A recent study by the B2B Thought Leadership Agency FT Longitude found that 88% of business leaders spend significant time researching companies before engaging with them. This and similar research show that the vast majority of decision-makers within your client organizations rely on your firm’s content to assess your innovative thinking, expertise in their specific issues and the quality of your talent – all long before the formal selection process begins.

But there’s a catch: With more and more firms publishing more and more smart, high-quality content, simply creating more/better content is unlikely to create a competitive advantage for your firm. You need a new blueprint!

This three-part series will introduce the next-gen content strategies and approaches designed for today’s AEC buying journey. You will learn how creating content that addresses your prospects’ and clients’ needs at all critical points in their decision-making process will grow your firm’s influence and reach and bring more best-fitting projects through the door.

Using research, data, and insights along with compelling examples, adaptable models, and useful checklists, this program will provide you with a practical roadmap you can put to work immediately.

Is your firm ready to transform content into business?

Session 1: Using Content to Win Business

The first session in the series will answer the fundamental questions about how using educational and thought leadership content as a business strategy directly contributes to your firm’s ability to attract and win more business.

 Session 2: Aligning Content to Today’s AEC Buyer Journey

The session will provide a comprehensive overview of developing content for different stages in today’s mostly digital and self-directed AEC buying process

 Session 3: Activating Content for Results

This final session will cover how to activate content to meet stated objectives, engage the right audiences and influence business decisions. From execution, publishing, distribution, promotion, and measurement, we’ll cover every aspect of making sure your content deliverables are primed to achieve a return on objective.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

• Understand the role of educational and thought leadership content in achieving your firm’s business objectives and accelerating growth.
• Learn how to align content to every stage in the AEC buying journey, helping your firm reach, engage and convert the right decision-makers, faster.
• Discover what makes educational and thought leadership content effective in today’s digital environment and how to ensure it’s easy for business decision-makers to find, access and consume your content.
• Learn how to transform content into a strategic business function and create efficient content operations for your firm.

Proposals should position your firm to win – they’re sales documents! It needs to persuade the reader that your firm is the best firm for that project. But this is often hard to do when our firm is just like our competitors. How do we truly find those differences, and then translate those into persuasive proposals?

Enter in the Differentiation Framework. This can be used on any proposal, for any client, and in any market. This program walks you through the Differentiation Framework with the end result that of value proposition that gets shortlisted.

Learning Objectives

• Understand what makes a proposal persuasive
  
• Learn how to apply the Differentiation Framework to your proposals
  
• Get ideas on how to infuse creativity into each proposal
  

SMPS webinars are approved for 1.5 continuing education units for the Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) program and 1.5 learning units from the American Institute of Architects. Recordings of SMPS webinars are approved for 1.5 CPSM CEUs.

Per-Site Registration Fee*  

SMPS Member Site Registration: $199

Nonmember Site Registration: $259  

*Remember: webinars are open to your whole staff. Your team can participate from one location in your office for one fee. Register today and benefit from affordable, convenient, actionable learning and earn valuable CPSM CEUs and AIA LUs!

As marketers and business developers, we know crafting a great proposal is more complicated than “just throwing a few things together.” Even if your firm has all the pieces in place like a go/no go filter, proposal process, updated templates, and a badass marketing team, each proposal can feel like a bumpy journey of cat herding and deadline stress. Creating proposals takes an enormous amount of people power, coordination, and time (and therefore $). Establishing a pursuit process that works with your firm culture is critical. In this session, we will share how we evolved our pursuit process to fit our unique firm culture to boost adoption and engagement. We will provide tools and tips on how you can ensure pursuits are led by marketing, but still have buy-in and contributions from your busy technical professionals.

Learning Objectives

• How to create a pursuit process that uniquely fits the DNA of your firm to ensure adoption.
• Understand how marketing professionals and business developers can provide meaningful insight in the go/no go process to influence the decision to pursue and the response strategy using the knowledge they possess.
• Learn collaboration tools that can help keep your pursuit process on track.

SMPS webinars are approved for 1.5 continuing education units for the Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) program and 1.5 learning units from the American Institute of Architects. Recordings of SMPS webinars are approved for 1.5 CPSM CEUs.

Per-Site Registration Fee*  

SMPS Member Site Registration: $199

Nonmember Site Registration: $259  

*Remember: webinars are open to your whole staff. Your team can participate from one location in your office for one fee. Register today and benefit from affordable, convenient, actionable learning and earn valuable CPSM CEUs and AIA LUs!

