Join the SMPS Austin Chapter on April 10th to hear information on imminent and future City of Austin project opportunities. Shane Harbinson with the City of Austin Aviation Department will discuss plans for the pending release of an RFQ for a $40M infill project at the Austin-Bergstrom Airport. Susan Daniels, AIA with the City of Austin Capitol Planning Office will also discuss the ongoing Bond Development Process in anticipation of the November election. Susan will be highlighting potential projects under consideration for inclusion in the bond, as well as providing an update on upcoming capital projects pending from previous COA bond programs.
Presenters:
City of Austin Aviation Department
Shane Harbinson, Assistant Director, Airport Development and Environmental Programs
City of Austin Capital Planning Office
Susan Daniels, AIA, Capital Program Consultant
Seating is limited, so register early.
THE DISCOUNTED PRICE ENDS AFTER WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4TH!!
When: Tuesday, April 10, 2012 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Where: University of Texas Club - President's Room
2108 E. Robert Dedman Drive, Austin, TX 78712
Attire: Business Attire
Event Registration Fee:
Member: $35.00 for a limited time ($45.00 original price)
Non-Member: $45.00 for a limited time ($55.00 original price)
RSVP Monday, April 09, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
SMPS Lunch & Learn: No, You Haven’t Been Sold a Pig in a Poke – Social Media DOES Matter, Even to You!
A great many firms in the A/E/C industry use social media as part of their marketing and public relations effort. Some of these firms have actually developed a social media plan to guide their activities; others are just out there, “feeling” their way along; still others are waiting for some kind of metrics to tie social media activity to new projects or opportunities.
One of the big questions for an A/E/C firm contemplating the use of social media is whether or not they will realize measurable benefits from the time spent crafting, posting, reading and responding to these messages, or if they need to be there just because “every else is.” Helping to make the case that social media can yield measurable benefits for A/E/C firms is the fact that Escobar Construction is one of the winners of this year’s Austin American-Statesman Texas Social Media Awards.
If you haven't quite figured out how to get your arms around social communications, or whether it is really worth your time, let's get down to the brass tacks of what social media can and cannot do for your business. There are discussions, communities and referrals going on in the architecture, engineering, construction and similar B2B professions, but no one can be everywhere, all the time.
This program will address the potential benefits of using social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) that might be realized specifically by A/E/C industry firms, and how such benefits might be achieved. You will walk out of the session knowing which fork in the road to take!
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Sheila Scarborough is a writer and speaker on social media. Although she specializes in tourism and travel, she has spoken on a social media panel for the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s annual conference. Sheila is a co-founder of Tourism Currents - online training in social media for destination marketing. She's on the National Board of Directors for the Association for Women in Communications (AWC) and will be the next Chair of Freelance Austin. A Navy veteran and a certified Navy Master Training Specialist, she's also an NHRA drag racing fan because there's one winner, one loser and no whining.
When: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Where: DPR Construction
9606 North MoPac (Loop 1), Suite 300, Austin, TX 78759
Attire: Business
Event Registration Fee:
Member: $20.00
Non-Member: $35.00
RSVP Monday, March 26, 2012
One of the big questions for an A/E/C firm contemplating the use of social media is whether or not they will realize measurable benefits from the time spent crafting, posting, reading and responding to these messages, or if they need to be there just because “every else is.” Helping to make the case that social media can yield measurable benefits for A/E/C firms is the fact that Escobar Construction is one of the winners of this year’s Austin American-Statesman Texas Social Media Awards.
If you haven't quite figured out how to get your arms around social communications, or whether it is really worth your time, let's get down to the brass tacks of what social media can and cannot do for your business. There are discussions, communities and referrals going on in the architecture, engineering, construction and similar B2B professions, but no one can be everywhere, all the time.
This program will address the potential benefits of using social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) that might be realized specifically by A/E/C industry firms, and how such benefits might be achieved. You will walk out of the session knowing which fork in the road to take!
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Sheila Scarborough is a writer and speaker on social media. Although she specializes in tourism and travel, she has spoken on a social media panel for the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s annual conference. Sheila is a co-founder of Tourism Currents - online training in social media for destination marketing. She's on the National Board of Directors for the Association for Women in Communications (AWC) and will be the next Chair of Freelance Austin. A Navy veteran and a certified Navy Master Training Specialist, she's also an NHRA drag racing fan because there's one winner, one loser and no whining.
When: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Where: DPR Construction
9606 North MoPac (Loop 1), Suite 300, Austin, TX 78759
Attire: Business
Event Registration Fee:
Member: $20.00
Non-Member: $35.00
RSVP Monday, March 26, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Book Review: Proposal Development Secrets - Work Smarter, Win More, and Get Home on Time, by Matt Handal
"Proposal Development Secrets" is a very easy read – the writing style is conversational, almost as if Matt was sitting in your kitchen with you. The language is clear – the examples are relevant and easy to follow – the tips will be fresh to new marketers and great reminders to experienced marketers.
