Reply To: MARKETING REPS

EDAW, Sasaki, EDSA, etc. Are known brands by the products they have put out. They are award winning firms with high profile projects. Once you get your firm established, with a quality reputation more project awards will be coming your way. I work for a large, nationwide multidisciplinary firm. We do have a marketing representative but his role is mainly to assist in representing the firm in a consistent way between all offices. When we put together an RFP or RFQ we (discipline managers) bring together all of the necessary information regarding our particular discipline (landscape architecture, architecture, civil engineering etc) and then he molds it into a package so that it looks as if one voice is doing the talking.

It’s our Business Development that brings us the opportunities before we have the PR guy get involved. Much like EDAW and Sasaki etc., we get most of our opportunities because we have a strong reputation, with a quality body of work which is known throughout the industry we serve which brings clients in and keeps our current clients very happy. Business Development usually means attending conferences (not just landscape related), trade shows and good old fashioned networking.

I have also worked in a small office like yours where chasing new clients is always a challenge. On some levels, although internally, you feel you can compete with the “big boys” it may be difficult to convince a new client. We were most successful when we teamed with other quality firms (architecture, construction). The firm I was with has been in business for over 45 years so it is possible to find that niche. I don’t think you want to blanket your services to every architeture or civil engineering firm in your area. Find firms of common interest and team with them to create a quality project. That in turn will bring more and future work.