The Shortlist

Business writing typically falls into one of four buckets: informational, instructional, transactional, and (every marketer's favorite) persuasive. And unlike in storytelling, where descriptive words help paint a vivid picture, the goal of effective business writing is to communicate clearly and concisely to ensure that your message is delivered. Join Rachel West and Wendy Simmons as they highlight the differences in writing styles and share 10 tips for better business writing. It's business time! 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 4

Love them or loathe them, the virtual interview format is here to stay. While we advocate for the in-person interview above all others, we are thrilled to bid farewell to the dreaded phone interview, and see genuine value in the current virtual hybrid that allows team members and project partners alike to contribute and engage with the interview panel. In this episode, Wendy Simmons and Melissa English discuss the technical, physical, and emotional components of virtual interviews—from the challenges and opportunities in establishing connection through a video screen, to the digital leave-behinds that keep your team top of mind. Cameras on! 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 4

In every shortlist interview,  there are several essential characters that need to be present. Each team member—whether they serve as the Opener, Closer, Director, Time and Money Guru, Segue Artist, or Teaming and Diversity Expert—plays an important role in bringing home the win. Once you've decided who will be wearing which hats, how do you curb distracting personality traits such as the Joker, Analytic, and Outlaw? Join Wendy Simmons and Allison Tivnon as they commiserate (ahem, discuss) the roles and quirks of your interview team to facilitate a comfortable and confident outcome. 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 4

Your team has been shortlisted! Now what? Who should attend? What topics should you cover? How do you deal with team PTO? And what about prep for the all-important Q&A?? It's a lot to wrap your head around and your project team benefits when Marketing takes the reigns and drafts a plan of action. In this episode, Principal Pursuit Strategist Melissa English joins Wendy to dive into the details of the Interview Prep Checklist. 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 4

You've assessed your resources with the Check-up Checklist, you've anticipated your busy months by mapping your Proposal Peaks, now it’s time for the best part: Creating the Calendar! In Part 3 of our 2022 kick-off series, Wendy Simmons and Allison Tivnon dive into the organization and execution of your annual marketing calendar. Spoiler alert! Even in the digital age, sticky notes are still a marketer's favorite tool. And with your priorities organized, you're ready to conquer the new year! 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 2

How do you make time for internal marketing projects when it feels like your schedule is ruled by proposal deadlines? In Part 2 of our three-part series, Wendy Simmons and Allison Tivnon discuss how analyzing your Proposal Peaks can help get your marketing calendar ready for reality. With the proper tools and data, it becomes possible to visualize your upcoming year, spotting the heavy proposal seasons before they overwhelm your department. By planning around these hot periods, you can go after those extra initiatives and reach your goals with confidence. 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 2

We're kicking off 2022 with a series of three podcasts, each to help you organize your marketing efforts for the new year! In Part 1, Wendy Simmons and Allison Tivnon discuss a key first step: the Check-up Checklist. Use this process to assess the current state of your marketing department. Where are you succeeding? Where can you improve? The checklist offers a high-level view of your teams' skills, capabilities, and needs, while also serving up action items you can tackle once you're caught up on proposal work. Download the checklist here. 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.25 | Domain: 2

As the year comes to a close, the team at Middle of Six is looking ahead to the trends, themes, and indicators that could shape AEC marketing in 2022. This special extended episode features a roundtable discussion between Wendy Simmons, Melissa English, and Allison Tivnon. We break down the challenges and opportunities of 2021, preview the year to come, and offer up some predictions on the continuing evolution of the AEC industry. 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.75 | Domain: 1

Storytelling captures attention and inspires trust. Stories spark conversation at networking events, get firms shortlisted on proposals, and captivate during interviews. Many of these stories are hiding in plain sight, but how to you find them? And once you do, how do you tell them? In this episode, Wendy Simmons and Pursuit Strategist Rachel West talk about the value of storytelling and how to capture the 'Why' behind the work. 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 5

Having a dedicated marketing professional means your firm is thriving! But how you define and support this role is critical to finding (and keeping) a specialist who can successfully wear all the marketing hats. Drawing from  firsthand experience as lone marketers, Wendy Simmons and Allison Tivnon dish on the benefits, challenges, and unique opportunities of marketing departments of one. 

CPSM CEU Credits: 0.5 | Domain: 6