Rain Making: Build a Sustainable Future for Your Firm at Every Level

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Join the SMPS Northeast Ohio Chapter as we kick off the Fall season with two, simultaneous half-day workshops designed to give marketers of all levels new skills and tools to make you and your company more successful in the coming year!

Join us for a half-day, interactive session with noted national author Ford Harding, whose books include “Rain Making: The Professional’s Guide to Attracting New Clients,” “Creating Rain Makers: How to Turn Professionals into Client Developers,” and “Cross-Selling Success: A Rain Maker’s Guide to Professional Account Development.” Ford is president of Harding & Company, where, for over fifteen years, he has helped hundreds of professionals (architects, consulting engineers, management consultants, lawyers and accountants) make the transition from doing and managing client work to selling it. His clients include key industry leaders such as Parsons Brinckerhoff, HNTB, Thorton-Tomasetti, Black & Veatch, Ellerbe Beckett, IDEO, Weston & Sampson, Terracon, and many others.

Expect to leave this session with a greater insight into the characteristics of rain makers and how to develop the tools you need to go back to your office and turn your staff into client-getters.

Ford will begin by sharing his observations and insights into the characteristics of successful rain makers, based on his firm’s research. Then the focus will turn to discussing four or five situations commonly faced by management of architectural, engineering, and construction firms.

These situations have major implications for the development of future sales leadership, and include such things as:

• Selecting a person to head a practice or office
• Dealing with staff’s resistance to developing business
• Advising a young, high-potential employee on how to get started at bringing in new business
• Advising a former client minder in a new job that requires client finding

Ford will lay the groundwork and then ask workshop participants to discuss each situation in small groups, after which they’ll share their findings with the larger group. Ford will then add his insights, based on years of consulting to professional firms on client development and extensive research into the issues.

This session is recommended for senior practitioners with 10+ years of experience, whose job responsibilities include marketing, business development and/or firm-wide management.

Most days, being a marketer is the greatest job in the world. Then there are THOSE days when no one seems to cooperate, the copy machine is down AND there’s a 5 p.m. deadline! If you’ve ever wondered how to handle these very special “nuances” of being in an entry- to a mid-level marketing role, now is your chance. Two veteran marketing directors, whose combined experience totals almost 50 years, will discuss how to rise to the occasion, find your passion in this industry and maybe even be promoted in the process.

Karen Roch and Paula Ryan will address your questions about being successful in marketing professional services while they discuss important elements of the six domains of practice. Roch and Ryan have worked for both small and large firms, representing the architectural, engineering, construction and other professional service disciplines.

Roch and Ryan are past work associates, past SMPS Columbus Chapter presidents, and serve on various national SMPS committees. Their main topic of conversation continues to be about thriving and succeeding in marketing professional services. They’ll welcome your questions as they share their insight and expertise.

Karen K. Roch, CPSM has 23 years of experience in marketing and business development for professional services. As Vice President and Director of Marketing for Karlsberger, she is responsible for day-to-day management, including business development, the development of marketing proposals and presentations, brochure and collateral materials, project photography, and all public relations activities. A graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Journalism, public relations sequence, she is an experienced writer and editor. Roch earned her Certified Professional Services Marketer status in 2000, and is an active SMPS member.

Paula M. Ryan, CPSM has 25 years of professional services marketing including positions with national, regional and local firms. Many times in her career, she has been “the first” marketing director hired and has subsequently trained several marketing coordinators, developed protocol and procedures such as go/no-go processes, and has changed the word “rehearse” to the words “talk through” when referring to interview preparation. Ryan has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and is Director of Marketing for Braun & Steidl Architects. She currently serves as a Trustee for the SMPS Foundation.

Registration: 11:00-11:30
Lunch: 11:30-12:30
Seminar: 12:30-4:30

Sheraton Cleveland
Airport Hotel
5300 Riverside Drive
Cleveland, OH 44135

*Attendees at the senior level session will receive a copy of “Creating Rain Makers: How to Turn Professionals into Client Developers,” which has been re-issued with 50% new material, and those participating in the entry- to mid-level workshops will receive a copy of “Rain Making: The Professional’s Guide to Attracting New Clients.” Ford will remain on hand to sign books after the sessions have concluded.