Continuing Education at SMPS Marketing Bootcamp
Posted on Jun. 26, 2025 / Events / Subscribe 0
Author: Clare Liu, Marketing Coordinator at Sasaki
As a marketing coordinator at Sasaki, I am grateful to be one of a larger team–a trio of seasoned managers and a cohort of other incredibly talented coordinators–whose collaboration and insights cheer on my professional and personal growth. A believer in ongoing learning and new perspectives, I was excited for the opportunity to participate in initiatives such as SMPS Boston's marketing bootcamp, which showcases how the organization fosters an environment where asking questions, utilizing resources, and continuing education are more than encouraged. Though I was a new member of SMPS, I felt both welcomed and inspired to explore more thoroughly the world of A/E/C marketing.
Over the course of the day, each session tackled a different piece of the A/E/C marketing puzzle.
Though my role at Sasaki focuses mostly on proposal development, I was eager to experience the generous breadth of programming. Coming from a mottled background myself (having dabbled in both software engineering and emergency medicine) has only reinforced my belief that multidisciplinary and integrated study enriches our work. Everything ties back to how we connect with our clients and how we communicate our value clearly and persuasively.
The first session, led by Emily Jenkins who does business development for Bala, touched on the intersection of marketing and business development. Emily challenged us to consider where our marketing materials go and who engages with them, and how that could change the results that come from our effort – and proposal strategy.
Following, Kate Murphy and Nakaila Pollard, with their backgrounds in architecture and construction management, respectively, guided us through a hands-on activity that familiarized us with the lifecycle of a project. They presented parallel tracks for project teams and marketers, explaining how narratives can be drafted throughout the entirety of the project process – and not just at the close-out. Project sheets, which are often used to demonstrate a firm's relevant expertise within proposals, should be periodically revised to reflect the evolving nature of an ongoing project.
The third session, led by Vanessa Schafer, Creative Director of the Clockwork Design Group, revisited fundamental design principles. She shared her own forecast and recommendations for proposal trends. One of her key points, "content needs to drive design," resonated deeply with me, reminding me that the composition of proposal pages should be informed by the message first.
In the fourth session, Susan Shelby, CEO of RhinoPR, delved into the essentials of PR specific to the A/E/C industry. Though my current role doesn't directly involve PR communications, Susan's advice on defining and understanding the target audience was invaluable. She encouraged us to ask ourselves, "what keeps your clients up at night?" and to consider how our firm could answer this critical question.
And quite coincidentally, the day culminated in a proposal workshop, where we faced the usual obstacles that come with meeting deadlines – but in a low-stakes, low-pressure environment. When the average A/E/C win-rate is 37-44%, it is important to strategize and focus on what your firm is good at while carefully choosing new opportunities. Applying the day's insights into practice was both pertinent and fun. The opportunity to collaborate with A/E/C marketers from other firms, being introduced to others' workflows, and seeing how they tackled common challenges was an eye-opening experience.
I feel very lucky to have been able to attend the bootcamp, especially with my colleague and partner-in-crime, Sid Marcey, who shares his own takeaways here. As an advocate for continued education, I appreciate SMPS Boston's dedication toward not only organizing these educational opportunities, but also providing chances for members of all backgrounds and circumstances to participate. Ever grateful for receiving the scholarship as a fresh-faced member of SMPS, I highly recommend anyone to peruse the open scholarships and apply! Thank you SMPS Boston!
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