Marketing the Expertise of your People.

Rather than marketing “product,” marketing for professional services firms requires promoting the qualifications and experience of personnel, in addition to projects, process, and pricing.

Promoting and emphasizing key personnel is one way that professional services firms differentiate their companies when pursuing new work whether it is showcasing bios on websites, responding to a formal RFP or providing a statement of qualifications (SOQ) or brochure to potential clients. The knowledge, skills, abilities and experience of the individuals within a firm, or on a project delivery team, are what make the firm’s offering unique among competitors. The capability of your personnel can be showcased through writing articles, giving lectures and speaking can help establish your team as thought leaders in the industry. Having experts within your firm and on your team, is part of developing a strong brand identity to help the firm stand out in a competitive market and attract clients. Highlighting the specific areas of expertise of personnel with a professional services firm can help attract clients who are looking for specific types of services.

In addition to overall firm branding, the expertise and experience of your firm personnel is a necessary part of responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Whether from a private client or a government agency, organizations who are looking to engage a professional services firms want to read about the people they will be working with and what experience they bring to their project.

In proposals, firms typically focus on the resumes of their personnel because the client wants to know about the qualifications and experience of the team that will be working on their project. The resumes of the personnel provide information about their education, work experience, and qualifications, which helps the client to understand the team’s capabilities and areas of expertise.

This is especially important in the field of architecture, engineering, and construction management because the design and construction of buildings and other structures requires a high level of expertise and attention to detail. Architecture, engineering, and construction management services (A-E Services) under NAICS codes 541330 and 541310 are procured under the Brooks Act, requiring evaluation of qualifications before price negotiations.

If the RFP requests information about key personnel, be sure to include information about the key personnel who will be working on the project and their qualifications and relevant experience.

A well-written resume that is tailored to the RFP’s requirements will demonstrate the firm’s understanding of the project and their ability to meet the agency’s needs.

Below are several ways a resume can be tailored to the RFP or to a specific client’s requests:

Identifying and emphasizing the relevant experience: Review the RFP and identify the specific requirements, qualifications, and experience that are required for the project. Then, highlight the relevant experience that the individuals have that aligns with those requirements.

Showcasing the relevant projects: If the RFP requests information about specific types of projects, such as sustainable design, be sure to highlight relevant projects in the firm’s portfolio that align with those requirements. Emphasize the most relevant experience based on the scope of work provided in the RFP or the type of project/contract related to the RFP you are responding to.

Emphasizing the firm’s ability to meet the RFP’s requirements: Use the resume to demonstrate how the firm’s experience and qualifications align with the RFP’s requirements and how the firm can successfully complete the project.

Tailoring the resume to the RFP’s format: If the RFP has a specific format for the resume, be sure to follow that format closely to ensure that the resume is easy to read and understand. Look within the RFP to find what details they want on the resumes and make sure they are included in your response.

Using the same language and terminology as the RFP: Use the same language and terminology that is used in the RFP to demonstrate that the firm has a deep understanding of the project and its requirements.

Specifying education and certifications: Agencies my look for information about the key personnel’s education and any relevant certifications, to establish their qualifications. If the RFP specifies certain certifications or licenses, be sure to include information about those certifications on the resume.

Listing professional affiliations: Listing professional affiliations, such as membership in industry organizations, can help demonstrate a person’s commitment to the profession and to their continuous professional development.

Tailoring the introductory bio or summary: Tailor the bio or summary to the RFP, making sure that it aligns with the project’s requirements and the person’s qualifications.

Highlighting the firm’s past performance: Agencies may look for evidence of the key personnel’s past performance on similar projects and their ability to complete a project on time and within budget. Highlighting their past performance on similar projects, and their ability to complete a project on time and within budget, can help demonstrate their reliability and ability to deliver results.

Experience working with government agencies: Agencies may look for evidence that your personnel have experience working with government agencies in the past, as well as knowledge of the specific regulations and requirements of the agency for which they are applying.

Diverse experience: Agencies may look for evidence that the key personnel have experience working with diverse groups of people, including those from different cultures, backgrounds, or abilities.

Highlighting awards and recognition: Including any awards or recognition the person has received, such as industry awards, can help establish their credibility.

Project management experience: Agencies may look for evidence that your key personnel have has experience managing and coordinating projects or contracts of similar size, scope and magnitude, as well as experience working with other professionals.

Cost/budget experience: Agencies may look for evidence that your key personnel have experience working with project budgets, as well as knowledge of cost estimating and value engineering.

Knowledge of codes and regulations: Agencies may look for evidence that the key personnel have knowledge of and experience working with the relevant codes and regulations, for example, an architect bringing experience with the International Building Code or Americans with Disabilities Act.