Communicating with architects
With the pressure on budgets, now is the ideal time to take a fresh look at where money should be spent. In the past there have been a number of reports on communicating with specifiers, mostly published by RIBA and CMP International (publishers of Building and the Barbour Compendium). More recently there has been a report on the use of the internet by another directory publisher, ESI and Competitive Advantage recently published our own impartial report “Specifier Communication Channels”. This summary is based on a consolidation of all of 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 from 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? With over 30 product directories to choose from this is not an easy decision. To answer it you need to decide if specifiers are more likely to Google a web directory or your web site. Try putting some of your products into Google to see what happens. The good directory publishers put a lot of effort into web optimisation. They are also trying to develop added value for users, for example, ESI are developing their directory web site to allow product comparisons in the same way as Comet or Currys’ web sites. This could be a useful service helping specifiers to select the most suitable product. IHS, another directory publisher, have also built a strong reputation with specifiers, many of whom subscribe to their service which includes details of legislation and codes. 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 is now offering a daily email briefing. All of this means the publishers have a greater requirement for news stories presenting an opportunity to publicise your business, its products and services. But it also means that specifiers have far more sources of information so your messages need to be relevant, interesting and to the point.
Expect to see an expansion of web services. Online CPD, webinars and virtual exhibitions are all starting to be adopted although in a small way at present. Construction News have been publishing video interviews online on a regular basis for about 6 months. Expect this to increase, for example the University of the West of England will be making their first recording of Construction Question Time in March. Produced in the style of the popular BBC TV Question Time programme this will be available online in April.
Although regular magazine readership is declining, it is still an important source of ideas and information for specifiers, especially project stories and technical articles. Be careful when advertising in journals, readership by architects can be quite different to other professionals such as interior designers and engineers. Also beware of journals offering editorial in exchange for advertising, their readers often realise that editorial policy is influenced by advertising sales and treat the information inside with a pinch of salt.
Architects tell us that hard copy literature is still important – it provides a project audit trail, a source of reference information when the project is further advanced and allows easy comparison. Because of the ease of access to information online the chances are that if you do receive a literature request, or there is a leaflet download from your web site, they have decided to specify your product and this should be treated as 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 cannot fund the cost of subscribing 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 (held about once a month) there are a proportion, perhaps the smaller practices, who only attend those organised by their professional bodies. So both options need to be covered.
Some companies have “technical specialists” who deliver CPD seminars on behalf of the sales team. I advise against this. Architects want to discuss projects with someone who has technical competence. If your salesman is not delivering the seminar then it is sending the subliminal message “don’t deal with our salesman, he is not technically competent”. Offering CPD seminars is a very effective means of becoming established in a practice. If you have salesmen working with architects, the ability to deliver an effective CPD seminar is a key skill. Make sure they have the technical knowledge and presentation skills to do this. Perhaps practicing seminar delivery to their colleagues to build confidence.
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 at an exhibition 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. If you do decide to exhibit have a clear idea of your objectives and ensure those manning the stand are aware of these. Consider setting performance targets, such as securing a target number of new contacts each day or encouraging friendly rivalry be rewarding the person who gets the most sales leads.
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. At the same time do not neglect the traditional media such as magazines and literature, they still have an important role to play.
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Chris is founder of Competitive Advantage Consultancy Limited which specialises in market research and training for the construction industry. He is also a member of the organising committee for CIMCIG, the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Construction Industry Group
First Published: February 2009, AIS Interiors Insight
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