Megan McCormick chats to CMA judges about their career highlights and what makes them tick
Jules Quested-Williams – Director, Built for Marketing
Jules Quested-Williams is a Fellow, Institute of Directors for Built Environment Marketing and a member of this year’s CMA Awards judging panel.
Having been a winner of the Construction Marketing Awards for Small Agency in 2022, what aspect of a campaign do you consider to be a must-have?
I believe, before you even start thinking about campaign delivery and creative, you start with a detailed understanding of the target market and the customers persona and aligned tone of voice (ToV). Only then can you build a marketing strategy, for which one element is the campaign itself. It’s very much like the built environment, as an architect, contractor, or developer you always build on firm foundations.
What changes in the market are you looking out for on the horizon of construction marketing?
AI is a game changer, but I’m sure everyone would answer the same – so, I will focus elsewhere. I think the market changes are going to focus on supply chain and specifically importation of product and product innovation. Our European neighbours have been supplying the UK construction market for years and that will not change immediately. The UK simply doesn’t have the manufacturing infrastructure alone currently to meet the wide and diverse product demands that the industry has. Likewise those companies that do manufacture in the UK will be looking to wider market opportunities. Therefore, the marketing of construction products will need to focus culturally for both the UK market to Europe and vice versa.
Marketing strategies will need to address delivery timescales, balance customer service requirements aligned to appropriate supporting importation documentation and cost expectations. This aligns also with the extension to the CE Marketing and the eventual introduction to UKCA. In our world it is the technical detail, accreditations and certifications that will need close management and needs clearer support from UK Government. Honest, descriptive terminology will also be a key focus with guidance documents such as the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) becoming an industry norm. The attention, as always, will be in the detail.
What is the best part about your job?
Simply put, it’s the network of people that make up the construction and built environment sector (my own network is built up over 30 years) that are the best part of daily work. In person, virtually or over the phone, it’s the conversations, shared knowledge and good humour that have you smiling most days. Be it a client, supplier, team member or associate.
What have you learnt from managing teams in the UK and across Europe?
Firstly, I have learned that we all have imposter syndrome. The reality is we often know more than we realise and when we share that knowledge as a collective it can be a strong force. I don’t manage a team I take great pride in working together with a group of associates who bring different skills and perspectives (architects, product knowledge or marketing capabilities). I see myself a conductor of a finely tuned orchestra. Our team is founded in the UK but now boasts “a remote first team” based in Portugal, Spain, Germany and France as well as the UK. This brings the benefits not only speaking multiple languages but also the cultural nuances in tone and terminology. Every day we learn something new from one another.
What is your next career challenge?
I’m a bit long in the tooth at 54 years old, so I see my career shifting to imparting knowledge and mentoring others, to continue the European growth of Built for Marketing Limited and to continue to develop our UK footprint. The focus for me leading the BFM business is not on increasing in size but to focus on quality, knowledge and skills to support our clients across both the UK and Europe markets. I guess that is why I enjoy being a CMA judge as it is seeing all the careers of the generations below me grow and flourish. Every year I connect and grow my network with outstanding marketeers through the CMA’s.
