In the past there have been a number of reports on communicating with specifiers, mostly published by RIBA and Barbour. More recently there has been a report on the use of the internet by ESI and Competitive Advantage have published our own report Specifier Communication Channels. This summary is based on a consolidation of all this information.
There is no doubt that the internet is now the principal form of communication, delivering vast amounts of information at the click of a mouse. Not surprisingly, Google is the principal route to obtaining information, even if a web site address is known. Product data is available on a number of online directories and many Google enquiries will land on these. The question is should I invest my money on entries in product directories or on search engine optimisation? To answer that you need to decide if specifiers will get a better service by going directly to your web site or to a product directory. For example, ESI are currently developing their directory web site to allow product comparisons which could be a useful service for specifiers. IHS have also built a strong reputation with specifiers, many of whom subscribe to their service. At the moment the traditional market leaders Barbour and RIBA Product Selector seem to be getting left behind.
We are also seeing the development of a number of online journals and web sites. Building Magazine has had a very comprehensive site for some time, and Construction News are now offering a daily email briefing. All of this means the publishers have a greater requirement for new stories presenting an opportunity to publicise your business, its products and services.
We can also expect an expansion of web services, online CPD, webinars and virtual exhibitions are all starting to be adopted, all be it in a small way at present.
Although regular magazine readership is declining it is still an important source of ideas and information, especially project stories and technical articles. Be careful when advertising in journals, readership by architects can be quite different to other professionals.
Specifiers tell us that hard copy literature is still important - it provides an audit trail, a source of future reference and allows easy comparison. Because of the ease of access online the chances are that if you do receive a literature request, or there is a download from your web site, it is a buying signal.
As the professional body for architects, RIBA offer a range of services and are often the first port of call for journals, product information, CPD and specification selection. Their NBS Plus service is quite widely used, but NBS has become a generic, like Hoover for vacuum cleaners, and companies who do not wish to subscribe to the service should be writing their own "NBS Type" specifications.
CPD is probably one of the most effective means of building relationships with architects. When well delivered it gives credibility to the presenter, the company and its products. Interestingly while quite a high proportion of architects are happy to attend seminars in their offices (about once a month) there are a proportion who only attend those organised by their professional bodies. So both options need to be covered.
It is always expensive to participate in exhibitions and conferences, and architects are notorious for not leaving their offices to attend. While a reasonable proportion see these events as beneficial, only a small proportion have actually made the time to visit in the last 12 months. When evaluating participation consider how many of your target specifiers are an easy journey from the venue. They are much less likely to travel two hours to get there than 45 minutes.
Over the next 12 to 18 months we will see changes in the way we communicate with specifiers, driven by the need to make cost savings and the availability of new technology. Online methods are increasingly accepted but companies need to ensure they present the appropriate information in an easy to access format and keep in touch with new developments.