Differentiating Yourself from the Rest of the Engineering Stiffs

Speaker: Peter C. Harrod, PE, Cosentini

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Peter C. Harrod, PE, Cosentini

Track: Corporate Development

Presentation: Differentiating Yourself from the Rest of the Engineering Stiffs

Time: Oct. 18, 1:30 p.m.

During this session, Peter Harrod will discuss how engineers can differentiate themselves and their firms from the rest of the pack and sell their services effectively. Throughout Peter Harrod's career, he has acted as an adviser to design teams and building owners on compliance with local and international fire safety codes and standards. His experience includes development of fire protection design strategies using code and performance based approaches as well as other special studies related to specific code compliance issues.

The power goes to those that can sell. Peter Harrod will discuss how engineers can differentiate themselves and their firms from the rest of the pack and sell their services effectively. As problem solvers by nature, we engineers are great at swooping in and providing creative design solutions to our clients most clever challenges. Where we struggle, however, is flipping these scenarios on their head to view them conversely as business development opportunities (albeit, cleverly disguised). Up-and-coming consulting engineers and principals in charge, alike, will walk away with a tangible, left-brained approach to client, market, and service offering development. Implementation of such will result in short- and long-term personal network growth, maximization of teaming opportunities, an increase in qualified leads, and most importantly, a chance to separate yourself from your peers.

Learning Objectives
1. Attendees will learn how to position themselves and their firms to hold a unique place in the consulting community.
2. The audience will better understand which factors make them stand out among their peers and then use those unique capabilities to win more work.
3. Attendees will come away with techniques to turn a project meeting into lead generation session.
4. Understand how to use not only your network, but also your peers, superiors, and subordinates' network to maximize teaming opportunities and secure meaningful conversations with key target clients.
5. Group exercise: Create an individual business development plan with tangible goals and actionable items, customized based on your core competencies and/or market of interest.