, and Unlock Insights with Dashboards." With an overwhelming amount of project data, many firms struggle to prioritize actionable insights. Kris will show how kW Engineering’s "Project Health" dashboard consolidates critical KPIs into a single metric, ensuring project managers and executives can make informed, timely decisions. This dashboard has become an essential tool for project health monitoring, and attendees will learn how to create their own dashboards to drive better project outcomes, improve profitability, and boost cash flow.

Connect with Full Sail Partners at Our Kiosks

Beyond the educational sessions, Full Sail Partners will be hosting a two-sided kiosk in the XPO hall, providing attendees with direct access to our experts. Our kiosk is designed to offer guidance on a wide range of topics, from Deltek Vantagepoint consulting to group training, hosting, and outsourced accounting. Our team is dedicated to helping project-based firms streamline their operations and achieve cohesive, efficient results.

In addition to consulting services, we’ll be showcasing our Blackbox Connector, which offers ready-to-deploy integrations that allow firms to quickly connect Vantagepoint with third-party applications. The beauty of the Blackbox Connector lies in its simplicity — our catered solutions allow firms to streamline operations without the need for extensive technical knowledge.

If you’re looking to optimize your processes or connect your systems more effectively, find us at kiosk #2 just to the left of the XPO entrance. This is the perfect place to start a conversation.

Prepare for Success at Deltek ProjectCon 2024

Deltek ProjectCon 2024 promises to be a cornerstone event for project-based firms looking to enhance their operations, explore the latest innovations, and build valuable connections within the industry. Whether you are attending to deepen your understanding of Deltek Vantagepoint, explore AI-driven solutions, or connect with industry experts, Full Sail Partners is here to support your journey.

Our sessions, led by Terri and Jake, will offer insights that you can implement immediately to optimize your systems and drive productivity. Additionally, we encourage you to learn from our clients’ presentations and discover new ways to enhance your firm’s CRM processes and project health monitoring.

Don’t forget to stop by our kiosks during the event, where our crew will be ready to provide live demos and discuss how we can help you unlock the full potential of Deltek Vantagepoint. As proud Gold Sponsors of Deltek ProjectCon 2024, we are excited to meet you, share our knowledge, and help you take your firm to the next level!

To help your firm address the evolving challenges in the architecture and engineering (A&E) industry, we’ve gathered key insights from the 45th Annual Deltek Clarity Architecture & Engineering Industry Study. This analysis of business development trends reveals the strategies successful project-based firms are using to navigate issues such as increased competition, project complexity, and talent acquisition hurdles. We'll also highlight the importance of adapting marketing strategies to the digital landscape, the benefits of strategic collaboration, and the growing role of technology in enhancing efficiency. By leveraging these insights, firms can position themselves for sustained growth and long-term success in a competitive market environment.

Optimistic Growth Forecasts

First, let’s start with the good news. The study reveals an encouraging trend, with firms projecting a net revenue growth of nearly 11% year-over-year. Despite the backdrop of shifting challenges, this growth signifies a positive outlook within the industry. However, achieving this growth comes with its own set of hurdles. One of the prominent challenges identified is the increasing competition within the A&E sector, fueled by globalization and the entry of new market players. With more firms vying for projects, differentiation becomes crucial for sustaining growth and profitability. Additionally, the study underscores the growing complexity of projects, driven by evolving client demands, regulatory requirements, and technological advancements. As projects become more intricate, firms must adapt their processes, workflows, and skill sets to deliver innovative solutions while meeting quality standards and deadlines. Moreover, talent acquisition and retention emerge as critical concerns for firms aiming to scale operations and expand market reach.

Adapting Marketing Strategies

A&E firms must adapt their strategies to fit an evolving digital landscape to keep up with consumer behavior. While traditional methods like print media and trade shows are still relevant, firms are increasingly focusing on digital marketing and content creation. They use thought leadership content to establish themselves as industry leaders and strategically leverage social media to engage clients and showcase their projects, enhancing their brand presence and generating leads.

This shift in marketing strategies underscores the importance of integrating traditional and digital approaches. Firms must be agile, continuously evaluating the effectiveness of their efforts and staying updated with the latest trends and tools. In doing so, they can ensure their marketing initiatives are not only relevant but also impactful in reaching their target audience.

Win Rates and Collaboration

Win rates for A&E firms remained stable year-over-year, with the overall capture rate experiencing a slight increase to 48.7%. These metrics underscore the importance of strategic networking and prospecting in securing new business opportunities. It’s important to note that the win rate measures the number of proposals submitted to the number of proposals awarded, capture rate measures the total dollar value of the proposals submitted compared to those awarded. Firms are increasingly focused on finding suitable teaming partners and leveraging their networks to source and close new projects. This emphasis on collaboration and relationship-building extends beyond traditional boundaries, as firms seek to form alliances with complementary service providers, subcontractors, and industry peers.

