Is leading by example the solution?
Most [geocity], [geostate] professional service clients you’re trying to attract simply want their problems solved.
They want the services they need to be performed well and at a reasonable cost. There is no real need to impress with technology every time. It is more about getting the job done when it needs to be done. Getting back to knowing the your market on either a Civil Engineering, Architectural or Construction level includes understand your competition, the town your market is in and the prospective projects. If there are multiple AEC firms going after projects in the same area, know when to throw in the towel and head to a new market. Follow the leader is only effective if the leader knows where they are going. AEC firms need to realize when there are too many sharks in the water. A CEO should know this as well and know when to lead efforts elsewhere.
In terms of business development, the goal is not to undercut competitors, but to emphasize the value of the services provided and how they meet a client’s needs. You want to compete on functionality, not price. If a particular AEC firm has the ability to provide the requested services, a fair price based on that ability should yield results. However, if the market is saturated with too many firms going after too few contracts, it is the end of the life cycle in that market and time to move on to another market. As a CEO, want to understand the market and ensure that your employees do too.
