Thought leadership is often treated as a “nice-to-have” — something firms aspire to do when time, budget, and resources allow. But in today’s fast-changing, highly competitive A/E/C marketplace, thought leadership has become an essential strategy for building visibility, credibility, and trust long before the formal selection process begins.

Today’s clients are researching firms, evaluating expertise, and forming impressions earlier than ever. The firms that consistently share relevant, insightful, and easy-to-access thought leadership are better positioned to influence decision-makers, open new doors, and become the clear choice when opportunities arise.

Join SMPS Maryland for this Art of Marketing webinar featuring Ida Cheinman, Principal and Creative Director of Substance151, as she shares a new playbook for using thought leadership to support business objectives and accelerate growth.

This session will explore how A/E/C firms can move beyond simply producing content and begin creating strategic, client-centered thought leadership that aligns with how today’s buyers research, evaluate, and select professional services firms.

Learning Objectives

• Use thought leadership to build visibility, relevance, and influence in a crowded marketplace.
• Create meaningful differentiation based not only on what your firm does, but how your firm thinks.
• Align thought leadership with every stage of the A/E/C buying journey.
• Develop insights that help prospects navigate complex decisions and take action with confidence.
• Make thought leadership easier to find, access, and consume in today’s digital-first environment.
• Identify benchmarks and metrics that demonstrate return on objective.

Whether your firm is looking to elevate its experts, strengthen client relationships, support business development, or create a more strategic approach to content, this session will offer practical ideas you can put to work immediately.

About Our Speaker

Ida Cheinman is the Principal and Creative Director of the brand strategy, design and digital firm Substance151.

With 30 years of experience as a brand strategist, designer, marketer, and educator, Ida helps business leaders and marketing professionals make sense of emerging trends, tools, and best practices so they can position their firms to compete and win in a rapidly changing marketplace.

A nationally recognized speaker and frequent contributor to industry webinars, blogs, podcasts, and publications, Ida is known for making complex marketing, branding, design, and technology topics accessible, practical, and immediately applicable.

Continuing Education Credit

This program is eligible for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit toward CPSM certification renewal.

Attendees seeking CPSM CEU credit are encouraged to retain their registration confirmation and any post-event attendance documentation for their records. The program aligns with the SMPS Domains of Practice, including Research, Planning, Business Development, Promotion, and Performance.