Schedule at Glance

June 25, 2024 (2-hour program) LinkedIn Thought Leadership Amplified by Unique Insights

Explore the transformative power of Thought Leadership in our exclusive session, designed to enhance your brand’s digital influence. Discover why Thought Leaders excel on LinkedIn, and learn how to establish yourself as a credible authority. We’ll also delve into the intricacies of LinkedIn’s algorithm, revealing key strategies to amplify your reach and engagement. Gain practical insights into content optimization for immediate impact.

Key takeaways:

1. The Power of Thought Leadership: Understanding why Thought Leaders achieve the best results on LinkedIn.
2. Building Authority: Strategies for branding yourself as a trusted authority and gaining instant credibility.
3. Cultivating Company Thought Leaders: Implementing a 4-layer Employee Branding Model to foster thought leadership within your organization.
4. Navigating LinkedIn’s Algorithm: Insights into current algorithmic challenges and how to overcome them for better visibility.
5. Content Strategy Mastery: Learning how different content formats influence reach and engagement, and how to use them effectively.
6. Actionable Algorithm Insights: Six implementable insights to enhance your LinkedIn strategy for immediate results.

August 15, 2024  (2-hour program) Turning Your Brand Story Into A Hiring Strategy

Before spending a dollar on promoting a job, recruiting teams should know whose attention they want to capture. Hiring teams must understand what matters most to quality candidates. Instead, many simply post jobs on more websites in hopes of filling niche roles with any warm body rather than the right person.

Best-in-class candidates aren’t settling for templates and worn-out tactics. They want to know why they should work for you. If you’re not expressing it in a language that attracts the right person, it’s costing the company money. This presentation can help. People who have attended this session with hiring expert Katrina Kibben have said it helped them learn simple steps to stand out with recruitment marketing that uses real stories.

What’s In It For You

• Steps for translating your stories into a unique recruiting strategy,
• An introduction to recruiting personas and how they work,
• 4 things you can do to increase applications without an employer brand budget,
• And more!

Attendees will leave this session with actionable insights that help companies of all sizes stand out.

September 11, 2024 (2-hour program) Unlocking Employee Potential through Powerful Conversations 

Managers are expected to motivate, train and develop their direct reports. To do so, managers need tools to help them draw boundaries and sustain empathy while also holding employees accountable. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a powerful communication technique that helps do just that. Often utilized by coaches, social workers, therapists and healthcare practitioners, MI is designed to enhance effectiveness in eliciting positive behavior change by empowering and engaging the individual. This presentation will introduce MI’s principles and key skills and provide attendees with a safe learning environment to practice its application to real-world business scenarios.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills offers several benefits:

• Enhanced Communication: MI improves communication between managers and employees by fostering a collaborative, non-confrontational atmosphere. This leads to more open and honest discussions.
• Empowerment: MI empowers employees to explore their own motivations for change, rather than being told what to do. This autonomy increases their commitment to making positive changes.
• Increased Engagement: By using MI techniques, managers can effectively engage employees in conversations about change initiatives or performance improvements, leading to greater buy-in and participation.

The DEI Certificate program will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to develop, implement, and sustain effective DEI strategies and policies. Although research has shown that diverse and inclusive workplaces lead to better business outcomes, many A/E/C professionals do not have a blueprint to successfully activate an internal DEI program within their firm. By developing a DEI Certificate program customized for the A/E/C industry, SMPS will offer members the tools and roadmap to create a more inclusive and welcoming workplace.

To promote lifelong learning, SMPS will also require DEI certificate holders to earn DEUs, which are continuing education units specifically focused on diversity. This ongoing education allows participants to have access to resources that help them navigate the everchanging environment of workplace diversity. This certificate program aligns with our strategic priority to cultivate professionals with diverse expertise.

CEUs

Each 60-90 minute virtual program in this course is approved for 1 diversity education unit (DEU) .

Module 4: Building a DEI Program for Your Firm

Creating an effective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program requires a clear understanding of your organization’s current state, a strong foundational “why,” and actionable strategies driven by data. This course provides a comprehensive guide to developing, assessing, and implementing a DEI program tailored to your organization’s unique needs. Participants will learn how to collect and analyze relevant data, set realistic goals, and create sustainable practices that promote diversity and inclusion. Through practical examples and expert insights, this course aims to equip leaders and HR professionals with the tools necessary to foster an inclusive workplace culture.

