We hear a lot of how the romantic view of architects and architecture is doing damage to our profession, but on the other hand, the we are a service to our client angle seems to be squeezing us out of the picture;
what are your thoughts of how our profession should market itself?
I just sent an angry email to the local downtown weekly because they published two new projects downtown with no mention at all of either of these new buildings having an architect.
Were the stadium photographers credited? I'll bet they were (slideshow was taking too long for me to load).
I don't have an answer, simples, but the lack of mention we get in press publications can only be alleviated if every time we see a building being uncredited we make the publishers know that it should be.
lb...photographers were credited, or were posted as courtesy of "owners"
i just see the lack of mention as a sign of how much, or little, our profession is perceived of, outside our profession itself...even when speaking directly about architecture, architects don't seem to matter!
in a capitalist free market, it's hugely, imperatively, important how others see you, and how others see value on what you do.
i am sure all the architects' involved in the projects will hopefully be contacting Forbes' as well....
i feel that as architects, we are whores (even if whores with a choice). we're also rude whores coz we bad mouth people for treating us like whores. whores used to be sacred priestesses with convenants (not cotnracts) and sacrifices. but now, a whore it a countable thing.
what do you propose otherwise, what do you know more than the client..if your client thinks s'he it knows all there is to know? what sort of reply are you seeking?
I think it is a bit pretentious, and egomaniacal to believe that you are going to have a business and it will be successful without marketing of some sort. Architects provide a product, and it is up to them and give it value to its' customer. Obviously no one else will do it for you.
i always that that architect shall have an agent to take care of marketing like all star does... since our artistic ego shall be used for branding/marketing rather than sitting at room romantisizing it.
If you need an agent then you can't most effectively articulate the value of your product. As an architect, if you can't do that, you might be in trouble.
I rarely see the architect get credit in articles that are about the project and not the building.
Photographers only 'license' the usage of their photos, unless stipulated otherwise. They really had a brilliant marketing/law guy write up this plan!! Seriously, it is absurd to me but gives the complete control, forever, of their photos.
Pure genius! These guys can get paid to take 100 pics, license them for 2 years with limited usage, then charge more for anything else.
All comes down to client negotiation. Architect's suck at getting paid well, generally, they suck at controlling the playing field and are alienating so much talent with the bureaucracy and licensure bs.
"according to the AIA, marketing in unethical" - seriously?! that's amazingly scary...
my current office has two dedicated marketing professionals in-house (non-architects, actually educated in marketing) - but most of what they do is go after work, and spread the word within potential clients...they do submit press releases re. projects and awards as well, but that's all within the industry...i think that's extremely necessary from an individual firm standpoint...but i think architects must do something to better market themselves outside the building industry...any thoughts there!?
According to AIA 201 - publications of built work shall include credit to the architect -
I guess that says about how effective A-201 really is to enforce.
"Architect shall be exempt from rational decision making and timely functioning and shall retain the right to act like a pompass ass when in accordance with other provisions in this chapter architect has indeed become tiresome of this project and retains rights to assign it to intern with fucking clue and architect is held harmless to pursue next job that seems interesting only to end up tiresome and dull"
quizzical, you run your own office, correct!? do you market your office outside your local building industry?! what is your position on how we, as a profession, market ourselves...
sorry if i am beating on a dead-horse...but perception is worth a lot nowadays, and i have a feeling we don't realize that...
simples, yes ... we run a mid-sized practice with a particular building type focus. our practice is national in scope, and becoming increasingly international.
the development of our firm was based largely on establishing, and maintaining, strong interpersonal relationships with key individuals in our client firms. as those people rose in their firms, or moved to other firms, those relationships became transportable because we stayed in touch. we have an active CRM (client relationship management) program and we stay in touch with many, many people in our niche market every year.
we also fund an active PR program that endeavors to get our work, and our thinking, into print. that's a very long-term effort, but we're commited to that initiative. our senior people regularly attend, and speak at, industry events tied to our niche. we meet new people at those events and use the opportunity to show people there our work. then, we contact new relationships after the event -- usually with a phone call and a brochure.
we don't ever "advertise" per se ... a waste of money, in our view. we do participate in design award programs and have reasonable success -- of the design awards we win, the only ones that have any real marketing importance are those that are run by industry associations -- I love the AIA, but design award programs run by the Institute are of little interest to anybody but architects.
architecture remains a personal service business ... people want to work with people they know and trust ... you have to get out of your office and meet people and build your reputation one prospective client at a time. there is no short cut or "easy button" here -- it's all elbow grease and social skills and persistence.
