Social-Media-for-Architects-Business-of-Architecture.pdf

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Note From the t he Author % started &usinessofArchitecture!com as a resource to help architects run a more successful business, a resource % felt was lackin" when % attempted to launch my first busine bus iness! ss! 'ome 'om e of o f the t he links lin ks in this book boo k are a re (affil (af filiate iate(( links, lin ks, meanin" mea nin" % will wi ll earn ear n a commission if you purchase throu"h these links )at no e*tra cost to you+! % provide these links because they are companies % trust, not because of the commissions that % may earn from you usin" these resources! Thank you for your interest in the &uisness of Architecture! %f you have any specific uestions or ideas, please don(t hesitate to contact me at enoch)at+businessofarchitecture!com! % hope that you "et as much out of this book as % "ot by writin" it! 'incerely yours, noch 'ears

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Contents

Copyright Information Information

Chapter 1

Social Media

What is Social Media and Why are You Reading this Book? Use Social Media to ur!o"charge #et$orking It%s &!out Culti'ating Relationships Build rust he (ey to )ffecti'e )ngagement Mind"reading $ith Social Media In Conclusion

Chapter 2

Blogging

he ,* Social Media ool But -o$ much ime $ill it ake? Create the Right Content -o$ to Set Up a Blog Step .ne/ Register a We! &ddress and 0et a -osting &ccount Step $o/ Install Wordpress Step hree/ &cti'ate a heme Step 1our/ &dd Content Summary/ he 2o%s and 2on%ts of !logging3 1inal houghts

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6 6 9 11 12 13 15 15

*+ 17 18 18 19 20 21 22 23 23 24

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Chapter 3 Twitter $itter for &rchitects? Why You Should Care What im &te for Breakfast Create rust Meta"$itter erms to (no$ -o$ to Use $itter 1ollo$ Someone on $itter Send a $eet Mention Someone on $itter Send a 2irect Message Search for a -ashtag & ip for $itter Success So What can $itter do for &rchitects? Summary/ the 2o%s and 2on%ts of $itter/ Wrap Up

Chapter 4

Facebook

1ace!ook for &rchitects? What It Is erms to (no$ 9ri'acy 9lease? Marketing 'ia 1ace!ook/ .rganic 9romotion and 9aid &d'ertising 1ace!ook 9lace 9ages 1ace!ook Company 9ages -o$ to Set Up a 1ace!ook Company 9age .rganic 9romotion 9aid &d'ertising Summary/ he 2o%s and 2on%ts of 1ace!ook Wrap Up

Chapter 5

LinkedIn

What It Is erms to (no$/ 0etting the Most .ut of :inkedIn Summary/ he 2o%s and 2on%ts of :inkedIn Wrap Up

45 25 26 26 27 27 28 29 29 29 30 30 30 31 32 33

78 35 35 36 37 38 38 39 39 40 40 41 42

87 43 44 45 47 48

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Chapter 6

Cae St!die

Case Study .ne/ &rchop and Spacio 2esign Studio < Blogging= $itter Case Study $o/ &rchitect Mark )nglish < 0ra! Your Share of the Internet 9ie argeting 2esign Blogs Self 9u!lishing $itter= 1ace!ook= and :inkedIn R3I393 William Randolph -earst What 2oes his Mean for You?

"ppendi# &dditional Resources/ .ther Social Media ools and 2esign Blogs

8; 49 52 53 54 55 55 55

56 56

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Chapter 1

Social Media

.All thin"s bein" eual, people want to do business with their friends! All thin"s bein" not uite so eual, people 'T%LL want to do business with their friends!/ -0effrey 1itomer, Little &lack &ook of Connections

What is Social Media and Why are You Reading this Book % hear the phrase 2social media2 so much these days %(m sick of it! %(m sure you are too! 'o let(s be honest here: what we want to know is whether architects have any practical use for social media tools! Can social media tools help land more clients and further an architect(s "oals3 And if so, how does an architect effectively use social media without becomin" another 4acebook "roupie3 Let(s face it! 5ou are readin" this book because you suspect social media can help you with your "oals as an architect! % won(t waste your time here with a bunch of fluff you can "lean from 6ikipedia! %n the followin" pa"es, % discuss actionable items you can use today to brin" more e*posure )and clients+ to your firm!

http://businessofarchitecture.com

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6ant to make more money3 'ocial media tools can help here! 6ant to be more widely reco"ni7ed for "ood work3 'ocial media can help here too! 8ow about bein" seen as an industry thou"ht leader in your niche3 %t can be done with social media tools! Later, %(ll present case studies of architects that have done this and more! % won(t beat around the bush with a len"thy, incomprehensible definition of social media! %n short, social media are online tools for "ood, old-fashioned networkin"! There, now that we "ot the definition out, let me make the most important point of this book! 'ocial media tools do not earn income or produce clients by themselves )unfortunately+! Those thin"s depend on a well planned and implemented marketin" strate"y! % can(t make this point stron"ly enou"h! Tweetin" and 4acebook-in" without an overall strate"y is similar to a ship bein" tossed on the waves without a rudder! %n other words, unless your social media use is one piece of a lar"er picture, you will find yourself as 9ust another &lo""er or Tweeter wonderin" when all this effort will eventually pay off! 'ure, some architects have used social media tools with incredible success! &ut social media tools are the means, not the end! This book is written on the premise that an end "oal already e*ists! %f you don(t already have a well-defined "oal, "o back to the drawin" board and come back to read when you know where you want your social media outreach to take you! Now that we "ot that disclaimer out of the way, lets dive in to the meat of social media! To understand the role and importance of social media in marketin" for an architecture firm, we must first turn the clock back $ years or so to the time before social media was the coolest kid on the block!

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&efore social media became wildly popular, marketin" and advertisin" efforts were based on what marketin" "uru 'eth 1odin calls .interruption/ marketin"! %nterruption marketin" encompasses all forms of unsolicited advertisin"! 5ou know those business reply cards that fall out of the "lossy ma"a7ines3 %nterruption marketin" at its finest! 8ow about T!;! commercials3 That(s another "reat e*ample! 6ith interruption marketin", an audience is sub9ected to a marketin" messa"e, like it or not! &ut defenses have been developed to block these messa"es: caller %D for telemarketers, spam filterin" for 9unk email, di"ital T!;! recordin" to avoid commercials, satellite radio, and the list "oes on!

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Despite social media(s enormous potential, there is one important caveat: social media tools are only as effective as the architect usin" them! 1ood %nternet e*posure and social media strate"y aren(t ma"ic bullets for architecture firms! To the contrary, much of what can be accomplished on the %nternet can be accomplished offline as well! 6hat the %nternet does offer, however, is an increased opportunity to network! And because social media is networkin", the rules for off-line networkin" still apply! The world of social media is like an on"oin" industry conference, cocktail party, happy hour, and family "atherin" all wrapped up into one, happenin" all the time! >eachin" out and connectin" with this space is what social media is all about! Effective social media use is a blend of networkin" and marketin"! Think of social media tools as e*tensions of traditional networkin" methods! Additionally, effective social media use is not a substitute for doin" "ood uality work! 'ocial media tools can brin" e*posure, but the uniue ualities of the architect are what cause people to take note! Achievin" ambitious "oals is a combined effort of networkin", business strate"y, persistence, hard work, and dedication to e*cellence )and don(t for"et a healthy servin" of public relations+! 'ocial media tools are 9ust tools? they are a small but important piece of a lar"er strate"y!

