Ending the Standoff: AEC Marketers vs. Technical Experts
Spill The Ink
In this episode of "Spill the Ink," Michelle Calcote King sits down with Gabe Lett, Chief Marketing Officer at Prairie Engineers, to explore what happens when technical experts dictate marketing decisions and marketing teams get buried in proposal work. According to Gabe, the results are ineffective communication, missed opportunities for business development and frustrated professionals on both sides. Gabe brings a unique perspective to AEC marketing, having grown up in the industry with a father who was a civil engineer and business owner. This background gives him deep insight into both the...
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The MIT Program: How Strong Habits Drove 82% New Business Growth at One Law Firm
Spill The Ink
Many law firms invest in excellent business development coaching, see fantastic initial results, then watch performance gradually decline. Anna Hedgepeth, Chief Strategy Officer at Cranfill Sumner, observed this cycle happening firsthand at her firm and set out to develop a psychology-based system that would produce lasting results. Anna joins Michelle Calcote King on this “Spill the Ink” episode to discuss the “Most Important Things” (MIT) program, which has increased attorney matter originations by 82% on average at Cranfill Sumner. The disciplined 15-minute biweekly meeting requires...
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The Legal Marketer’s Blind Spot: Start Treating Lawyers as Clients
Spill The Ink
You can’t sell a product effectively without understanding it. In law firms, that product is the attorneys. To sell legal services, legal marketers need to invest in not just learning the firm’s clients and industries, but also the nuances of the attorneys they support and the economics that drive their daily decisions. In this episode of “Spill the Ink,” Powers Tanis, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at McAngus Goudelock & Courie and 2025 Legal Marketing Association Southeast Region President, joins us to discuss how grasping attorney pain points, billing pressures and...
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Challenging AEC’s Myth That “Anyone Can Do Marketing”
Spill The Ink
The misconception that “anyone can do marketing” creates barriers that relegate AEC marketers to tactical roles rather than strategic business partners. In this “Spill the Ink” episode, Michelle Galindez, Director of Marketing and Communications at Syska Hennessy Group, discusses practical strategies for marketing leaders to find their voice, challenge assumptions and demonstrate value in terms that resonate with technical executives. Michelle has spent nearly a decade reinforcing Syska Hennessy's global marketing function into a trusted strategic business driver. She covers actionable...
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Beyond Business Cards: Authentic Networking for New Law Firm Partners
Spill The Ink
In this episode, Michelle Calcote King sits down with Megan Senese, co-founder and principal at stage, a woman-owned legal marketing and business development consultancy, to discuss how newly minted partners can develop authentic networking approaches that generate business. Through her own journey from "networking-phobic" marketing professional to successful business developer, Megan demonstrates how connecting with people one-on-one transformed her career and led to connecting with 1,000 people in her first year of business. She identifies the two common mistakes lawyers make in business...
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AEC Strategy Driven by True Connection, Not Transactional Relationships
Spill The Ink
Technical expertise is merely table stakes in the AEC industry. How firms approach their relationship-building is the true differentiator, with the potential to completely change the game for decision-makers. Brad Thurman, Chief Marketing Officer at Wallace Design Collective, shares his experience to help firms nurture authentic relationships — and knock cold outreach down from the top of their priority list. Brad unpacks three relationship-building principles that helped transform his firm into a powerhouse with more than 300 professionals across eight offices: prioritizing responsive...
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Giving Up Carbon-Copy Market Entry Tactics in AEC Firms
Spill The Ink
"We didn't want to be somebody that just came in and it was about the bottom line and the revenue. It was about being a part of the community." In this episode, Michelle Calcote King sits down with Optima Engineering Director of Marketing & Growth Suzanne Epps to discuss why it is a mistake for AEC marketers to blindly transplant their existing strategies when entering new markets. Through Optima's recent launch in Greenville, South Carolina, Suzanne demonstrates how becoming a true community partner — not just a service provider — creates lasting relationships that...
