We've scoured the web so that you don't have to - check out the best marketing articles December had to offer:
1. 4 Professional Resolutions to Kick-start Your New Year
2. AEC Marketing Trends: 2018 Edition
3. Leave it to Them: the Power of User Generated Content
4. Marketers: Here's Your 2018 To-Do List
5. Where - and How - Are Marketers Spending Their Money?
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By: Kathy Nanowski, CPSM - Director of Marketing & BD, Fuss & O'Neill
Have you thought about finding a mentor to help you navigate through the AEC market? The five key ingredients necessary for a successful mentoring relationship are: exchange of knowledge, mutual respect, clear expectations, personal connections, and shared values.
Protégés join a mentoring program for a variety of reasons. Some are looking for long-term career guidance, while others may just need support with one-time needs. Maybe you just need a connector. Ideal protégés are enthusiastic, energetic, organized, and focused. People being mentored should be open to feedback and be active listeners. Knowing what you need is the first step; finding the right person is the second.
Good mentors are successful for a reason. They manage their time wisely, often doing multiple things at any given time in order to ensure success. They give protégés insight about setting goals and priorities. Mentors use their personal experience to help their protégés avoid mistakes and learn from good decisions. Most mentors have a network of colleagues and collaborators that could open doors for their protégés, help jump-start their careers, or just explain how the system works.
Mentoring really goes both ways. When different perspectives come together, this combination of skills can be mutually beneficial. The Mentor Program of SMPS Connecticut is designed to offer members an opportunity to participate in a truly meaningful relationship focused on personal growth and professional development. Please email me if you’re interested in participating as either a Mentor or Protégé. I am confident that you won’t regret it.
Kathy Nanowski, CPSM is the immediate past president of the SMPS Connecticut chapter and the Leadership Committee Chairperson. If you’re interested in participating as either a Mentor or Protégé, or have any questions abour our program, please reach out to Kathy at knanowski@fando.com.
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It's that time of the year again! Learn five tips from Gilda Bonanno on how to be an effective networker at holiday parties. Gain insight on how to put your best foot forward at any industry party.
© Gilda Bonanno
About Gilda Bonanno:
Gilda Bonanno helps you transform your communication, presentation and leadership skills so you can have more confidence, influence and success. She has worked with leading organizations, including GE, Travelers, Praxair, Assa Abloy, Wells Fargo and Yale University, on four continents from Chicago to Shanghai and Rio to Rome.Since 2006, Gilda has delivered thousands of in-person programs, her YouTube channel has received over 1 million views and her digital newsletter has reached subscribers in over 45 countries since 2008.
Gilda has a proven track record of partnering for results with people in a variety of industries and at all organizational levels, from C-level executives to sales teams to frontline managers. She collaborates with them to help them lead more effectively, communicate more clearly and create and deliver more powerful and engaging presentations so they get results.
Sign up at http://www.gildabonanno.com to receive her twice-monthly newsletter for practical tips you can use to improve your communication, networking and presentation skills.
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Meet some of SMPS Connecticut's newest members:
Luke Glendening
Marketing Manager, Turner Construction Company
Luke Glendening serves as the Marketing Manager for Turner Construction Company’s Shelton Business Unit. Luke joined Turner in 2001 and has served in the marketing and sales capacities for Turner for over 16 years. Luke manages the marketing and communications efforts for the company and supports the business development, VDC Group and estimating departments.
David C. Brownell
Northeast Director of Marketing and Business Development, PES Structural Engineers
David C. Brownell is Northeast Director of Marketing and Business Development or PES Structural Engineers, a nationally acclaimed structural engineering firm, headquartered in Atlanta, GA with a New England regional office in West Hartford, CT.
David concentrates on introducing PES’s notable engineering abilities to the New England AEC/O marketplace while cultivating partnerships with designers and uncovering opportunities with developers and owners.
David is a 30 + year AEC/O industry veteran, who’s business intelligence and passion focuses on emerging technologies, building information modeling (BIM), building informatics & data collection/exchange and digital media which includes social media utilization, analytics and content creation/management.
