Whether you are a big firm or a small one, you need a plan to bring in new business. Architecture firms can find it harder than most because theirs is a specialist industry. Unlike a manufacturing company, you don’t get too many people coming in off the street looking for a quote. You have to deal with specialized companies, and that can make generating sales a lot harder. Luckily, it isn’t impossible if you know a few tricks of the trade. Below are five tips that will help you win more clients and contracts.
- Â Â Â Start From The Bottom
There are numerous examples of architecture firms that try and go for the Hail Mary pass too soon. Don’t be one of those firms because the odds of it working are slim. Instead, you should work from the bottom all the way to the top. Not only is it more likely to work, but it is also more fulfilling. The trick is to make a personal connection. To do that, you have to start spending time in the places they spend time. Go to the same functions; attend the same events; workout at the same gym. It doesn’t matter as long as you can build a rapport. Most leads come from people that know you.
- Â Â Â Create A Design Book
A design book is another term for a portfolio. The reason you need one is so that you can showcase your work to your clients. Research shows that a conversion is much more likely if a client or customer can see examples of your work first. Seen as it is 2016, you need a digital design book too. Most people shop via the internet nowadays. With that in mind, you need to give them a version of your portfolio that suits their needs.
- Â Â Â Design Your Site Professionally
Speaking of websites, make sure that yours has a brilliant design. There are far too many sites that don’t look the part. And, for browsers, that is a massive turn off that causes them to bounce to your competitors. Your site needs to look perfect because you are an architecture firm. If you can’t design your site, how are you going to design a building? Instead of doing alone, hire a professional company. Architecture website design by Pronto Marketing is one example of an affordable and effective service that you can use.
- Â Â Â Use Social Media Effectively
It is one thing to have a Twitter account, but it is another to use it properly. Contrary to popular opinion, there is an art to marketing with social media. For one thing, you have to make sure that it catches the attention of your customer base. And, to do that, you have to converse with them and form a relationship. Following people isn’t enough as they need to view the content when you post it online. For more tips on how to use social media, follow the link.
- Â Â Â Market Offline
There is a lot to be said for digital marketing, but offline marketing is also effective. Some clients still like to converse face-to-face, as they did before the internet. Plus, business cards will circulate from person to person. Every architecture firm should use a mix of online and offline to get the best results.