As Matt tells us in his “How To Use This Book” section, this is NOT a “how-to” book. It doesn’t rehash or tweak any of the various proposal processes in use (or being taught) throughout the A/E/C industry. Indeed, proposal processes have a lot to do with what works specifically for your firm and its leaders.
One look at the table of contents assures the reader that this book is not designed to take him or her through the typical steps of developing a proposal, but is designed to explain the logistics, particularly the “long-lead” items like forms; deals with the issue of who creates what content and how; and helps answer the (often annoying) questions that non-marketers ask about why things are done the way they’re done, or what the client is really asking for between the lines.
The book address major proposal development activities – planning the effort (and implementing the plan), creating content, choosing what experience to include, editing other writers’ contributions, delivery and logistical hurdles – and provides great tips on how to meet the challenges inherent in each stage of the process. For example, under “Choosing the Right Past Experience,” Matt provides a “formula” for determining the relevance of your individual projects to the current pursuit. He also provides suggestions on some electronic aids that will help you use your preparation time to better effect.
Matt is not trying to teach anyone how to write a great proposal. However, in any place where the new marketer might typically stumble, this book is there with a steadying hand. Matt offers insights on how to recognize small glitches before they become real problems, so you can avoid or get around them, and how to get through such problems if you find yourself in the middle of one.
For anyone building a career in professional services marketing, the purchase of "Proposal Development Secrets" and the time you'll spend reading it will be two of the best investments you'll ever make. And when you finish that first read, the book will become a valued reference, one to which you'll refer often.
__________
Bernie Siben, CPSM, is Principal Consultant at The Siben Consult, LLC in Austin, TX, and a frequent writer for SMPS and other A/E/C industry publications. Contact: bernie@sibenconsult.com or at 559.901.9596.
As Matt tells us in his “How To Use This Book” section, this is NOT a “how-to” book. It doesn’t rehash or tweak any of the various proposal processes in use (or being taught) throughout the A/E/C industry. Indeed, proposal processes have a lot to do with what works specifically for your firm and its leaders.
One look at the table of contents assures the reader that this book is not designed to take him or her through the typical steps of developing a proposal, but is designed to explain the logistics, particularly the “long-lead” items like forms; deals with the issue of who creates what content and how; and helps answer the (often annoying) questions that non-marketers ask about why things are done the way they’re done, or what the client is really asking for between the lines.
The book address major proposal development activities – planning the effort (and implementing the plan), creating content, choosing what experience to include, editing other writers’ contributions, delivery and logistical hurdles – and provides great tips on how to meet the challenges inherent in each stage of the process. For example, under “Choosing the Right Past Experience,” Matt provides a “formula” for determining the relevance of your individual projects to the current pursuit. He also provides suggestions on some electronic aids that will help you use your preparation time to better effect.
Matt is not trying to teach anyone how to write a great proposal. However, in any place where the new marketer might typically stumble, this book is there with a steadying hand. Matt offers insights on how to recognize small glitches before they become real problems, so you can avoid or get around them, and how to get through such problems if you find yourself in the middle of one.
For anyone building a career in professional services marketing, the purchase of "Proposal Development Secrets" and the time you'll spend reading it will be two of the best investments you'll ever make. And when you finish that first read, the book will become a valued reference, one to which you'll refer often.
__________
Bernie Siben, CPSM, is Principal Consultant at The Siben Consult, LLC in Austin, TX, and a frequent writer for SMPS and other A/E/C industry publications. Contact: bernie@sibenconsult.com or at 559.901.9596.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
New Member Spotlight: Bernie Siben
The Siben Consult, LLC
Where do you work and what’s your position? Brief Description of company.
I am the Principal Consultant at The Siben Consult, LLC, a strategic and marketing consulting firm that helps A/E/C/Environmental firms imagine, articulate and achieve their own goals regarding their staff, their clients, their brand and image, and their overall business. A large part of my work is the development of general and targeted SOQs, proposals and short-list presentations, as well as writing for a number of SMPS and other industry publications, and making presentations on marketing-related topics throughout the United States.
Where is your hometown? Where did you go to school?
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. I started college in Akron, Ohio and then came back home, where I attended Brooklyn College. I came to UT Austin in 1973 and ultimately completed my BA at Thomas Edison State College (NJ) two weeks before my 50th birthday.
What do you like to do in your free time? Hobbies?
