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Danielle joined Poettker Construction in 2006 as an administrative assistant while working her way through college. After graduating in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and Public Relations, Danielle transitioned into a full-time marketing position, initially focused on proposal preparation. Her responsibilities expanded each year to encompass the full array of marketing tasks: pursuits, communication, digital marketing, event planning, CRM implementation, and much more. In 2022, Danielle was promoted to Vice President of Marketing, where she oversees a five-person team that implements marketing strategies for Poettker Construction and its sister brands.  

Congratulations on recently obtaining your CPSM Certification! What drove you to get this professional certification? 

Since joining SMPS in 2017, I have been interested in learning more about AEC marketing and ultimately obtaining my CPSM certification. My initial goal was to achieve this certification prior to having kids, but the timing never seemed right. At the time, I was a one-person marketing team and could not justify the time commitment for training with my current workload. As we hired additional marketing staff, I shifted my time to help train and develop our team. I was also adjusting to a new work-life balance after being blessed with 3 children within 2 years, with the first being a set of twins.

Fast-forward 7 years, I finally felt the time was right. At work, we started expanding our Marketing Team to better support new strategic initiatives and growth, in which I was part of the upfront conversations and planning. At home, my kids were at a good age to understand and appreciate the extra hard work and dedication that I needed to commit to achieve one of my long-term goals. 

Ultimately, the wait and new leadership opportunities that I was granted over those 7 years made the final achievement more meaningful for me. 

If someone were considering this certification, what advice would you give them? Study tips? Study group? Do you have any guidance on how to approach it? Is this something that someone should study for over many months and not just take on a whim?   

My initial advice is that you are the only one who knows when the timing is right. The certification and training schedule is tough. The test itself focuses on industry best practices, not necessarily how your company approaches marketing.

Personally, with being out of school for over a decade, I was nervous about taking this significant test. Studying over many months helped me soak in each domain. I used a combination of group and independent studying. The SMPS Philadelphia Chapter offered a weekly study group that I and several other SMPS St. Louis members joined. This program helped hold me accountable for the domain reading. We met virtually once a week to review a specific domain and discuss potential test questions and the best response. 

How will the CPSM benefit you and your career?    

Earning the CPSM has helped me deepen my expertise and improve my confidence as an AEC marketer. I have gained a better understanding of the 6 domains and how to align marketing efforts with my firm’s strategic goals and initiatives. I feel more equipped to help train and develop the next generation of AEC Marketing Professionals.

Additionally, I have met some amazing marketers in the CPSM community who share knowledge and best practices.

What excites you about your work and your contributions at Poettker daily?

Construction, in general, excites me, and I am proud that my family has been part of Poettker for over four decades. In marketing, I love that my team and I are involved in so many aspects of our projects and company initiatives. We have the opportunity to work with all departments and showcase our company's outstanding accomplishments.

It is very rewarding to watch a project come to life. From working through the pursuit process with the business development and preconstruction teams to collaborating with our project teams and watching our buildings take shape, no day is boring.

If you had all the time in the world and could learn to do anything, what would it be?

If I had all the time in the world, I would love to get back into some of the hobbies I learned before having kids. I enjoy gardening, cooking, and crafting, and I wish I had more time for them. As my kids are getting older, they have started to like and learn some of these hobbies, too.  

What do you look forward to at the end of a busy week?

I look forward to spending time with my family.