How To Win Work: The architect's guide to business development and marketing

by Jan Knikker

Overview

You are a great designer, but no-one knows. Now what?

This indispensable book, written by one of the most influential marketers in architecture, will demystify Public Relations and marketing for all architects, whether in large practices or practicing as sole practitioners.

It bridges the distance between architects and marketing by giving practical tips, best practice and anecdotes from an author with 20 years’ experience in architecture marketing. It explains all aspects of PR and Business Development for architects: for example, how to write a good press release; how to make a fee proposal; how to prepare for a pitch. It gives examples of how others do it well, and the pitfalls to avoid. In addition, it discusses more general aspects which are linked to PR and BD, such as being a good employer, ethics for architects and the challenges when working abroad.

Featuring vital insights from a wide variety of architects, from multinational practices to small offices, this book is an essential companion to any architectural office.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781859469323
Publisher:	RIBA Publishing
Publication date:	03/01/2021
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jan Knikker is Partner at MVRDV, leading the Contracts, Business Development and Public Relations efforts. He leads MVRDV’s branding efforts and has overseen the practice’s rapid expansion into new markets, focusing on solutions for global issues through its architecture and urbanism. Jan regularly lectures internationally, at commercial and academic venues in Germany, the UK, Israel, Colombia, Austria, Australia, Kuala Lumpur, and elsewhere. He writes for various publications and was Deputy Editor of Domus 2019.

Table of Contents

Foreword: Dispatch from the 'dark side' vi

About the Author ix

1 How we are supposed to work for free 1

2 We can do better 5

3 To specialise or not to specialise? 8

4 Marketing: a dirty word in architectual circles 13

5 Mission and vision 14

6 Branding and company culture 17

Public Relations 21

7 'If I was down to my last dollar, I would spend it on PR' 22

7.1 Writing a marketing strategy 24

8 The office is your business card 27

9 Your website: your online shop window 30

10 Your work amid a changing media landscape 34

10.1 Print media 36

10.2 Online media 40

10.3 Social media 42

10.4 Television 46

10.5 Vlogs and podcasts 49

10.6 Crisis communication and the outreach that might prevent it 51

10.7 Other media 57

11 Lectures 58

12 Awards 64

13 Your product in the picture 66

13.1 The drawing 66

13.2 The render 71

13.3 Collages and hand drawings 79

13.4 Talking to clients: the project text and press release 84

13.5 The model 88

14 The built project 91

15 The project book 95

16 Exhibitions 98

17 Prioritising 102

Business Development 105

18 Business development, the direct way to win new work 106

19 Client relationships: a personal 'click' or a financial agreement? 108

20 Who is your client and how do you approach them? 112

21 Just do it 115

22 Going abroad 117

23 Fairs 123

24 How to calculate a fee 127

25 Contracts: managing risks and keeping promises 132

26 It's not easy being green 137

27 The pitch 141

28 Broadening your portfolio 145

29 Planning workflow 147

30 Collaborations 150

31 Learning from others 153

32 Styles 156

33 Ethics for architects 159

34 Suing your client 162

35 Spam and fraud 164

36 Crisis 165

Case Studies 169

1 Shedkm - Hazel Rounding 170

2 MgMaStudio - Mathew Giles and Matthew Ashton 173

3 Studio MUTT - James Crawford 177

4 Coffey Architects - Phil Coffey 181

5 DMA - David Miller 185

6 Feilden Fowles - Edmund Fowles 189

7 Turner Works - Carl Turner 194

8 Powerhouse Company - Nanne de Ru 199

Acknowledgements 202

Image credits 203

Index 204

Endnotes 206