!se Social Media to "ur#o$charge Net%orking Any architect worth his or her salt knows the value of networkin"! 4or "enerations relationship-based networks have been the "old standard for client referrals! And they still are! 'ocial media tools have "iven architects new avenues for enlar"in" and stren"thenin" a network!

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The reason networks are so powerful is because they are built on relationships of mutual trust! This is somethin" hard-wired into our bein" from our primordial past: the need to be part of somethin" lar"er, and the desire to reciprocate favors with the people we like and trust! =eople like doin" business with those they know and trust! Throu"h social media, an architect or firm can e*ponentially increase its e*posure and profile in the market! &ut interactions need to be pertinent, and solve the problems of the prospects! @ore on that later! Like any networkin" or marketin" tool, the success of the tool depends upon its implementation! A "ood and profitable off-line network is built slowly, over years! These networks are built by doin" "ood work, havin" satisfied clients, "ettin" repeat business, and word-of-mouth referrals! %deally this network will snowball and produce a steady source of pre-ualified leads! At least this is how it has worked in the past! Today, many architects have found that their traditional networks, which have taken years to build, have dried up!  The traditional lead sources aren(t "eneratin" clients! The clients who do call are mostly tirekickers lookin" for a cheap price! %t seems not many have money to build, and those who do are price-shoppin" the lowest architectural fees! Nevertheless, buildin" continues and the demand for "ood architects hasn(t disappeared!

 'hared with me throu"h personal conversations with architects!


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&uildin" a traditional network is a slow process! 4or a newly minted architect, buildin" a solid referral network can take anywhere from three to ten years! &ut what if an architect can(t wait that lon"3 %s there any way to accelerate this process3
It&s A#out Culti'ating Relationships Look past the hype about 4acebook, Twitter, and Linked%n! 6hat do social media tools mean for your business3 8ow can they help you achieve your "oals3 &efore presentin" the benefits of social media, we must first address the professional services sales cycle! 4or architects, the sales cycle is notoriously lon"! Decidin" to hire an architect is not somethin" most clients do in a day! %t is the lon" sales cycle that makes social media tools a "reat fit for the ambitious architect! &efore wide-spread use of the %nternet and social media tools, marketin" was limited to direct mail, advertisements, media covera"e and industry publications! %t was difficult, if not impossible, to "et into the mind of the client at an early sta"e! 'ocial media use has chan"ed that!

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All pro9ects start with conception - an idea in the mind of the owner! 'ocial media tools allow architects to tap into the mind of the client early in the process! %n this case there is truth to the sayin" .the early bird "ets the worm/! Now you may be thinkin", .'ocial media tools may be fine for residential work, but this doesn(t apply to lar"er pro9ects or clients/! 6hile it is true that a strate"y should be customi7ed based upon tar"et market, social media tools have application on both sides of the spectrum: small residential clients as well lar"er institutional or civic clients! The residential architect may place more emphasis on tools like 4acebook and Twitter! The architect chasin" public work mi"ht find "reater value on Linked%n! >emember, a network is composed of individuals not committees! The way to influence the committee is to influence the individual! 8ow can social media tools help this process3 6ell, the architect who is known and trusted has the best chance of emer"in" victorious from the pro9ect selection process! The winnin" architect is often the architect who did the needs analysis and pro"rammin", or the architect who has the contract for on-call services, etc! An e*istin" relationship with a prospect will trump a new relationship B of the time! 'ocial media tools are perfect for findin" prospects early in the pro9ect plannin" process! 6hat does this strate"y look like3 The first step is to create a web of information, articles, blo" comments, and interviews that lead potential prospects back to a website! 6hen prospects use the %nternet to plan their pro9ect, they find this material! The material should then lead them back to your website like a trail of bread crumbs left for 8ansel and 1retel!


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Build "rust 6hile most of us would like to han" up a shin"le and have the perfect client come saunterin" in off the street, this 9ust doesn(t happen! Clients chose to do business with those whom they trust, and trust is built slowly! 'ocial media can speed up this trust-buildin" process! 'ocial media tools allow an architect to "et on a prospect(s radar before the prospect be"ins to think about a pro9ect! %f utili7ed effectively, social media tools can be very effective in formin" and cultivatin" these relationships! Chris &ro"an, best-sellin" author of the book Trust A"ents, sin" the 6eb to &uild %nfluence, %mprove >eputation, and arn Trust , writes of cultivatin" these relationships: Theres a world of difference between knowin" how to build relationships with people and comin" off as .that "uy!/ 5ou know who we mean: that person who shows up with a bullhorn to promote her pro9ects, to blurt about her interests, and then to leave before you "et a chance to say anythin" about you! A human artist is what we call the people who interact well in this new world, and who know how to build nurturin" relationships! # %n terms of reachin" out and creatin" trust, social media in the online world is no different than traditional networkin" in the offline world! =eople look for sincere relationships, not propa"anda or a sales pitch! The key is creatin" meanin"ful dialo" where there is sharin" in both directions! 'uccessful social media architects know this and use this principle to e*pand meanin"ful networks of trust!

# &ro"an, Chr is!/Are 5ou a Trus t A"ent/ Chris&ro" an!com ! #$$! E http:www!chrisbro"an!comare-you-a-trust-a"ent F

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Those who en"a"e successfully in social media are in it for the lon" haul, not the overni"ht success! >elationship buildin" takes time, both online and offline! The advanta"e of the internet is that this relationship buildin" can be done from the comfort of one(s own home or late at ni"ht after the chores of the office are done! =ersistence pays off in this race! An additional benefit of social media comes to those who aren(t particularly fond of face to face networkin"!
"he (ey to )ffecti'e )ngagement 6hile technolo"y chan"es daily, some thin"s never chan"e!

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.@idni"ht came! % said "ood ni"ht to everyone and departed! The botanist then turned to our host and paid me several flatterin" compliments! % was most stimulatin", he said! % was this, and % was that! And he ended by sayin" % was a most interestin" conversationalist! .An interestin" conversationalist3 .% had said hardly anythin" at all! % couldn(t have said anythin" if % had wanted to without chan"in" the sub9ect, for % don(t know any more about botany than % do about the anatomy of a pen"uin! &ut % had done this: % had listened intently! % had listened because % was "enuinely interested! And he felt it! Naturally, that pleased him! That kind of listenin" is one of the hi"hest compliments we can pay anyone! And so % had him thinkin" of me as a "ood conversationalist when in reality % had been merely a "ood listener and had encoura"ed him to talk!/ -Dale Carne"ie, 8ow to 6in 4riends and %nfluence =eople 6hen usin" social media tools listenin" is the name of the "ame! 8ow does one (listen( when it comes to social media3 Listenin" takes many forms online: respondin" to the comments, posts and tweets of others, readin" and en"a"in" with other people(s content and visitin" other websites to leave comments! These are all effective ways to en"a"e in social media! A focus on listenin" helps one avoid the trap of becomin" a one-way marketin" machine! =eople on-line aren(t lookin" for more spam or 9unkmail, they are lookin" to form positive, reciprocal relationships! An architect who simply posts the firm(s pro9ects or talks about the latest firm news will have a difficult time "ettin" any kind of followin"! At the end of the day, prospects care about their interests more than they do

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about your a"enda, your firm, or your past pro9ects! The masterful architect who understands this will find social media to be an effective tool for buildin" and stren"thenin" a profitable network!

