Marketing Pitch 6

[strucguy]

I work for a small consulting firm. After multiple calls to various architects, I finally managed to get an opportunity to meet few folks in a big Architectural firm. My boss has given me the go ahead to present our case to this prospective client. I am thinking of putting together a simple powerpoint presentation with some details about our company, our accomplishments, testimonials etc. I have a one hour window with these Architects. So, for the time that's left after the presentation, I am thinking of giving them an opportunity to ask questions about our company or the work we do. I would also like to take some time in asking them as to how we can be of any help to their business.

As this is the first time I am doing this marketing pitch for my company, I am a little not so sure about the approach I talked about earlier. I am sure some of you have been there and done that. So, any helpful suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[TheTick]

Not an architect, but I've sat through plenty of sales pitches. Some thoughts...
[ul]
[li]An hour seems long to busy people. Less is more if you make your point.[/li]
[li]Don't waste time telling them the obvious. I'm sure they all know what a structural firm does. Everyone makes claims of "different", "innovative" and "added value". Few can really show why or how they are truly different.[/li]
[li]If you claim you're different while clearly demonstrating you are the same, you have wasted many man-hours of prospect's time, and they won't forget it.[/li]
[li]Go in showing you've done your homework and that you understand the details of this prospect's operation.[/li]
[/ul]

 

[zdas04]

Star for your last bullet, TheTick. I've had dozens of Engineering firms pitch their companies to me and the only ones I've hired have taken the time to learn what I need and to show me how they can accelerate accomplishment of my goals. The best of them knew the names of my hotest projects and had anticipated some of the road blocks that they could help me reduce. Specific is way better than general.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
The plural of anecdote is not "data"

 

[msquared48]

Limit your pitch to 15 minutes, then ask them what their needs are, the problems that they have had in the past, etc. Demonstrate how your firm would meet their needs and address their stated problems or concerns.

Emphasize flexibility of design approach, maintaining the Architectural design concept, meeting deadlines, and, above all, timely communication.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[Ron]

Agree with all the above. Make it short, don't repeat things and make sure your pitch helps them to help their client, thus making the architect look good...that's their concern.

 

[TomDOT]

At the end of the meeting, offer to take them to lunch.

 

[strucguy]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I just got back from the meeting. Overall they were impressed with the way I presented our case. They listened to what I had to say patiently for 10 mins. After the presentation they asked me about some of the projects we do. I even took the opportunity to understand the problems they have been having with their previous consultants. Had a mixed reaction when they indicated that they don't have any issues with any of their structural consultants. But, they were happy to have me in their office. When we were done with the meeting and I was about to leave, the architect shook my hand and said "expect a call from my in a week or two". Was that music to my ears or what. For now I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping to hear from them soon. Over all it was good learning experience for someone who has been doing just engineering for the past 8 years.

 

[racookpe1978]

Practice your presentation in front of your boss - who should be with you! - and your sales manager and your company's president - who you will be representing.

Find out what you are allowed to "negotiate", what you can't negotiate, and what your l limits on approval or refusal will be for this contract. Limits being min/max cost, schedule (start date, stop date, change orders, non-performance issues of your sub-contractors or their sub-contractors, etc), quality, man-hours, material, etc.

 

[racookpe1978]

Oh. And by the way - get more money!

Nothing is harder than sales. It's much harder than "design" ...k
Nothing more rewarding either.
But you need to demand the "more money" that is part of that "more rewarding" ...
Nothing more frightening than sales.

 

[JAE]

Three things one of my architect clients stated were their primary concerns with their structural consultants:

1. Fair fees
2. Get done on time
3. Technically correct work.

I would add a couple more that apply once you get going on projects.

1. The consultant should work and act as though they were an employee of the architect's firm - maintaining a high level of empathy and concern for the project's success.
2. Be responsive - return calls fast, provide info fast, etc.
3. Work WITH them in their designs - too many structural engineers dig their heels into the ground when asked to try unique framing concepts or deal with design challenges (can you move that column?)

 

[strucguy]

You are spot on JAE. A star for you.

No matter how crazy some of the Architect's designs may be...we try not to say "It can't be done". We make a genuine effort to make the Architect's design a reality, but at the same time provide guidance as to how they can simplify the design and save some money for the client. In the end, we let the Architect choose. 90 out of 100 times they stick to their guns. "If only owners hired us directly..." I really don't want to go there.

 

[rowingengineer]

So jae and strucguy are to blame for letting architects get away with costly arty farty crap instead of slapping them twice

http://www.nceng.com.au/

"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning."

 

[JAE]

star for you!

 

[glass99]

I think the best way of presenting to architects is to present your engineering in the same way that they would present their architecture. Show your design process, and beautiful images of your projects shot at night with nice lighting etc. Buzzwords like "added value" and "synergy" are for corporations not architects.

 

[Jboggs]

A lesson I learned the hard way many years ago: never leave a meeting without an agreed established time that you will talk again about something, anything. My boss told me when I get back in my car and put the keys in the ignition I should stop and ask myself one question - "When is the follow-up?" If the answer is "I don't know". or "sometime soon", or "after something else happens", or anything other than a firm time and date, then I am to get back out of my car, go back inside and set one up. You don't embarass yourself like that too many times without learning to make it a habit.