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Sarah Susanka and her Not so Big Home

What Sarah Susanka figure out twenty years ago is just as relevant today. The Architectural service pamphlet she created link provided an invaluable and accessible guide for her residential clients on the type of work architects does, as well as what they can expect in exchange for what they paid. Her pamphlet also reflected the overall philosophy Sarah held in regards to the practice of architecture. I first heard about Sarah from Richard Taylor link, the architect whom incredibly enough provided answers to twelve hundred questions on Allexperts.com over the past ten years. I was curious as the motivation behind his work and in our conversation he spoke about the public perception of what we do and who we are as architects, and his continued effort over the years to bridge that gap and that was when he mentioned Sarah's work.

Sarah is the architect and author behind the "not so big" movement. The basic premise behind her philosophy being relatively simple; build better, not bigger. An ideal that most architect and designer intuitively understand, but one that have yet to see wider acceptance by the general public. Part of the problem is the public's lack of understanding for exactly what constitute "better" when it comes to building practices. Without a clear indicator of quality, the public instead fixate on the simple statistic of size and as a result the average size of an American home has continued to grow over the past decades. All of these facts points to the need for a greater amount of dialog between the architects and the general public. Many architects such as Sarah has began to actively address this vacuum of information by taking advantage of the internet as well as traditional media as a tool to get the words out.

More on Sarah:

Article from Paul Anater Link

Architecture and Social Network

Just the other night when I pose the question “what do you think of Architects?” to a friend and I get this answer: “They are elitist snobs that charge lots of money for a simplest consultation, only the wealthy or large corporation can afford their service.” It was a joke since he knew several architects and is familiar with our ethics as well as dedication to our work. But in retrospect when I reflect on his statement I am trouble by my inability to find faults with it.

It is true that the barrier of entry for architectural design services are rather high. A two weeks mini design project, an appropriate size for an average small consumer. It would require a team consist of an architect and an intern at a cost of $16,000 in hourly fee (80 hours). That cost would purchase about a week of actual production time; a few sketches, code review and a few drawings as deliverables. Hardly justify the cost of what amounts to that of a new car. Most of the firms simply avoid smaller clients all together or dealt with them via prepackaged drawings. But neither approach really addressed what amounts to a structure problem.

What isn’t clear in the above example is that a large portion of the project time is spent on scope definition, coordination, presentation and most of all communication. If a client is familiar or understood the components and sequences of the construction process it can significantly reduce this cost. But this is rarely the case for smaller clients. By making the relevant project information available and accessible to the public, it not only benefits our client but also make the prospect of a design driven smaller project viable. Most importantly, it creates value in what we do by letting them know what it is that we do. But this isn’t an issue that is only relevant to smaller projects.

How often do you perceive an expensive quote from an auto mechanic as outrageous when you have no underlying understanding of exactly what it is that he’s going to fix? The number seems to have been conjured out of thin air since you cannot understand the technical jargon involved nor the actual process involved for the repair. Now try watching him as he work, and all of the sudden, the table’s turn and you understood the value proposition when you are able to see the actual effort and sweat involved?

When was the last time your client’s saw you turn the wrench on a project? Do they really understand the efforts required for that nice presentation you worked all night on?

I felt that this is an important problem that’s faced (or not) by most architects. The onus is on us to create and reinforce this connection with the public as an architect that is not only an artist or a philosopher but also a pragmatic problem solver with creative solutions. And for the very first time in history, the tools to facilitate this social connection are easily available and mostly free to boot.

Yes, the tools are free but the time to use them are not, and how best to apply your time? Problem is that people, especially the tradition minded architects often fail to realize the implication behind the social network revolution. The promises behind Facebook or linkin is not just a simple means of distributing your corporate messages. But they bring about a complete overhaul of the traditional organization structure itself. There are no hierarchy in a social network, the only distinguish feature is the number of connections. In addition, in the realm of social network, it makes complete sense to have a direct connection with every single individual that is of relevance to you.

Is the direct output of your intern connected to every single board member of the steering committee on your client side? Does he or she not contribute to your value proposition to the client? Why is the most important public facing resource the company website often consist of a single anonymous person making statements devoid of personality? Who are you as a firm?

An architectural firm is a collection of dedicated and passionate individuals who love what they do, we have been consistently rated as one of the happiest profession by magazines and news papers. If we can bottle job satisfaction and give it out as free samples we’ll all never have to worry about finding clients.

We can, and we should.

Start with Why,

I saw this clip this morning that I find particularly relevant to my current search for a better Architectural marketing model. In which Simon Sinek, the author of the book “Start with Why” spoke about the critical differences between those who lead by what they wish to achieve verses those who lead by what they believe.

He gave several examples in his talk describing the differences between these two modes of thinking and how it ultimately contributed to the success or failure of the business or individual he mentioned. His point was simple, if people do not understand why you do things do you, they have a much less vested interest to help you succeed or buy the product or services you offer. Monetary gain could be a desirable end result but when an individual or company is purely driven by it, they are doom to failure.

Apple believe that we should think differently, the Wrights brother believe that power flight will change the world and Martin Luthur King Jr. believe that universal justice is god’s will. Their success stem from the support of people who share the same belief which create a core level of commitment that cannot be bought otherwise.

