Ending the Standoff: AEC Marketers vs. Technical Experts

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 technical and business sides of engineering firms, which he leverages to bridge the gap between engineers and marketers to drive results for his firm.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn

• Who Gabe Lett is and his unique path into AEC marketing.

• About Prairie Engineers and their multidisciplinary approach.

• The biggest misconceptions between technical professionals and marketers.

• Why engineers need to move from communicating "how" to "why."

• How to push back on technical leaders' marketing ideas using genuine curiosity.

• The difference between proposals and marketing (and why it matters).

• Why marketing deserves a seat at the leadership table.

• How to establish marketing as business-critical rather than a convenience function.

About our featured guest

Gabe Lett began marketing engineering services in 2003 for Tri-State Engineering, a family business in Joplin, MO. He had marketing and business development roles for two other engineering firms. He joined Prairie Engineers as Chief Marketing Officer in 2024. Gabe creates strategy for Prairie Engineers’ marketing and business development activities. In leading these teams, he provides inspiration and insight to help achieve growth and work satisfaction for employees.

Gabe enjoys active community service. He is an Elder at his church and serves on several community non-profit boards. In 2021, Gabe published the book, “The AEC Professional’s Guidebook: 70 Lessons to a Stronger Career.” Gabe is an avid mountain lover and regularly hikes Colorado peaks every summer. Gabe and his wife, Jamie, have three daughters.

Resources mentioned in this episode

• Check out Prairie Engineers 

• Follow Prairie Engineers on LinkedIn and Facebook

• Connect with Gabe Lett on LinkedIn

• Say hello to Michelle Calcote King on LinkedIn

• Find Gabe Lett’s book, “The AEC Professional's Guidebook: 70 Lessons to a Stronger Career,” on Amazon

Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by Reputation Ink.

Founded by Michelle Calcote King, Reputation Ink is a marketing and public relations agency that serves B2B 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 .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}