Mind$reading %ith Social Media 6ith social media tools, superhero powers aren(t needed to be a mindreader! sin" social media tools to .listen/ can help uncover what clients )and prospects+ are thinkin"! This can be done throu"h blo" comments, surveys, and online forums! %dentifyin" the challen"es and needs of the prospects is essential to craftin" a uniue sellin" proposition! This proposition is the statement on why you are the best architect for the 9ob! Gnowin" what a prospect is thinkin" allows an architect to refine the marketin" messa"e! A refined marketin" messa"e, or (uniue sellin" proposition(, speaks more clearly to the prospect! &y tailorin" the messa"e to the client, clients are created for life!

In Conclusion 'ocial media tools are useful for buildin" a network and as a low or nocost alternative to traditional advertisin"! These tools offer marketin" benefits that were not available before the advent of the internet! 6ith social media, prospects can be tar"eted by e*act demo"raphic! 4irms can en"a"e in a permission marketin" campai"n instead of relyin" on interruption marketin"! 8owever, to build a successful network, social media tools must be used effectively! Above all else, craft a specific social media strate"y that ties into a specific "oal and lar"er effort!


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ffectiv ffectivee social social media media use entail entailss listeni listenin", n", promoti promotin" n" dialo", dialo", and providin" providin" massive value to other people! people! 'ocial media tools are 9ust tools H they are only as effective as the architect usin" them! A social media effort that isn(t bearin" bearin " fruit is a "ood si"n that social media tools are not bein" used in an effective manner! 'ocial media activity is not a ma"ic bullet! To learn the proper way to en"a"e in social media, watch and mimic architects that have successful online networks! se social media tools to en"a"e with prospects early in the pro9ect plan planni nin" n" proc proces ess! s! Cult Cultiv ivat atee rela relati tion onsh ship ipss by list listen enin in"! "! 1e 1ett insi inside de prospe prospects cts(( heads heads and refine refine your your messa" messa"ee into a clear clear (uniu (uniuee sellin sellin" " proposition(! Create an online footprint of valuable content! A successf s uccessful ul network n etwork is built over time! There is no shortcut shortc ut to success, and social media tools are no e*ception! se social media tools to amplify an off-line effort, not replace it! Cultivate and stren"then a network! Don(t be impatient impati ent H be consistent! consist ent! Consistent Consis tent effort pays dividends divi dends as an online presence "rows and be"ins to snowball! Now that we(ve covered the psycholo"y of networkin", let(s delve into the specifics of social media! 6hile there are almost numberless social medi me dia a tool tools, s, this this book book focu focuse sess on the the four four pill pillar arss of soci social al me medi dia: a: blo""in", blo""i n", Twitt T witter, er, 4acebook, 4ac ebook, and Linked%n Li nked%n!!

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Chapter 2

Blogging

"he *+ Social Media "ool Throu"hout my research on successful use social media, one common denominator stands out above all others: blo""in"! % know what you are thinkin"! 2Com(on, blo"s are so overrated! The word is so s o overused ove rused my eyes ey es "la7e "la 7e over ove r at the mention m ention of it! i t! No N o thanks, tha nks, %(ll stick with my static brochure website!2 'o why is a blo" so important and how can it help a firms marketin" efforts3 1ranted, the word (blo"( is overused, but let me e*plain why the benefits benefi ts aren(t aren (t overrated ov errated!! 8avin" a blo" is about producin" content: content that is visible to search en"ines, and content that your prospects will find when they are researchin" researchin" their ne*t buildin" pro9ect! A blo" is about helpin" prospects prospects reali7e that you are an e*pert in your particular field! As you produce produc e articles articl es with content conten t that is of interest intere st to your prospects, they will find your blo"! Conceptuali7e it as leavin" a trail of bread crumbs that leads ri"ht into your office! office ! A blo" showcases showcas es your e*pertise e*pertise and allows allows your prospects prospects to develop develop trust in you! As prospects continue to use your blo" as a resource in their research, you move beyond beyon d 9ust an (architect( (archit ect( to a trusted truste d adviser! advis er! A blo" will allow your


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prospects to "et to know and trust you even if they haven(t met you personally! This kind of outreach is a marketer(s )and architect(s+ dream come true! &y havin" a blo", you become a publisher H you bypass the traditional media and "lossy ma"a7ines! Thanks to the %nternet, you have a conduit strai"ht strai"ht into your prospect(s prospect(s livin" room )or office+! 5our blo" is a tool to help you "et there! Check out the case studies at the end of this book that showcase some of the advanta"es of havin" a blo"! 8avin" an effective blo" does several important thin"s for your website! &lo""in": 1ives your prospects a reason to return to your website 8elps you uncover the needs and problems of your tar"et market &uilds relationships of trust with prospects =ositions you as an e*pert Differentiates your business Geeps your website fresh thereby increasin" your search en"ine rankin"

But ,o% much "ime %ill it "ake Does a blo" need to take lar"e amounts of time3 Time is precious! @any architects feel overwhelmed at the thou"ht of addin" another 2to do2 to an alre alread ady y lon" lon" list list!! &ut &ut post postin in" " to a blo" blo" does doesn( n(tt need need to be an allallconsumin" event! Dependin" on the comple*ity of your posts, blo""in" can take no more than a few hours every month! A "ood rule of thumb is to shoot for I-J blo" posts per month! Consistency is the key here!

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Create the Right Content The key to attractin" prospects is to create the ri"ht kind of content! 5ou must answer the uestion, 26hat kind of information are my prospects seekin"32 There is an acronym based on the nursery son" 2
,o% to Set !p a Blog A blo" can be hosted directly on a firm(s website, or it can be hosted by a third-party website! A third-party solution is "reat for e*perimentin" with a blo" because ! it is free, and #! it can be set up in seconds! Two third party solutions are 6ordpress!com and &lo""er!com! Third-party blo"s are reco"ni7able because they have the name of the third-party in the web address, for e*ample: www!"barch!wordpress!com or www!"barch!blo""er!com! %n contrast, a self-hosted blo" does not include the third party address, for e*ample: www!myfirm!comblo"! 'tartin" out with a third-party solution is a "reat way to "et one(s feet wet in the world of blo""in"!

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The first step is to install a blo""in" software on your website! The most common web blo""in" software in use today is called Wordpress! %n addition to bein" a "reat blo""in" platform, 6ordpress has another advanta"e: it can be used to run an entire website, not 9ust a blo"! >unnin" a website with 6ordpress allows one to easily update and chan"e a website without any pro"rammin" knowled"e! 6ordpress is popular because of its fle*ibility, low initial cost, and power! 'ome reco"ni7able blo"s that run 6ordpress include CNN!com(s (=olitical Ticker(, 5ahoo(s corporate blo" ( 5odel Anecdotal(, and 4ord @otor Company(s ( Auto 'hows( blo"! 6ordpress also powers the blo" at &usinessofArchitecture!com! 4ortunately, 6ordpress is easy to install throu"h any web host! 6ordpress helps users: Create a website that doesn(t (look( like a blo" asily make website chan"es Create a pro9ect portfolio 8ave search en"ine friendly desi"n )to help search en"ines (see( your site+ Add a blo" to an e*istin" website The process for settin" up a blo" on an architect(s website will be sli"htly different dependin" on whether the blo" is bein" added to an e*istin" website, or part of a new website! The process can be broken down into four steps: ! #! I! J!

