What Will Keep My Firm Top Of Mind With Clients In 2026?

fusebd2017
Dec 10, 2025
2 min read

Relationship Depth • Trust Markers • Preferred Touchpoints

When your clients are juggling capital projects, budgets, staffing gaps, regulatory pressures, and daily operational demands, one thing becomes crystal clear:

A/E/C firms don’t become “top of mind” by accident.

They earn it through the right relationships, the right signals of trust, and the right touchpoints—delivered by the right people.

But how does a firm truly rise above the noise?Below are the three specific drivers that End-Users say elevate an A/E/C firm to the top of their list—often before a project even hits the streets.

1. Relationship Depth: Go Beyond “Staying in Touch”

End-Users don’t have time for superficial outreach, generic check-ins, or transactional encounters. They are approached constantly—often 15+ times per week by BD people alone—so it takes more than persistence to stand out.

What End-Users actually want:

Meaningful dialogue, not marketing chatter
Consistent yet intentional contact, driven by value—not volume
Insight into current projects, trends, risks, and technologies
Someone who understands their organization, not just their project list

Top-of-mind status is built by depth—not frequency.

2. Trust Markers: Signals That Matter to End-Users

End-Users consistently cited the presence and credibility of technical leadership as the biggest differentiator among A/E/C firms.

The most powerful trust markers include:

· Direct access to firm leadership

· Technical competence demonstrated early

They want conversations that add value before a project exists:

Better ways to sequence shutdowns
Long-term capital planning advice
Design options that reduce operational risk
Construction methods that minimize disruption
Lessons learned from similar projects

3. Preferred Touchpoints: What End-Users Welcome (and What They Ignore)

Here are the touchpoints that keep an A/E/C firm “top of mind” without overwhelming the End-User:

· Principal-Led Check-Ins

· Value-Driven Site Visits

· Early-Stage Project Brainstorming

· Industry Insights & Technical Foresight

They do not want generic marketing emails. But a short note from a Principal sharing something helpful? That lands.

Bottom Line

End-Users remember the A/E/C firms where they have meaningful, direct, technically competent relationships with Principals and Project Leaders.

A/E/C firms become top of mind when they build:

✔ Depth, not frequency

✔ Credibility, not pitches

✔ Insightful value, not generic touchpoints

✔ Direct access, not gatekeeping

✔ Leadership relationships, not transactional BD

I’m Steve McGill, founder of Fusion BD. We help Principals/Project Leaders manage the details that will enable your firm to engage more End-Users and win work.

Fusion BD is not like other consulting firms. We don’t just give advice. We put my 25 years as an A/E/C business developer to work for you to: