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When you choose architecture as your profession, you probably don’t imagine yourself becoming an expert marketer overnight, or even at all. Yet, marketing is how you will increase your business’ visibility and, ultimately, its revenue.
There are many strategies you can employ in architecture marketing. Much like an architect designing a building, there needs to be proper planning before implementing your marketing plan. Have a clear understanding of whom you are marketing to, what they are looking for, and how you will provide them with this value.
To help get started, consider these six effective marketing strategies:
1. Your website should be a virtual portfolio of your work.
Make it easy for people to find you by having a mobile-friendly site and make it easy for them to contact you with your contact info prominently displayed. If they can’t call, display an email address or place to send requests via online forms. To entice visitors to fill out the form, provide them with some free incentive such as a newsletter subscription or maybe even an eBook on the subject that interests them the most.
When designing and creating a website, consider adding geotags to every page that clearly states where you practice architecture and links back to your main site or blog. This will improve your website’s SEO with geotagging. You can also add in some local search terms, so people will know when they are searching for an architect in their geographical area that you serve them specifically. Use this opportunity to list all of your services and include your contact information so they know how to get in touch if they need your help and include your architecture portfolio.
2. Take advantage of blogging and guest posting.
Blogging about architecture is a great way to establish yourself as an expert in your field, which will draw more potential clients towards you. If you are new to blogging or lack time to do it daily, consider creating a series of blog posts on the same topic for each month.
Writing guest posts is also a great way of getting exposure while simultaneously increasing your firm’s online presence. As an architect, you should be able to write well-researched articles about topics related to architecture that people are interested in reading about and sharing with others via social media. For example, when writing furniture store copy, keep in mind that you need to establish yourself as an expert who knows their stuff by using terms unique to the architecture industry. Your content should also be a clear call to action that tells the reader what to do next.
When writing blogs and guest posts, keep in mind that search engines like Google rank sites based on keywords they find within the text of each site. Use them in an intelligent way so people will click on the results after searching for related information. Remember that these keywords appear in the same places on your site every time, making it easier for search engines to crawl.
3. Be active in social media.
You can use social media to engage with potential clients and followers by sharing interesting architecture-related content and interacting with others who do the same. You can also follow them back to reciprocate. Sharing helpful content will encourage people to check out your website or blog, where you’ll hopefully make a sale. Be sure to set up profiles for each one of your locations, so people know what areas you serve. The easier it is for someone to find you online, the more likely they will contact you when they need a new building designed.
4. Speak in events.
Getting out there and speaking at events makes you more visible to potential clients. They’ll learn more about your work, see how qualified you are for their project, and hopefully contact you to work together on it. When considering what event to appear at, make sure that the attendees will be interested in hiring architects. Maybe even look into creating a local meetup for architects to discuss opportunities and challenges they face in running their businesses.
5. Attend networking events.
There are many types of networking events out there. Some will even let you bring your customers along. These are great ways to meet potential clients who may not be using online resources yet. You can join educational groups or attend industry events like trade shows where you’ll have the opportunity to make business connections that will hopefully turn into future clients.
6. Solicit referrals from satisfied customers.
Once clients have received what they paid for, such as an impressive landscape design for their backyard, ask if they know anyone else who could benefit from your services; this is one of the best ways to make new connections. If not, include a link to your website at the bottom of every email that’s sent out so recipients can refer you to others by forwarding it along or adding a personal note about why they liked doing business with you.
Takeaway
Being an architect is not just about designing buildings but also about marketing your firm to get more clients. Consider making business cards, brochures, and other promotional material that you can hand out to people during networking events, so they know how to contact you. Don’t forget to post all of your accomplishments on social media where potential customers are already spending much time online. Along with the above points, make sure your website contains valuable information for when visitors decide to contact you. Make yourself sound like the perfect candidate for any project, no matter how big or small, by including testimonials from satisfied clients too!
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