The “Select Clients” list is a pretty common phenomenon when it comes to AEC firm websites. The conversation internally usually revolves around a few key points:
1. We want to include all of our big clients on our site…
2. But wait, we don’t want to include ALL of our clients…
3. And we want people to know we can do work like this…
4. But we don’t want people to think we CAN’T do this…
5. And we definitely don’t want to write-up every project we’ve ever worked on.
Thus the list of select clients is born. The uncategorized list that shows the firm has provided a wide range of services for clients of all types in multiple markets.
But what does the list really say about your firm?
From my perspective, the problem with providing an extensive list of ALMOST all of your clients is that it has too much irrelevant info, and not enough relevant info.
When working with clients on their websites, a large part of the exercise is defining the target audience(s) so that everything can be designed and written from their point of view. It’s really difficult to work in that state of mind though! It’s so much easier to just organize things how you look for them or write things in words that you understand.
So, thinking from your potential client’s perspective, what are they looking for when they are viewing the experience or clients section of your firm’s website? Recent, relevant experience.
Unfortunately, the long list of client names doesn’t provide any information of value in their quest. They may be able to discern that you have worked for some clients with similar needs, but they won’t be able to tell what kind of work you did or how long ago. Especially in the public arena, you’re only as good as your last three-five years, so why include the last ten years worth of clients?
What to do instead? That depends on the strength of your project experience and your marketing goals. However, the idea is that the majority of your site should have enough information to impress your top three audiences (ideally the ones that make up 70-80% of your revenue). As things change, and your client list shifts, update your site to reflect the shift.
Until they shift, don’t spend valuable time and effort marketing to the wrong clients!
Excellent post. Always ask "what value does this offer our prospects?" before you write anything for your site.
I think the main benefit of the Select Clients approach is to promote any recognizable names that might give your firm more credibility. But 2 or 3 good case studies might be more useful to your prospects.
Hi Barry, thanks for the read and the comment! That is my stance exactly, if you know your prospects and audience well enough, a few case studies are of more value and help communicate your expertise better than a simple list, regardless of its length. I appreciate you stopping by!