Is leading by example the solution?
Know your product. In terms of an AEC firms that means the services a particular firm is able to offer a client.
If there are some services a particular firm cannot offer, that is fine. In any type of business development plan it is never wise to market to everybody. Come up with a detailed plan of action and prioritize the top services a particular firm offers and develop a detailed plan of action. A CEO can direct this effort by making sure that the plan of action is carried out in the most effective way across the board. It comes down to getting everyone on the same page.
A firm that provides reliable services at reasonable prices is likely to be called upon again to provide those services. Get to know the client. Have a good idea of what types of services will generally be needed in a particular market. Identify any possible PR potential. Are there high profile projects involved that will affect the community? This is a good way to get the name of your firm out there. Assign accountability for each particular service. Clients generally like to know who is responsible for certain jobs that are being performed. A CEO can lead this effort by assigning tasks to employees who are best at performing them so they end up as the main contact source for a client.
