What Marketing Sees That Others Don’t
Posted on Aug. 10, 2026 / Subscribe 0
By Katherine Robinette | President and Owner, Keystone & Raven
One of the things I didn’t fully appreciate early in my AEC marketing career was how much influence marketing can have on how our firms run. Because we see it all. We have the data on what works and what doesn’t, just by observing it happen in front of us.
We sit at a unique intersection. Marketing sees what the market and economy are doing, hears what is working (or not) at competitor firms, and reads what clients are asking for in the firms that get hired. We see how teams take shape and which ones consistently win or lose. And we watch the internal decisions that determine which opportunities move forward, which projects succeed and are profitable, and which PMs manage the competing priorities of their job well. Over time, that vantage point reveals patterns that aren’t always visible to people focused on their own role.
I noticed the same friction points appearing again and again. Good people were working incredibly hard, yet smart initiatives stalled. Great opportunities were missed and lesser ones were chased. Signature projects that we were ecstatic about winning quickly robbed the teams of joy. Teams were frustrated with each other even though everyone was trying to do the right thing.
Interestingly, what became clear to me was that these weren’t leadership or staffing problems. They were workflow problems — moments where teams moved into execution without the foundation to support them.
Marketing can influence those moments. Just by asking questions.
A simple question like “What are we trying to solve here?” gets to the heart of the purpose behind a decision or action.
“What does this mean for us, long-term? What does success look like?” refocuses the discussion on priorities over urgency.
“How do we know that?” shines a light on what is factual versus what is felt.
“How do we want to make this happen?” can slow a team down just long enough to establish clarity about ownership, process, stakeholders, and timing.
Those small moments matter more than they seem. When the early stages of work are clearer, the rest of the process tends to move more smoothly for everyone involved.
Looking back, one of the most meaningful parts of my career in AEC marketing wasn’t just helping teams produce better proposals. It was learning how much influence marketing can have in helping organizations connect their strategy, their opportunities, and the work happening inside the firm.
On everything from strategic direction and initiatives to client and project selection to key hires, teaming partners, and which office products and SWAG our firm buys, we’re closer to shaping the outcome than we realize.
Observation is our superpower.
Asking questions based on what we’ve observed is where real business transformation through marketing leadership begins.
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Katherine Robinette | President and Owner, Keystone & Raven
Katherine Robinette is the president and owner of Keystone & Raven, helping leaders in AEC close the gap between strategy and day-to-day work. She is a speaker and contributor to the Lessons in Leadership program and shares her insights with the SMPS community as a guest contributor. She can be reached on LinkedIn or keystoneandraven.com.
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