With economic conditions on a diet, so to speak, this skinny market has caused me to enact the “PPS” (Proactive Project Seeking) with my current and recent clients. No, it’s not a real term (not that I know of; just another way for me to make things interesting). What is surprising me the most is the response to how many rocks I’ve flipped over (metaphorically speaking). Bottom line, it seems like I’m getting one request for a proposal from every six reinitiated contacts and even more interesting are the relatively “cold calls” or friend-of-friend-of-friend contacts. I’ve had one request for proposal from every three contacts. In the past two weeks I’ve had three proposals accepted. That seems like an extraordinarily high number. Maybe it’s just another case where I’m in the right place at the right time, or those stars and the moon aligned (again) for me. My colleague says he’s been out “kissin’ frogs”; he’s still waiting for the prince to pop out.
— Lisa Stacholy, AIA, NCARB
Comments (5)
Hi Ron,
Take a look at Laura Montllor's group, http://www.homefreehome.org, for possible leads and great ways to do really meaningfull pro-bono work. Last time I talked to Laura, they were considering rolling out their services nationwide. Keep up the good work and offering fantastic advice.
Posted by Lisa Stacholy, AIA, NCARB | August 18, 2008 11:40 AM
Posted on August 18, 2008 11:40
I have recently moved from being in a large firm to a sole practitioner again. I have continued one of my most successful marketing tactics since I made the move: picking a pro-bono community project to do. I have received more press and have had more leads given to me for new projects than I can handle. I have two new, very nice, projects directly related to the pro-bono work. In this case the project is for the city. Most cities are in a real hurt now and can use the help. Stay very involved in your community; it pays in more ways than you can imagine.
Posted by Ron Peters | July 9, 2008 11:45 AM
Posted on July 9, 2008 11:45
Hey Lisa, first off, thank you for starting this blog. I, too, love our field and decided to operate my own little start-up firm couple years ago. I would like to know how someone without a lengthy list of former clients would market their services in today's sleepy economy?
I understand that 90% of clients prefer referred architects, and I'll definitely try what you and suggested here-- strategic cold calls, putting ourselves out there in public whenever we can (that might take a while).
For me, I'm sure all of you did as well, to start a business is to balance (hu)manpower and work. As much as I love to have more work, I don't have the staff, and when I have the temps, I don't have enough work. It's draining.
At the end of the day though, i still take my life as an independent designer over a CAD monkey any day. I love the business aspect of things; I just hope I grab a hold of it sooner--that comes from experience and talking to people like you.
Posted by DMA | July 7, 2008 9:55 PM
Posted on July 7, 2008 21:55
Hey - does anyone offer any "finders fees" for referrals? Sometimes I'll send a starbucks gift card as a "thanks!" when I learn of the referral. Does anyone else do similar things?
Posted by Lisa Stacholy, AIA, NCARB | June 19, 2008 3:46 PM
Posted on June 19, 2008 15:46
If keeping up with past clients is Kissing Frogs -- Then it's sure worked for me! Referrals are the best and surest way to get more clients.
Posted by Laura Montllor,AIA | June 18, 2008 5:18 PM
Posted on June 18, 2008 17:18