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>e"ister a domain and hostin" account %nstall 6ordpress Activate a 6ordpress theme Add content


%f addin" a blo" to an e*istin" website, do steps #-J! %f launchin" a website or website redesi"n, follow steps -J!

Step -ne. Register a We# Address and /et a ,osting Account %f you already have a website you can skip this step! %f not, read on! To set up your first website, first you need to lock in your website address and second, find a company to host your website on the %nternet! Lockin" in your website address is known as .re"isterin" a domain/, and hostin" a website is, well, hostin" a website! @ost companies will re"ister a domain for free if they host your website! eliable web hostin" runs anywhere from M!$$-!$$ )'+ a month! &e aware that hostin" companies "ive a discount for si"nin" up for a year or lon"er at a time! &luehost!com is a ' based company! %f you are in the G, check out 8ost=apa!com or Clook!co!uk ! 8ost=apa!com also offers hostin" in Australia! 1et the most basic plan, .shared hostin"/! Anythin" above that is overkill for an architecture firm website! There are two "ood strate"ies for choosin" a domain name! The first and most common option is usin" the name of the firm, for e*ample: www!yourfirm!com! The second option is to "o with a "eo"raphical placename not tied to the name of a firm! 4or instance, www!manhattanarchitect!com for a firm based in @anhattan, or www!miamiarchitect!com for an architect in @iami!


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%n terms of the domain suffi*, stick with the bi" three: !com, !net, or !or"! These domain suffi*es offer a sli"ht boost in terms of memorability and search en"ine rank! The !com suffi* is preferred, !net comes in a close second! The !or" suffi* su""ests not-for-profit status!

Step "%o. Install Wordpress Now that you have a domain name and a web host, the ne*t step is to install the free 6ordpress software on your web hostin" account! 4ortunately, installin" 6ordpress on a hostin" account is a simple three step process! 4irst, lo" into the .control panel/ or .cpanel/ of your webhost! Look for the .6ordpress/ icon in the Cpanel under .'imple 'cripts %nstallations/ or .4antastico De Lu*e/! %f you are addin" 6ordpress to an e*istin" website, you will want to install 6ordpress to a subdirectory of your site, such as .blo"/! 4or e*ample: www!yourfirm!comblo"! %f you are launchin" a website for the first time or want to chan"e the desi"n of your e*istin" website, install 6ordpress to the main folder on your webhost! *ample: www!yourfirm!com!
Step "hree. Acti'ate a "heme %n 6ordpress, a theme is a pre-made template that determines the look and function of a website! %t is like a pre-packa"ed website, all ready to "o! There are thousands of pre-made themes, and usin" a theme instead of "ettin" a custom web desi"n can save the bud"et conscious architect thousands of dollars, without sacrificin" desi"n or function!

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Step Four. Add Content %f you are addin" 6ordpress to an e*istin" website, install 6ordpress in a sub-folder labeled (blo"(, or (articles(, etc! %f you are runnin" your entire website with 6ordpress, you can use cate"ories to or"ani7e blo" posts into the (blo"( section of your website! &usinessofArchitecture!com has a number of detailed tutorials, videos and other resources on how to launch and run a website or blo" usin" 6ordpress! 'pecifically, the video series 2&uild 5our 6ebsite2, demonstrates how to use 6ordpress to set up a website and blo"! >emember, activatin" and settin" up a blo" is 9ust the be"innin" of usin" the web to attract the ri"ht kind of prospects and relationships! The real challen"e is developin" the content and blo""in" strate"y that will attract the ri"ht kind of website visitors! se the strate"ies listed at the be"innin" of this chapter to create relevant content on a re"ular schedule! >each out and interact with visitors, other blo""ers and firms! The success of a blo" in developin" valuable traffic depends upon a coherent and well-planned marketin" strate"y!


24

Summary. "he

Do's

and

Don'ts of

#logging0

Do: Add a blo" to your website =ost content that addresses your prospect(s problems and concerns Ask thou"ht provokin" uestions and encoura"e comments on your blo" Track and analy7e web visitor patterns to "au"e prospect interaction =rovide as much value as possible )in depth content+ for your visitors %nclude social media inte"ration on your website )4acebook, Twitter+ =ost consistently to the blo", a minimum of twice per month ;isit &usinessofArchitecture!com to read how to best levera"e a website to turn website visitors into clients Don't:

se a blo" as a self-promotion machine se a blo" e*clusively as a .firm news/ platform se a blo" as yet another detailed pro9ect list

Final "houghts 'o what if you currently have a blo" but aren(t "ettin" the results and visitors you would like to see3 A well-defined blo""in" strate"y is important to any marketin" strate"y! %f you are wonderin" how to "ive your blo" a boost, check out the followin" "reat resource from the blo""in" e*pert =ro &lo""er: &uild a &etter &lo" in I Days - 1uaranteed !

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This I$ e-book from one of the most successful blo""ers on the internet is packed with actionable strate"ies and tactics to help you take your website and blo" to the ne*t level! >ead it and let me know what you thinkP >e"ardin" your blo", remember, prospects are lookin" for information and dialo"ue, not a monolo"ue! 4or a more in depth discussion about a preferred website strate"y, see my blo" post .Dear Architect, 5our 6ebsite 'ucks/ at &usiness of Architecture!com!


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Chapter 3

"%itter

2%ma"ine you were alive hundreds of years a"o, and wanted to meet the worlds "reatest thinkers and hear their thou"hts! %f you were independently wealthy, you could devote your life to travelin" the world and findin" those wise men and women, talkin" to them and listenin" to t hem! &ut it would take you an entire lifetime! Today, thanks to Twitter, you can find the thou"hts of many of the worlds "reatest thinkers in art, business, politics, technolo"y H almost any area of human achievement, all at your fin"ertips! 5ou can see thin"s theyre thinkin" and sayin" that never end up in books, nor are they seen or heard anywhere else!2 Dave Larson, QTweet'marter, &ufferApp

"%itter for Architects Does Twitter have any use for architects3 =ossibly: it depends on the "oal! Twitter is "reat for connectin" with publishers and thou"ht-leaders! %t also has "reat viral potential! Think of Twitter as the world(s lar"est cocktail party: it "ives you the ability to tune into hundreds of individual, short conversations, 9ust as if you were millin" the floor of a busy party! Twitter use is not as widespread as some of the other social media tools! This means that your prospects may not be on Twitter! 6hen evaluatin" Twitter, it is important to identify the "oals that one hopes to achieve by usin" Twitter! %s the "oal to make new friends and establish new relationships3 %s the "oal landin" a pro9ect write-up in a "lossy desi"n ma"a7ine3 Different "oals reuire different approaches!

2$


Twitter is perhaps the most misunderstood and underutili7ed social networkin" platform! Non-techy users have been slow to adopt Twitter because its benefits are not readily apparent! Also, Twitter(s uniue terminolo"y )hashta", re-tweet, etc!+, makes Twitter intimidatin" and difficult for new users to "rok ! The best way to learn Twitter is to dive in and "ive it a try! As is true with other social media tools, people are still discoverin" new and uniue ways to use Twitter for business development!

