Society for Marketing Professional Services

What Society for Marketing Professional Services does

The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is a 501(c)-style professional membership organization founded in 1973 and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, exclusively serving marketing, business development, and growth professionals in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (A/E/C) industries. SMPS operates a chapter-based membership model with 58 chapters across the United States and Canada and a member base of approximately 7,300-7,500+ A/E/C professionals. Its mission centers on professional development, recognized credentialing (CPSM), industry-specific body of knowledge (MARKENDIUM®), and peer community for a niche that lacks comparable dedicated infrastructure.

SMPS delivers its mission through a multi-product portfolio including the Amplify A|E|C annual conference, regional conferences, Chapter Leadership Symposium, the Pinnacle Experience, and the AEC.AI Summit for in-person and event-based programming; the Online Learning platform (onlinelearning.smps.org) for CEU-accredited masterclasses and certification preparation; the CPSM (Certified Professional Services Marketer) certification supported by the SMPS Domains of Practice framework; the bimonthly Marketer journal and Marketer QuickLook and A/E/C Insider newsletters; the MySMPS online community (built on Higher Logic); the SMPS Career Center job board; the MARKENDIUM® Body of Knowledge; the SMPS Bookstore; the Marketing Communications Awards (MCA, running since 1977) and additional individual/firm recognition programs; and a DEI Certificate. The SMPS Foundation operates as an affiliated but distinct research and scholarship arm, publishing MARKENDIUM® and providing scholarships including the Zinsmeyer.

The business model is multi-stream membership economics: recurring annual membership dues are paired with tiered pricing on educational programs (e.g., masterclasses at $259 for members / $359 for non-members), certification examination and re-certification fees, registration and sponsor revenue from Amplify A|E|C and regional events, entry fees for awards programs, and transactional revenue from publications and merchandise. Distribution relies on a volunteer-led chapter network and an owned digital stack spanning smps.org, the member portal (portal.smps.org), online learning, the MySMPS community, and an e-commerce store (shopsmps.org). The organization is private, with no venture capital, private equity, or public shareholders, and is governed by a Board of Directors under CEO Marci D. Thompson, DES.

Name

Society for Marketing Professional Services

Legal name

Society for Marketing Professional Services

Website

https://smps.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) is a U.S.-based nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 1973, serving approximately 7,500 architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) marketing and business development professionals across 58 chapters in the U.S. and Canada through certification, conferences, publications, and community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to chapters, online resources, Marketer journal, Marketer QuickLook newsletter, professional development programs, and member directory.
2. Educational Programs and Courses: Revenue from online learning platform courses including masterclasses, certification exam prep, and enterprise training. Example: Masterclass at $259 for members / $359 for non-members.
3. Events and Conferences: Revenue from Amplify A|E|C annual conference, regional conferences, Chapter Leadership Symposium, CX Immersion Workshop, and Pinnacle Experience events.
4. Publications and Products: Revenue from SMPS Bookstore including MARKENDIUM® book, publications, and merchandise sold through the online store.
5. Certification Fees: Fees for CPSM certification examination, recertification, and exam preparation resources.
6. Awards Programs: Entry fees for Marketing Communications Awards (MCA), Business Developer of the Year, Emerging Leader of the Year, and other award programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

SMPS is a nonprofit professional membership association that delivers membership services, professional certification (CPSM), continuing education, conferences, publications (including the Marketer journal and MARKENDIUM®), awards programs, and an online community for marketing, business development, and growth professionals working in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (A/E/C) industries. Its offering is anchored by 58 chapters across the U.S. and Canada serving 7,500+ members, with monetization through membership dues, certification fees, course/event registrations, and publication sales.