Key Takeaways:

1. Assessing Current State: Understand the importance of an honest assessment of your current workplace environment as the first step in building a DEI program.
2. Establishing a Strong “Why”: Learn how to define the purpose and goals of your DEI program, ensuring they align with your organization’s broader objectives.
3. Data Collection and Audits: Identify the types of data you need, including demographic information and metrics related to hiring, attrition, and performance, to create an accurate picture of your workplace.
4. Reporting and Analysis: Understand how to generate and analyze reports that highlight patterns and inform your DEI strategy. Learn the importance of regular data refresh cycles and how to act on the findings.
5. Using Data to Drive Change: Discover how to use collected data to support the “why” of your DEI program, maintaining momentum and purpose. Learn strategies for communicating your goals and progress to stakeholders.
6. Stakeholder Engagement: Recognize the value of involving stakeholders, such as executives and employee resource groups, in the DEI journey to ensure accountability and broad-based support.
7. Practical Examples: Gain insights from examples of successful DEI initiatives, such as leadership development programs, learning and development enhancements, and salary audits for parity.
8. Resources and Tools: Access a curated list of resources and tools to further develop and refine your DEI efforts.

About T. Tara Turk-Haynes

T. Tara Turk-Haynes is a passionate advocate and operator for workplaces that are inclusive, equitable and foster belonging for diverse communities. She is the Founder of Equity Activations – a company committed to helping small and midsize companies embed DEIB practices into their day to day operations for impactful results. In her role at Leaf Group, she spearheaded the company’s DEI journey, introducing customized effective programs and resources for individual and group learning. In addition to leading DEI Champion committees, ERGs, and creating DEI auditing processes, she expanded global awareness of issues affecting underrepresented communities across the company’s digital media and marketplace brands. T. Tara also chaired Graham Holdings Company’s DEI Council and has been recognized as a trusted leader offering results driven consulting, creative approaches to challenges, and leadership coaching. She has made significant contributions through virtual events, panel discussions, and featured appearances at prominent conferences and publications.

Each 60-minute webinar in this course is approved for 1 continuing education unit (CEU) for the Certified Professional Services Marketer program. 

The DEI Certificate program will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to develop, implement, and sustain effective DEI strategies and policies. Although research has shown that diverse and inclusive workplaces lead to better business outcomes, many A/E/C professionals do not have a blueprint to successfully activate an internal DEI program within their firm. By developing a DEI Certificate program customized for the A/E/C industry, SMPS will offer members the tools and roadmap to create a more inclusive and welcoming workplace.

To promote lifelong learning, SMPS will also require DEI certificate holders to earn DEUs, which are continuing education units specifically focused on diversity. This ongoing education allows participants to have access to resources that help them navigate the everchanging environment of workplace diversity. This certificate program aligns with our strategic priority to cultivate professionals with diverse expertise.

CEUs

Each 60-90 minute virtual program in this course is approved for 1 diversity education unit (DEU) .

Module 3: Inclusive Leadership

The evolving workplace requires leaders to not only drive performance but also to cultivate inclusive, equitable, and accessible environments where team members feel valued and empowered. This course delves into the principles of inclusive leadership, offering practical strategies to foster an environment where diverse perspectives are heard and respected. Participants will learn to navigate the complexities of modern leadership, develop essential skills such as self-awareness, empathy, and vulnerability, and implement actionable steps to create a more inclusive workplace.

Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding Inclusive Leadership: Learn the core concepts and importance of inclusive leadership, which goes beyond traditional management to create equitable environments.
2. Essential Skills for Inclusive Leaders: Develop key skills including self-awareness, curiosity, vulnerability, courage, and empathy to better support and lead diverse teams.
3. Three-Step Framework: Implement a straightforward framework to lead by example, mitigate bias intentionally, and redesign outdated practices for modern, inclusive leadership.
4. Practical Implementation: Discover easy-to-implement strategies such as designing safe spaces, promoting accessibility, and prioritizing team well-being without waiting for organizational initiatives.
5. Challenges and Opportunities: Understand the challenges of inclusive leadership and the significant positive impact it can have on talent attraction, retention, and overall organizational culture.
6. Resources for Further Learning: Access additional resources and educational materials to continue developing inclusive leadership skills and understanding implicit biases.

About Dani Herrera

Dani is a bilingual, certified, award-winning DEI and Talent Professional with 17 years of global experience in Talent Operations, DEI, and Leadership.

Among many other things, Dani is a Talent and DEI Consultant, Trainer, and Speaker. She’s also the Awareness & Advocacy Founding Partner at Allies in Recruiting, a volunteer DEI Expert for the NASA IDEA Practitioners Database, a Career Mentor, and a Content creator.