So what is the belief of your company, why do you do what it is that you are doing? Chances are, your company have a core belief, you might not even be aware of it but you have been operating under this less than persuasive ideal for years. Struggling to define your unique position in the marketplace and a unify message for your clients when this unnamed core belief has been dragging you down all these years. Well its time to face it and figure out if it is any good.

On a practical level there are a few rules when it comes to defining your company’s belief:

1.The belief has be sharable with your target market. Ending world hunger is a noble cause but if your target market does not care about this particular issue then neither would they care about you.

2. Aspire to greater heights. Better product and services are wonderful but they do not convey a sense of purpose nor do they inspire commitment of any sort. As matter of fact in some way you are telling your client that if they can find better product or services elsewhere, that is where they should go.

3. Core belief should be simple. Concentrated juice is better juice.

4. You must remain consistent with your core belief. If you truly believe what you say you believe then let it define everything you do.

Well, lets look at an example from our own fields, the firm will remain anonymous:

“Our core belief is that the Modern paradigm is the most effective means of creating and promiting positive relationships between public and private. Individual and culture. And singular and common. Questioning conventional scenarios and processes from the basis of our design philosophy. Yet tradition is not abandoned: it is distilled for its relevant ideas,, compositions, and solutions. Combined with our ongoing interest and technology. Sustainability. And aesthetic innovation. We seek to create design that speaks to and of the aspirations of our clients”

or

“Our work reflects an enduring commitment to sustainability and the belief that design is one of the most powerful strategic tools for securing lasting competitive advantage.”

Okay both of these breaks rules 1, 2, 3 and may be even 4 and that only because they are so broad and none-specific that the architects could be peddling illicit chemicals to school children and still claim to adhere to their core belief.

It is only fair for me to put our own belief we have wrote for our start up practice EZarchitecture under the same scrutiny:

“Provides easy access to architectural solutions, we are using the internet platform for our services and also provide traditional face to face services.”

We formulated our belief from the perspective of our customer and what we thought they needed. From talking to many people the message we consistently received was a lack of understanding of what Architects do and offers. I like the first part very much, not so much the second as it is in the realm of “how”. As a matter of fact the “why” component is still a bit weak and would be stronger if we say:

“Provide easy access to architectural solutions for happy clients”

So what do you think? What is your company’s core belief? Would you be able to recite it without looking through your employee manual?

Value of marketing research for architectural firm

Having work at several architectural firm of various sizes, I have always wondered about the marketing practices common to our field. Having little or no revenue generating asset, the only way to stay afloat for most architects is through the acquisition of new clients.

So how do we do it? According to First Research, most firm spend very little money marketing but instead rely mostly on the reputation and the network of the leading partners. Larger firms receive 50% of their projects through repeat or referral customers, while smaller firm relies 70% of their business from repeat or referral customers. Although the cultivation of long term working relationship ensure client loyalty, there are limitation to the size of network a single partner can maintain and as a result most of the architect practices remain small.

There are lots of companies with successful mass market strategies in the same field, the furniture manufacturer for instance. So we are convinced that it is a viable road when properly implemented. In the following articles I will describe my effort to begin the process of researching alternate means of finding clients.

Our initial approached involved several decisions. First of all we have decided to target small business and startups. In addition we intent to focus on clients in the metropolitan area located no further than a 3 hours drive. Even with these restrictions we were convinced that we are still dealing with a sizable market.

Our marketing consultant suggested that we use the Standard Rate Data Service (SRDS) which is the largest media rates and information catalog service in the US to help us determine our target market size. By finding a publication with the same target audience as we do, we will be able to speculate the size of our market base on the size of its circulation. In addition SRDS also provide detail breakdown of the circulation base on position and industry which will provide better definition for our data.

My initial search in the category of “Architecture” yielded familiar publication such as Architectural Record or Interior Design, their circulation base mostly targeted A/E firms and offers few opportunities for potential clients. Out of 38 listed printed publications, only 3; Design Solution, Environmental Design & Construction and Metropolis had aspiration of targeting consumers as well as professionals.

Subsequent search in the category of “Building Management & Real Estate” and “Business- Metro State & Regional” yielded significantly more relevant publications. Below is a list of publications I found that share similar target market with relevant information attached:

Buildings http://www.buildings.com (total circulation 73,100) estimated 30% market match

Three largest territory being E.N. Cen 18%, Mid Atl 14%, S Atl 15%.

Three largest circulation group being Building Development Firm 14%, Education Buildings 30%, Government Buildings 11%.

Buildings helps senior- and middle-level building ownership and facilities management professionals make smarter decisions relevant to the design, construction, modernization, management, and operation of commercial and institutional buildings. By offering practical information on best practices and critical issues via in-print, online, and in-person opportunities, Buildings keeps these professionals on top of changing trends in their profession and accelerating technology in the buildings industry. The editorial staff is committed to being their No. 1 information resource by focusing on quality, unbiased content.

OfficeSolutions http://www.allthingsoffice.com (total circulation 61,341) estimated 40% market match

Three largest territory being EN Cen 19%, Mid Atl 17%?, S Atl 16%,.

