CPSM Day Part 3: Full Throttle Engagement

Full Throttle Engagement – Lessons From Pro Motorsports and Living the Champion’s Creed

Kirsten Haas – Acoustic Dimensions

Ok, to be honest, this session did not do much for me. I understood what she was trying to do. She had left the AEC marketing world for a while and did promotion of professional motorcycle racing. So the whole presentation was a back and forth of the similarities between the two.

For example, you need something to focus/trigger the team’s efforts in racing, so they zeroed in on a rival racer who was sponsored by Geico and dressed like the Geico gecko. Every time they saw him, they re-animated. So what is the trigger for focusing your team in marketing/proposals?

That sort of thing.

And while eventually, some of the creative ideas she developed in motor-racing translated well to our world, the “meat” of the session was the group discussions, in my opinion. The discussions focused on common challenges (different for each group) and some solutions. These were FABULOUS.

Unhappy Client

1. Understand the client’s issues, allow them the opportunity to speak; might be emotional situation, and you’re providing counseling. Marketer has unique skills to be able to triage – more so than the technical staff – to help right the ship.
2. Use client surveys – someone not involved with the project (another office of firm perhaps). Typically red flags come up in the surveys.
3. Implement a “no Lone Ranger” policy – appoint a go-to person the client can call, not usually related to the project, that they can call. It’s a great valve.

Manage Time

1. Find a champion who can help advocate your needs/time needs. Best if someone from management level.
2. Shut off email for periods of time to get work done; don’t feel obligated to be reactionary.
3. Prioritize/set deadlines.
4. Know what works best for you. Know what works for your team (how do they want to be communicated with)

Challenges to Creativity (but didn’t get to solutions)

1. Fears – about change, things they don’t know
2. Complacency
3. Risk averse – training, doing BD
4. Billability v. Marketing

Solutions for Creativity through submittals/interviews

1. Put submittal in form of library book for library job
2. What is the question behind the question? What is the client really asking for? What are they worried about?
3. Ask the staff about what the client is passionate about – what did the client tell them
4. For practice presentation – “Who cares” sign – to help keep comments focused.
5. For Hard Rock Café – submittal was in terms of lyrics (Work Hard For the Money – about costs)
6. Talk to similar clients – to their colleagues/sister organizations.
7. Get the staff involved – who should be the team leader; help them OWN it

Lack of Communication in Firm

1. Manage the internal message – be consistent
2. Multiple offices – figure out a way to DO things with other offices
3. Software for intranet connectivity
4. Monthly staff meetings – let folks know what the firm is chasing

How to Engage Staff

1. Team-building exercises
2. Lunches – brown bag topics
3. Educate the technical/ops staff about what Marketing really does
4. Blogging – one of the challenges is that it attracts the younger staff, but cuts out the older staff

Budgeting

1. Don’t let people play in your budget – you build it, you be accountable for it
2. Build some slush/flex

Internal Communications

1. You have to be proactive – you have to go to the technical staff. Be tenacious.
2. Multiple offices – make use of your CRM tools. Helps to have senior-level buy in that the tool is viable/vital. Everyone has to use it; everyone is accountable to it.
3. Tasks assigned to emails – so Outlook does auto-reminders

Too few resources

1. Marketing intern – low/no cost; can help do the stuff we never get to
2. Solid go/no-go to help manage budget/overall costs
3. Can you outsource? Graphics? Or marketing consultant for a major pursuit?