Why You Should Care What 1im Ate for Breakfast Any mention of Twitter to those who have not used the service is sure to elicit mentions of the frivolous posts for which this network is known! % will call this the .what 0im ate for breakfast/ post! There is a lot of back"round noise with social media in "eneral, Twitter is no e*ception! 'o why should you care what 0im ate for breakfast3

Create "rust @arketin" architectural services is about creatin" trust! The potential to create trust throu"h social media is unparalleled! 4amiliarity en"enders trust! %f you care about connectin" with your prospects, you should be willin" to en"a"e with them, even when they are talkin" what they ate for breakfast! This kind of 2in-the-trenches2 networkin" will pay dividends as your prospects be"in to understand that you are a real, livin", breathin" human and not a promotional marketin" machine! >elationships of trust are fostered by listenin" to your clients and carin" about what they have to say! =eople are lookin" to tell their story, and when you listen to their story often they will "ive you permission to tell yours!


2%

Meta$"%itter Twitter is a status update sharin" service that limits posts to J$ characters! This limit is based upon the number of characters allowed in a cell phone te*t messa"e! Twitter started as a way to send and receive updates usin" a standard non-smart mobile phone!

"erms to (no% Tweet: a status update consistin" of J$ characters or less! 4ollow: A reuest to connect and receive status updates )tweets+ from another user! sername: A Twitter username is preceded by the .Q/ symbol )e*: Qbusinessofarch+ @ention: A public tweet from another user directed at you! To send a mention, precede the tweet with the .Q/ symbol and their username! 8ere is an e*ample:

Above, user .turna"eb/ )&ryant Turna"e+ sent me .Q&usinessofArch/ a mention! Note: a mention is only visible to you if you follow &
2&


8ashta": A word used to denote the sub9ect of a tweet! A hashta" facilitates searchin" Twitter for topics of interest! 4ormat: precede the topic by the 2R2 symbol! )e*: Rarchitecture will brin" up all Tweets with this hashta"+ Direct @essa"e: A private messa"e to another user! =recede tweet with the letter 2D2! *ample: D Qbusinessofarch 8eyP % en9oy readin" your postsP A direct messa"e will only be seen by the person to whom it is sent! >e-Tweet: Tweetin" somethin" received from another user! The Twitter web interface and all Twitter clients make it easy to retweet! A retweet consists of another user(s tweet preceded by RT ! 'omethin" retweeted by you will "o to all of your followers!

A "%itter ,o%$to %f you are not already on Twitter let(s take a break and have a little hands-on e*ercise! 4irst, move this book window and put it side-by-side with a browser window so you can follow these instructions: 1o to http:www!twitter!com and si"n up for Twitter by enterin" your full name )first and last+, your email address, and a password! 8it the 2'i"n p2 button!

3'

After you have confirmed your username and "one to the ne*t screen, you will "et an introductory tutorial to Twitter!
4ollow another user 'end a Tweet @ention someone on Twitter 'end a Direct @essa"e 'earch for a 8ashta"

Follo% Someone on "%itter Navi"ate to your Twitter 2home2 screen! %n the 2'earch2 bo* at the top of the pa"e type in 2businessofarch2 )without the uotes+! @y twitter account will show up in the ri"ht-hand column! %f you are readin" this ebook you probably already follow me on Twitter, but if not, % would be honored to have you follow Qbusinessofarch! Click the 24ollow2 link as shown below:

The link will chan"e to 2nfollow2 and now you are followin" your first userP Con"ratulations!

Send a "%eet Now let(s send your first Tweet! Click the 28ome2 link at the top of the screen! %n the 26hat(s 8appenin"2 bo*, type 28ello 6orldP2! Click the 2Tweet2 button! =resto, your first tweetP

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Mention Someone on "%itter Now, let(s send a mention! %n the 26hat(s 8appenin"2 bo*, type 2Qbusinessofarch >eadin" your book, 'ocial @edia for Architects ri"ht nowP This book SSSS )fill in the blank+2! Click the 2Tweet2 button! Now %(ll receive your mention and %(ll be sure to respondP

Send a 2irect Message %f you are new to Twitter you will have to wait on this step because you can only send direct messa"es to people who are followin" you! This is one way Twitter controls spam! &ut 9ust so you know, a direct messa"e follows this format: 2D Qusername messa"e2 )without the uotes+!
Search for a ,ashtag Last, but not least, let(s see what people are sayin" about architecture!
A "ip for "%itter Success 6hat your mother tau"ht you about life, is also true for Twitter! %f you want to "et, you need to "ive - (tis more blessed to "ive than to receive! The secret for success on Twitter is sharin"! 5our most useful tools are re-


32

tweetin", followin", and mentions! >each out to other users by retweetin" their tweets that you find useful! n"a"e in conversations with other users on Twitter! @ention those who follow you and thank them for doin" so! @ost importantly, be sincere, and keep it personal! A "ood way to ("ive back( to users who have en"a"ed with you is to send out a (Rff(! This is a hashta" that stands for 24ollow 4riday2! A (Rff( tweet contains a list of users that you recommend other people follow! sually, users will reciprocate and include you in their (Rff( tweet! (Rff( tweets are also "reat ways to find users who you can follow! A sample (Rff( tweet mi"ht look like this: .Rff Qbuildin"content Qparthenon Qbobborson Qbturna"e/

So What can "%itter do for Architects As a business development tool, Twitter shines! The key to usin" Twitter as a tool for business development is creatin" an effective networkin" strate"y! There are two strate"ies for levera"in" Twitter as a business development platform: direct and indirect! 6ith a direct approach, Twitter is levera"ed to connect directly with potential clients! 4or instance, if you speciali7e in residential kitchen and bath remodels, connect with your tar"et crowd: J$-M$ year old women from middle to upper-class households!
33


their network, it will be much easier to find yourself featured on the pa"es of a ma"a7ine or as the sub9ect of an internet article! Another benefit of an indirect approach is that these people are more likely to be on Twitter! Althou"h Twitter is a "reat networkin" tool, its effectiveness is determined lar"ely by networkin" prowess! As you build relationships with other users, they will be more apt to pay attention to what you have to say! >emember that listenin" can pay hu"e dividends! Above all else, be authentic! Nothin" on Twitter turns off people more than someone who pollutes the airways with promotional material or by tootin" their own horn!

Summary. the 2o&s and 2on&ts of "%itter. Do:

Do set aside $ minutes each day to review your Twitter stream and respond to messa"es and mentions Do set up email alerts to notify you when users follow, messa"e, or mention you! Do set up your phone to receive tweets from your favorite users! This can be done from Twitter!com by activatin" te*t messa"es! Do use an application such as &uffer )&ufferApp!com+ to automatically pre-schedule tweets throu"hout the day! Note: do not (set it and for"et it( with Twitter! 4ully automatin" Twitter voids primary purpose of social media: connectin" with other people! Do use a desktop application such as TweetDeck or 8oot'uite to send tweets and mana"e your twitter streams! Do personally thank your followers


34

Do use a tool to see which tweets are re-tweeted and clicked on the most )'uch as &ufferApp or =lu""io+ Don(t: Don(t tweet only about your latest pro9ects or firm news! Don(t set up an automated, canned response messa"e to new followers! This su""ests that you are not en"a"in" on Twitter in a personal manner! 4rankly, it is 9ust rude! Don(t 9ust follow anyone! 4ollow those who relate to your field of e*pertise, especially those who have e*pressed interest in your field! 4ollowin" (9ust anyone( will pollute your Twitter stream and make it more difficult to connect with other people! >emember, it(s about value, not uantity! Don(t dele"ate the company Twitter account to a low level employee! 6hile it is fine to dele"ate some Twitter tasks to employees, Twitter users e*pect a direct connection to the firm owner or principal! To do otherwise su""ests you are 9ust on Twitter to spread your messa"e, not connect!

