Culture, Guest Writers, Services

Value Your Marketing Team

March 21, 2019

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I never get to share all the awesome work I do as a marketing professional because it tends to be competitive and confidential. That said, today I kicked ass on the development of a complex 70+ page document. I’m proud of it, and I can’t show you, but it’s pretty sweet! Just close your eyes and imagine a CD level effort baked into a professional, graphically designed brochure.

Since jumping into marketing years ago, my graphic design skills have grown and grown and grown again. Coming back to marketing after working as a designer, I feel like I’ve finally gained some traction in my quest to understand both the business and practice side of architecture.

Unfortunately, what gets taught about marketing to architects is very minimal, and the viewpoint between the two functions in a firm is entirely different. It can create some communication challenges, frustration, and lack of understanding for both parties. Having seen the world from both sides, here are five tips I recommend to any architect or designer working with a marketing team in practice:

Create a culture where you both say thank you every single day. Marketing people are the invisible hurricane winds supporting a firm. You might not notice it because you’re buried in your hurricane winds of project work, but each day your marketing team help you secure work, money, teaming partners, attract talent, and cheer the firm (you) on. Acknowledge that they go above and beyond, because I promise you, they do. Please make sure you recognize their work.

Be a partner with your marketing team member, not a dictator. They often work solo and tend to be on an island within the dynamics of the firm while juggling multiple tasks to make miracles happen on your behalf. Meet them halfway and understand their workflow is entirely different than yours, their needs are entirely different than yours, and 50%-100% of their tasks are on fire Most of all, your marketing team members need you to be an ally.

Do not pay an external consultant money to tell you the same thing your marketing team has already told you. I mean you can… but wouldn’t it be easier to listen? They have kernels of truth you need to hear. Remember, your marketing team is your advocate and have your best interest in mind. Be willing to listen to them, even though they may not be trained as architects, even if you do not think their graphics skills meet your standards, even if they are right out of college, even if (fill in the reason).

It’s worth your time to learn and be open to new ideas about marketing your practice. The world of marketing is rapidly changing as fast as tech is, and the AEC industry needs to evolve its approach. Stop marketing like it’s 1985. Changing, innovating, and testing new ideas isn’t risky anymore; it’s smart. Be willing to accept new ideas. Be ready to try, fail, try again, and grow.

Marketing dollars are overhead you need to invest in. While the effort of your marketer will not be billable to any particular project, when spent intelligently, the ROI can be highly profitable. Be strategic with spending, but most importantly don’t cut off your nose to spite your face when it comes to allocating resources into your marketing budget.

Author: Je’Nen Chastain

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