Architects are amazing.
But you don’t get paid enough for everything you do.
Together, we can change that.
We provide business development and marketing services and CPD for architects who want to change the narrative.
Your value isn’t reflected in your fees and salaries
Imperceptibly, over time, architects have taken on more and more risk and responsibility.
Even today, your expertise, knowledge and scope is constantly expanding.
But architecture fees and salaries haven’t kept pace with these changes.
It’s time to clearly articulate all of the value architects deliver.
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Architects respond to complex economic, legal, social, environmental and climate challenges
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Many people think architects only serve a privileged few, but in fact they serve the entire community; access to good design is an equity issue
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Architects are best known for their design skills, and the full breadth of their skillset is poorly understood and under-appreciated
Architecture. It sounds like design,
but it’s so much more than that
I’m Rachael Bernstone,
architecture’s “Chief Storytelling Officer”
I’ve been researching, writing and sharing stories about architects and architecture for 25 years.
And I’ve interviewed more than 2,500 architects - from Pritzker laureates and Gold Medallists; to practice principals and project architects - and every conversation reveals new insights about the profession and its culture, your clients and businesses, and the challenging environment you operate in.
Now I apply that knowledge to help architects create great stories that underpin advocacy, marketing, business development, awards, publishing and other outward-facing messaging.
These stories create and enhance connections, build trust and authority, inspire agency and action, and that articulate the full extent of your important contribution.
Let’s tell your unique story, together.
Sounds Like Design works with architecture practice owners and directors who want confidently and easily attract and win more ideal clients, and the projects they love working on.
Since 2016, we’ve worked with hundreds of architecture firms of all sizes, from sole practitioners to small, medium and large businesses.
We offer a range of services at various price points, including:
Consulting and business coaching: one-off sessions, three-month packages and ongoing retainers,
CPD training: express workshops and mini-courses, full courses and hosted communities with peer support, and
Public speaking: at peak body and industry events.
Media training: for thought-leaders and subject matter experts
Who do we work with?
We love architects and architecture,
and we love clear communication
So let’s address the elephant in the room.
A lot of architects shy away from marketing their services, for many different reasons.
Some remember when architects were banned from advertising. Others believe that “the work should speak for itself”.
(We’ve created a list of 19 reasons that architects don’t like marketing themselves; you can read it here.)
But once our clients and students start to experience the benefits of authentic marketing - using our customisable system - they build momentum, and generate impressive results that compound over time.
At Sounds Like Design, we believe the purpose of architecture marketing is actually pretty simple.
Architecture marketing makes it easier for clients to find you contact you trust you engage you refer you
Now that’s out of the way, what can we help you with today?
I need a
better strategy
Visit our Services Page
for CPD and
Consulting services
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browsing
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sure yet
Take our Quiz
and we’ll help
you work it out
What our clients say about working with us
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Rachael is a master of capturing the essence of a project. She’s able to succinctly identify the project qualities and communicate them in an accessible manner to a broad audience.
- Adam Haddow, SJB
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“It is a must-do course for anyone setting up practice, and I only wish I had done it when we first started, 14 years ago!”
- Shannon Battisson, studio.sdb
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“Rachael has an incredible depth of knowledge on the world of design and is able to artfully position our practice and its work where it should be.”
- Nick Tobias, Tobias Partners
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"Architects - I recommend Rachael's course to you if for NO other reason than to learn the mechanisms and vocabulary of marketing that you need. From then on, all your other learning and dot-connecting will come so much easier."
- Sarah Hobday North, Architect GP
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Rachael ‘gets’ architecture and architects. You don't come across this often. She understands the whole culture and her advice is very good. I recommend the course to other architects because Rachael does this exceptionally well, and I think she has created a simple methodology."
- Catherine Baudet
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“Now we have a big picture vision of what the Marketing and Communications Blueprint is, and how to use it going forward. This was a really enjoyable process for something most architects find drudgery.”
- Carol Marra, Marra + Yeh
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“Rachael’s course is results-focused, with outcomes directly applied to one’s own practice. It’s probably the most informative CPD course I have done so far.”
- Angela Rheinlaender, Studio 203
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“I found the idea of marketing overwhelming, but this gives very simple steps to implement new ideas. The resources will be useful for months, probably years to come.”
- Rebecca Christianson, Christianson Architecture
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“I want to thank you, Rachael, for helping me understand my service offering and its value and uniqueness... It helped me strategise future directions for my business.”
- Maria Vrondas, Archivore
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“We would strongly recommend the AM360 course to other architects and designers. There is no other marketing CPD course we are aware of that is tailored explicitly towards architects and designers.”
- Owen Zhu, Haptica Studio
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“Thanks once more for the amazing copy you wrote for the awards entry. I am sure it highly contributed to the success.”
- Monika Obrist, Refresh* Design
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“Thanks for the approach you take to lift the profession, lift people and bring hope. Hope that we are steering the ship. Your words are powerful and needed. I always look forward to reading The Architectural Drilldown.”
Luke Rowlinson, Rowlinson Architecture
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"Since the course finished, I managed to obtain 4/4 testimonials .... The testimonials were definitely confidence boosts - I’m not sure why I was so nervous about asking for them!"
- Amy Leenders, Leenders Cottier Architects
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