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Attorney Work-Life Balance: Managing Boundaries and Client Relations
Spill The Ink
In this episode of “Spill the Ink,” Michelle Calcote King speaks with Amanda Waesch, who chairs marketing and business development at Brennan, Manna & Diamond (BMD), about navigating work-life balance in the demanding legal profession. Amanda shares her experiences developing her firm's inaugural maternity policy, advocating for flexible work arrangements and building authentic relationships with clients that respect boundaries. The conversation explores how law firms can better support women's careers through progressive policies, the importance of setting expectations with clients...
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Turning Data into Decisions: Research-Driven Strategies for AEC Firms
Spill The Ink
Most AEC firms recognize research's potential and understand they can’t rely on assumptions or gut feelings to stay ahead of the curve. Still, many firms struggle to implement effective research programs that inform their strategic decisions. In this episode of “Spill the Ink,” Michelle speaks with Julie Witecki, Senior Consultant at FMI Consulting, about how research can shape market strategies and drive business growth in architecture, engineering and construction firms. Julie introduces the “Five C’s of Context” framework: a comprehensive approach to research that examines...
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The Rewards When DEI Drives Innovation in Law Firms
Spill The Ink
Law firms are often seen as slow to change, but diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can be powerful drivers of innovation. In this episode, Michelle Calcote King speaks with Terra Davis, Chief Diversity and Talent Development Officer at Knobbe Martens, about the business benefits of embracing DEI in law firms. She discusses how effective DEI work goes beyond the surface to create more welcoming and innovative workplaces where legal professionals want to build long-term careers. Terra emphasizes that when DEI becomes embedded in firm culture rather than existing as a separate...
info_outlineYou don’t need to work in an extremely visual industry to create video content that drives revenue and brings in new business. You don’t even need to hire a fancy, high-tech production team.
Philip Fairley helps law firms and attorneys craft and execute video marketing strategies that resonate with target audiences and yield ROI. He and host Michelle Calcote King discuss how to get started, including equipment, where to find regular content ideas, how to set up a shooting location, and the best distribution channels. They cover how law firms can use videos to create touch points with prospects and explain the different strategies behind lead nurturing and lead generation videos.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn
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Who Philip Fairley is
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About The Rainmaker Institute and Rainalytics®
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The types of videos that work (and don’t work) for law firms
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Different methods to shoot, use and distribute short-form and long-form videos
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Essential video equipment to get you started
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How to find content ideas
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Best practices for scripting, recording and distributing videos
About our featured guest
Philip Fairley is president and owner of The Rainmaker Institute, the nation’s largest law firm marketing company that focuses exclusively on client generation, lead conversion and data analytics. During his time at Rainmaker, he co-developed Turbine®, the only software platform that automates the intake process, and Rainalytics®, the only tool that automatically measures all law firm data.
Philip holds degrees from Northwestern University, Wheaton College and Keller Graduate School, is an NCAA Division I National Debate Champion, and is a recognized expert on intake, lead conversion and innovative video marketing. His and Rainmaker’s expertise have been noted and quoted in the ABA Journal, Entrepreneur, Fortune Small Business, Harvard Management Update, Business Advisor, Chicago Tribune, Crain’s Chicago Business, and Attorney at Law.
Prior to owning Rainmaker, he was the founder and CEO of two successful companies that specialized in legal tech, cybersecurity and communications. He is married with three children and enjoys the Arizona lifestyle, mountain biking and coaching youth sports.
Rainmaker has helped more than 23,000 attorneys and law firms grow their businesses by learning and implementing its proven marketing and intake strategies.
Resources mentioned in this episode
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Check out The Rainmaker Institute
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Follow The Rainmaker Institute on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and Instagram
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Connect with Philip Fairley on LinkedIn
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Download The Rainmaker’s YouTube Optimization Guide
Sponsor for this episode
This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink.
Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a public relations and content marketing agency that serves professional services firms of all shapes and sizes across the United States, including corporate law firms and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms.
Reputation Ink understands how sophisticated corporate buyers find and select professional services firms. For more than a decade, they have helped firms grow through thought leadership-fueled strategies, including public relations, content marketing, video marketing, social media, podcasting, marketing strategy services and more.
To learn more, visit www.rep-ink.com or email them at [email protected] today.