Wrap !p Twitter is one of the hardest social media tools to "rok, but one which has a lot of une*plored potential to super-char"e social media outreach! The best way to understand Twitter is to 9ump on and use it for month! %f after a month you don(t see any potential benefits to usin" Twitter, "o your merry way! &ut at least "ive it a tryP

35


Chapter 4

Face#ook

Facebook CEO Mark Zukerberg

Photo Credit:Justin Sullivan - Getty


36

Face#ook for Architects Currently, 4acebook has the lon"est reach of the social networks! Numbered at over K$$ million, the users of 4acebook span all markets and demo"raphics! %n other words, no matter what kind of work you do as an architect, your clients and prospects freuent 4acebook! And if they don(t their spouses do! @any brush off 4acebook with no more than a brusue .psh-aaw/ I! This attitude benefits architects who are able to see the value in 4acebook! There is a "ood reason why 4acebook is valued at over #J billion '! &ecause of the sheer number of 4acebook users, marketin" efforts on 4acebook have hu"e potential reach! This makes 4acebook a "reat place to reach out and connect with potential prospects who are interested in what your firm has to say! 1enerally speakin", 4acebook is useful to hei"hten awareness in a local community about a particular firm or architect! Like other social media tools, 4acebook(s power lies in the viral nature of the updates that users can post and .Like/!

What It Is 4acebook is a social sharin" site where users share links and information!

I A phrase in the !'! connotin" contempt and disdain!

3$


"erms to (no% 4acebook =a"e: 5our firm(s home on 4acebook! A 4acebook =a"e is a separate entity from a personal =rofile! =rofile: in contrast to a 4acebook =a"e which is for business, a 4acebook =rofile is the personal account of a user! The =rofile is the home base of the user where they share links, pictures )"oofy or not+, and connect with friends and relatives! 4riend: someone who you have allowed to connect to your personal profile! 4riend >euest: The action a user takes to be your friend! The status updates of friends will appear in your news feed and your status updates will appear in the news feeds of your friends! 4an: someone who has connected to your 4acebook =a"e )business pa"e+ by (likin"( your =a"e! Like:

3%

6all )Timeline+: The wall )timeline+ is your central location to share links and stories with your friends! 5our timeline will show up in your friends( )or fans+ news feeds!

3ri'acy 3lease 4acebook is an e*cellent marketin" platform suitable for any firm, and yet architects have been slow to embrace 4acebook! nfortunately, many architects view 4acebook as a casual, rela*ed space not suitable for a professional ima"e! 'till others see no real benefit in havin" a 4acebook pa"e! To many, it seems like one more thin" to worry about that doesn(t offer much return on investment! >emember the discussion about permission marketin" v!s! interruption marketin" above3 4acebook is the ideal "round to implement a conta"ious permission marketin" strate"y! 4acebook allows firms and architects to maintain top of mind positionin"? to connect with people that have an interest in what you have to say! There are many C
3&


%n other words, your business connections won(t see that embarrassin" photo of you from colle"e that your buddy uploaded! This makes it possible )and simple+ to keep your personal life separate from your business life on 4acebook! %t also makes 4acebook fertile soil for firm marketin"!

Marketing 'ia Face#ook. -rganic 3romotion and 3aid Ad'ertising @arketin" an architecture firm via 4acebook has two facets! The first is or"anic promotion? the second, paid advertisin"!
Face#ook 3lace 3ages 4acebook =lace =a"es are useful for businesses that attract foot traffic! A 4acebook =lace =a"e "ives clients and customers the ability to check in with a smart phone or wireless device and let their friends know they are visitin" your place of business! This allows them to instantly promote your business to all of their friends! =lace pa"es also allow businesses the ability to offer special deals and rewards for checkin" in! 'ince most architects are not set up to encoura"e foot traffic, =lace =a"es have limited usefulness for architects! =lace pa"es are more suited to consumer-product oriented businesses such as retail shops and restaurants! Nevertheless, =lace =a"es are not to be entirely discounted as


4'

they do offer some intri"uin" possibilities for the architect who is willin" to think outside of the bo*! The cate"ory of a business =a"e is not fi*ed and can always be chan"ed later!

Face#ook Company 3ages A 4acebook Company =a"e is the cate"ory that suits most firms! This =a"e will be your firm(s home on 4acebook! 6hen you create your 4acebook pa"e, be sure to upload your company lo"o or personal picture and fill out as much as the bio"raphical information as possible! 5our "oal with your 4acebook =a"e will be to "et as many tar"eted users as possible to 2Like2 your =a"e! The more tar"eted the better! 5ou should ask your business collea"ues and contacts to visit and (Like( your 4acebook pa"e! This will include real estate a"ents, contractors, bankers, or anyone else whom you mi"ht normally network with! Consider puttin" your 4acebook >L on your business card, web pa"e, and blo"! The more avenues you leave open for people to connect, the more likely they will reach out and en"a"e! Ne*t, make it a "oal to interact with the 4acebook =a"es of these same contacts! 6hen you 2Like2 another user(s 4acebook =a"e, often they will reciprocate by (Likin"( your pa"e! This will spread your messa"e and work to your benefit by helpin" to "et you top of mind position! As you en"a"e others with sincere intent, friendships will blossom and your network will turn rock solid!

,o% to Set !p a Face#ook Company 3age 4irst, visit http:www!facebook!compa"escreate!php!
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recommend fore"oin" the personal profile alto"ether! 5ou can always up"rade your account at a later date! At the time of this writin", there is no advanta"e to havin" a personal profile on 4acebook in terms of mana"in" your business( 4acebook pa"e! %n fact, if you are worried about mi*in" personal life with business, do not set up a personal profile until you are comfortable with how 4acebook disseminates your information and posts!
-rganic 3romotion
3aid Ad'ertising .% have found 4acebook AdsU '< effective! @y business wouldn(t be anywhere close to where it is today if it weren(t for 4acebook, and the ads campai"n!/ Chris @eyer, =resident, C@ =hoto"raphic


42

=aid advertisin" on 4acebook has the potential to be a hidden "old mine for the ambitious architect! The effectiveness of 4acebook ads is tied to the ability to narrowly tar"et specific demo"raphics! 4or instance, on 4acebook one can tar"et women in their thirties who like modern desi"n, or men in their O$(s who are business owners! The possibilities are limited only by ima"ination! Additionally, 4acebook offers the ability to track the performance of ads and set specific limits to the amount of money spent each day! This can save you from burnin" throu"h a pile of cash in your uest for clients! 4acebook advertisin" is well suited for architecture firms who have mapped out a specific, measurable marketin" strate"y!
Summary. "he 2o&s and 2on&ts of Face#ook Do: Do set aside M-$ minutes each day to review your 4acebook &usiness =a"e and respond to comments! Do set up email alerts to notify you when users 2Like2 your pa"e or leave comments! Do remember the ditty about
43


