Shannon Battisson, The Mill Architecture + Design

1.    How were you feeling about your practice marketing before and after taking the AM360 course? 

(Score out of 10, where 1 is worried, overwhelmed and anxious, and 10 is relaxed, informed and motivated.)

Before: 2 out of 10

After: 8 out of 10

2.    Did you have any initial hesitations about committing to the AM360 course? If yes, please describe them.

My only hesitation was less about the AM360 course itself and more about marketing in general! I really struggled with the idea of marketing, and how it could possibly be done without the ick factor.

3.    What helped you to overcome those concerns and decide to enrol?

The past few years have been very difficult for small business, especially when architecture is seen as a luxury that can be jettisoned in tough times, and I really wanted to feel more in control of how we generate business. In the past, we have run a thriving business based purely on referrals from past clients, and our only concern was doing a good job for our much loved clients. Now it feels that times have changed, and we need to take a more active role in generating new projects.

This course felt like the perfect opportunity to jump into the world of marketing, relating specifically to architectural practice.

4.    How satisfied were you overall with the AM360 course?

5 out of 5 stars

5.    In relation to the course delivery, how long did you take to complete the course materials in the self-guided program.

I worked through the entire course in the suggested 3-week duration  

6. In relation to the course content, what were the main marketing topics or problems you wanted to learn more about in the course?

I really wanted a better understanding of marketing as a whole, and to be able to better understand the different types of marketing available. Other than that, I really needed help putting together a plan so I felt less like I was drowning in a sea of terminology that felt very foreign!

7. Did the course address those topics or concerns in sufficient detail for you?

Absolutely. I enjoyed the break up into different channels, which allowed me to digest the information at my own pace. And then I loved how it came together at the end and I could see a plan for how it could work for our business and clients in particular (as opposed to trying to squeeze our way of working into someone else's plan).

8. Did you find the suite of materials suited your learning needs? Please provide details, including any suggestions for improvements in future iterations.

I enjoyed how the course was presented, and the only feedback I have is that in a couple of the videos they seemed to accidentally repeat a part of the video a second time. Overall though it was easy to navigate and I liked that I was as comfortable working through it at home as I was in the office!

(Note: in the spirit of embracing progress over perfection - and acknowledging that we all make mistakes and can correct them and move on - the repetitions that Shannon alerted us to have now been corrected.)

9. Did you find the Facebook group and live Zoom sessions useful to gain additional support?

I haven't found much engagement with the Facebook group yet, but I have found the live Zoom sessions great for connecting with others on the same learning journey, and getting to hear how they are feeling about it all.

10. In relation to Rachael's presentation style, do you have any suggestions or recommendations for future improvements?

I found Rachael's understanding of architecture and marketing together to be a fantastic asset in trying to convince me (a resister to all forms of marketing) to think about marketing in a different light.