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4 P’s of Marketing, Part 1 of 2 | May 2012

4 P’s of Marketing for Architects | Part 1 of 2

How to differentiate your architectural practice | Part 1 of 2

One of the most disheartening things to hear when conducting a debrief for a lost opportunity is, “We felt any of the last few firms could have done the work.”

If you feel strongly that your architectural firm was best suited for the project, then it’s quite possible that the message about how your firm was different and best able to help wasn’t clear enough.

It’s up to us to clearly communicate to clients what differentiates our practice from our competition. If you leave it up to selection committee members, they might or might not figure it out, and that’s a big risk to leave in their hands.

In this newsletter we’ll look at how to differentiate your firm through a carefully crafted Position Statement, and how to identify and name your Process. In the next newsletter we’ll address Professionals and Portfolio.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jud Kline says

    May 8, 2012 at 8:22 pm

    This is a great article. I have lectured on this very subject as a segment of a talk titled “Creating Sustainable Value in Design Firms”.

    As an annecdote on our firm that led me to this understanding takes me back over 20 years. We had produced the original “fire, ready, aim” marketing document. We had just invested several thousand dollars in producing, what we thought was a “coffee table art” brochure (great photos, edgy text and good projects). Just after completing the project an

    Reply
  2. Jean Leathers says

    May 9, 2012 at 8:23 pm

    Clearly I need a longer comments box! What happened next?!

    Reply
  3. Rachel Downey says

    August 1, 2012 at 8:23 pm

    Jean – Terrific article and thank you for the “props”! You are absolutely on point with the need for differentiation through strong positioning. The world (and clients) don’t have much need for generalists anymore…they are demanding specialized expertise. The challenge is the brave act of putting your stake in the stand and then articulating your stance on that plot with confidence and clarity. A wise man told us, “If you aren’t a little afraid in that process, you aren’t doing it right.”

    Reply
  4. Prasad says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:24 pm

    great stuff

    Reply
  5. Jean Leathers says

    January 5, 2013 at 8:24 pm

    Thanks Prasad. Glad it’s helpful. Be sure to read Part 2, too. Happy New Year to you in India.

    Reply
  6. John Kellett says

    January 26, 2013 at 8:25 pm

    Unfortunately, in the UK where no qualifications are required to design a building, a completely unqualified ‘architectural consultant’ claiming a complete range of services is perceived by the public as more skilled than an architect!
    Marketing an architect’s services in the UK has some interesting challenges.

    Reply
  7. Nishad says

    June 11, 2013 at 8:25 pm

    really great stuff.

    Reply
  8. Chip Chipperson says

    September 9, 2013 at 8:26 pm

    WOw! WhAt A great aSSOrtment of IdEAZ my MAn. LovE yr hELP 4 a sm biz Lk myself, Tss tss

    Reply
  9. Tim Brandon says

    September 14, 2013 at 8:26 pm

    Looking for marketing direction. Work is slowly decreasing.

    Reply
  10. Henry Paz says

    January 2, 2014 at 8:26 pm

    solicito informacion sobre marketing para arquitectos

    Reply
  11. Ian says

    January 7, 2014 at 8:27 pm

    Our production company that specifies in architectural filmmaking just gave a presentation at the AIANY that covers some of these topics but from the perspective of story telling in relationship to video. Please give it a watch below and let us know what your marketing perspective are on this.

    Reply
  12. phillip says

    September 15, 2014 at 8:27 pm

    good artical

    Reply
  13. dave says

    November 22, 2014 at 8:28 pm

    Good article. Lots to implement.

    Reply
  14. markl says

    November 27, 2014 at 8:28 pm

    Great article, thank you for share

    I wold like to have your opinion about some doubt’s, maybe you can easily elucidate me…

    I’m architect and i have struggling with the possibility to create my business. In my country we have very small job offer for architects, so the only way is to begin like a free lancer in small medium projects.
    The market in this days are essentially in the recovering area, and i believe its possible to begin step by step…
    My major doubt is if we are in the beginning of our carrier and don’t have a built project port folio, how we sell that we are the best choice for the client?! And how we can jump this stage…In my case i have good knowledge about sustainability and i can sell my service like an expert to improve old or new building… But if we don’t have built projects, how i can convince clients?…

    Best regards,

    markl

    Reply
  15. bhaskara ram says

    December 20, 2014 at 8:29 pm

    good article

    Reply
  16. susan seifert says

    April 28, 2015 at 8:29 pm

    how do access Part 2 of this so good article?

