With the additional social "butter-flying" I’ve been doing trying to find more work for my office, my PSS (Proactive Project Seeking; see blog Flippin’ Rocks) is in full swing. After searching online for an appropriate contact/marketing “system,” and spending an afternoon at the local public library browsing the shelves (yes, dopes like me still like to do that), I’ve come to the conclusion that a single “best text” for marketing architecture doesn’t really exist. Sure, the Society for Marketing Professional Services (www.smps.org ) offers some but I’ve come up with my own dumb little system, loosely based on a colleague's definition of "GrmT" (that’s Grunt Marketing where you contact 100 people, get 10 leads, and 1 request for proposal or project… it is real grunt work).
First: I started with a simple paragraph in e-mail format about my company, myself, and past projects available and ready to do.
Second: I pulled out my project list since I incorporated (in 1995; that took a while) and listed all the names, companies, phone numbers, and emails of the folks that I would like to work with again. (On project analysis I’d ask myself, “How did I meet this person?” and I sketched a loosely defined “spider diagram.” I was surprised at how a few key folks led to 6 to 10 others who had real projects… that I got!)
Third: I picked up the phone (here’s the tricky part) and called these folks to say hello, asked if I could have 75 seconds of their time to a) ask how they’ve been and what they’ve been doing, b) give a brief update on me and my company, c) ask if I could send a one-pager on my company to them, and d) ask if they would offer comments/suggestions as I am seeking more work for the firm.
Of those phone calls, some said, “Yes, later I’m busy”; others said, “Send it on over”; a few said, “Hey, I’ve got something I need some help on…”.
Fourth: I’m in the process of making a new three-ring binder for phone notes and newspaper clippings (from my local Business Chronicle; yes, I finally bought a subscription). I'm using it as a tickler; when I have 20 minutes of down time, I pick up the binder, select a name, and call to say, “Hi.” Think of it as "Dialing for Dollars.”
Fifth: I’m looking for other “good ideas” on how architects can simply and easily establish and maintain contact with their current and future clients. Any suggestions? The phone lines are open (just kidding; post your blog).
—Lisa Stacholy, AIA, NCARB
Comments (4)
I have had some success with “cold calls” and have few comments:
1. It’s best to ask for an opinion instead of just making it a sales pitch. People love to talk about their views on community construction projects, economy , etc. Ask them if you can quote them.
2. After the call is when to follow- up with the visual info. Mail a flyer, newsletter; put in appropriate quotes from clients. People love to see their name in print. Just sending pretty pictures via e-mail is too easy to ignore.
Most of all it important to have a marketing plan and I think Lisa’s tickler file sounds terrific!
Posted by Laura Montllor,AIA | July 2, 2008 8:45 AM
Posted on July 2, 2008 08:45
I've never been comfortable with cold calling so over the years I've taken an approach to marketing that relies on branding. Taking a page from the consumer market (where “coke” = Coca Cola and tissue = Kleenex), I’ve strived to get my name known in the market place so that when people think of "architect" they think of "Bud Dietrich, AIA".
To do this I’ve employed these strategies:
• I've kept in front of the market through the local media, from radio to television to print. Local writers and editors are always looking for a local “expert” on a topic that they can use in their stories. So get to know these people and make sure you’re the “go to” person when they need an “expert opinion”.
• Consistently and persistently issue press releases every time there’s an opportunity. I get a project published, I issue a press release. I get a speaking engagement, I issue a press release. I win a design award, I issue a press release. In addition to these press releases, I issue a mailer to all previous clients, leads and the industry so that, again, my name is out there so that when people think “architect” they think “Bud Dietrich, AIA”.
• Place a front yard sign at every project, no matter how big or small the project may be. These signs, viewed by hundreds if not thousands daily, are an effective way of getting my name in front of the public.
• For several years I’ve conducted seminars at the local libraries as part of the AIA’s Working With An Architect program. Again, these seminars get my name in front of the public and help to educate the lay person about what it is we architects do.
Having pointed all this out, it’s important that you protect your reputation (your brand) as it’s your most valuable asset. There are many, many companies that haven’t protected their brand (think the American car manufacturers) and have fallen to the wayside / become marginalized. Don’t let that happen to you.
Posted by Bud Dietrich, AIA | June 28, 2008 8:04 AM
Posted on June 28, 2008 08:04
Quarterly emailings are a good idea and will be easy for us to implement. At the end of each project, we fill in an electronic "Project Data Sheet" (self-created) which we use in our printed brochure. It has pertinent project info (time line, budget, client name, etc.), concise paragraph description, before/after photos or design process photos/construction photos, and one final good image. We've also started asking the client for a reference/recommendation letter at this point (easier to get now while it's fresh) and include a quote from their letter in the data sheet. Just using something that we're already doing is a great idea so it doesn't "feel" like publishing a quarterly newsletter is so onerous.
Posted by Lisa Stacholy, AIA, NCARB | June 26, 2008 11:31 AM
Posted on June 26, 2008 11:31
As a business to business marketing consultant, I work with clients to make it easy for their most promising prospects to buy.
You're off to a good start by beginning with existing clients. They've already "pre-qualified" themselves as being interested in work like yours.
Nevertheless, I'm not sure that cold-calling is the best way to go--since it requires that people have an immediate need.
Yours is a visual profession... Have you thought about sending out a link each quarter to a webpage displaying a recent project--including the reason it was commissioned and some interesting insights into why you made the design decisions you did? Of course, you'd also want to include an offer to discuss their design needs.
The advantage of this strategy is that you showcase your work in a way that's of interest to even those that don't have immediate needs. Because you're in regular touch--as an expert--you'll be first on their list when it comes time to buy.
Posted by Barbara Bix | June 25, 2008 3:38 AM
Posted on June 25, 2008 03:38