Contents
Contents
IN EVERY ISSUE
FEATURE
DOMAIN
Aligning What You Do With Who You Are
Be AI-Ready: Eight Steps to Structure Your Firm’s Tactical Plan
Rebranding: Increase Your Influence an Impact as a Marketing Leader
What Is a Digital Asset Manager and Why Do You Need One?
What does Safety Look Like for Marketing Professionals in A/E/C
Leading Through the Lens
About
1.
President's Message
2.
CEO Message
3.
From the Editor
EMERGING TRENDS
Hot Trends in A/E/C
4.
5.
FEATURE
Cheerleading and Coaching. You Need ’em Both.
6.
DOMAIN 6
Charting AI for AEC Marketers: Optimizing Utilization with Trends, Tools, and Tips
7.
DOMAIN 6
Channel Your Inner Strategist
8.
FEATURE
How to Transform Yourself from Pack Mule to Unicorn
9.
MEMBER PERSPECTIVE
The Importance of Taking Time Off
10.
MEMBER PERSPECTIVE
The Anatomy of an SMPS Volunteer: All-in with Heart, Mind, and Vision
11.
FROM SMPS
Amplify A|E|C Recap
12.
SMPS Connections. Capturing Each Other’s Hearts and Respect.
emerging trends
Hot Trends in A/E/C
Hot Trends in A/E/C
By Scott D. Butcher, FSMPS, CPSM
Share:
The SMPS vision is “Business transformed through marketing leadership.” One way to be a leader at your company and strive to transform business is to constantly scan the environment to understand the trends impacting your firm, your clients, and the A/E/C industries. With that in mind, here are five current trends creating challenges and opportunities for our firms and clients.
1. Talent Shortage Continues
You can’t do the work if you don’t have the people, and the combination of Baby Boomer retirements and a shrinking talent pipeline from colleges (for example, engineering school enrollment has declined 9% since 2018) is creating a pinch point for business development and marketing.
2. Continued Weakness in Commercial Markets
According to FMI, commercial construction is projected to decline 7% this year, followed by further declines through 2026. Inflation and interest rates are driving this trend, which stands in stark contrast to markets benefitting from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding. Additionally, the AIA/Deltek Architectural Billings Index has declined for 17 consecutive months, with the commercial sector seeing the steepest declines in the most recent report.
3. A/E/C Widely Embraces Seller-Doers
New research from the SMPS Foundation and Stambaugh Ness found that 89% of surveyed firms utilize seller-doers, an increase of 15% over similar research conducted in 2015. The use of dedicated business developers has also expanded, and the growth in both roles is projected to continue in the coming years.
4. The AI and Automation Disruption is Just Beginning
Although some A/E/C marketing professionals have been leveraging generative text for more than a year, the core functions of our companies are just beginning to understand the opportunities – there’s productivity to be gained, workload to be alleviated, and profits to be made. However, this will only happen to firms that embrace these new technologies. Does your company have a champion?
5. Energy and Infrastructure Demand Continue to Surge
There is a rapidly growing demand for energy in North America, driven by the proliferation of artificial intelligence and the move toward electrification in some areas. Yet the aging electricity infrastructure is not keeping up. Likewise, there is a critical need to replace and expand water and sewer infrastructure and capacity, meaning these markets will remain hot for years.
Louis Pasteur famously stated that “Chance favors only the prepared mind.” Is your mind prepared? One of the most important contributions you can make to your firm is to research and understand trends to gain a competitive advantage and prepare for forthcoming disruptions.
Resources from this trends update:
Scott D. Butcher, FSMPS, CPSM Scott is an AE industry veteran with 30 years of experience in strategy, marketing, and business development. He serves as Managing Director, Strategic Growth Advisory at Stambaugh Ness.
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