CRAIN'S NEW YORK BUSINESS, a print and digital publication, is a source for New York area business news covering all important industry sectors. Each week, in-depth special reports and key lists delve into specialized topics such as banking, real estate, health care, small business and law. The Business Lives section runs provocative lifestyle stories targeted to New York business executives along with a new Insider page which focuses on city politics.

Crain’s New York Business http://www.crainsnewyork.com (total circulation 50,438) estimated 60% market match

Three largest territory being Mid Atl 99%?, N Eng 4%, EN Cen 0%.

Three largest circulation group being Others Allied to the Field 49%, Services 23%, Real Estate 7%.

CRAIN'S NEW YORK BUSINESS, a print and digital publication, is a source for New York area business news covering all important industry sectors. Each week, in-depth special reports and key lists delve into specialized topics such as banking, real estate, health care, small business and law. The Business Lives section runs provocative lifestyle stories targeted to New York business executives along with a new Insider page which focuses on city politics.

New York Enterprise Report http://www.nyreport.com (total circulation 28,442) estimated 70% market match

Three largest territory being Mid Atl 91%?, N Eng 3%, EN Cen 0%.

The New York Enterprise Report, in print, online and in-person, is the only media exclusively serving the New York tri-state area's small and mid-sized business market. With solution-based editorial written by experts, every page of NY Report is written exclusively for decision makers of growing businesses. Advertising in NY Report is the most efficient and effective way to deliver your message to the hard-to-reach decision makers of growing companies. Our readers rely on NY Report for ideas and solutions to help them grow their businesses. By advertising in NY Report, you can be part of their solution.

The Cooperator http://www.marketing.cooperator.com (total circulation 27,000) estimated 40% market match

Circulation breakdown not available.

THE COOPERATOR, is a publication for the cooperative and condominium community containing articles and advertisements relating to co-op and condo ownership. Regularly featured articles include but not limited to Board Operations, Building & Finance, Building Maintenance, Management, Buying & Selling, Interior Design, Law & Legislation, Legal Q & A, plus much more.

Design Solutions http://www.awinet.org (total circulation 24,108) estimated 10% market match

Circulation breakdown not available.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS is directed to Architects, Designers, Specifiers, owners and Corporate Design Departments addressing the utilization and specification of architecture woodwork in interior architecture. Editorial coverage of both new construction and restoration is presented in a visual format accompanied by technical data and detailed shop drawings of architectural woodwork. Special features include technical solutions and specification details on major topics: Doors, Paneling, Laminates, Architectural Woodwork, Hardware and Finishes. AIA continuing education learning units in each issue.

New England Condominium http://www.yrpubs.com (total circulation 9,800) estimated 60% market match

Circulation breakdown not available.

NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM magazine is edited for association presidents, trustees, property managers, real estate professionals and service providers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maine as well as vendors and service professionals that cater to the condo, HOA & co-op marketplace. Each issue covers a specific theme from maintenance and landscaping to legal affairs and community budgeting. In its pages is advice on lawn care, maintenance, HOA rules and saving energy, plus profiles of the distinctive neighborhoods and communities that make up the Bay State and beyond.

Habitat http://www.habitatmag.com (total circulation 8,212) estimated 90% market match

Circulation breakdown not available.

HABITAT MAGAZINE covers co-op/condo property management in the greater NYC metro area. Habitat focuses on education, awareness and empowerment for co-op, condo and home owner association decision makers: board directors, property management executives and real estate professionals. Habitat delivers industry advertising, news, features and monthly departments written by our own staff writers and editors. Every issue of Habitat features objective, credible, readable human-interest stories and articles with in-depth coverage of the complex issues of residential co-op, condo and HOA living and property management. Topics range from explorations of effective decision making, how to buy property insurance, energy and environmental issues, to the impact of legal decisions, taxation, vendor monitoring and zoning.

First of all a curious statistic, the largest regional subscriber for both Crain’s New York Business and New York Enterprise report were shown to be in the Mid-Atlantic region instead of New-England region where New York is located. I can only speculate that this is caused by large amount of NYC business incorporating in Delaware to take advantage of its favoritable regulation.

Out of the eight publication listed, Crain’s New York Business has the largest potential demo of interest. Although it is unclear to me what “Other Allies to the Field” is consist of. Habitat on the other hand, has the smallest circulation base but has a much better alignment with our target audience group.

In addition to data for the print publications, metrics measuring the traffic of online publications were also available through the SRDS. But the account available at the Technology and Business library for SRDS did not provide access to the more detail metrics necessary for regional breakdown of their individual traffic.

Identification of the print advertising landscape of our intended target market is really only the first step; there are several different direction we can take here.

SRDS also provide information on subscription based mailing list, and a suggestion was to conduct a survey using one of the smaller lists in the same target market. Something as simple as “please visit our website if you like to learn more about recent regulation changes that might impact your office selection decision” would provide us with an accurate sense of the response rate we can expect.

Another step would be to research the effectiveness of an “impression” for an architectural firm in any publication, an Impression being any instance where the architect’s name is mentioned whether in ad or an article.