By expanding their network of collaborators, firms can access new markets, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and mitigate risks associated with project delivery. Furthermore, the study highlights the growing significance of client relationship management in driving business development success. With client expectations evolving rapidly and competition intensifying, firms must prioritize client satisfaction, retention, and loyalty to maintain a competitive edge in the market. This requires a proactive approach to understanding client needs, anticipating challenges, and delivering value-added services that exceed expectations.

Diversification Strategies

A notable trend identified in the study is the emphasis on diversifying project portfolios. While revenue from top clients grew, A&E firms are recognizing the importance of expanding their client base to reduce the risks associated with consolidated revenue across a few key clients. This diversification enhances resilience in the face of economic uncertainties, market fluctuations, and industry disruptions. It also enables firms to adapt to changing market dynamics, capitalize on emerging trends, and seize opportunities in more niche segments or emerging markets.

Harnessing Technology for Efficiency

As staffing challenges persist, A&E firms are turning to technology to enhance their efficiency. The Deltek Clarity study reveals that 46% of firms now utilize formal business development processes, with a slight uptick among small and large firms. This indicates a growing recognition of the importance of technology-driven solutions in navigating the competitive landscape.

With an 86% surge in awarded contracts driven primarily by large firms, there's a clear correlation between technology adoption and business success, particularly with AI. Despite this, there's a consensus among industry experts, including Megan Miller, CPSM, Director of Product Marketing at Deltek, that firms are only scratching the surface of AI's potential. While AI holds promise for streamlining marketing operations and enhancing BD outcomes, there's a pressing need for deeper exploration and integration of these technologies to unlock their full potential in the A&E industry.

Future Outlook and Recommendations

Looking ahead, project-based firms are advised to challenge themselves to be more selective in their pursuits, focusing on projects with the highest likelihood of success. The rise in proposal volume underscores the importance of refining go/no-go criteria and leveraging formal business development processes to prioritize opportunities effectively. Additionally, the study emphasizes the growing importance of content marketing and thought leadership in shaping firms' market positioning and visibility.

By addressing key challenges, leveraging technology, and adopting strategic initiatives, project-based firms can navigate growth opportunities and position themselves for long-term success in a competitive market environment. Need to hear more? Take a look at this year's Architecture & Engineering Industry Study now!

Conferences are more than just gatherings of like-minded professionals; they are opportunities for growth, networking, and strategic advancement. However, navigating them can be a bit daunting without a clear strategy in place. Let’s talk about some key concepts that will help your professional services firm on the way to mastering the art of impactful conference strategies.

Reframe Your Thinking About Conference Selection

Choosing the right conferences to attend is extremely important for maximizing your professional services firm’s time and resources. It is important to focus on more than just the prestige or popularity of an event; consider factors such as the relevance of topics covered, the caliber of speakers and attendees, and the potential for creating meaningful connections.

Moreover, you should consider the location and timing of the conference. Make sure that it fits well with your schedule and provides convenient access to travel arrangements. By reframing your thinking to prioritize quality over quantity, you can ensure that each conference you attend offers genuine value and opportunities for growth.

Discover How to Be Methodical and Objective in Your Approach

Approaching conference selection with a methodical and objective mindset can help streamline your professional services firm’s decision-making process. Start by clearly defining your goals and objectives for attending conferences. For example, are you expanding your professional network, gaining industry insights, or showcasing your expertise?

Next, conduct thorough research on upcoming conferences, evaluating factors such as agenda, speaker lineup, past attendee reviews, and cost-effectiveness. You should consider creating a checklist or rating system to objectively assess each conference's suitability based on your criteria. This allows for a more organized and informed selection process. By taking a systematic approach, you can identify the conferences that align best with your objectives and priorities.

Learn How to Be Mindful of Any Emotional Biases Influencing Your Decisions

It's essential to be mindful of any emotional biases that may influence your professional services firm’s conference selection process. Whether it's the fear of missing out on a popular event or because you’ve always attended, emotions can cloud judgment. Practice self-awareness and introspection to identify any biases at play like confirmation bias or sunk cost fallacy.

Furthermore, you should seek feedback from trusted colleagues or mentors. This helps to gain different perspectives and mitigate the impact of personal biases on your decision-making process. By approaching conference selection with a clear and rational mindset, you can make more informed choices that align with your firm’s professional goals.

Tips to Optimize Your Conference Strategy

Once your professional services firm has selected the conferences to attend, it's time to optimize your overall strategy to maximize your experience and outcomes. Start by creating a detailed itinerary, including sessions, networking opportunities, and any additional events or meetings. Leverage social media platforms such as LinkedIn to connect with fellow attendees and speakers before the conference. This will help facilitate meaningful interactions and collaborations.

Also, consider attending workshops or interactive sessions that offer hands-on learning experiences and opportunities to develop your skills. These activities will enhance the value you derive from the conference. During the conference, prioritize quality over quantity when networking, focusing on building genuine connections rather than collecting business cards.