I have had a successful performance career (cabaret singer and actor) for more than 30 years, so I spend time working on new songs, and new arrangements of material I’ve been doing for a long time. I also spend time looking for oddball songs that nobody else is singing. In addition to that, I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy to take my mind off the technical writing I do in the daytime. I’m also an avid walker. I love to walk through neighborhoods with interesting and/or great architecture and unusual shops.
How long have you been a member of SMPS?
If my aging memory is working this morning, I first joined SMPS in 1991 and was a member for one year. I rejoined in 1995 and have been a member since then.
What do you see as the benefits of your experience with the SMPS?
SMPS has given me great opportunities for learning, for business networking and making friends. Many friends across the country are people I met at National Conferences (I’ve attended at least eight of them). I’ve also had the opportunity to write for SMPS publications and speak to SMPS audiences across the country.
March Luncheon: WALK.DRIVE.PEDAL.RIDE: Transportation Developments Planned for Central Texas
Congestion has increased substantially over the last 30 years according to an Urban Mobility Study conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute. Austin was ranked 28th in the nation for traffic delays in 2011, and anyone who travels MoPac or I-35 knows that Central Texas is in desperate need of additional transportation systems to alleviate traffic congestion.
The SMPS Austin Chapter has brought together a panel of transportation leaders who will discuss what’s being done to plan, fund, and deliver current and future transportation system projects in Central Texas, and how this will affect other developments.
Our dynamic speakers include:
When: Thursday, March 22, 2012, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Where: University of Texas Club - President's Room
2108 E. Robert Dedman Drive
Austin, TX 78712
Attire: Business
Event Registration Fees:
Member: $35.00 for a limited time ($45.00 original price)
Non-Member: $45.00 for a limited time ($55.00 original price)
RSVP Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The SMPS Austin Chapter has brought together a panel of transportation leaders who will discuss what’s being done to plan, fund, and deliver current and future transportation system projects in Central Texas, and how this will affect other developments.
Our dynamic speakers include:
- TxDOT – Carlos Lopez, Austin District Engineer
- City of Austin – Gordon Derr, Assistant Director of City of Austin Transportation Department
- Lone Star Rail District- Joseph Black, Rail Director / Operations Manager
- Moderator – Jeff Barton, AICP, Former Hays County Commissioner
When: Thursday, March 22, 2012, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Where: University of Texas Club - President's Room
2108 E. Robert Dedman Drive
Austin, TX 78712
Attire: Business
Event Registration Fees:
Member: $35.00 for a limited time ($45.00 original price)
Non-Member: $45.00 for a limited time ($55.00 original price)
RSVP Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
2012 SMPS Southern Regional Conference Recaps
For those of us providing marketing and business development services in the professional services industry, there are constant deadlines and tasks that require our immediate attention. It’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of putting out the latest fire and moving to the next. This cycle was once again refreshingly broken by attending the Southern Regional Conference in San Antonio.
I have attended the SRC for many years, and always return feeling energized by the networking, reconnecting with friends, and opportunities to learn new ways my firm can move forward with our marketing/BD initiatives. With three tracks, the conference offers dynamic speakers from around the country leading sessions on all aspects of marketing and business development.
Among the many interesting sessions offered this year was a new Marketing Roundtable Lunch. Attendees were able to choose from a wide variety of topics, depending on the table you selected, where the discussion was led by SMPS National Board members, industry experts, SRC speakers and regional marketing leaders. In this setting, everyone at each table had a chance to participate in the topic’s discussion, ask questions, share experiences, and learn from others.
Having had the opportunity to attend a previous National SMPS Conference, I believe the SRC offers at least an equal (and maybe better) experience with the quality of speakers, interactive topics, networking opportunities, and specific “take-aways” that can be applied to our firms. The SRC is well worth attending and I look forward to the 2013 Southern Regional Conference in Fort Worth!
~ Karen Ward, CPSM of Terracon
Waiting until the final moment to register, and not knowing exactly what to expect, I can confidently say that my trip to the Southern Regional Conference was worth my time. The greatest value I found in the event was the opportunity to physically meet marketing staff from firms in other cities that I previously only worked with over the phone or through email. Creating that face-to-face connection establishes a stronger relationship and adds greater meaning to those future phone calls and emails.
The “Create, Connect, Command” track system allowed some flexibility in the education attendees received, based on their particular career level. I attended sessions in all three tracks and found the flexibility to suit my needs. The standout sessions were the ones I enjoyed the most.