what I write above is just how our firm approaches the marketplace ... marketing is not a "one size fits all" activity -- like our other work, we each have to design an approach that actually works for what we're trying to accomplish. but, you can't do nothing
as uncomfortable as marketing might be, you don't generate enough new work without it to have the sort of practice you really want. you have to overcome your reluctance and your shyness and your laziness -- you have to get off your ass and recognize the world for what it is -- too many of us simply think great design's going to get us all the work we want -- not true -- you have to go find new work if you want to stay busy.
quizzical - i always appreciate your input, as it's usually very well balanced...i am always impressed by your position on a variety of issues, especially as someone who is running his/her own office; i hope that you are young which would give me hope for the future of the practices out there!!!! now that the sucking up is over with...
your marketing process (thanks for sharing) seems to exemplify what should be done at an individual (firm) level...do you think there needs to be a cultural / philosophical shift on how we market ourselves, to focus on how we bring inherent value through architecture to different industries?! i think that shift in focus needs to happen...and i guess that was the point i am trying to make/develop...
simples -- alas, I am not young (in years) -- just another object lesson that proves it takes time and experience to even begin understanding some of the more intricate aspects of our profession. however, I do have young partners and I try to share with them the same sort of thoughts I try to share here on archinect.
if i understand your question, you're suggesting that the "profession" needs to rethink how it markets itself. with the acknowlegement that architecture is a diverse and unruly profession (archinect reinforces that lesson to us every day) what you suggest would be great. perhaps you're suggesting something like the Milk Institute's "got milk?" campaign. unfortunately, what we sell is considerably more complex and diverse than a commodity like milk.
AIA, which currently is the only realistic "voice" of the profession in the US, has tried, and continues to try, to position architects to be more successful in the marketplace. some of that effort is through advocacy, some of the effort is through marketing and PR, some of that effort is through helping its members improve their competence. it's an incredibly slow process (by its nature) and the members have a hard time sustaining their interest and their economic support. but, fundamentally, yes -- that effort is aimed at promoting the "value" of architects and architecture.
at a personal level, I think that's the right focus.
Apr 8, 08 12:09 pm ·
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Architecture & the value of Marketing
Forbes' article on New Super Stadiums, with Slideshows makes no mention of architects (except for one quote)
http://www.forbes.com/2008/03/31/sports-stadiums-yankees-biz-sports_cx_tvr_0331stadiums.html
We hear a lot of how the romantic view of architects and architecture is doing damage to our profession, but on the other hand, the we are a service to our client angle seems to be squeezing us out of the picture;
what are your thoughts of how our profession should market itself?
it's worth noting that not even H+dM was mentioned along side Bird's nest - so starchitecture might not be it...
I just sent an angry email to the local downtown weekly because they published two new projects downtown with no mention at all of either of these new buildings having an architect.
Were the stadium photographers credited? I'll bet they were (slideshow was taking too long for me to load).
I don't have an answer, simples, but the lack of mention we get in press publications can only be alleviated if every time we see a building being uncredited we make the publishers know that it should be.
lb...photographers were credited, or were posted as courtesy of "owners"
i just see the lack of mention as a sign of how much, or little, our profession is perceived of, outside our profession itself...even when speaking directly about architecture, architects don't seem to matter!
in a capitalist free market, it's hugely, imperatively, important how others see you, and how others see value on what you do.
i am sure all the architects' involved in the projects will hopefully be contacting Forbes' as well....
i feel that as architects, we are whores (even if whores with a choice). we're also rude whores coz we bad mouth people for treating us like whores. whores used to be sacred priestesses with convenants (not cotnracts) and sacrifices. but now, a whore it a countable thing.
what do you propose otherwise, what do you know more than the client..if your client thinks s'he it knows all there is to know? what sort of reply are you seeking?
I think it is a bit pretentious, and egomaniacal to believe that you are going to have a business and it will be successful without marketing of some sort. Architects provide a product, and it is up to them and give it value to its' customer. Obviously no one else will do it for you.
i always that that architect shall have an agent to take care of marketing like all star does... since our artistic ego shall be used for branding/marketing rather than sitting at room romantisizing it.
If you need an agent then you can't most effectively articulate the value of your product. As an architect, if you can't do that, you might be in trouble.
do u actually know what an agent does in the real world?
ha...
I rarely see the architect get credit in articles that are about the project and not the building.
Photographers only 'license' the usage of their photos, unless stipulated otherwise. They really had a brilliant marketing/law guy write up this plan!! Seriously, it is absurd to me but gives the complete control, forever, of their photos.
Pure genius! These guys can get paid to take 100 pics, license them for 2 years with limited usage, then charge more for anything else.
All comes down to client negotiation. Architect's suck at getting paid well, generally, they suck at controlling the playing field and are alienating so much talent with the bureaucracy and licensure bs.
tumbleweed // mdler...
