Architecture is a competitive industry, with smaller firms often having to go bat against much bigger and more established names. Beating them by budget isn’t always possible, so you may have to look at marketing smarter, not marketing harder. Here, we’re going to look at how you can sell your potential clients on the art and expertise of what you offer to help you bring in more business.
Play to your audience
The first thing that you have to think about is which kind of client are you trying to appeal to? What is it that they’re looking for in an architect? Residential clients are going to have different needs and barriers to commercial clients. Those in certain industries might look for different things than those in other industries. Keep up to date with the shifting demands of the target market that you’re trying to win over so that your marketing material can always reflect those wants.
Photography is a huge deal
Architecture is largely a visual medium of work, as far as your customer is concerned. There’s a lot more that goes into it, but this is the aspect that clients are going to notice. As such, you should always invest in showing off the visual appeal of your projects. Working with an architectural interior photographer, you can make sure that every detail of your projects is shown off to prospective clients. Develop an eye for the features that get them excited.
Get detailed with case studies
If you’re not always doing it, or it has been a while since you have done it, it might be time to learn or relearn how to conduct a case study for your projects. Most clients re going to look at your body of work, first and foremost. Most architecture firms have a portfolio at the ready, but if you don’t have case studies, then you may not have the details and the proof of client alignment to get them convinced of your ability to deliver.
Show the technology you adopt
One of the issues clients find with many architecture firms is that they are slow to adapt to changes in the technology they use to work. Whether it’s technology to render plans, to visualize projects, or otherwise, if you’re using relatively new technology in your work, you should let your clients know. They might not get all the specifics, but it can be impressive nonetheless.
Stay firmly in the community
Not all fellow architects are your competitors, as you may well know. There may be others that work in different markets within the industry. Attending architecture networking events and building links to these professionals can help you increase how well-known your work is, and your name might become the first to come up when your peers are asked for recommendations and referrals on certain projects.
The tips above can hopefully help you become more competitive in your corner of the architecture world, convincing more clients and building a name for your brand that can keep them coming in.