Dani is radically and unapologetically committed to helping organizations analyze and deconstruct biased and inequitable systems. She works (very!) intentionally to nurture cultures that attract and retain talent from historically excluded communities, design processes that minimize biases, and build strategies and systems that foster inclusion, equity, and belonging. She’s also a fierce advocate for the Latine and Immigrant Communities in the United States. 

Dani’s had the privilege of speaking at local and international events, including SXSW, Disrupt HR, Hacking HR, and Manifest Equity. Her POV has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Inc. Magazine, the BBC, and Refinery 29, among many others!

Each 60-minute webinar in this course is approved for 1 continuing education unit (CEU) for the Certified Professional Services Marketer program. 

The DEI Certificate program will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to develop, implement, and sustain effective DEI strategies and policies. Although research has shown that diverse and inclusive workplaces lead to better business outcomes, many A/E/C professionals do not have a blueprint to successfully activate an internal DEI program within their firm. By developing a DEI Certificate program customized for the A/E/C industry, SMPS will offer members the tools and roadmap to create a more inclusive and welcoming workplace.

To promote lifelong learning, SMPS will also require DEI certificate holders to earn DEUs, which are continuing education units specifically focused on diversity. This ongoing education allows participants to have access to resources that help them navigate the everchanging environment of workplace diversity. This certificate program aligns with our strategic priority to cultivate professionals with diverse expertise.

CEUs

Each 60-90 minute virtual program in this course is approved for 1 diversity education unit (DEU) .

Module 2: Overcoming Unconscious Bias to Foster an Inclusive Workplace

Unconscious bias is an inherent aspect of human cognition, influenced by our backgrounds, experiences, and societal norms. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of unconscious bias, its types, and its impact on workplace inclusivity. Participants will learn practical strategies to recognize, address, and mitigate unconscious biases in their professional environments. Through engaging discussions and actionable insights, this course aims to empower individuals and organizations to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding Unconscious Bias: Learn what unconscious bias is, how it develops, and why it is unavoidable due to the immense amount of information we process daily.
2. Types of Unconscious Bias: Gain knowledge about various types of unconscious biases such as affinity bias, beauty bias, confirmation bias, gender bias, the halo/horns effect, name bias, and weight bias, and how they manifest in the workplace.
3. Addressing Unconscious Bias: Discover the power of asking good questions to uncover and address biases. Learn techniques to identify commonalities, create contrast, and ask questions that promote inclusion and innovation.
4. Bias in the Hiring Process: Identify how bias influences hiring decisions and learn strategies to mitigate it, including:
   • Exaggeration: Reviewing job postings to ensure qualifications are necessary and inclusive.
   • Consistency: Using standardized questions and evaluation criteria during interviews.
   • Involvement: Increasing diversity in decision-making processes by involving multiple people with specific roles.
5. Practical Implementation: Understand the importance of continuous improvement and the impact of addressing unconscious bias on creating a better workplace for current and future employees.
6. Resources for Further Learning: Access additional resources such as Project Implicit and articles on the connection between unconscious bias and brain function, and examples of unconscious bias in the workplace.

About Kat Kibben

Kat Kibben is an award-winning writer and renowned keynote speaker known for helping hiring teams write inclusive, unbiased job postings that help them hire the right person faster. 

Before founding Three Ears Media, Kat was a CMO, Technical Copywriter, and Managing Editor for leading companies like Monster.com, Care.com, and Randstad Worldwide. Today, they are frequently featured as an HR and recruiting expert in publications like The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Forbes. 

Kat travels the country in their RV while dividing time between North Carolina, Colorado, and the dogs behind the name Three Ears Media.

Each 60-minute webinar in this course is approved for 1 continuing education unit (CEU) for the Certified Professional Services Marketer program. 

The DEI Certificate program will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to develop, implement, and sustain effective DEI strategies and policies. Although research has shown that diverse and inclusive workplaces lead to better business outcomes, many A/E/C professionals do not have a blueprint to successfully activate an internal DEI program within their firm. By developing a DEI Certificate program customized for the A/E/C industry, SMPS will offer members the tools and roadmap to create a more inclusive and welcoming workplace.

To promote lifelong learning, SMPS will also require DEI certificate holders to earn DEUs, which are continuing education units specifically focused on diversity. This ongoing education allows participants to have access to resources that help them navigate the everchanging environment of workplace diversity. This certificate program aligns with our strategic priority to cultivate professionals with diverse expertise.

CEUs

Each 60-90 minute virtual program in this course is approved for 1 diversity education unit (DEU) .

