If you’re looking for an intelligent, informative and lively PR expert and speaker for your next event for leaders in professional services, contact Susan today. A dynamic and award-winning business and communications leader, Susan has driven public relations, marketing and communications programs in the AEC, commercial real estate and high-tech industries for more than 20 years. She’s the trusted PR and communications advisor to many of Boston’s premiere firms and players in the the built environment.

Book Susan for your next event:

  • Association and Networking Events

  • Industry Conference Keynotes and Breakouts

  • Media Interviews

  • Panels and Roundtables

  • Seminars and Webinars

CONTACT SUSAN SHELBY
rhino speaks out

2026

SMPS Northeast Regional Conference

March 30-April 1, 2026  |  Mayflower Hotel  |  Washington, DC

Leveraging PR to Make a Powerful Impact on BD

AEC firms get marketing. Or at least, they understand the need to prepare proposals and stay in touch with clients and prospects. But often, public relations (PR) is misunderstood, devalued, or worse yet, entirely ignored.

We know the objections and questions. “How does PR win us new work?” “What does PR mean anyway? Isn’t it just bragging about our projects?” “Sending out press releases won’t help us win the next new client.” “What’s the ROI?”

Trust us, we get it. PR is not a data-driven, ROI-evident endeavor. However, it is effective at showcasing your thought leadership and subject matter expertise in areas seldom reached by word of mouth. It transcends the idea that a project should speak for itself.

PR should take the chill out of business development. Successful PR can create an environment in which no new business meeting is truly “cold” by raising the visibility of a company and its offerings. Moreover, PR can bring measurable results to a company’s bottom line and help achieve its business development goals.

Targeted, strategic PR can produce tangible results that: promote a company’s reputation; enhance brand identity; raise awareness of a company’s competitive differentiators; increase name recognition in the marketplace; promote niche expertise; target specific markets; and recruit talented staff.

In this session, we’ll review the building blocks of a successful PR program, including press releases, working the media, and interviewing technical staff. Using real world case studies, we will walk attendees through sample PR campaigns to give them a launch pad for their own monumental PR campaigns.

Value Proposition
Why is it timely and relevant for an SMPS audience?

PR and marketing efforts can bring measurable results to a company’s bottom line and help achieve its business development goals. PR is an invaluable marketing tool, creating visibility and brand recognition, credibility and third-party validation through editorial placement, and ideally, lead generation. Unlike paid advertising and other communications vehicles, PR is validated by the media. Using local, national and industry trade publications – both print and electronic – to educate and inform potential clients is a proven step to building a successful brand and driving continued sales growth.

While new work initiatives will always be king, remember that the best marketing plans are those that have a diversified mix of marketing and public relations. The bottom line is that this balanced mix will always drive new business development.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the basic tools of PR
  • Identify new ways to promote your firm’s experience and expertise
  • Recruit technical staff for Thought Leadership
  • Leverage PR to support business development efforts

2025

2024

2023

  • SMPS Boston Awards Gala Emcee. June 8, 2023
  • The Transition Network: Interview with a book author — Undaunted, How Women Changed American Journalism. June 7, 2023
  • The Transition Network: Crisis Communications, How to Handle a PR Mess! June 2, 2023
  • SMPS Northeast Regional Conference: All Publicity is Not Good Publicity. May 5, 2023
  • The Resilient Journey Podcast: Thick Skin, Public Relations & Crisis Communications. February 15, 2023

2022

  • SMPS Atlanta: Show Me the ROI: Connecting the Dots in Professional Services Marketing. April 21, 2022

2021

  • ICMC: The Power of Post-Its. October 2021
  • SMPS CT WEBINAR: Crisis Management. May 2021

2020

  • High Profile Monthly Webinar: Staying Visible During Uncertain Times. 2020
  • Associated Builders and Contractors, MA Chapter Webinar: Staying Visible During Uncertain Times. 2020
  • WTS Boston Webinar: Social Media 101. 2020
  • Construction Institute Webinar: Staying Visible During Uncertain Times. 2020

2019

  • Associated Builders and Contractors, MA Chapter: Marketing 101. 2019

2018

  • Enterprise Center at Salem State University: Handling Crisis Communications in a 24/7 News Cycle. June 14, 2018
  • SMPS Northeast Regional Conference: Caution, Merge Ahead – Communications Planning and Strategy for a Management Transition. March 22, 2018
  • SMPS Boston: Wrap it Up, It’s Time for a New Year roundtable. January 2018

2017

  • ABX: Architectural Photography in the Marketer’s Toolkit
    November 9, 2017
  • ABX: Changing of the Guard – Navigating a Management Transition
    November 8, 2017
  • ENR: Ready for Anything? Applying Business Intelligence Tools for Crisis Management
    September 7, 2017
  • BAC: The Boston Architectural Continuing Professional Education Symposium
    June 4, 2017
  • DRI: The CEO said WHAT? Crisis Management (Before, During and After a Public Relations Disaster) and the Corporate Client
    March 2, 2017

