Architecture marketer spotlight: Winning AEC business with tailored proposals

Professional services buyers want to see more than simple boilerplate to inform their decision about why they should hire you. Marketing needs to be tailored as much as possible to address their specific needs and concerns.

Derek Goodroe, marketing director at Ashley McGraw Architects, talks about why he invests time and resources into carefully tailoring each request for proposal (RFP) — even if it takes hours to get it right. He and host Michelle Calcote King discuss the evolution of the architecture industry and the marketer’s role. They also cover the tools Ashley McGraw uses to expand reach and impact, including email marketing and industry conferences.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn

• Who Derek Goodroe is

• About Ashley McGraw Architects and the Vaysen Studio

• How competition for architecture services has intensified over time

• The challenges marketing departments, especially small teams, face when writing proposals

• What elements make an RFP response more competitive

• Best practices for crafting a tailored proposal that sells

• Tips for collaborating with architects to elevate the quality of your RFP responses

• How to leverage conferences as a business development and marketing tool

• Better ways to use email to connect with clients and prospects

• The marketing department’s influence on firm culture and employee engagement

About our featured guest

Derek Goodroe is the director of marketing at Ashley McGraw Architects. He has been with Ashley McGraw since 2010 and cumulatively has over 19 years of marketing experience, including 16 years in professional services. 

His strategic vision and approach to marketing and business development have been pivotal in steering Ashley McGraw Architects' growth and presence, particularly within the firm's Syracuse, New York, and Washington, DC, offices. While overseeing the development and delivery of a fully integrated marketing strategy for the firm, Derek is also dedicated to driving business development, fostering a culture of collaboration and ensuring the firm's values are reflected in every marketing message, client interaction and proposal pursuit. Derek is a member of the Upstate New York chapter of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS).

Resources mentioned in this episode

• Check out Ashley McGraw Architects and Vaysen Studio

• Follow Ashley McGraw on Facebook, LinkedIn, X and Instagram

• Connect with Derek Goodroe on LinkedIn

• Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on X and LinkedIn

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink.

Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a public relations and content marketing agency that serves professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms. 

Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services and more.

To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at info@rep-ink.com today.