Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Are you going to be doing commercial, residential or a combination? Do you have a specific niche in mind?

Call on builders for residential-- most of them sub out their architectural work. Many existing arch firms will sub out work they don't have time to do- vs put another person on staff for a short term project. While many chains have their own construction manager, when they do into an area and the building needs rennovating-- they hire an architect-- it may as well be you. Call on corporate headquarters-- they expand, they move and they need an architect.

Subscribe to Dodge or CMD-- its an expensive service, so approach another architect or even product sales rep to share the service. As a former architectural rep for many products-- I would have jumped on that. The leads you want are those for architectural services-- the ones I wanted were those who already have their architect so I can get my products considered for specification.

Befriend reps of major lines. They are out there pounding the pavement and know of potential jobs. Start a lead group of reps, builders, GC's-- and share knowledge of potential projects.

You're going to have to pound the pavement a bit-- but its ok, cause as a start up, you don't have a lot of work keeping you busy!

Sell Well and Prosper tm

you ask us how you can build a professional marketing machine.

It seems to me that any grade school age child can draw a picture of a building. But it takes talent, and it takes technical competence to professionally design a building. That is why people need your firm.

Believe it or not, professional marketing also requires talent and technical competence.

I am sure that you would encourage corporations who are building a new building to work with an architectural firm. We all know things will turn out much better if they hire a professional firm than if they do it themselves.

The same is true when building a marketing effort. I suggest that you retain a qualified marketing expert, rather than trying to do it yourself. I suggest that you focus on being the best architect you can, and that you limit your marketing activities to being a subject matter expert, working closely with a marketing firm.

I believe there is a strong halo effect here. We are all connoisseurs of marketing: we are all bombarded with it every day. In order to stand out in today's market, you need to put your best foot forward. A mediocre, do it yourself program will not do this. Despite our best efforts, and despite this forum's long-standing assistance to provide our best advice, we can not teach you everything you know about marketing in a few short paragraphs.

Suppose that I had posted a question on an architectural forum. suppose that I posted a question asking how I might design my own office building. How would you reply?

Marketing is a profession, just as architecture is a profession. Hire an expert.

If you like, you can follow a link to the above right and post a job here at this forum. The best of luck to you.

Many firms have a niche but that doesn't exclude them from doing all kinds of work. Or the opposite- Gensler Denver does anything-- but no health care. Plenty who only do residential--some are plain afraid of commercial. I know of one who is known for airport retail. HOK's niche is arenas, Fentres Bradburn airports, and another does only mass transit. I head (a million year ago) a design department that only did medical facilities.

Now I also know many of those listed above (including me) will tackle most anything-- but they have a speciality.

So do products. If you're looking for a medical flooring, I bet one or two come to the top of your mind. Now, you can use a product like Gerflor anywhere-- but its medical that they shine.

I asked the questions to better answer yours. if you have the experience to tackle anything and everything-- you should But if you have a niche that makes you shine--make sure you spend the time marketing yourself as that pro. It makes you the "go to" person for that type of projects. Marketing yourself as that expert-- sets you above the rest and makes the phone ring.

I was one of the founders of the CO Chapter US Green Building Council-- LEED. Even though I moved to the product side, when clients had a question about "green", I became their "go to" person. Now we know there probably isn't a product made today that isn't "green" in some way-- but I was the person who walked them thru what matters. Another co-founder head the first LEED accredited hospital in the country. She has gone around the country lecturing about that project. And her firm is the "go to" arch firm for medical-- especially those who want an enviro efficient building.

Hopefully I explained that right! You can have both worlds. You can do any type of project that walks across your desk. But if you create a niche, you start to differentiate yourself from the rest-- and cream always rises to the top!

Your experience is your experience. While Property Genesis hasn't completed any buildings-- you have. Remember people buy from people. Your projects remain your projects. They may be Mario's project thru xyz firm, but it is still Mario's work.

The video hits most of the time on the "challenges" and good reasons to hire an architect. Its a bit longer than it needs to be. Go over it with the "so what" test-- after each slide say "so what", and each should bring a thought and weigh its importance.

my personal opinion about the appropriate degree of specialization is that it depends on the distance between you and the prospect.

If a prospect company is right around the corner from you, I believe you should be willing to be flexible, and to be willing to work with them on a variety of types of projects. Your proximity gives you a competitive advantage.

However, the further a prospect is from your office, the more of a specialist you will need to be. No one will get on a plane and fly to your office to meet you because you are a generalist. But they might do just that if you are a specialist in just what you need.

Maybe marketing needs to have two faces: maybe websites and social media and tactics which have national exposure can and should be focused on a specialty, while local exposure in marketing (such as networking) can be more general in nature.

True-- and I agree his marketing should be two step-- he needs to build his "brand" as the specialist in what jazzes him. But you have to understand the sale.

Architects are licensed on a state by state basis-- here in the US and (I checked ) in his native Australia. First, if they want him to bid on a project-- he'll be going to them. He's the hunter. There is little gained for them to go to his office. He needs info from the site visit to bid intelligently. Its not just about "pretty", its specification. Its a very interesting mix of left and right brain-- form meets function.

I think his website needs to hit on that harder.

And he goes only after much pre qualification and preliminary talks to make sure its a fit for both parties. In this sale, you know quickly if you are communicating.

2nd, to do work outside his territory, he'll have to evaluate "am I going to get ongoing work here to justify this expense". Licensing, travel -- and all the other associated cost. His insurance may not cover that area. E & O is ridiculously expensive in this field.

Now I agree -- if a city manager is going to build an airport-- they'll call Fentres Bradburn-- from anywhere in the world. Or a sports arena-- its HOK. Everyone else can bid, but they will be there. And you're peddling uphill. I am also sure their marketing people have their pulse on their market -- as any pro-- if they don't get the call, they'll make the call.

But he's a new co with a broad mix of experience. Some people just want an efficient building at the right cost. They don't want "one of a kind". They don't need a specialist. They want a pro that will fill their needs. When I was in this biz, listening skills are paramount.

And a lot of hand holding! This is a tough job!

I understand your long sale cycle. You will be asked to work on projects (and get paid) that may never be built. Same with the product side-- but if a project dies in the feasibility phase-- I don't get paid.

I am a little different in my approach to marketing-- my background is guerrilla marketing. When I work with a client, I teach them the latte factor of sales. Building good daily marketing habits will produce results. But it has to be daily. I work with clients and build a 30 day plan-- you are going to make x # calls, take a person to lunch a week, attend x# of networking events, etc etc -- and track its implementation. The next month, we review what worked and keep it in the plan-- but if it isn't working we change it.

Building a business plan a lot of these things will bubble to the surface. Part of a biz plan is marketing-- when you do you SWOT you look at the competition and see where there might be a void and a need.

My first post gave you several places to go to start marketing your new firm. I know many arch firms that have a full time marketing person- -and that is really all they do. If you are looking for process-- you may like the book, Sales & Marketing the 6 Sigma Way. 6 Sigma is all about process and improvement of process.

I say again, hire an expert.

There are literally hundreds of marketing tools that involve little or no cost. This is an article from the teacher who certified me as a guerrilla marketing coach.

https://smallbusiness.aol.com/grow/marketing/article/_a/33-marketing-succes...

If the 5 above are those you want to focus on-- put a # to them. How many each day? Some you may only do monthly or even quarterly.