    Reply
  17. Richard Terrell says

    May 6, 2015 at 8:29 pm

    Great info. Need more!

    Reply
  18. Stine says

    June 7, 2015 at 8:30 pm

    Very interesting and necessary.

    Reply
  19. Arafath says

    June 25, 2015 at 8:30 pm

    wow….!,,great article…

    Reply
  20. Peter Brown says

    July 29, 2015 at 8:31 pm

    good stuff

    Reply
  21. Edgar M. Chavez says

    January 28, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    kindly email copy of the Part 2 of the 4Ps of Marketing for Architects for reference purposes only. Thank you very much.

    Dr. Edgar M. Chavez
    Architect/Academician

    Reply
  22. Maria Prieto says

    March 4, 2016 at 8:31 pm

    Good afternoon

    My name is Maria Prieto-Moreno, architect working at Pdp London Architects in London. I went through your website and found very interesting topics there. Just wondering, where are you based?

    Thanks
    Kind regards
    Maria

    Reply
  23. pavan says

    June 19, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    very informative and practical advice….thanks

    Reply
  24. W. Wright says

    July 12, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    Very informative, where can I access the parts not included.

    Thank you

    Reply
  25. Jean Leathers says

    July 18, 2016 at 8:32 pm

    Click on “Resources”, “Newsletters” and scroll the list. The 4 Ps of Marketing is in 2 parts, so just click the one you’re looking for. Glad it’s helpful. Hopelessly devoted to helping architects!

    Reply
  26. Emily Joy says

    July 26, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    I would like to be receiving your newsletters

    Reply
  27. J P says

    August 29, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    Great article! I’d love to follow you and read more of your writing and processes. Are you on social media? I didn’t see any links on your article. Thanks!

    Reply
  28. Solomon Mesfn says

    September 17, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    Would like to sign your newsletter. I am principal of a small firm that does residential, small xommercial and institutional projects in Chicago

    Reply
  29. Moffat Akumbi says

    October 17, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    Very informative. Result oriented. Definitely effective

    Reply
  30. ojes says

    December 27, 2016 at 8:34 pm

    i need to grow y architectural firm in nigeria

    Reply
  31. olwethu says

    December 27, 2016 at 8:35 pm

    I had all this information in my head,the problem with us African people,we cannot find the correct terms for things we want to do in our small businesses. I love this article because it just tells it like it is and that is what businesses need.no sugar coating,no complicated equations at all.just down right strategy.

    Reply
  32. olwethu says

    December 27, 2016 at 8:35 pm

    I would love more information and assistance with financials and how to run a successful office.

    Reply
  33. yuvraj says

    April 8, 2017 at 8:36 pm

    Really new perspective that the rest of the articles I have read

    Reply
  34. TobyMary says

    June 21, 2017 at 8:36 pm

    Awesome!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  35. Arc. Salihu Y. Sulaiman says

    February 19, 2019 at 8:37 pm

    Quite revealing.

    Reply
  36. benson says

    March 10, 2019 at 8:37 pm

    great

    Reply

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Primary Sidebar

4 P’s of Marketing, Part 1 of 2 | May 2012

  • 4 P’s of Marketing for Architects | Part 1 of 2
  • Differentiator 1: Position
  • Differentiator 2: Process

Browse More Newsletters for Architects

  • My Enduring Wish for Architects | January 2016
  • Build Trusting Relationships | April 2015
  • 4 Types of Management Statements | May 2014
  • Question Skillfully | August 2013
  • 4 P’s of Marketing, Part 2 of 2 | September 2012
  • 4 P’s of Marketing, Part 1 of 2 | May 2012
  • The RFP Process in 7 Steps | October 2011
  • Bring in New Business | June 2011
  • The RFP Process | January 2010
  • Cultivate Relationships That Lead to Work: For Architects & Designers
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