Having worked at the largest architecture firm in the world for the better part of a decade, I’ve seen firsthand some of the biggest challenges that marketing and public relations teams face when trying to get more media coverage for the company.
It’s easy to begin the year with high hopes for what we will accomplish, but before you know it, mid-year is upon us. Where does the time even go?
A great way to get ahead of your year is to understand what you’re up against – start by naming your challenges so that you can understand how to best tackle them. Here are the top three challenges that professionals in communications face when working at an architecture or design firm and some thoughts on how to move through them swiftly and effectively.
Challenge 1: The Project Doesn’t Belong to You
We always want to ensure that we are being careful when it comes to external communications at the risk of upsetting the client. A great reminder for yourself (and something I have to outwardly say from time to time), is that although the idea of running to the press at the project kick-off might seem alluring, the role of the architect on the project is typically that of a contractor – and as such, you are not the one who is meant to lead the message. At least initially.
The client will likely want to be the one to break their own news about the start of a project or the signing of a deal or milestone – the biggest asset for design and architecture PR is to understand patience. Learn when it’s your time in the sun and when it’s your client’s time to shine.
Challenge #2: Knowing When to Begin PR Conversations
It can be difficult to identify when to plug PR in to the equation. Practitioners on the project team are thinking about the actual project, the design, the logistics – they aren’t thinking months or years ahead to decide when to promote the project. In many cases, practitioners shun the PR team early into a project to avoid the perception of “upsetting” the client or thinking that they might be talking about PR “too soon” (especially if the project is highly confidential).
In-house marketing and PR teams understand this and know that early communication for projects is key – often earlier than you feel comfortable with. News can strike at any time, even before Schematic Design is complete. Having a comms team that is proactive about preparing for these moments helps tremendously to get ahead of the PR opportunities and challenges that will inevitably come as the project progresses. Getting on the same page early with the client’s PR group is always a great idea.
Challenge 3: Making time for PR:
Real ones will remember that old infomercial that had a crowd of people in the stands of a studio yelling in unison to the host behind the counter – “SET IT AND FORGET IT!” Well, unfortunately, PR is not a rotisserie oven. Good PR is born out of careful planning, real time consideration, proactive efforts and reactive movement. Practitioners often understand the importance of PR and thought leadership, but it can fall to the bottom of the to-do list. It’s critical for marketing and PR managers of architecture and design firms to plan out these efforts in advance with reminders to help you follow up … and follow up again ( … and sometimes again!) That organization and nudging can be a big and tedious part of the job. Consistent PR requires a significant investment of time. Working with an experienced PR agency that understands your industry and the creative nature of architects and designers will be key to getting the PR items you need this year.
If you are looking for a place to start with your architecture firm’s PR and need a specialized agency to help with thought leadership, media relations and writing efforts, please reach out to us at hello@bramblecreative.com – we’d love to help!
