"Online marketing doesn't work for getting architecture clients." "I think architects can't get quality leads from a website." "I get all my projects from word of mouth. My satisfied clients are my marketing." "I had a website but it never got me any work."

I hear and have heard similar statements many many times from architects. Are you also guilty of saying some of these lines? Do you really believe they're true? A curious thing about architecture marketing (online) is that architects as a whole invest the least in it when compared to other types of professional service businesses. Why this is curious to me, is that research has shown that businesses that do prioritize and invest in web marketing (websites, social media, blogging, podcasts, webinars, email marketing, SEO, etc) are more profitable and have faster growth than those that don't.

Another thing about those statements at the top? Usually the architect saying them has no (or not enough) projects in the pipeline, has been struggling since the recession (sometimes even before), or has little to no dollars budgeted for marketing of any kind online or off. So when I hear this idea that architects can't benefit from online marketing, its a signifier that the industry hasn't yet realized the profit potential of the web.

Also, it signifies that many firms aren't prepared for the fundamental change that's not only inevitable but happening right now. That change is that clients today are relying on the power and convenience of the internet to find and vet architecture firms. A/E/C Marketing is moving away from traditional referrals and towards the practice of sharing knowledge. Your firm's reputation depends increasingly on its position as a reliable and trusted content provider. 

 If you don't have a web presence, your firm is irrelevant. If your website is simply a fancy electronic brochure, your website is irrelevant. Your website is the foundation of your marketing. Is your foundation weak or nonexistent? Or is it a strong stable support for your firm especially during bleak economic times as these?

Have you heard of the ArchitectMap? Created by Mark Schumann and Su Butcher, its a great new app that provides the A/E/C community with shared content and connection to members around the world. The app is free for download and was recently accepted into the Apple app store so you can download it to your iPhone. The available content is various podcasts, news updates, maps of the community members, and the latest tweets from members.

So join the conversation with your fellow peers in the A/E/C industry and find your place on the ArchitectMap!