TESTIMONIALS

Facilitation & Training - Corporate

“Holly recently provided presentation training to a small group of our operations personnel. Before the training, Holly and I worked together to discuss our goals, educational objectives, and format. She spent a lot of time asking questions about our people and our processes. She was very prepared to work with our team on the training. The format was perfect. Not too short and not too long. The training moved quickly, was very helpful, and we had fun learning new skills and approaches to preparing for client presentations. Her approach is very positive, and she has a lot of energy. She incorporates real-life examples from projects that our employees could understand. Because of her experience in the AEC industry, she is relatable and can relate to our team members. Holly is very approachable. She understands how challenging public speaking is for most people and provides lots of tips to improve one's presentation skills and to become more comfortable when presenting. I would highly recommend Holly to provide presentation training. We plan to use her in the future to train additional employees.”

  • Molly Burns, Vice President of Business Development, F.A. Wilhelm Construction

“Holly did a wonderful job facilitating our company’s annual Marketing, Communications and Business Development Summit this year. We were very pleased with how she was able to guide and manage the groups and it was apparent that she took the time to plan ahead to ensure our sessions were a success. Given her background in marketing, communications and PR, she was able to relate and had a clear understanding of the goals and initiatives we needed to focus on which led to some very productive conversations. Overall, she was very effective and gave structure to the meetings we had that week. I highly recommend Holly for any company or organization’s strategic planning meetings!”

  • Jen Clune, Managing Director, National Accounts, Clune Construction Company

“Holly Bolton, FSMPS, CPSM did such a great job facilitating and really listening to our team and really helped reignite and reimagine what is important for LandWorx as we grow into our 8th year.”

  • Ben Houle, President, LandWorx Engineering

“BSA LifeStructures engaged Holly Bolton to facilitate our annual board retreat. The retreat brings together 22 of our firm leaders and internal and external board members to inform our three-year plan. Applying experience from her work with architecture, engineering, and planning firms, Holly collaborated with our internal team to create an agenda that explored key topics and provided opportunities for dialogue and engagement. Through a fun and functional icebreaker, breakout sessions, prioritization tools, and follow-up documentation, Holly helped us develop aspirations and ideas that position us for the future. Holly did a terrific job, and I recommend her for her skills in strategic planning facilitation.”

  • Kevin Token, Chairman and CEO, BSA LifeStructures

Research and Strategy

“3chord Marketing developed a tailored client image study which was thorough and thoughtful. Holly Bolton got many more clients to participate than we were anticipating, and many commented on her pleasant interview style. The final presentation and report were both detailed and well organized, and Holly’s observations and interpretation of the results were comprehensive and insightful.”

  • Laurie Strickland, Director of Marketing and Anna Luciano, Marketing Communications Manager, Nitsch Engineering 

“Holly developed and implemented an effective and well-organized client image study that delivered a very clear picture of our clients’ experience working with us. She was also a pleasure to work with! We would recommend her to others without hesitation and would definitely work with her again.”

  • Lisa Brothers, PE, Chairman and CEO, Nitsch Engineering

“Holly has managed Burke Engineering's client feedback program for over five years now. She has interviewed dozens of our clients in that time and the feedback has been essential to our continued positive relationships with our clients. We recently completed a client perception survey that Holly developed and implemented. This process provided more insights into our reputation with our clients and potential clients. Excellent information for strategic planning. Holly's professionalism and warm demeanor really are the reasons this process is so successful. We had 100% participation rate for the perception survey and very few clients decline to provide feedback for the feedback program. Our clients enjoy talking with Holly and she makes the process painless.”

  • Meg Butcher, CPSM, Business Development Manager, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LLC

"Engaging Holly Bolton to help with my marketing and communications plan was one of the smartest business moves I have made. Holly understands market research and how to create the tools to unearth vital information necessary in creating a comprehensive marketing and communications plan. Holly was able to accurately assess my strengths and benefits and help me determine my standing in the architectural photo community. From the information she gathered, we were able to zero in on what existing clients valued and formulate a multi-pronged approach to attract new clients. During the process, Holly conducted a perception survey, competitive analysis, and a social media audit of clients and prospective clients. She distilled her research into key attributes that differentiated me from the competition. I have concentrated on those attributes to keep giving clients what they value and I have used it when marketing myself to prospective clients. But before all of that transpired, we met to determine my goals and what I hoped to accomplish by hiring her. Those initial meetings, in fact all the meetings I had with Holly, were energetic, fun, and full of ideas and possibilities. Her creativity, enthusiasm, and genuine desire to advance my business was apparent in that first meeting and through the entire the process. I regularly pull out her research and read over it to make sure I keep the information and ideas in the forefront of my business approach."