Julianna Lucci Ashley’s presentation, "Attract and Retain Clients: Improve Your Business with Improv" (Connect Track) is exactly what it sounds like. Julianna illustrated networking tactics through improvisation exercises that everyone participated in. I walked away with valuable lessons on how to genuinely and quickly get to know people and tips to create successful working relationships. I also enjoyed Holly Bolton’s presentation, "Choosing Your Own Adventure: The Effects of Media, Money and Mobility on Professional Services Marketers’ Career Success" (Create Track). Holly is a creative presenter and solicited a great deal of interaction from the group. Together we brainstormed challenges, opportunities and trends in the current market and I walked away with new connections and a great list of resources to advance my career and understanding of the industry.
All in all it was a successful event and I would encourage those of you who may be on the fence to attend next year’s conference.
~ Beth Sims of TBG
I have attended the SRC for many years, and always return feeling energized by the networking, reconnecting with friends, and opportunities to learn new ways my firm can move forward with our marketing/BD initiatives. With three tracks, the conference offers dynamic speakers from around the country leading sessions on all aspects of marketing and business development.
Among the many interesting sessions offered this year was a new Marketing Roundtable Lunch. Attendees were able to choose from a wide variety of topics, depending on the table you selected, where the discussion was led by SMPS National Board members, industry experts, SRC speakers and regional marketing leaders. In this setting, everyone at each table had a chance to participate in the topic’s discussion, ask questions, share experiences, and learn from others.
Having had the opportunity to attend a previous National SMPS Conference, I believe the SRC offers at least an equal (and maybe better) experience with the quality of speakers, interactive topics, networking opportunities, and specific “take-aways” that can be applied to our firms. The SRC is well worth attending and I look forward to the 2013 Southern Regional Conference in Fort Worth!
~ Karen Ward, CPSM of Terracon
Waiting until the final moment to register, and not knowing exactly what to expect, I can confidently say that my trip to the Southern Regional Conference was worth my time. The greatest value I found in the event was the opportunity to physically meet marketing staff from firms in other cities that I previously only worked with over the phone or through email. Creating that face-to-face connection establishes a stronger relationship and adds greater meaning to those future phone calls and emails.
The “Create, Connect, Command” track system allowed some flexibility in the education attendees received, based on their particular career level. I attended sessions in all three tracks and found the flexibility to suit my needs. The standout sessions were the ones I enjoyed the most.
Julianna Lucci Ashley’s presentation, "Attract and Retain Clients: Improve Your Business with Improv" (Connect Track) is exactly what it sounds like. Julianna illustrated networking tactics through improvisation exercises that everyone participated in. I walked away with valuable lessons on how to genuinely and quickly get to know people and tips to create successful working relationships. I also enjoyed Holly Bolton’s presentation, "Choosing Your Own Adventure: The Effects of Media, Money and Mobility on Professional Services Marketers’ Career Success" (Create Track). Holly is a creative presenter and solicited a great deal of interaction from the group. Together we brainstormed challenges, opportunities and trends in the current market and I walked away with new connections and a great list of resources to advance my career and understanding of the industry.
All in all it was a successful event and I would encourage those of you who may be on the fence to attend next year’s conference.
~ Beth Sims of TBG
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
February Luncheon: Funding Texas’ Future - A Crash Course in Public Private Partnerships
Do you understand the new “Texas Public Private Facilities and Infrastructure Act” and how it could affect your firm’s future approach to projects? State and local public agencies as well as higher education institutions such as Texas State University, the Texas Facilities Commission and Travis County are quickly adopting Public Private Partnership (P3) guidelines to help fund future projects.
Join the Austin SMPS chapter for a one-hour “crash course” in how this new Act is opening the door for Private Public Partnerships. Our distinguished panel includes:
- Tim Merriweather, Longbow Partners, took an active role in advocating for the development and passage of Senate Bill 1048. Tim will moderate our panel to show how this new legislation will provide opportunities for both the public and private sector.
- Rodney Moss, Senior Vice President, Legal, Balfour Beatty Construction, helped write the legislation. Rodney will provide a general understanding of the Act and discuss its highlights and restraints.
- James Martin, Managing Director, Edgemoor Financial, provides executive oversight for all of Edgemoor’s development activities. Jamie will provide insight on utilizing similar legislation in other states to accomplish projects such as the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach, California.
- Rob Roy Parnell, Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities, Texas State University System, provides oversight of the design and construction program throughout the Texas State University System (TSUS). He will discuss how Public Private Partnerships could be utilized to help creatively solve problems at their various campuses.
THE DISCOUNTED PRICE ENDS AFTER WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH!!
When: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Where: University of Texas Club - President's Room
2108 E. Robert Dedman Drive, Austin, TX 78712
Attire: Business Attire
Event Registration Fee:
Member: $35.00 for a limited time ($45.00 original price)
Non-Member: $45.00 for a limited time ($55.00 original price)
RSVP Monday, February 13, 2012
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