A surprising number of architects’ firms in the US are compact businesses with just a few employees. If you are just launching your very own firm in this niche, there is a good chance you have several competitors to contend with. But you don’t have to let this worry you if you have a sound marketing plan that helps you compete efficiently and make your presence felt with the target audience.
Here are a few tips you should keep in mind when marketing your new firm:
1. Use plenty of visuals in your marketing messages
“A picture speaks a thousand words.” Well, that’s quite true, especially when you are doing your marketing. Use plenty of visuals to showcase your skills; remember that a photograph of your latest project can convey a lot more to your prospective audience than words can. After all, they can see what you are capable of doing and visualize themselves in an environment designed by you. Make use of visual tools like Pinterest and Instagram to post pictures of your work and attract your target audience.
2. Set yourself apart and highlight your USP
When you have too many businesses providing the same core service as you do, it becomes necessary to define how you are different from the crowd, what you offer that others don’t. THIS USP is the reason why your target audience will come to you rather than any of your competitors. Once you know what you want to offer as your USP, focus all your marketing efforts around it so that it becomes the keystone of your brand.
3. Showcase your expertise
If you want someone to entrust what could be their biggest, most valued asset (either their home or their office) to you, they need to trust that you are the best guy to handle the project. How do you convince them of that? By showcasing your expertise. To make yourself well-known as an expert in your niche, you should start making your presence felt in your marketplace in a professional capacity. Participate in roadshows, seminars, conferences where you can speak about your niche and exhibit your competence. Hold webinars where you offer your insights about specific aspects of architecture; answer questions on social media from the general public about related topics.
4. Get covered by media
A very effective method to get the buzz peaking about your brand/company and establishing yourself as a go-to professional in your niche is to get the local media talking about you. Come up with offers or strategies that will interest the locals, and then call the neighborhood media and request them to cover the same with articles where they also have a short interview with you. You can do this via online media channels or print ones or both, ideally.
5. Offer something of value for free
Perhaps the simplest way to grab the target audience’s attention and keep it right with you is to offer attractive freebies. This strategy works well in all situations, be it a launch offer or festival celebration or as an anniversary gift from your business. Just remember that what you offer MUST be of value to your customer- for example, a free consult for a home revamp, or a discount coupon that can be used within a year would work nicely. Get feedback from customers on what they would like to get for free from you and pick up reasonable ideas to create your freebie offer.
Alongside carrying out all of these marketing strategies, also ensure you have adequately protected your new architect’s firm with the right kind of insurance. Apart from general insurance, your should also consider purchasing Errors and Omission coverage or Professional Liability coverage. This coverage protects your firm’s finances from the impact of a lawsuit that may be filed by a disgruntled client claiming that you have offered inadequate or incomplete service or have been negligent. Remember that your professional liability insurance takes care of your financial outlay if you fight the lawsuit and covers you for any damages you may have to payout. That makes this insurance a critical risk management tool for your new firm. To learn more about this kind of insurance, check this website.
Sources:
1) Taz Khatri, 2015, Marketing for Architects: 7 Low- or No-Cost Ways to Elevate Your Small Firm, last upadted: Dec 9 2015, Aval at: https://www.autodesk.com/redshift/marketing-for-architects-7-low-or-no-cost-ways-to-elevate-your-small-firm/
2) Enoch Sears, Architecture Firm Marketing: 5 Sure-Fire Ways to Get Clients Now, Avl at: https://archmarketing.org/architecture-firm-marketing-get-clients-now/
3) Alice Jackson, 2017, Top 10 Tips For Promoting An Architectural Design Business, Last updated: Sept 27, 2017, Avl at: https://www.designhill.com/design-blog/tips-for-promoting-an-architectural-design-business/
4) Enoch Sears, 2018, Marketing For Architects: The Authoritative Guide (with Case Studies), Last updated: July 2, 2018, Avl at: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/marketing-for-architects/
Need A Massage? Learn How To Give One To Yourself And Your Loved Ones
Receiving a massage, whether it’s given by someone else or self-administered, can help loosen your muscles and establish a better connection not only with your body but also with the people you love.
