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Although incentive programs related to marketing are relatively new to the design, engineering and construction industry in this country, they are becoming more prevalent as the marketplace becomes more competitive. The objective of any incentive program should be to motivate, inspire and reward staff. Consider the following advantages a marketing incentive program could provide your firm:
- Bring in new clients and projects
- Boost marketing enthusiasm and create a "marketing mentality" within the firm
- Provide employee goals and "incentives" to aim high and be a part of the team effort
- Create the opportunity for staff to take ownership in the firm and its outcome
- Motivate employees to create a success for themselves and,consequently, the firm
So the question becomes, does the firm need an incentive program, which rewards marketing performance? The answer is yes! What can it hurt? It can only assist in motivating your staff to become team players in all aspects of running your firm.
 WHAT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ARE BEST?
In order to get the best results from your staff, it is essential to understand that marketing is not something you do on a certain day of the week. Marketing is a task that is integrated into every aspect of conducting business everyday. Your staff is marketing when:
- The receptionist answers the phone.
He/she is creating an impression of your firm to the person on the other end of the line. If your receptionist is abrupt, the caller may have a negative impression of your firm. If the receptionist is friendly and even refers to the caller by name before the person has to identify him/herself, the caller will immediately know that he/she will receive excellent service from your organization. Both examples have a direct impact on marketing.
- A project manager attends a job meeting
during the course of a project.
Your project manager is constantly marketing to your existing clients. How the project manager performs on the job will directly influence whether your firm wins the next project!
Most people think of marketing as the new business development activities associated with securing a new client-research, lunches, proposals, presentations, cold calls, etc. But the two examples illustrated above demonstrate that marketing is an integrated task in the operational aspect of running your firm or project every day.
WHAT INCENTIVES ARE BEST FOR OUR FIRM?
One of the most perplexing questions facing leaders today is "How do we compensate technical staff who market?" The "right" approach seems even more elusive because many managers think money is the answer. In fact, money is the last thing you should think of.
An effective compensation plan for technical staff who market is based on compensating each individual with:
- Respect
Ask them to get involved. Don't behave as if this extra effort is just expected.
- Information
Involve technical staff in your marketing planning and communication. Give them copies of the marketing plan and periodic marketing reports.
- Attention
Give them your personal time. Don't forget that your advice, coaching and encouragement are what they want and need most.
- Career Enhancement
Counsel them, and point out that their marketing work is an important key to their personal career advancement.
- Personal Support
Link technical staff with the marketing coordinators and senior marketing staff in a collaborative partnership. Use a "buddy system."
- Business Development Materials
Give each person an orientation and briefing on your marketing and business development inventory. Make sure they have business cards and other tools they'll need in the marketplace.
- Recognition
Publicly acknowledge the involvement and key role of your technical staff in the firms marketing efforts.
- Responsibility
Allow technical staff members to steadily increase the amount and type of involvement they have in marketing and business development. Start with proposal writing, and move toward full client contact.
- Perspective
Meet with your technical staff individually, then as a group. Put the marketing and business development plans in perspective, clearly identifying their key role.
- Training
Provide in-house training, as well as bring in outside resources, to teach your technical staff how to market. Don't cheat yourself by saying that you cannot afford training or that you have to put it off until later.
- Freedom
Encourage technical staff to take calculated risks. Make sure they know it is OK to fall short of a goal, or to fail, as long as progress is being made.
After you have considered and acted on all of these-then, and only then, consider:
- Money
Use frequent, small amount "spot bonuses" as the principal means to tie monetary compensation to technical staff's marketing activities. Don't wait until a year-end review and attempt to use a single salary adjustment.
Technical staff can and will get involved in marketing if you ask them to, and if you give them support and encouragement. They will stay involved and be successful if you compensate appropriately. Take the time to determine how each individual would like to be compensated, developing your program around their answers.
Kenney and Associates has specialized in marketing for the built environment since 1986.
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