&ufferApp!com for more information! Do add a 4acebook 2Like2 button and link to your 4acebook =a"e on your firm(s website! Do encoura"e physical check-ins at your business! Do use 4acebook(s built in tools to track visits to and interactions with your pa"e! se this information to "ain insi"ht on what your visitors are readin"! Don't: Don(t restrict your wall posts to information only about your firm or latest pro9ects! Don(t be afraid to be too personal or casual on your pa"e! 'ometimes it pays off to loosen the tie! Don(t for"et to interact with other users, especially those who Like your pa"eP 4ollow-up, reach out, and some real friendships can be madeP

Wrap !p 4acebook allows you to receive updates from friends and acuaintances in a central location )your wall+! Like other social media tools, 4acebook(s power lies in the viral nature of the updates that users can post and .Like/! %f you create "reat content, it is more likely that it will be shared! 4acebook is permission marketin" at it(s best! >emember, to effectively levera"e 4acebook, concentrate on creatin" conversations, not monolo"uesP


44

4inkedIn

Chapter 5

4actoid: %f Linked%n were a country, it would be the  th most populous country in the world )between 0apan and @e*ico+!

Linked%n proudly proclaims itself to be the .6orld(s Lar"est =rofessional Network/! %f 4acebook is the party, Linked%n is the industry conference!

What It Is Linked%n is a networkin" site where people form connections based on .invitations/! A network "rows as one (connects( with other users!
45


Connectin" to someone on Linked%n implies that you know them well: They(ll have access to people you know!
"erms to (no%. =rofile: 5our personal home on Linked%n! A profile is a turbo-char"ed resume showin" your past and present work e*perience, education, and e*pertise! Connect: Add a connection to your network! Linked%n encoura"es users to only connect to people they know!


46

1roups: 1roups are places where users can discuss topics that relate to a common theme! Two types of 1roups e*ist- open 1roups and closed 1roups! 5ou must be approved by a moderator to 9oin a closed 1roup! 4or instance, there is a closed "roup for architects run by Architect ma"a7ine!
/et the Most -ut of 4inkedIn Your LinkedIn Profile: 'ettin" up a Linked%n profile is strai"htforward! Try to make your Linked%n profile as complete as possible! Paid advertising: Linked%n offers promisin" possibilities for runnin" a tar"eted marketin" campai"n! 6hereas 4acebook has potential for pickin" up clients in the residential sector, Linked%n is a "ood tool to "et your messa"e in front of institutional and corporate clients! 4or instance,

4$


an ad could be run tar"etin" the mana"ement personnel of local libraries, school facility directors, etc! The effectiveness of the marketin" campai"n will rely primarily a tar"eted marketin" strate"y! Claim your vanity URL: %nstead of havin" your Linked%n profile >L be a lon" strin" of random letters and numbers, personali7e your >L to somethin" that represents your personal brand or name! This option can be found under (=rofile( -F (dit =rofile( -F Click (dit( by (=ublic =rofile(! Connect to businesses you are courting: se the search function of Linked%n to search for companies that you are courtin"!

4%

#$lore !lications: Applications are add-ons that can be used to brin" custom information to your Linked%n profile! 4or instance, %(ve added a 6ordpress plu"-in which shows small snippets from the &usinessofArchitecture blo"! ecommendations are a "reat form of social proof! Claim Your Comany Page% A company pa"e may not be much use in findin" new clients but it can serve as a place for connections to find out more about your business and be directed to your web pa"e! se your Linked%n company pa"e to recruit fresh talent and "et out the word about your company!

Summary. "he

Do's and Don'ts of

4inkedIn

Do: Do use Linked%n to stay connected with people you have worked with in the past! Do consider startin" or 9oinin" a Linked%n 1roup that deals with your e*pertise )school desi"n for instance+! Do set aside time each day )or each week+ to respond to messa"es on Linked%n and contribute to 1roup discussions! Do look for and connect with industry leaders in your area of e*pertise! Ask your direct connections for an introduction to a decision-maker who is not in your network!

4&


Don't: Don(t use Linked%n 1roups as a way to promote your services or spam thousands of people! Don(t connect with everybody and everyone! @ake sure that your connections fit into a lar"er strate"y!

Wrap !p Linked%n is a "reat way to connect with business leaders in your tar"et market! 'eek out decision makers usin" company search and "et introduced throu"h your connections! 'chedule face-to-face, off-line meetin"s! se Linked%n as a way to stren"then your e*istin", real-world network! Additionally, paid advertisin" can be a "reat way to tar"et a specific market! @ake sure your profile is up to date! And as is true with other social media tools, consistent use of Linked%n trumps sporadic dallyin"!


5'

Chapter 6

Case Studies

Case Study -ne. Archop and Spacio 2esign Studio 5 Blogging6 "%itter .The &usiness 0ournal has been contactin" me a lot lately for information about architecture!!!@ost of this interaction has happened because of Twitter! % think this is fantastic!
%n our first case study, we look at how blo""in" and Twitter helped intern-architect Giel 4amellos-'chmidt "ain prominence as a local architectural thou"ht-leader! %n Au"ust of #$$K, architect =aul 8ala9ian A%A and associates 0amie Dronyk, Giel 4amellos-'chmidt, and 'haunt 5emen9ian were discussin" some of the obstacles that stand in the way of implementin" thou"htful desi"n in 4resno, California! Althou"h 4resno is ideally situated close to mountains and abundant a"riculture, 4resno is a city not unlike many others around the !'! with an anemic city core! &ecause architecture is a client-driven process, it was concluded that the best way to improve the built environment of 4resno is to en"a"e the public with a pro"ram of outreach and education! The product of this brainstormin" session is Arc8op )pronounced 2ark hop2+, a local architectural news and opinion blo" coupled with a uarterly architectural e*hibit! Giel 4amellos-'chmidt took the role of curator and champion for Arc8op! 6hile Arc8op was not started as a

51


marketin" tool for any particular firm, it certainly has catapulted curator Giel 4amellos-'chmidt into the position of respected architectural thou"ht-leader! Throu"h a combination of "ood, old-fashioned networkin" and a heavy dose of social media, Giel has "rown Arc8op into a blo" with thousands of followers! %n his role as curator, Giel has successfully used 4acebook, Twitter, 4oursuare and the blo""in" platform 6ordpress to en"a"e with people and further the mission of Arc8op! 4or two years, from #$$ to #$$, Giel posted -# times a week on the Arc8op blo"! The posts on Arc8op are diverse and span a ran"e of topics from buildin" critiues to interviews with local architects and politicians! The Arc8op blo" was started while Giel was employed at an architecture firm! %n addition to blo""in" about architecture, Giel was very active in offline networkin"! 8e has become a common fi*ture at any event or city council meetin" dealin" with the built environment! 6hen architects and urbanists @oule W =oly7oides came to 4resno to rewrite the 7onin" re"ulations, Giel was there blo""in" about it on Arc8op! Arc8op has been wildly successful in en"a"in" with the public about architecture! And as an added benefit, this social media outreach has hei"htened Giel(s profile in the local community! 'o, when thin"s started to slow at Giel(s firm in #$$ and he was laid off with collea"ue 'haunt 5emen9ian, it seemed a natural fit to branch out on their own! Lookin" at their options, and the lack of work at other firms in the area, 4amellos'chmidt and 5emen9ian decided to team up and start their own firm, 'pacio Desi"n 'tudio! They pulled in Los An"eles architect @ike Lancy as a co-founder!