David is co-chair & a founding member of the Construction Institute’s BIM Council, Professional Women in Construction (PWC), Boston Society of Architects (BSA) BIM Roundtable, Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Emerging Technology Committee, National Institute Building Sciences (NIBS), BIM Forum, buildingSMART International US chapter (bSa) and the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS).
Amy Graver
Principal & Creative Director, Elements
Amy Graver is the Principal and Creative Director of Elements, an integrated strategic marketing and design agency. Amy works closely with clients to identify their strategic marketing, digital and design needs and develops effective strategies with her team to meet and exceed clients' goals. Her work has been recognized and awarded both nationally and internationally by leading industry publications such as Print, Package Design Magazine, HOW, Communication Arts, Graphic Design USA, and more.
Her penchant for details was honed while working as a photojournalist for The Boston Globe, where she began her career combing her love of writing and learning to see beyond the photo. She honed those skills as a creative director to embrace communication and design challenges and look for unexpected solutions for her clients.
Amy is a contributing writer to several publications and regularly gives seminars to various organizations on the topics of integrating emerging technology into marketing strategy, SEO/SEM, marketing and creative communications.
A fierce proponent of design, Amy is a co-founder and past vice president of the AIGA Connecticut chapter and served on the board of the Connecticut Art Directors Club for eleven years, two as president. She was awarded a “40 under 40” Award from Business New Haven and as a “Designer to Watch” by Graphic Design USA Magazine. She frequently lectures to students, is featured in print or has articles published in such industry leading publications as HOW Magazine, Print Magazine, Package Design Magazine and Communication Arts and is frequently asked to judge national design competitions. In 2012, her best selling book Best Practices for Graphic Designers, Grids & Page Layouts was published by Rockport Publishers and she is currently writing a second book on marketing and design. Amy also currently serves on the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and serves on the board of Package Design Magazine.
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People all have stories. I am honored to be invited to share my story with SMPS CT on December 13th. I hope all of you will be able to share your story in a formal or informal way during your career. Sharing your story will make you stop and think, and reflect on your life’s decisions. We are so busy living our story that we rarely get a chance to read or reflect on our finished “chapters.” Sharing your story with others forces you to do this, you always learn from it, and can apply the insight to your future chapters.
My professional career started back in 1987, when I was hired as a graphic designer in the marketing department of the largest Northeast multidisciplinary design firm Russell Gibson von Dohlen (RGvD), in Farmington, CT (now known as SLAM). That is how I entered into the design and building industry, and to this day the roots that were started in the 80’s continue to expand and replant. My LinkedIn profile shows the timing of these career changes. Truth be told, I never thought I was going to work for an architectural firm. I wonder how many marketers out there thought the same thing? I also never thought I would own my own design practice for 24 years, or even more so now, work full time for ESPN as their Director of Facilities Design. Notice a pattern here: a lot of “nevers.” Things I didn’t think of or plan for. The things I did think of were staying true to my passion, inspiring others, and making sure I never forgot the people who helped me throughout the years. I’ll dive into more detail on all during the fireside chat.
I’d like to leave you with a few of my favorite commencement speeches that have a lot of passion and insight to offer those that are starting out in their careers, as well as to those that have a lot of chapters completed. The advice is timeless, as we are all life-long learners and marketers.
U.S. Rep. Mia Love's Commencement Speech 2017
Mia Love’s speech this past May included - Get ready to rise. Am I prepared to rise? Rise with, not over others. Get comfortable with having uncomfortable conversations. There is also a fun story about a hot air balloon ride and her son. I was fortunate to be on the stage as University of Hartford’s Alumni President, and hearing her speech live was truly invigorating.
Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Address 2005
Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple, had a point in his speech that is so true… “you can’t connect the dots looking forward you can only connect the dots looking backwards, and you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. Follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path and that would make all the difference.”
The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout Will Change Your Life - Rick Rigsby
Rick Rigsby’s speech is very entertaining, and so moving. There are many nuggets, it is a gold mine. There is even a book made from the speech.
Looking forward to meeting everyone soon, and having warm, inspiring conversations on December 13!
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