Pacific Regional Conference Recap
Two weeks after the Pacific Regional Conference, here are the 7 things still on my mind.
- Features Tell, Benefits Sell
Features are claims about you/your firm (facts, figures, stats, etc.), while benefits highlight what’s in it for the client.
Get to the bottom of what makes your client tick. What do they value? What does their perfect partnership with a firm like yours look like? Don’t know? Ask before an RFP/Q comes out! The more you know about what’s important to a client, the better you’re able to choose which benefits to highlight in a proposal alongside your firm’s features.
- We’re not B2B, We’re B2H (Business to Human)
Always be connecting—and not just on LinkedIn! Remember that everyone you meet is a person, not just an employee. Connect with them on a personal level before you get into professional babble. People will remember those who show an interest in them, not just their position. Make them the star of your conversation. Instead of introducing yourself with an elevator pitch about your company at a networking event, briefly mention your name and company before asking about them. Why did they decide to be a part of this industry? What vacations do they have planned for the year? Do they have pets? Kids? What are their names? These types of questions will set your conversation apart. Prove your listening skills by requesting a LinkedIn connection later, adding a message about something specific from your conversation that you jived about.
- LinkedIn is in, Your Rolodex is Out
You’re at a networking event. It’s been a long day of work and you’ve had two glasses of bubbly since you arrived at the party. You’re chatting with dozens of new people and you only got a few of their cards. How will you remember who you met and what you talked to them about?
Fear not! After the event, find them on LinkedIn by name (if you know it) or stretch your social media stalker skills to find their face in a profile picture on their company’s LinkedIn list of employees. Don’t just request to connect with them—add a message noting something important and meaningful in your conversation that night! They’ll be impressed with your personalized message AND the next time you see them at an event you can search through profile pics in your LinkedIn chat records to find their name, company, and something meaningful that you two connected about.
- Even though your Rolodex is out, handwritten letters are still in
When was the last time you wrote a handwritten letter to someone? Your grandma doesn’t count. Now, remember the last time someone wrote you a handwritten letter. Didn’t it feel great?!
Not all letters are love letters. Did you meet someone awesome at a networking event? Write them a letter saying how great it was to chat with them. Did a client invite you to their company’s holiday party? Write them a letter expressing your gratitude for the invitation and how wonderful the food was. Did someone hook you up with a project lead which would have otherwise been off your radar? You guessed it! Write them a letter telling them how much it means to you that they thought of you and that you’ll keep your eye out for projects that would suit them to return the favor. Even the briefest letters can make a long-lasting impression. We all send and receive too many emails these days!
- Your competitors can do it too, so differentiate yourself
Competitors are competitive because they can complete the same projects that your firm can. When your adequate proposal is up against their adequate proposal, what sets you apart? Why should you win the work?
Identifying your differentiator and effectively communicating it in a proposal are key practices in putting together a killer proposal. What’s a differentiator? I’m glad you asked: it’s “something that makes you meaningfully different in a way that adds value to your client,” according to the brilliant PRC speakers Lisa Radigonda and Sarah Protzko (former SMPS SFBAC members). Differentiators must be true, must speak directly to the client, must be supported by evidence, and must be completely unique. If somebody else can say it, dig deeper. You can use the Five Why’s to get below the surface. Work with technical staff to develop your differentiators for a specific quals package. Don’t forget to run your differentiator by the client first to make sure they value it. Tailor every aspect of your proposal and tie them all back to your chosen differentiator.
Most importantly, live your differentiators! Walk that talk.
- Be at the top of your list
Life is short. So is your career. Make sure you enjoy both of them.
It’s okay to leave a job that’s limiting you. It’s okay to pass up a promotion to a new role because you’re happy where you are. It’s always okay to advocate for yourself. Remember to focus on yourself: who are you on a team? Who do you want to be? What are you naturally great at? What can you do to challenge yourself a little bit more? Stay in touch with yourself. Make goals for the next year rather than the next five so it feels easier to take action. Change goals as your vision for yourself evolves. You’re not too early. You’re not too late. You’re always right on time.
- Your boss can’t read your mind (I hope)
You must be your own champion. If you want something, fight for it! Your bosses probably doesn’t know what you do and they definitely don’t know what you want, so tell them. Schedule time to sit down and tell your boss what you do. Tell your boss what you want. Hoping you can learn how to shoot and edit video content? Ask to take a course and explain the return on your skill building. Want to advance into a leadership position? Ask for more opportunities to stretch your leadership wings. Need to have a tough conversation about how your workplace isn’t serving you? Ask for what you need to feel passionate about your job again. As you open up, you may notice opportunities will open up too!
Lauren Church is a storyteller and marketer for KPFF Consulting Engineers in San Francisco. She’s also a member of the SMPS SF Communications Committee. Reach out to her any time at [email protected].