  • Susan Fleck, Owner (retired), Susan Fleck Photography

Writing and Editing

"We contracted Holly to assist us in our efforts to create a new narrative for our company. Holly's skill and expertise in the written word provided us with an excellent perspective on how we can tell our story in a meaningful and differentiated way. Our expectations were exceeded as we collaborated with her on more creative aspects of our story, creating a powerful, visual presentation that aligns with our message. Holly is able to apply her intuitive nature to business, which demonstrates a deep understanding of her clients' business objectives. We will work with her again!"

  • Dan Morris, Principal, OfficeWorks

"NCE hired 3chord Marketing to assist in overhauling the firm's resumes and project descriptions to better tap into WHY our staff do what they do. Holly did a superb job surveying our staff and crafting introductory bios for the key staff. She also revised and rewrote project descriptions for key projects that are used throughout our proposals. These descriptions highlighted the challenges that each project encountered and the solutions NCE implemented for success. She was easy to work with even across multiple time zones and completed the resumes and project descriptions within the schedule allotted. We were so pleased with the work she completed that we hired 3chord Marketing to assist with internal business development and marketing training. This training took place in our office over two days. Holly was integral in delivering the training related to content and writing to win. The overall feedback from the 23 project managers was that they loved her energy, the information that she shared, how she conveyed key messages, and they want to have her back for more technical writing training. NCE has been extremely satisfied with the deliverables and work products received by 3chord Marketing - and yes, we would hire her again and again!"

  • Joy Guinn, FSMPS, CPSM, Former Director of Marketing, Nichols Consulting Engineers

"I have known Holly for nearly 10 years, often enjoying her entertaining and always thoughtful presentations at regional and national conferences. But it was not until we collaborated on a construction industry marketing handbook that I fully appreciated her remarkable skill set. I served as editor for the project and recruited Holly as one of the book’s authors. Her chapter was one of the strongest in the book, providing the reader with lively and compelling examples of current marketing best practices. But Holly went far beyond this important assignment. She reviewed all the other draft chapters in the monograph (including mine!), becoming a de facto co-editor with me and gave candid feedback on overall strategy, presentation, and style. Holly was confident in her analyses to debate issues with someone who is 20 years her senior, but humble enough to accept my decisions when I 'pulled rank' on her. Holly’s broad grasp of key industry issues, her lively writing style, and her assured use of multiple media platforms reassured me then and continually impresses me now. She is a treasured resource, a valuable asset for any project."

  • Richard Belle, IOM, CAE, President (retired), Belle Communications, LLC

Content Marketing and Social Media Consulting

"Holly provided our firm with marketing consulting related to our social media efforts. She has always been a very personable, energetic and knowledgeable professional. Her expertise with LinkedIn and related work proved extremely helpful."

  • Jon Stolz, PE, Managing Vice President, Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LLC

Facilitation - Associations

“Holly was a fantastic facilitator for our SMPS chapter’s strategic planning. Through discussions prior to the event and kickoff of the event, it was evident that she’d been very thoughtful and detailed in her preparations. Her energy and enthusiasm kept us focused on the tasks at hand. The session ended with positive energy; our participants left with excitement and passion to set and tackle ambitious goals to implement our strategic plan!”

  • Tracy Taylor, SMPS Southeast Michigan 2022-2023 President

"Holly Bolton facilitated a successful half-day strategic planning session for the SMPS-NY chapter board for the 2012-17 fiscal years, which began in 2012-13 with my term as president. Holly brought her unique energy and creative ideas to the planning session, allowing us to stay focused on our 5-year vision, while enjoying the process itself through her exercises and overall approach. Because of this experience, I recommended Holly for her expertise in strategic planning and effective communication skills."

  • Jason Vesuvio, SMPS New York Past President 

"We got so much done thanks to our spirited facilitator, Holly! She provided structure and an open environment for ideas.
The framework she helped us put in place has propelled our organization."

  • Jessica Biel, SMPS Seattle Past President