Every year, new trends emerge for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms. The market changes too quickly for any AEC firm to sit back, relax, and watch the world pass by. The latest AEC trends include integrated marketing and branding techniques, utilizing big data, and increasing recruiting efforts.
Our marketing team at VIP Structures keeps tabs on the AEC industry nationwide and market strategies that are being utilized across the country that have the greatest impact on growth and brand awareness.
Growth and Brand Awareness
Customer Experience
Customer experience has always been critical to the success of an AEC firm and is a top priority across the VIP companies. Today’s buyers want more than a relationship with an AEC firm. Buyers seek firms that have specialized expertise in their fields. They are looking for AEC firms that can handle complex projects and unexpected challenges without falling apart.
According to a recent study, “Inside the Buyer’s Brain”, relevant expertise (45.4%) and team expertise (41.1%) are the two leading factors AEC buyers consider before hiring a firm. AEC firms need to demonstrate it is a leading expert in the industry and that team is ready and able to handle anything thrown their way.
Recruiting
Acquiring talent is in high demand for AEC firms, and some firms are seeing limited access to enough qualified individuals to fill all open roles. For this reason, employer branding has become more essential than ever. It is a way to help attract top talent with better-recruiting materials, microsites, and more.
Here is a review of the benefits of working in construction.
Online Presence
There is no doubt Google is critical to marketing success. Five years ago our firm completed a rebranding effort which placed a heavy emphasis on our website. Today, 84% of AEC buyers review an AEC firm’s website during the buying process, and 83% have ruled out a potential service before ever talking with them.
Decision-makers use online searches before, during, and after the purchase process. An AEC firm needs to be prepared with a well-built website that is first-and-foremost, where most buyers start the purchase process.
At VIP Structures we put a lot of emphasis on our website and blog to create an information source for our visitors and clients. Visit our AEC blog here.
Industry Expert – Content Marketing
According to the Hinge Marketing annual High Growth Study, educational content is one of the most impactful techniques used by high-growth firms.
When it comes to content marketing, remember not to limit the content to just blogs or landing pages. High-quality content can come in a variety of forms like webinars, case studies, eBooks, social media messaging, articles, and more.
Branding in any industry is key to growth and longevity.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Some AEC firms are pursuing mergers and acquisitions as one of their leading growth strategies. In fact, in 2018, global merger and acquisition activity broke all-time records and reached over $2.5 trillion in value.
Larger AEC firms are strategically acquiring smaller firms with complementary value-added services. As these mergers occur firms are creating robust integration and communication plans, unifying internal teams and creating a strategic process to ensure seamless integration and continued quality service.
Learn More about VIP Structures
Our company specializes in architecture, engineering, construction, and development as a fully integrated design-build firm to help organizations with building needs all across Upstate New York.
Interested in learning more about our services at VIP Structures? Visit us on the web at www.vipstructures.com or contact us below by filling out our short form fill. Subscribe to our blog to get the latest news about what is happening in the A/E/C/D world.
