Apparently today is a holiday that’s perfect for AEC marketing professionals: December 15th is national cat herder’s day. Why do I think this is our own personal national holiday? Here’s why:
We juggle multiple projects, multiple personalities, multiple deadlines and a broad and deep swath of information about people, projects and processes in our efforts to respond to proposal requests and prepare staff for interviews.
We have an expert command of our local language, the jargon of our firm’s practice and the nomenclature of our particular firm, as well as the ability to bend that language to the needs of a variety of different communications media, often after literally prying the information from the brain of a practice professional who doesn’t realize how phenomenal they really are.
We demonstrate unfailing patience as we motivate, inspire and activate our practice colleagues to overcome their fear of presentations, of business development, of public speaking at conferences, of talking to the press, all of which makes them more successful at their jobs, sometimes in spite of themselves.
We exhibit incredible grace under the pressure of immovable deadlines, shifting priorities, lack of understanding of how marketing makes practice professionals successful, strong personalities and the occasional lack of respect from some of our practice colleagues who make it clear they think that we’re not really professionals because we don’t do exactly what they do.
So, a shout out and a tip of the hat to all my AEC marketing colleagues on national cat herder’s day. You continue to enlighten, amaze and inspire me every single day.
aecsarah 