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The Stig
Joined: 16 May 2008
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 4:54 am Post subject: Tips for promoting new practice |
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This is my very first post on this forum so here goes.....
I have set up a new practice. At present its only a part time venture until i can get enough work in to give up the day job.
At present the jobs i do get in come in from Builder contacts. They are one man bands so the level of work is not going to be great.
That leaves advertising. Never done it before so i would be grateful for advice. Its a far from cheap exercise so i will need to be carefully selective.
Advice would be very welcome. |
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csintexas
millennium club
Joined: 06 Feb 2006
Posts: 1865
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry, didn't mean to make you feel unwelcome. I didn't notice your thread.
I think community involvement is a good way to promote business.
_________________
Chris Stewart
Modern Texas Home Project |
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Richard Haut
millennium club
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 1137
Location: Nice, France
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| Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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Stig
I think that you are in the U.K. - not the easiest market at the moment.
Basically promoting an architectural practice is a matter of letting people know that you are there, and what you can do, with some back-up based on your experience.
It is a ripple-effect - the nearer to your office the wider the range of people whom you are likely to want to contact.
Have you considered the type or work/clients that you are looking for ?
Make sure that you are on "standard" lists and therefore that your practice name comes up if people are looking for an architect in your area.
Keep any promotion simple and clear - and cheap. You want the maximum coverage. Set up a simple website (if you haven't already) and - basically - let people know that you are open for business.
Advertising costs - much better to think up a relevant area of interest for your potential clients and then suggest that the local newspapers and radio stations might like to interview you or for you to write an article.
Good luck.
_________________
Richard Haut has worked with the architectural profession for over 25 years and produces the weekly Richard Haut's Competitions, which has given architects details of many thousands of projects for which they can apply across Britain and Europe. |
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djswan
Joined: 17 Aug 2007
Posts: 767
Location: Montana, USA
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| Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 9:30 am Post subject: |
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One of my degrees is in Marketing.
I would suggests what works for me. Put on a show. Find a place to perform and start performing. The bigger the audience the more likely you will find someone who wants to hire you. I can ride a unicycle and juggle too. Welcome aboard.
Derek
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Madimel
Joined: 06 Feb 2008
Posts: 154
Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
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| Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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| what have you done to network so far? Are you a member of the RIBA? Are you actually attending meetings and volunteering for events? Start networking with suppliers as well. Enter your designs in publications and other competitions. A simple formula to follow is to under promise and over deliver. It takes a long time to establish your reputation, but you only need one bad project to ruin it all. |
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Basri
Joined: 05 Jun 2008
Posts: 4
Location: Seattle, Washington
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| Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 3:27 pm Post subject: New practice |
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I recently started my own structural practice.
I heard and it is true: the first year is probably be the hardest. Try to meet as many people as possible. Search online for local businesses or associations. Do not let your feeling of being inferior or inadequate, if you experience any, keep you down.
Do not run business on loans or mortgages; It may lead to financial disaster. Keep your overhead low, otherwise bills will add up much faster.
I should post again sometimes next year to let you know if I survive this first year  |
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ExperiencingArchitecture
Joined: 11 Jul 2008
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: Great suggestions |
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| I find these tips most useful. Great advice. |
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modjohn
Joined: 07 Nov 2007
Posts: 38
Location: Kansas, USA
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| Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject: |
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Stig – welcome from a fellow Top Gear fan. My son and I really enjoy their show. Cool cars and crazy men!
Your web site does provide people in your area a way to get more information about you and your work, once they do find it. But, I think you get a lot more international exposure from a web site than you do local exposure, unless you plaster your URL everywhere you can in your area. I use Google Analytics on my site and I am amazed by the locations of the visitors.
I agree with the other posts, networking and maximize your local exposure whenever possible. You might even consider doing a little volunteer work where you can meet new people.
