Marketing Milestones

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A Resource For Architects

Project Milestones As Marketing

2/29/2020

Your ‘work on the boards’ is a great source of marketing.

I have often made the case for using blogging as your main marketing tool. Each of your projects provides several occasions for a brief blog post to maintain your place in your prospective clients’ minds.

You want to inform past or potential clients of what you are doing and keep your name in front of them. Write a couple of sentences about what is going on; add a picture; and you're done.

Don't make a big deal out of each post or it won't be sustainable. A photo and a caption is all that is required. This is easily delegated to just about anyone who is willing to help. The cost of building a reputation this way is insignificant and so is the effort.

Example 1

The last of the steel frame was set this week. Thanks to
our talented engineers for their simple and economical design.

MASTER LIST OF MILESTONES

design concept (3D?)
final design (3D?)
special details
ground breaking (whether ceremonial or not)
foundations
framing going up
topping out (whether ceremonial or not)
interior / exterior progress
exterior complete
dedication / open house

The beauty of this approach is that your audience is very likely to pay attention if you follow two simple rules. First, use an interesting photo. Second, keep text to the absolute minimum that tells the story. To be clear about the second rule, the text should be 25 words or less. This is a form of entertainment. Text is not entertaining.

You could pursue either of two styles. People centric, or bricks and mortar centric. I think bricks and mortar is the right focus. To me it is a decision between competence and trustworthiness versus gossip. That’s how I see the choice.

Where do the photos come from? Job site visits, official or just an informal lunchtime stop-by. Close ups are generally better than wide angle. Open studs or roof joists always look interesting.

The second source of photos are screenshots of your work in progress. Use 3D when possible. Add color to enliven black and white.

Avoid the temptation to name the project. Instead use vague references to building type. (The top photo could be anything.) Not all clients want to be part of your business development efforts. Also naming the same project over and over may give the wrong impression.