Don’t Forget Your Follow Up Strategy

Finally, don't forget the importance of post-conference follow-up. One effective strategy is to have dedicated individuals responsible for follow-up tasks, so that no potential leads slip through the cracks. Whether it's sending personalized emails, brochures, or scheduling follow-up meetings, prompt and tailored communication can leave a lasting impression on your contacts.

You should also consider leveraging tools or systems to streamline the follow-up process. Scanning business cards or badges at conferences allows for the inputting of contact information directly into your database, and it is a very efficient way to track connections. By prioritizing follow-up efforts and utilizing available resources, you can maximize the return on investment from attending conferences.

Make Your Professional Services Firm’s Conferences Meaningful

Mastering impactful conference strategies requires a combination of strategic thinking, mindfulness, and proactive planning. Reframe your professional services firm’s approach to conference selection, adopt a methodical mindset, and be mindful of emotional biases; you can then optimize your overall strategy and make the most of your conference experiences.

Remember to prioritize quality over quantity and focus on building genuine connections. Furthermore, always follow up with your connections post-event. With these strategies in place, you'll be well-equipped to navigate the conference landscape with confidence and purpose.

Need a deeper dive into making your conferences count? We’ve got a LinkedIn Live with a conference guru that brings all these points and more together. Click below to watch today!

In today's fast-paced professional services firms’ environments, meetings play a crucial role in fostering collaboration, aligning teams, and achieving organizational goals. However, ineffective meetings can be a drain on productivity and morale. To ensure that meetings are valuable and efficient, it is essential to follow certain best practices. In this blog post, we will explore four key aspects of running an effective meeting: setting clear objectives and goals, planning the meeting and agenda, employing a skilled facilitator, and having a diligent note-taker.

1. Objective and Goals of the Meeting:

The success of any meeting hinges on having a clear objective and well-defined goals. Before scheduling a meeting, it is crucial to determine how it aligns with the broader growth efforts and yearly goals of both the team and the organization. By doing so, the meeting becomes a strategic tool for progress. Participants can better understand the purpose of the gathering and how their contributions fit into the larger picture.

For example, the goal of a marketing, business development, or sales-oriented meeting is to ensure you are accomplishing the goals set out in your yearly business plan. Within the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, that includes ensuring you know what is going on with your project pursuits. Key objectives in bi-weekly meetings would include knowing recently won/lost pursuits, new pursuits and managing follow-up on upcoming proposals, along with understanding resource forecast projections. An example core objective in a quarterly meeting would be evaluating where you are against your goals.  

2. Meeting and Agenda:

To run a productive meeting, careful planning is essential. The meeting should involve the relevant team members and decision-makers who can contribute to the agenda items. The agenda itself should be thoughtfully structured, with a focus on deadlines and the outlined steps needed to meet them. By sharing the agenda in advance, participants have time to review and prepare, ensuring a more engaged and productive discussion. Balancing chit-chat time and getting down to business is important, as it fosters team cohesion while still maintaining a professional atmosphere. Coming out of the meeting, attendees should know their action items and tasks to accomplish.

3. A Good Facilitator:

A skilled facilitator plays a vital role in guiding the meeting towards its objectives while ensuring active participation and collaboration. The facilitator should encourage open discussion, allowing all voices to be heard. Additionally, the facilitator should review outstanding items from previous meetings to track progress, providing context for the current discussion.

Staying focused and time-conscious is crucial, as it helps keep the meeting on track and ensures that all agenda items are addressed. If new topics arise that are not on the agenda, the facilitator can suggest moving them to a "parking lot" list, to be covered either if there is enough time or in the next meeting. A good facilitator is like a good train conductor who sees the path ahead and knows when to slow down and when to speed up to accomplish the items that are most impactful to keep the department or company running smoothly.

4. Note-Taker:

An often-underestimated role in meetings is that of the note-taker. The note-taker should diligently document meeting minutes, capturing important discussions, decisions, and action items. By doing so, a reliable record of the meeting is created which ensures that information is not lost. Clear documentation of action items, next steps, and responsible parties is crucial for accountability and follow-up.

Furthermore, sharing the meeting minutes afterward is essential to keep all participants informed and ensure that everyone is on the same page. With the advent of AI, note-taking might become a thing of the past. I know our team has been exploring software that will assist with analyzing the content, offering summaries, outlining tasks with due dates, and even providing insights based on the discussion.

Follow Key Strategies to Ensure Productive Meetings

Running an effective meeting requires careful planning, active facilitation, and diligent note-taking. By setting clear objectives and aligning the meeting with broader goals, you create a purpose-driven environment. Thoughtful planning, involving the right people, and sharing the agenda in advance help participants prepare and contribute effectively. A skilled facilitator encourages collaboration, keeps the meeting on track, and addresses outstanding items. Lastly, a diligent note-taker documents important insights and ensures that action items are clearly defined. By following these strategies, you can transform meetings into productive spaces that drive progress and foster teamwork at your professional services firm.