"according to the AIA, marketing in unethical" - seriously?! that's amazingly scary...
my current office has two dedicated marketing professionals in-house (non-architects, actually educated in marketing) - but most of what they do is go after work, and spread the word within potential clients...they do submit press releases re. projects and awards as well, but that's all within the industry...i think that's extremely necessary from an individual firm standpoint...but i think architects must do something to better market themselves outside the building industry...any thoughts there!?
-- absolutely, 100% untrue statement. Where DO you guys get this stuff?
Read the AIA's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for yourself.
You'll be interested to note that AIA now has ethical standards with respect to sustainability -- newly adopted in 2007.
According to AIA 201 - publications of built work shall include credit to the architect -
I guess that says about how effective A-201 really is to enforce.
"Architect shall be exempt from rational decision making and timely functioning and shall retain the right to act like a pompass ass when in accordance with other provisions in this chapter architect has indeed become tiresome of this project and retains rights to assign it to intern with fucking clue and architect is held harmless to pursue next job that seems interesting only to end up tiresome and dull"
quizzical, you run your own office, correct!? do you market your office outside your local building industry?! what is your position on how we, as a profession, market ourselves...
sorry if i am beating on a dead-horse...but perception is worth a lot nowadays, and i have a feeling we don't realize that...
simples, yes ... we run a mid-sized practice with a particular building type focus. our practice is national in scope, and becoming increasingly international.
the development of our firm was based largely on establishing, and maintaining, strong interpersonal relationships with key individuals in our client firms. as those people rose in their firms, or moved to other firms, those relationships became transportable because we stayed in touch. we have an active CRM (client relationship management) program and we stay in touch with many, many people in our niche market every year.
we also fund an active PR program that endeavors to get our work, and our thinking, into print. that's a very long-term effort, but we're commited to that initiative. our senior people regularly attend, and speak at, industry events tied to our niche. we meet new people at those events and use the opportunity to show people there our work. then, we contact new relationships after the event -- usually with a phone call and a brochure.
we don't ever "advertise" per se ... a waste of money, in our view. we do participate in design award programs and have reasonable success -- of the design awards we win, the only ones that have any real marketing importance are those that are run by industry associations -- I love the AIA, but design award programs run by the Institute are of little interest to anybody but architects.
architecture remains a personal service business ... people want to work with people they know and trust ... you have to get out of your office and meet people and build your reputation one prospective client at a time. there is no short cut or "easy button" here -- it's all elbow grease and social skills and persistence.
what I write above is just how our firm approaches the marketplace ... marketing is not a "one size fits all" activity -- like our other work, we each have to design an approach that actually works for what we're trying to accomplish. but, you can't do nothing
as uncomfortable as marketing might be, you don't generate enough new work without it to have the sort of practice you really want. you have to overcome your reluctance and your shyness and your laziness -- you have to get off your ass and recognize the world for what it is -- too many of us simply think great design's going to get us all the work we want -- not true -- you have to go find new work if you want to stay busy.
hope that helps ... best wishes.
quizzical - i always appreciate your input, as it's usually very well balanced...i am always impressed by your position on a variety of issues, especially as someone who is running his/her own office; i hope that you are young which would give me hope for the future of the practices out there!!!! now that the sucking up is over with...
your marketing process (thanks for sharing) seems to exemplify what should be done at an individual (firm) level...do you think there needs to be a cultural / philosophical shift on how we market ourselves, to focus on how we bring inherent value through architecture to different industries?! i think that shift in focus needs to happen...and i guess that was the point i am trying to make/develop...
simples -- alas, I am not young (in years) -- just another object lesson that proves it takes time and experience to even begin understanding some of the more intricate aspects of our profession. however, I do have young partners and I try to share with them the same sort of thoughts I try to share here on archinect.
if i understand your question, you're suggesting that the "profession" needs to rethink how it markets itself. with the acknowlegement that architecture is a diverse and unruly profession (archinect reinforces that lesson to us every day) what you suggest would be great. perhaps you're suggesting something like the Milk Institute's "got milk?" campaign. unfortunately, what we sell is considerably more complex and diverse than a commodity like milk.
AIA, which currently is the only realistic "voice" of the profession in the US, has tried, and continues to try, to position architects to be more successful in the marketplace. some of that effort is through advocacy, some of the effort is through marketing and PR, some of that effort is through helping its members improve their competence. it's an incredibly slow process (by its nature) and the members have a hard time sustaining their interest and their economic support. but, fundamentally, yes -- that effort is aimed at promoting the "value" of architects and architecture.
at a personal level, I think that's the right focus.
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