Product overview

SMPS operates as a professional membership organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services for AEC (Architecture, Engineering, Construction) marketing professionals. The core offerings include the Amplify A|E|C annual conference, Online Learning platform for web-based education and CEU credits, CPSM Certification program, The Marketer bi-monthly journal, and the Marketing Communications Awards (MCA). Additional services include the MySMPS member portal with community features, SMPS Career Center job board, MARKENDIUM® Body of Knowledge, SMPS Foundation research and scholarships, Fellows Recognition Program, Enterprise Training, DEI Certificate, Pinnacle Experience, Chapter Leadership Symposium, Regional Conferences, and the Approved Provider Program. The portfolio is delivered through a multi-platform approach including the main website (smps.org), learning portal (onlinelearning.smps.org), member community (my.smps.org), career center, and journal archive (marketer.smps.org).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CPSM (Certified Professional Services Marketer): The flagship professional certification program of SMPS, recognizing marketing professionals in the A/E/C industries who have demonstrated mastery of the SMPS Domains of Practice.
• Amplify A|E|C
• Marketing Communications Awards (MCA)
• The Marketer
• MARKENDIUM®
• SMPS Foundation
• SMPS Fellow (FSMPS)
• Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award
• Chapter President of the Year Award
• Emerging Leader of the Year Award
• Rising Business Developer of the Year Award
• Impact Business Developer of the Year Award
• Catalyst Business Developer of the Year Award
• Marketing Innovation Firm of the Year Award
• Online Learning (onlinelearning.smps.org)
• AEC.AI Summit
• The Pinnacle Experience
• Chapter Leadership Symposium (CLS)
• DEI Certificate
• Domains of Practice
• A/E/C Insider Newsletter
• Marketer QuickLook
• MySMPS
• SMPS Career Center

Products and services

• SMPS Membership
• Amplify A|E|C Annual Conference
• Online Learning Platform
• CPSM Certification
• The Marketer Journal
• Marketing Communications Awards (MCA)
• SMPS Career Center
• MARKENDIUM®
• Enterprise Training
• AEC.AI Summit
• DEI Certificate
• The Pinnacle Experience
• Chapter Leadership Symposium
• Regional Conferences
• SMPS Bookstore
• SMPS Foundation

Quantifiable outcome

• Members gain CPSM certification demonstrating mastery of AEC marketing domains
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SMPS FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1973The SMPS Foundation is the research and philanthropic arm of the Society, conducting research, publishing the MARKENDIUM® body of knowledge, providing scholarships (including the SMPSF Zinsmeyer Scholarship), and supporting the organization's educational mission through publications and research partnerships.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA): DBIA is a membership organization for design-build professionals in AEC, offering certification, education, and conferences. Comparable to SMPS as a specialized AEC association with credentialing and chapter programming, though focused on a specific delivery method.
• American Institute of Architects (AIA): AIA is the primary professional association for architects in the U.S., serving AEC professionals through membership, continuing education, and events. While architect-led rather than marketer-focused, AIA overlaps with SMPS in serving the AEC industry with credentialing and chapter networks.
• American Marketing Association (AMA): AMA is the largest general marketing professional association with certifications, training, and local chapters. Direct competitor for SMPS's CPSM-style credentials and continuing education, though serving all industries rather than specializing in AEC.
• Associated General Contractors of America (AGC): AGC is the leading construction industry trade association with chapter-based membership, education, and certification programs. Operates a similar member-driven association model serving AEC firms with comparable scale and geographic structure to SMPS.
• American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC): ACEC is a national federation representing engineering firms, offering member services, advocacy, and BD resources. Comparable to SMPS in its AEC vertical focus and chapter-based member services model, though oriented to firm principals rather than marketers.
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM): SHRM is the world's largest HR professional association with certification (SHRM-CP/SCP), enterprise partnerships, and conferences. Provides a relevant peer benchmark for SMPS's certification-plus-enterprise-training growth trajectory at much larger scale.
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): PRSA is a professional association for communications and PR practitioners offering credentialing (APR), chapters, and conferences. Operates the same membership-and-certification model as SMPS in a different marketing/communications specialty.

Direct peers

• PSMJ Resources: PSMJ Resources provides management consulting, training, and benchmarking specifically for A/E/C firms. Direct competitor in AEC professional development and BD/marketing training, with overlapping customer base of AEC firm leaders and marketers.
• Zweig Group: Zweig Group is an AEC management consulting, research, and media firm that serves the same architecture/engineering market with research, advisory, and awards (Hot Firm List). Closely comparable to SMPS as an AEC-specific professional services and content provider targeting firm leaders.

Regional players

• International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC): FIDIC is the global consulting engineering federation representing national associations worldwide. Relevant peer as an internationally oriented AEC association serving engineering professionals, contrasting SMPS's North America footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SMPSHQ
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SMPSNational
• Facebookfacebook.com/SMPSHQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society-for-marketing-professional-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/smpshq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Society for Marketing Professional Services