MARKETING REPS

[Daryl McCann]

I am a one-man satellite office in Palm Beach for a company out of Boston. We do, almost exclusively, high-end residential design. Marketing now has become my life as work has gotten incredibly slow. I don’t wish to tell you any lofty ideas on how to market but would rather give you and hope to get in return, what I thought was a successful marketing effort. Recently, we joined the PB Chamber of Commerce, which holds monthly breakfast meetings. I am not very outgoing but I do love to converse on topics I know and have interest in. I knew, if I were to go to these meetings, I would need some people with me. Having already created some professional connections with architects, interior decorators, engineers, etc… I called some of my closest allies and asked them if they wanted to attend. The fee for non-members is $20, which of course my company picked up. I also said if they wanted to bring someone in the business let me know and I would put their name on the list. I ended up with 6 people, two who I had never met but made a great connection and one (an architect) said he would pass my business card on to a new client of his. I am going to follow-up with a lunch with him and probably the other. I invited a supplier of carved stone who I have known for years, introduced her to some of the people in the group, and told them about her company and to go see her beautiful showroom. By the end she thanked me profusely and took several of my business cards to keep at her store. Now I plan to do this for every Chamber breakfast. Because I introduced people to other people it really elevated me and my capabilities without ever showing them a bit of my work. And the best, because I had a group around me people migrated toward us and introduced themselves and people in the group saw people they knew and introduced them to the group. I have a few other ideas and ones I am formulating but to all reading this, quid-pro-quo. Lets help each other with some real “how I did it” stories. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated and would get you lunch on us if you are ever in PB.

[Katie Cool]

This is interesting. I’ve been to Chamber luncheons, although not for a long time, but it never occured to me to invite others whose businesses compliment mine. Brillant. I have just signed up for one at the end of the month and will have to think about who to invite. I would be very interested in hearing other “How I did it” stories.

[Lynn Saussy]

Brandon,
Today I was talking with a friend about how to increase my business. She knows me well and said that the best way for
me to increase my business would be to get a rep. She told me the story about her other friend who is a sculptor. This gal
was almost bankrupt and decided to get a rep. Some artists have a hard time selling themselves much less charging for their work
The sculptor is now out of debt and making a very good living. She does what she does best – the art – and let’s the rep
run the business part for her.

I came home excited after that discuss, full of hope and got on the internet to start researching my opitons. I typed in ‘reps for architects’ and this page came up with your question….Wow, how cool is that?

I think this is a really good idea for me – I am an introvert, highly sensitive, and really love to design….the business side of this profession is such a struggle for me. So after 17 years of just barely making it, I am ready to try something different!

I will let you know when I find someone.
Lynn

[Adam E. Anderson]

Nick is right. Your talking about business development, which marketing is a large part. I think many try to overcomplicate things, for any sized firm you have to answer:

-What is our competitive advantage?
-How do we effectively communicate this to potential clients?

Naturally Web 2.0 applications are effectively being used, I would say not so much in the landscape architectural world. But your website is your “window” into your office. I believe it is absolutely critical for it to be properly designed to tell the story of your firm. Then you use your web 2.0 marketing tools to attract people to your site.

But in the end, deliver a great product, and the business will be there.

[Author]

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