Episode 3: The Art of the Pitch: AEC Marketing Strategies for Better Presentations, with Judy Sparks and Katie Cash

About Judy Sparks

Judy is the founder, CEO, and President of Smartegies LLC. Founded in 2008, Smartegies is a specialty marketing agency that has helped more than 150 companies across North America build stronger brands, implement effective communications, and develop winning strategies and proposals. Judy has worked in B2B marketing and sales roles exclusively since 1993, specializing in the AEC industry. Judy is a true expert in AEC marketing and has a proven record of success across her 25 years in the field.

About Katie Cash

Katie is an architecture, engineering, and construction marketer with over 15 years of experience serving the AEC industry. Katie is an expert strategist who helps her clients win big projects through creative marketing methods. Katie believes in thinking outside the box and has a gift for tackling challenges by using innovative and unconventional solutions. Today, Katie serves as the Vice President of Smartegies, working alongside Judy to help clients achieve maximum impact in their marketing efforts.

What You Will Learn:

• Judy explains why many people within the industry struggle with and dislike giving presentations, since many of them were not taught this skill when they were learning their business.
• Judy discusses the process the Smartegies team uses to help clients produce winning presentations. She explains why the key is to tell an authentic, compelling story about the firm through presentations that inform, influence, and entertain.
• Judy and Katie talk about why understanding what the customer wants is the key to differentiating from competitors. Judy provides specific examples of how doing research on customers and telling stories can help win bids.
• Judy shares why a pitch memo (a storyboard) is a valuable tool for a presentation, outlining the steps to take during the presentation meeting. She shares why it is important to do this early in the process, well in advance of the pitch.
• Judy explains why presentations are becoming more expensive as competition has increased. She shares why it is important that firms be intentional in their presentations to win as often as possible and justify the costs.