MERGE: SMPS Northeast Regional Conference 2018

MERGE is the theme for this year’s SMPS Northeast Regional Conference on March 21-23 in Baltimore, Maryland. Bringing together innovative thinkers from across multiple industries, sectors, geographies, and SMPS chapters, attendees will discuss the ongoing transformation of AEC marketing.

Dattner Architects’ Marketing Director Amy Stroud and Human Resources Director Mary Beth Lardaro will be panelists for Branding, Connecting, Positioning, Cultivating: Merging Marketing & HR. Moderated by Robin Carathanasis (Marketing Manager, Lilker Associates Consulting Engineers; 2016-2017 SMPS-NY Chapter President), Amy and Mary Beth will be joined by Brian Gallagher CPSM (Vice President-Marketing, O’neal, Inc.) and Lindsay Diven CPSM (Founder, Marketers Take Flight).

SMPS’s Four P’s of marketing—price, place, promotion, and product—align strategically with HR’s components of recruiting, professional development, and corporate culture. Merging marketing and HR allows for the creation and fostering of a corporate culture that is not only on-brand, but more effective in building business. During this session, professionals from AEC firms on the east coast will demonstrate how firms can capitalize on the efforts of these departments by sharing resources and developing joint initiatives. Furthermore, Amy and Mary Beth will discuss how they implement strategies to effectively deliver Dattner Architects’ brand and messaging so that our firm at every level “lives the brand.”

Marketing and HR have allied missions within our firms, and capitalizing on those synergies can make the most of our efforts. We believe this collaboration between HR and Marketing is an innovative trend in and of itself. This session will cover six topic areas: The War for Talent vs. Clients; Recognition & Reviews—Employee vs. Client/Project; Retention—Employee vs. Client; Continuing Education/Professional Development; Engagement & Ambassadors—Employee vs. Client; and Branding—Internal vs. External. Speaking directly to these topics, the speakers will present their firm’s integration strategy, how they and their firm have benefited, and offer examples of how each objective can be accomplished.

Just as firms are constantly working to connect with new clients, they are also pursuing the best and brightest talent. Marketing can help strengthen HR’s ability to attract and retain employees who bring a lot to the table design-wise, work well with their project team and clients, and believe in advancing the company’s brand and business strategies. Employees who are engaged and have an emotional commitment to the organization are its biggest brand advocates.

Branding, Connecting, Positioning, Cultivating: Merging Marketing & HR
Date: March 22, 2018
Time: 10:15AM – 12:00PM
Location: Grand Ballroom at the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore