Balancing Real Challenges with the Ideal Situation
President’s Message 2011-2012
Let’s imagine that you are sitting in your office on a Friday morning. You are wondering what happened to the week because you still have a never-ending list of action items. Next thing you hear is one of these questions:
- This shouldn’t take long, right? It’s just a qualifications package.
- Can you get this done by this afternoon?
- We want to be in the healthcare market. Can you work on that?
- How many calls have you made today?
- We aren’t going to win this one but let’s submit in order to get in front of the client.
Does this sound familiar to you? Without a doubt, we are all doing two or three times the amount of work we were doing a couple of years ago and there are still only 24 hours in a day. Somewhere in our daily lives, lies the balance that we want to achieve. We have stretched ourselves to limits we did not know were possible but are emerging as stronger marketers because of it.
As marketers, we have made huge strides in showing our value and place within the A/E/C industry. So much so that the burden and pressure of a difficult market often falls upon our shoulders. The sense of responsibility and the need to find that next big win is continually lingering over our heads. SMPS has always been the place marketing and business development professionals go to build a network, spark creative ideas, keep up with changes in the marketplace, and consult industry experts when advice is needed. Now more than ever, SMPS needs to continue to serve as that outlet for marketers. SMPS Arizona strives to foster an environment that gives you the tools and the network of people to find that next big win.
The goals that have been set for SMPS Arizona this year build upon a stable foundation that will continue to move our chapter in a forward direction. These past two years have been difficult for our industry but we are all ready to move in a forward direction. If we stay focused on these three goals, we can continue to advocate, educate, and connect our members while still providing invaluable contributions to marketing within the A/E/C industry.
- Re-engage past presidents, founding members, and legacy leadership. We will do this by
- Focusing the monthly programs on client topics and business development education.
- Increasing communication and outreach with SMPS National by promoting opportunities such as SMPS University, taking the Certified Professional Services Marketer (CPSM) exam, and the SMPS Foundation White Papers.
- Raise the perceived value of SMPS Arizona. We will do this by offering value-added benefits to members and guests such as
- Providing program wrap-ups, a summary of the firms represented at our events and information learned.
- Moving our marketing coordinator club programs to a monthly event.
- Create a 5 year strategic plan that will outline SMPS Arizona’s roadmap for success.
At some point, we all struggle with a balance in life. There are marketing tasks, business development tasks, volunteer positions, proposals, clients, and this thing called personal life that tends to go missing quite often. We have all these things circling around us all the time. Achieving a balance in life is more than just adjusting the amount of time you spend on specific items on a list. It’s about approaching life, all aspects of our lives, with a belief that you will succeed. SMPS Arizona provides the tools and education our members need to achieve success.
I challenge every member to get involved and take action, at any level. Make the most of your membership. If you are not a member, I encourage you to talk to someone who is and find out what added value they are bringing to their company by being involved in SMPS.
Aim for the top while balancing real challenges with the ideal situation. I look forward to a successful year and hope to see you at many of our upcoming events.
Sincerely,
Colleen Kucera, Ryan Companies US, Inc.
SMPS Arizona Chapter President 2011-2012