As Warren Buffet once said, “never depend on a single income; make an investment to create a secondary source”. And for young architects and firms, it has become difficult to build a solid foundation for themselves in a pond where people rely more on the massive fish for construction, interiors, and other architectural services. Marketing is influenced by the social, political, economic, and technological characteristics of the society in which it operates. The marketing strategies process must evolve and alter as these qualities do. This is a critical part of marketing and its link to architecture. Architects must recognize and appreciate the societal circumstances that define and distinguish their work.
Architects will not be able to compete in today’s competitive economy unless they can promote their services. To design a marketing strategy for an architectural business, the following steps should be taken: creating a mission statement, statement of purpose, and action plan; defining the firm’s image and market position and assigning and maintaining a marketing budget. Earning customers’ trust is critical; their choice of architect hinges on intangible aspects such as individual chemistry, charisma, and enthusiasm. Architects must be realistic when assessing the demands of their clients. To be able to make your position strong, many strategies can be taken into consideration to earn in the market.
One of the most important and basic strategies is digitalization. One of this century’s biggest boons to the internet, which should never be underestimated, is social media. If one uses those free social media sites, they can be your portal to new clients. The most common mistake is to establish an online page and then abandon it. Any followers you gain early on will leave the page, and you will not gain any new followers. Instead, you will have a comprehensive social media marketing approach. Users must also consider the platform itself. LinkedIn, for example, is a professional social network. As a result, users must use it to connect and position themselves as experts in the field. Pinterest is a graphics-based network. It can be used to host photographs from your portfolio, which might also motivate people to discuss you. Adopting social media might provide you with a competitive advantage. And besides, many architectural companies do not use their social platforms. This creates a market opportunity for young, budding architects to grow their company’s reputation and brand. As said by Brian Solis, “In the digital space, attention is currency. We earned it. We spent it. “
When it comes to social media marketing, a lot of architecture businesses are behind the times. They consider their websites to be nothing more than glorified business cards. Rather than using the site to promote the firm’s brand, they will present general details. Users should avoid making this error since internet marketing for architectural businesses is an effective strategy. Like a few marketing tools, your website allows you to exhibit your products. Attract potential clients. For example, users can post every aspect of their portfolio on their website. One could discover that the attractiveness of a photograph in your portfolio should be enough to draw in new clients. Make those photographs shareable on social media, and you will be well on your way to developing an effective marketing presence.
Now about the other factor of the four P’s of architect marketing. This framework covers the four primary considerations that architects must consider while developing their marketing strategy. One of the “P’s” is your market position. Users must inform their clientele about who and what they are and how much an architect can do for them. A brief look at the websites of a few architecture firms will tell us how to not put this ‘P’ into effect. Many firms want to be multitasking miracles. Attract clients; they will list every architectural field under the sun. But this strategy gives the perception that the company may not provide high-quality services. Consider the ancient adage, “a jack of all trades is a master of none”. It very well applies to this situation.
One must also be good at public speaking as well as have good communication skills. The pitch we create, which is authentic, should be impactful and effective so that it leaves an imprint on your client’s mind. Always bear in mind that the presentation must leave the prospective client seeking more. About public speaking, it provides young architects with a captive audience. The place will be packed with individuals eager to hear your thoughts. Moreover, as a speaker, users establish themselves as an authoritative figure. The person speaking becomes an influencer because their voice is now louder than everyone else’s.
Another key aspect, which is particularly important, is to identify the project and the opportunity well. Straight commissions through personal contact result in the greatest projects or collaborations. Make a direct connection by socializing in locations where your potential customers spend time. If you have not already, start thinking about everyone on your contact list as a prospective client, collaborator, or source of fresh knowledge; it is possible that the person who will lead you to your next job is someone you already know.
One must also be adaptive towards the new technology and be open to learning more in order to be successful. “Network marketing gives you the opportunity to face your fears, deal with them, overcome them, and bring out the winner that you have living inside you.” – Robert Kiyosaki.
