What’s news at Sounds Like Design?
The Sounds Like Design blog began in 2016 and since then we’ve covered business development and marketing topics, important policy and regulatory issues that affect the profession, and we’ve featured guest posts from several influential architects.
If you’d like to contribute to the blog about a topic or issue that you are passionate about, or think is important to share with your peers and colleagues, email us with your story idea, suggested images and proposed deadline, and we’ll collaborate to help you tell your story to a wider audience.
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How to use Instagram to market your architecture practice (and turn Followers into Clients) - Part 2
In Part 2 of this blog post about how to use Instagram to market your architecture practice, I outline 6 steps to enhance your Instagram activity to deliver visitors to your Website, so you can start turning Followers into future clients.
How to use Instagram to market your architecture practice (and turn Followers into Clients) - Part 1
Many architects use Instagram to promote their practice but few understand the role that it plays in your overall marketing strategy, or how to turn Followers into Clients. This blog post (and its sequel) explain how to get the most out of Instagram, and use it effectively to generate new clients and projects.
Do you repurpose your architecture awards entries for business development?
The 2021 Architecture Awards ceremonies are now over, so it’s time to repurpose your awards entries into marketing materials to promote your practice. With a few tweaks, you can easily ensure that your entries speak directly to new clients to bring in new projects. Read on to find out how…
Do you make it easy for potential clients to find, commission and pay you? (Part 2)
The second instalment of my article about jewellery shopping provides useful pointers for architecture marketing, especially around how you price your service offerings, and how to communicate your pricing and payment options to future clients.
Do you make it easy for potential clients to find, commission and pay you? (Part 1)
Two recent shopping experiences - forays that started online but led to physical store visits - provided useful pointers for architecture marketing, especially around how you price your service offerings, and how to communicate your pricing and payment options to future clients.
Talking about architecture in the media: insights from Kirsty Volz
Kirsty Volz recalls her first brush with the media, which prompted her to learn new media engagement skills. Now she regularly appears on radio and in print, and she offers insights here for architects keen to enhance their media presence.
Create a publication strategy to maximise coverage of your architecture projects
Publication is all about building brand awareness and attracting new clients to your architecture practice. But how do you navigate the various tiers of publication and maximise your coverage across print magazines and newspapers, and online platforms and blogs? This article lays out the strategy in a step-by-step process.
How can you use SEO to improve your website's search ranking?
In this video and article, I explain how SEO and copywriting fit into your overall architecture marketing strategy. If you wish to attract new visitors to your website via Google search, you need to firstly define your ICA (or ideal client) and then your USP (or unique selling proposition). Read on to find out how…
Sounds Like Design's marketing services for architects, at a glance
This blog post outlines all of the resources, products and services that Sounds Like Design provides for architects, to help them improve their marketing and communications activities. Now, after some recent housekeeping, all of SLD’s free tools and guides - and paid CPD workshops and training - are available in one easy-to-find location, making them easier to access and share.
Why Rachael Carter recommends the Review + Reset comms package for architects
Rachael Carter is an Australian interior designer who lives and works in the north-east of Brazil, where she provides remote services to Australian-based design professionals.
Rachael first contacted Sounds Like Design to ask about the Review + Reset consulting service in early 2020, and now recommends it to other architects and designers who want to elevate their marketing and communications.
Tendering: Your new secret weapon
A guest blog post by Alicia Brown, director of architecture marketing consultancy New Doors. She outlines the company’s recently established dedicated tendering arm, which puts professional tender support within reach of practices of any scale.
Five key findings from the Institute’s Client Insights survey
The Institute of Architects recently released the findings of its Client Insights research, and the entire report speaks to the importance of great communications. I’ve reviewed the results and hand-picked the findings that are most applicable to your business, in relation to client communication and marketing.
What are some of the benefits of the AM360 course?
The Architecture Marketing 360 CPD course is the only program of its kind in Australia that sets out a holistic marketing system designed specifically for architects. The course launches again Mon 6 September 2021, and this blog shares insights from past students and details about some of the marketing channels that are included in the course.
The Value of Architecture
How is your practice culture? Do you sometimes find yourself working for free, or over-servicing your clients? Architecture’s late nights, unpaid overtime, and over-service mentality is a potent mix when combined with the race to the bottom on fees. These cultural issues all speak to the need to better communicate the value of architecture.
What is architecture marketing, and do you need some in your practice?
How do you define architecture marketing? Do you view it as a way to create a pipeline of new clients and projects that you'll enjoy working on and that ensure your business is profitable and successful? Sounds Like Design provides one-on-one consulting and CPD courses for architects to help you achieve those goals.
Studio203 recommends our “results-focussed” CPD course
Angela Rheinlaender - a Partner at Studio203 - completed Sounds Like Design’s Architecture Marketing 360 course in September 2020. Since then she has implemented several key lessons and she recommends the course - worth 6 Formal CPD points - to architects who wish to improve their client and project pipeline.
How to use architecture publishing to connect with new clients
Is it still useful for architects to seek publication in printed magazines? And if so, how should you go about it? In this blog post and video, I explain that the short answer is yes: read on to discover the right way to go about it to meet your business objectives.
3 ways to proactively seek new architecture clients
How do you identify and then make contact with potential new clients for your architecture practice? Borrow my journalistic skills and some tips from architect Monique Woodward of WOWOWA to proactively seek out new clients. The 3 tips in this blog post and video are especially useful in a pandemic, but can be used at any time to expand your field of potential clients.
What’s the problem with archi-speak (aka archi-babble and archi-jargon)?
What is 'archi-speak' and how can you avoid it in your communications, especially outward-facing messaging that is designed for audiences beyond the profession? This blog post describes 'The Curse of Knowledge' and how to remove it from your architecture communications.
How should you market your architecture practice with little money, but plenty of time?
If the cashflow in your architecture practice slows down, so you can't afford to photograph your latest projects, what marketing tasks might you do instead? In this blog post and video I offer three answers to this question, and some other suggestions about how to finetune your marketing in a pandemic.