Module 1: The Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion

In today's rapidly changing business environment, integrating Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) into your business practices is not just a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage. This course explores the evolving landscape of business, driven by shifting demographics, advancing technology, and globalization. Participants will gain a deep understanding of the importance of D&I, learn basic terminology, and discover how to leverage D&I to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Through practical insights and real-world examples, this course equips leaders and professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to foster an inclusive workplace and thrive in a dynamic marketplace.

Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding Changes in Business: Learn about the significant external and internal factors that have transformed businesses in recent years, including changes in products, markets, competition, communication, and work environments.
2. Drivers of Change: Identify the primary drivers of current business trends, such as shifting workforce and consumer demographics, rapid technological advancements, globalization, and the growing gig economy.
3. Importance of D&I: Understand how integrating D&I into business practices can help organizations respond to new challenges, attract and retain diverse talent, and create a competitive edge.
4. Basic D&I Terminology: Gain familiarity with key terms such as diversity, inclusion, equality, equity, accessibility, and belonging, and learn how these concepts can be applied to business practices.
5. D&I Lens for Business: Discover how asking the right questions related to diversity, inclusion, accessibility, equity, and belonging can help organizations address both external and internal challenges, fostering a more inclusive and productive work environment.
6. Strategic Application: Learn practical strategies to implement D&I initiatives in your organization, focusing on creating a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to contribute to their fullest potential.

About Amy Waninger

Amy C. Waninger is the Founder & CEO of Lead at Any Level, where she improves employee engagement and retention for companies that promote from within. Amy offers assessments, advisory services, and professional development programs on essential skills for inclusive leaders. She is the author of eight books, including Network Beyond Bias: Making Diversity a Competitive Advantage for Your Career.

Each 60-minute webinar in this course is approved for 1 continuing education unit (CEU) for the Certified Professional Services Marketer program. 

Have you ever encountered staff members who just won't do what you need them to do? If you've faced this challenge, our course "WHY PEOPLE AREN’T DOING WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO DO… and what you can do about it" is here to help. This program is filled with surprising and thought-provoking insights into why non-compliant behavior occurs, along with practical strategies to achieve the desired behaviors within your organization

We provide a comprehensive set of 14 distinct reasons, enabling you to gain a broad spectrum of insights. The introduction of our innovative "Non-Compliance Filter" offers a strategic approach to analyze non-compliant behaviors, identify their root causes, and develop effective counter-strategies.

Learning Objectives

• Gain a deep understanding of the underlying reasons behind non-compliant behavior within your team.
• Learn to identify and address these reasons effectively, resulting in improved team performance.
• Equip yourself with practical strategies to encourage compliant behavior, enhancing overall organizational operations.
• Utilize the "Non-Compliance Filter," a strategic tool designed to help pinpoint and counteract reasons for non-compliant behavior.
• Develop an action plan based on the "filter" results, paving the way for a more productive and harmonious workplace.

SMPS webinars are approved for 1.5 continuing education units for the Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) program and 1.5 learning units from the American Institute of Architects. Recordings of SMPS webinars are approved for 1.5 CPSM CEUs.

Per-Site Registration Fee*  

SMPS Member Site Registration: $199

Nonmember Site Registration: $259  

*Remember: webinars are open to your whole staff. Your team can participate from one location in your office for one fee. Register today and benefit from affordable, convenient, actionable learning and earn valuable CPSM CEUs and AIA LUs!

Join Bolanle Williams-Olley, CFO of Mancini Duffy, in "The Crash Course to Mastering Budgets: From Planning to Performance," a dynamic session designed to enhance your budgeting skills. Perfect for creatives, managers, and financial enthusiasts, this course simplifies budget creation, monitoring, and adjustment processes. Bolanle's expert insights will transform your approach to budgeting – elevating it beyond mere numbers to making it a strategic and exciting component of your business strategic toolkit.

Key takeaways:

1. Fundamentals Uncovered: Grasp the core principles of budgeting and learn to set realistic goals that align with your business strategies.
2. Strategic Monitoring and Adjusting: Develop skills to track and analyze budget performance and learn to adapt your budget based on actual results.
3. Decision Making and Communication: Improve your strategic decision-making using budget insights and effectively communicate budgetary information to stakeholders for better alignment and support.

SMPS webinars are approved for 1.5 continuing education units for the Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) program and 1.5 learning units from the American Institute of Architects. Recordings of SMPS webinars are approved for 1.5 CPSM CEUs.

Per-Site Registration Fee*  

SMPS Member Site Registration: $199

Nonmember Site Registration: $259  

*Remember: webinars are open to your whole staff. Your team can participate from one location in your office for one fee. Register today and benefit from affordable, convenient, actionable learning and earn valuable CPSM CEUs and AIA LUs!