Marketing at Low Tide: How to Recession-Proof Your Marketing Department

Marketing matters just as much, if not more, during economic recessions! With recession on everyone’s minds these days, marketers are justifiably wondering what the next downturn will mean for the AEC industry. During the Great Recession of 2008-2010, many A/E/C firms made deep, devastating cuts into their Marketing departments. These ‘cost-saving’ measures caused waves of layoffs of marketing professionals across all job categories and levels of seniority. This type of extreme ‘disinvestment’ in marketing resources hinders a firm’s ability to position its brand in the hyper-competitive landscape of a recession. To prevent this from happening again, we must understand the motivations and perceptions that drive firm financial decisions, and review some of the miss-steps marketing departments make when the tide goes out.

Program Takeaways:

• Learn how Recession impacts the A/E/C Industry
• Explore ‘firm psychology’ and how it impacts Marketing departments
• Review 4 recession action steps to take immediately
• Review the 10 Activities Marketing Departments Should Do Every Year to improve agility and strengthen team commitment and morale

Speaker:

Allison Tivnon Allison Tivnon is a Senior Marketing Strategist at Middle of Six, an AEC marketing consultancy. She has dedicated her career to city and regional planning—partnering with Cities, Counties, regional governments, DOTs, and others on behalf of urban planners, transportation engineers, economists, and policy analysts. She started her career as a proposal coordinator and worked her way up to Marketing Director and Partner. Allison has presented Marketing at Low Tide: How to Recession-Proof Your Marketing Department at events, conferences, and in webinars for the Society of Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), and the Association of General Contractors (AGC). Allison also recently won election to the City Council in Beaverton, Oregon. She is in the second year of her first term.

REGISTER

CEUs Available: 1, Management #6

Note: Only SMPS Colorado Members may register at member pricing. All ticket prices increase $5 on January 14.
Finding it difficult to allocate funds for SMPS programming and/or membership? The Colorado Believes page program is rooted in our core values of learning, commitment, and community through charitable giving, membership sponsorships, scholarships, and industry engagement. This program is also part of our efforts to help diversify membership and help provide opportunities for BIPOC individuals and DBE, WBE, MBE, VBR, and LGBTBE firms to elevate their marketing efforts while helping your company save. Please email SMPS Colorado’s admin for reduced pricing and scholarship opportunities.

If you are a member of another SMPS Chapter and would like a member rate, please email the admin. Job seekers, students, and other new professionals, please visit our Colorado Believes page for details on our student membership programs and professional development scholarship opportunities. Refunds are available if submitted to the admin one week prior to the event.