2016 and beyond

  • ABX: The Anatomy of a PR Plan – Developing Content Marketing Strategies and Thought Leadership in your Organization
    November 17, 2016
  • Cosential WOW: Show Me the ROI – Connecting the Dots in AEC Marketing
    October 25, 2016
  • ISPE Boston Area Chapter: Social Media
    October 5, 2016
  • SMPS Boston Bootcamp: Press Panel
    April 12, 2016
  • SMPS Virginia Annual Conference: Show Me the ROI
    February 25-26, 2016
  • SMPS Pacific Regional Conference: Anatomy of a PR Plan
    February 10-12, 2016
  • SMPS Southern Regional Conference: Show Me the ROI
    February 5, 2016
  • Architecture Boston Expo (ABX): Crisis Communications in a 24/7 News Cycle
    November 19, 2015
  • Legal Marketing Assoc., New England Regional Conference: Show Me the ROI
    November 13, 2015
  • SMPS Northern New England: Market Research
    November 4, 2015
  • SMPS National Conference: Getting Ink (Moderator)
    August 21, 2015
  • SMPS Northeast Regional Conference: Crisis Communications
    April 2015
  • New England Financial Marketing Association: Customers Are Revolting! Are you ready for the newly empowered customer of today?
    January 2015
  • SMPS Northern New England: Healthcare Check-Up (Moderator)
    January 2015
  • Architecture Boston Expo (ABX): Step Outside the Box – Reimagining Corporate Communications
    October 2014
  • New England Construction Forum: LinkedIn for Business
    October 2014
  • AAA-CPA: LinkedIn for Business
    May 2014
  • IFMA Boston: Webinar – Using LinkedIn as a Business Tool
    May 2014
  • Environmental Business Council of New England: Utilizing LinkedIn for Business
    March 2014
  • Enterprise Center at Salem State University: Marketing & PR on a Dime
    January 2014
  • Architecture Boston Expo (ABX): 10 Steps for Launching an Award-Winning Communications Program
    November 2013
  • Architecture Boston Expo (ABX): Getting Ink for your Design
    November 2013
  • NEWiRE: Twitter for Business
    September 2013
  • SMPS Boston: Business Development for Principals and Project Managers
    May 2013
  • Architecture Boston Expo (ABX): Low-Cost PR and Marketing Tactics for Small- and Mid-Size Firms
    November 2012
  • NEWiRE: Social Media 101
    2012
  • SMPS Boston and SMPS Northeast Regional Conference: 10 Steps for Launching an Award-Winning Communications Program
    2012
  • SMPS Northeast Regional Conference: LinkedIn for Business Development
    2011
  • NAIOP Building Blocks: Jump Start Your Marketing (Moderator)
    2011
  • SMPS Build Business: Effective Business Development Habits (Moderator)
    2010
  • SMPS Webinar: Highly Effective Business Development Habits for Project Managers
    2009
  • Build Boston: Highly Effective Business Development Habits for Principals (Moderator)
    2009
  • PM Forum: PR/Media Relations as an Inexpensive Way to Increase Your Firm’s Profile
    2009
  • SMPS Northeast Regional Conference: PR 101
    2008
  • Build Boston: Highly Effective Business Development Habits for Project Managers (Moderator)
    2008
  • BSA PR/Marketing Wizards: Speaking Opportunities 101
    2008
  • SMPS Build Business: PR Basics
    2007
  • Build Boston: Highly Effective Habits of Business Development Professionals (Moderator)
    2007
  • Zweig White: What’s Working in A/E/C Marketing?
    2007
  • SMPS Boston: How to Kick-Off Your PR Program
    2006
  • Build Boston: Crisis Communications
    2006
  • Publicity Club of New England: Meet the Regional Business Press (Moderator)
    2006
  • Zweig White: Dealing with the Media
    2006
  • Zweig White: PR 101 – Improving Your Press Releases
    2006
  • Zweig White: Developing an Effective Crisis Communications Plan for Your A/E/C Firm
    2005
  • Build Boston: Press Releases 101
    2005
  • Downtown Women’s Club: PR Basics
    2005
  • Zweig White: Generating Coverage
    2005
  • Zweig White: Outsourcing PR
    2005
testimonials for rhino pr

“I moderated a panel presentation on the topic of how attorneys can effectively work with public relations/crisis management experts, such as Susan, when defending clients in the face of adverse media exposure. During our presentation, Susan presented a number of scenarios from her own experience that made it clear she was far more familiar with effectively dealing with the media than the hundreds of attorneys in attendance. As a result of the panel, I immediately became aware of several examples of mistakes I too had made in dealing with the media in the past (or in refusing to deal with the media). I’ve moderated and spoken at numerous conferences before varied audiences and never before have I seen an audience so engaged.”

Mark D. Shifton, Partner
Seiger Gfeller Laurie LLP