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Experience: What we get when we don't get what we wanted! |
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Checkpoint43
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 66
Location: Lexington, VA
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| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 6:54 am Post subject: The Checkpoint Display |
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In the phone directory
A name is all they show
But to select an architect
There’s more you need to know
Like do they draw the kind of home
Where you would like to stay
So we told them to let Checkpoint
Put their drawings on display
Most plans are sold to builders
And so it’s no surprise
We’re featured in the very stores
Where builders buy supplies
To protect a drawing’s copyright
Here’s what you must do
If you wanna get a build permit
You need a voucher, too
Eight sets are required
To have a permit done
But if you’d rather study them
We sell them one by one
Home plans at your fingertips
By local architects
Don’t order from a magazine
Just look for the check
CHECKPOINT
www.checkpointplans.com |
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teamjdc
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 291
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| Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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Checkpoint?
Even more useless than buying plans online.
Perhaps you can build with those in Hicksville, USA, where a bottle of booze gets you a permit, but anywhere else and they're not worth a damned thing. |
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CommunicatingArchitecture
Joined: 23 Aug 2008
Posts: 3
Location: London
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:24 am Post subject: |
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Stig
As far as advertising, my advice would be to put your energy and budget into the Web.
Invest in a decent SEO friendly website, list this with all the web architectural directories, and search engines, and hopefully you’re be top of the Google search in no time.
To help boost traffic try GoogleAdwords
With Adwords you could easily get yourself on page 1, with the 'right' words in place – this will cost you between 10-50p, every time someone clicks on your advert through to your site.
_________________
Communicating Architecture
Graphic Design and Brand Management for Architects and Architecture.
http://www.communicating-architecture.com |
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mx2
millennium club
Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 1968
Location: Miami, Florida
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:27 am Post subject: |
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There are countless business models that give all sorts of theories and strategies on how to promote any and all businesses and for the most part, they are absolutely a fundamental necessaity to marketing an Architectural firm (from business cards to web pages to responding to RFQ's and on an on...)
HOWEVER...after more than a short decade in this profession and having stuck my nose in all aspects of the business side of it all...what seems to be the most effective in real promotion is word of mouth. I find that more than half the business that ALL architects get are recommendations from other clients, builders they worked with, engineers who were asked to do a project, city officisla or product salesmen who list architectural firms when asked if they know any....
BUT when they do finally come looking, it's all on you to have best prepared your firm to sell its services and sell it well. In other words, my idea is that promoting this business is two-fold...first, get them to come look, then sell. Like a resume...unsolicited maybe....if the resume gets you the interview, that's the first step....but then, to actually get the job, you have to interview well. Same thing with your business...errrrr, I mean your professional firm. 
mx2.5
_________________
*Art of Architecture: The conscious use of skill and creative imagination in the production of an aesthetic building.
*Science of Architecture: The calculated use of technical skill and knowledge in the construction of a functional building. |
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Checkpoint43
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 66
Location: Lexington, VA
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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Word of mouth is great,
but a picture is worth a thousand words.
Show them your work.
I can offer you some display space.
 |
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nanrehvasconez
Joined: 25 Feb 2008
Posts: 170
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Socialize, personal contacts will bring you clients, joint the Kiwanis, the Lyons', the Masons'; most of these people are well known in the community and will open doors for you, architecture is a profession with very limited customer base; do not waste your time and money in ads. |
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Checkpoint43
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 66
Location: Lexington, VA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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None of my clients were Kiwanis, Lyons, or Masons.
They were simply people who wanted to build a house.
They saw my work and called me. Simple as that.
The alternative is to rely on word of mouth.
The the client calls, sets up a meeting, and asks for you to show him some of your work. That has been the standard procedure. You've all done that before.
After that, the client makes his decision.
He's wasted a couple of hours of your valuable time.
And what if he says "no"?
Are you going to spend another hour or so doing a dog and pony show for him? A little song and dance? Pleading, "Please don't leave! I can do better! Just give me a chance!"?
Wouldn't you rather have someone knocking on your door, who already knows that he wants you?
No need to "Sell" them, because they already said "Yes" when they saw your work. It was automatic. You didn't need to try to woo them.
Your work did that in advance.
This is no fly by night, $100 stock plan, hillbilly drawn, supermarket magazine.
This is you representing your practice.
It is as professional as you are.
Are you willing to step up and announce yourself to the community?
Or are you going to sit back and bad mouth the idea, while your competitors benefit from it?
Hey, after all, you have the Lyons and word of mouth.
www.checkpointplans.com
(Available at Spencer Home Center. Currently negotiating with Stock Building Supply and The Contractor Yard) |
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