Leading, Award-Winning, Cutting Edge and all around the cat’s meow
How many of us have used at least one of these in our marketing materials?We are a cutting-edge design firm focused on providing top notch design...We are a leading architectural firm in... Our award-winning team of designers and engineers...There isn't anything wrong...
How can I get my whole AEC firm to help me market?
I just read a very nice article from Rena Klein on AIA's website, "Get Your Firm Ready for Recovery." She does a great job of explaining the benefits of sharing project management responsibilities across firm staff through a matrix management approach. It is...
Just go after everything, right?
With backlogs drying up for firms everywhere, there is an increased pressure on every RFP response or proposal for new work. There is also a tendency to go after everything that comes in the door. Every new lead seems to be one worth following up on, because it could...
How can my architecture firm use social media?
Be sure to check out How Can My Architecture Firm Use Social Media - Part 2, it's newer.Or view all blog posts on social media for architecture and engineering firms.There are scores of companies trying to figure out how they can harness the power of social media....
Is Green enough of a differentiator?
Identifying your firm's brand is all about honing in on what makes you...you. This means being realistic about what you do well and not so well as a company. More importantly, it means determining what you do better or different than everybody else. That's a tall...
Is marketing taking away from the art of it all?
Very few architecture or engineering school programs focus on how to run a business, and even fewer actually discuss marketing. Why is that? Is marketing sort of like cheating on your profession? Or maybe at least admitting that the artistic aspects of the profession...
Top 100 Architecture Blogs
I just thought this was worth sharing with everyone. There is an interesting mix of blogs listed here, and a nice categorization.Top 100 Architecture Blogs
Why hiring a Business Development person doesn’t usually work.
Quite often, firms that struggle with marketing seek out a new hire...a "closer."The strategy is this:1. Hire somebody dedicated to bringing in new business and new business only2. Tie their compensation to their success3. If they don't work out, they get cut within a...
Unique Positioning – But At What Expense?
I recently had a conversation with some DC area architects about this post:architecture at the farmers' marketThis young intern architect did a great job at finding a low-cost way to get attention. It's actually turned into much more of a PR success than a marketing...
Markitecture to present at AIA DC Lunch ‘n Learn
Date: 4/3/2009 Time: 12:00noon to 1:00pmAIA|DC Lunch 'n Learn: Marketing for PeanutsWith cutbacks occurring across the board in many firms, marketing budgets are often one of the first to go. Now we are facing lower budgets and more emphasis on billable hours, but...
Business Development vs. Marketing
This is a very nice article on how architects can help develop more business (from early 2007). Business Development 101Unfortunately though as the name suggests, it doesn't really focus on marketing. Often marketing departments in firms are pigeon-holed into a...
I know what I need to do, I just haven’t done it…
A recent conversation with a Principal ended cordially with a "Thanks, but no thanks."That's ok. Sometimes there isn't a great fit, or the needs aren't there, etc. However, in this instance, the Principal and I had a really nice conversation in which numerous needs...