Michelle Derviss

Is anyone marketing “green building” or LEED more heavily these days?

Elif;
All the ideas written to you are good/great. I would also like to add how important relationships are, especially the more involved/complicated/pricey a job goes.

History shows that the great designers were also people who were great “relaters”. Be personable, be authentic, be passionate, and be honest with your clients . . . it’ll carry…[Read more]

Hi Elif,
Glad that you found my comments helpful. 🙂

Thank you very much. It’s always nice to get suggestions from experienced Landscape Architects as yourselves. I’ll try to follow and let you know about the result.

Hi Elif,
I have always maintained that there is a profound difference between ‘planning’ a space and ‘designing’ a space. A good design trancends a good plan, but a good design must be based on a good plan.

Part of what makes a design a good design is its uniqueness or as you call it, its identity.

In my opinion the first person to whom you need…[Read more]

Hi there,

I’m new to land8lounge and this is my first group to have joined.
Hope to explore all of these web-site’s features and to get in touch with a lot of new collegues…

Greetings from Croatia

Hi Elif,
Now this is an interesting discussion, and I agree with a lot of what Michelle has to say, and I would like to add some of my own comments just as soon as I have time , perhaps over the week-end. Greetings from Ireland.
Hugh

Elif,
Not all well healed clients speak the language of art or architecture.
If you use stories to relate your design charrettes then you have to speak to them in a language that they understand.
If your client is a doctor use medical metaphors. In essence you are meeting your client at a level that they feel comfortable and knowledgeable in.

In…[Read more]

Thank you very much Chris. I probably share a common problem with other Landscape Architects. Hopefully in time, it will change!
Greetings from Istanbul!

Thanks for the suggestion.
I also prepare images and perspectives. What I wanted to ask was: Generally the client doesn’t know what they want and when you come up with new ideas rather than the usual concepts, they don’t understand it. Therefore I develop a story for them. For example, I say ” It’s a Mondrian Garden and the design structure is ……[Read more]

Elif,
I hope I understand your question, here’s goes. When I present a project to a client I bring pictures of plants and I try and draw quick perspesctives or elevations of the job. A lot of people can not visualize a plan view into a real life project. They have not had the training we have and don’t look at plans as we do. When I go to their…[Read more]

I have a question!
Each time I prepare a project, I write a story for it. I try to present it telling this strory. I don’t simply say “Here a group of shrubs you like and some other here!”
My clients are quite high level people but I don’t know why they don’t understand much when I try to give an identity to the design I prepare for them.
I would…[Read more]

Hello Chris,
In regards to your question about marketing at a home or trade show, I have some experience in this realm.
20 years ago I designed and installed a small intimate garden exhibit at the San Francisco Garden Show. I had just recently moved to the Bay area and wanted to open my own design practice.
The show was a success for me.
After 5…[Read more]

I’m trying to develop a specific contract for my firm’s LA work and am trying to find a good sample contract to model ours after.

Thanks!

I just recently filled the only LA position in my firm in a region where there aren’t many LA’s practicing locally. I’ve been asked to develop some marketing strategies to increase what I can bring in to the firm. Any thoughts as to how to develop the marketing side of what I can provide clients?

Great idea, John. Thanks for starting this group!

A member in another forum in the lounge asked a question about resume’s and CV’s- where might she find a template to create these.
Here’s an online resource I found recently that might be of use to some of you-

http://www.visualcv.com

I haven’t used it myself., but it does seem to have potential.

Chris Heiler
Editor- http://www.landscapeleadership.com

I have found this website (http://www.whillsgroup.com) and people to be very informative and helpful. From their website- ‘Wellesley Hills Group is a management consulting, marketing, and lead generation firm specialized in helping consulting, professional, financial, and technology service firms achieve their growth and profit potential.’ I get…[Read more]

Finally Hooked-Up!

Matthew E. Wilson suggested that I read this book! It looks good so I will be picking it up shortly! It is called: “The Answer: Grow Any Business, Achieve Financial Freedom, and Live an Extraordinary Life (Hardcover)”