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The social media outreach that Giel had done at Archop proved to be firm bedrock for the foundin" of their new firm! Giel has affirmed that some of the work they have "otten has been a direct result of his involvement in the Archop blo" and his use of Twitter! %n addition to findin" new work, Giel has been able to stren"then e*istin" relationships throu"h the use of social media! This story has an interestin" side note! %n late #$$, former *ecutive ditor of Architect ma"a7ine, Amanda G! 8urley, was lookin" for a "ood story about how innovative small firms are copin" with the current economy! 'he posted this reuest on the Architect ma"a7ine Linked%n "roup! % responded and mentioned Giel and 'haunt(s story concernin" Archop and 'pacio Desi"n! As a result of their successful interview, 'pacio was "iven a full spread in the @arch #$$ issue!

This opportunity can be traced back to Giel(s successful use of social media tools!

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Case Study "%o. Architect Mark )nglish 5 /ra# Your Share of the Internet 3ie Architect @ark n"lish mana"ed to "row his practice I$$B durin" the economic downturn by usin" blo"s and social media! 6hen talkin" about success usin" social media, architect @ark n"lish starts out mentionin" how his firm built their (dream office( hopin" this would e*press their brand and impress clients throu"h the sheer power of desi"n! 'oon he reali7ed this was an outmoded form of marketin"! 26e don(t meet our clients in that office2, he states! 26e "o the 9ob site, we meet them at a restaurant!!!andU we use new media2 J! n"lish likes to talk about the differences between old media and new media! 4allin" into the cate"ory of (old media( are books, brochures, ma"a7ines, awards, and 2"ettin" published2 by the printed media! New media are thin"s such as blo"s, online ma"a7ines, and social media tools! @ark points out that the (old media( are "uarded by ("atekeepers( who determine what "ets published and what does not! ! campai"n!

J @ark n"lish, Social Me dia for the Smal l Ar chitec ture Pr ac tice, http:kaconnect!comblo"3pX#K


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%n contrast, new media breaks down walls and allows access past the "atekeepers! New media are the %nternet and related social media tools!
"argeting 2esign Blogs As can be seen in this snapshot of the @ark n"lish Architects website traffic report, K of the $ top traffic referral sources are desi"n blo"s!

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6hat does this tell us about internet traffic3 %t tells us that visitors )and prospects+ are findin" @ark n"lish Architects by clickin" on a link in another desi"n blo"! 1ettin" your firm(s work posted in a desi"n blo" on a re"ular basis can be a "reat source of traffic for your website! &ut what if you(re "oin" for local reach3 5ou may be thinkin" that the traffic from popular desi"n blo"s will come from people far away who will never be your prospects! This is true, yet havin" links from these prominent desi"n blo"s also "ives your firm a much needed boost in local search rankin"s! 5our increased internet presence will draw more local visitors to your firm(s website!

Self 3u#lishing 8ere is where the story "ets even more interestin"! @ark n"lish hired a professional writer! This revolutionary move speaks volume about he chan"in" nature of the marketplace! The writer, >ebecca 4irestone, mana"es the firm(s blo"s: 1reen Compliance =lus and The Architect(s Take! ach blo" serves a distinct purpose!

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"%itter6 Face#ook6 and 4inkedIn % won(t cover much on n"lish(s Twitter, 4acebook and Linked%n efforts because % have covered each of these services in-depth above! 'uffice it to say, the firm uses these valuable resources to drive traffic to the firm(s website!

R0I030 William Randolph ,earst 6illiam >andolph 8earst was an American business ma"nate and leadin" newspaper publisher who made his fortune by brin"in" information to the people! 8earst(s newspaper and ma"a7ine empire was built on the premise that content attracts eyes, and money follows the eyes! 'o what does this have to do with the efforts of @ark n"lish Architects! %ronically, this is the strate"y that @ark n"lish Architects and other %nternet blo""ers are usin" to drive the nails into the coffin of traditional media! &ecause of the %nternet and social media tools, content production and consumption is becomin" increasin"ly decentrali7ed!

What 2oes "his Mean for You Now is the time to "rab your share of the internet pie! As is shown throu"h the e*perience of @ark n"lish Architects, blo"s can drive substantial traffic to a firm(s website! This traffic fueled the firms( "rowth durin" a time when most other firms were downsi7in"! Two blo"s played an essential part in an overall business and marketin" strate"y that included "ettin" featured in online desi"n media, social media outreach, and alternative revenue streams! %nstead of creatin" content and waitin" passively, the firm actively uses social media tools to spread the messa"e! 4or @ark n"lish Architects, the proof of the eatin" is in the puddin": if you build it, they will come!

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Appendi7 Additional Resources. -ther Social Media "ools and 2esign Blogs Social Media "ools &umblr )http:www!tumblr!com+ &lo""in" platform with a uniue viral feature: a (reblo"( button which allows a post to spread rapidly across thousands of blo"s with a sin"le click! tumbleUon )http:www!stumbleupon!com+ A social bookmarkin" site that lets users find blo"s and pa"es that ali"n with a particular interest! sers can share sites with each other! !rc(iti)er )http:www!architi7er!com+ The 4acebook for architects! Create a portfolio and interact! Be(ance )http:www!behance!net+ .The Creative =rofessional =latform/ A place to create an online portfolio and find work! Pinterest )http:pinterest!com+ An online (pinboard( where users collect photos and thin"s of interest on the web! @any of these ima"es are ideas for the home! A "reat place to post work and connect with clients )currently the ma9or demo"raphic consists of women #$-I$ years old+! !rc(inect*com )http:archinect!com+ A forum for architects to connect with the latest desi"n news, employment opportunities, and forum to discuss architecture-related topics!


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2esign #logs Contemorist*com )http:www!contemporist!com+ .Contemporist is a daily source for architects and interior desi"ners to discover new products and pro9ects in the world of contemporary desi"n!/ +ou))*com )http:www!hou77!com+ The lar"est collection of interior desi"n and decoratin" ideas on the %nternet, includin" kitchen and bathrooms! A "reat place to post pro9ect photos! &(eLenno$$*com )http:www!thelenno**!com+ interior desi"n and home decoration!

%nspiration

for

In(abitat*com )http:inhabitat!com+ .6eblo" devoted to the future of desi"n, trackin" the innovations in technolo"y, practices and materials that are pushin" architecture and home desi"n towards a smarter and more sustainable future!/ ,res(ome*com )http:freshome!com+ %nspirin" desi"n ideas from a "reat desi"n blo"! &rendir*com )http:trendir!com+ The latest home dYcor products and hi"h-end lu*ury markets! !rc(Daily*com )http:www!archdaily!com+ The latest architectural news! !rc(idose )http:archidose!blo"spot!com+ A daily dose of architecture! Bustler*net )http:bustler!net+ Architectural competition listin"s and desi"n inspiration! Plus-..D*com )http:plusmood!com+ Architecture, desi"n, and interiors!

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Social-Media-for-Architects-Business-of-Architecture.pdf

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