Architecture Marketing in the Gig Economy, and a Painful History Lesson

The “gig” economy, or the sharing economy if you prefer, has brought on a boon of entrepreneurialism. Need a ride and don’t have a car? Catch an Uber. Looking for a place to stay abroad? Book an Airbnb. Need copy for a website? Hire a writer on Fiverr. Someone, somewhere, is almost guaranteed to have the skills you need for a professional job. The sharing economy has reached into almost every service niche you can think of – home improvement, event planning, catering, advertising, journalism, transportation, travel… the list goes on.

So why are architecture firms still struggling to staff their marketing departments? The availability of Requests for Proposals (or qualifications, cost proposals, etc.) is never steady. One week you’re writing four proposals, preparing for two interviews and wondering whether it’s time you hire a proposal coordinator, and the next you’re writing one proposal and looking at the list of “non-essential” marketing tasks you should probably get around to (but probably won’t because another proposal is bound to drop).

We’ve created a culture of “normal” surrounding overworked marketing professionals.

The dilemma is overhead expenses. Hiring a full-time coordinator to alleviate the workload during periods of high marketing demand means paying them during “slow” periods as well. In response, we’ve created a culture of “normal” surrounding overworked marketing professionals. We justify asking our marketing staff to work late nights and weekends by offering them time off or other incentives to “balance” out the work. Our dedicated marketers put in the overtime for one pursuit, only to find out that the promised light at the end of the tunnel can’t really exist. That day off, or whatever the incentive was, is forfeited to the next proposal. Rinse, repeat.

How Did We Get Here?

In the early 20th century, the field of architecture was steadfast in its “absolutely no competition” outlook. In fact, the American Institute of Architects even banned the practice of marketing as we know it today, wherein firms actively promote their designs and seek new projects. The 1909 “Principles of Practice” adopted by the AIA put restrictions on any form of paid publicity including advertising and job site signage. It also prohibited architects from offering any free services – including proposals! Restrictions on fees kept architects from competing based on price; the idea being that lower fees would equate to lesser quality.

It wasn’t until the 1970s that the AIA lifted restrictions on fee negotiations and promotional marketing. Firms didn’t rush to promote their services, however. Many were opposed to new marketing techniques and resisted the need to hire professionals to sell their work.

Architectural practices shifted their marketing thinking glacially slow. Administrative assistants became the first “marketers”, working with Principals and CEOs to type up and print proposals, but they had little or no say in the content or strategy of the effort. As more marketing savvy firms adopted new communication techniques, full-time marketing staff finally found a place in the office. They handled proposals, presentations, graphics libraries, brand identity, press releases, events, brochures and later a suite of digital communications.

Even after 40 years, architects continued to distrust the guidance of marketers. It is possible that this is (or was) due to the “lack” of schooling or the non-conventional routes marketing professionals often take to reach their position. Despite this distrust, firms also expected their marketing “department” (which is often just one person) to handle business development and client relations. The term marketing became a catchall for anything required to “seal the deal”.

The Balancing Act: Investment or Overhead Nightmare?

For so many firms, marketing is still just an unavoidable expense because someone has to write proposals. Worse, it’s an afterthought outside of proposals and presentations. Because of this mentality, architects hesitate to invest in a full marketing staff. They depend on one or two marketers to handle the work of a full team of marketing and sales staff. At best, this sets firms up for mediocre marketing and a high turnover rate in marketing positions, at worst it costs you potential work.

What is the cost of not investing in the future of your firm?

I get it – running a business is a constant balancing act. How do you invest in your success while keeping your overhead low and your profits high? I think that’s the wrong question. Instead, I’d ask: what is the cost of not investing in the future of your firm?

It’s not always feasible to hire a full-time marketing professional, especially as a small business. There are writers for hire out there though, and some of them come with graphic design skills and backgrounds in marketing strategy (bonus!). Use the sharing economy to your advantage and thrive – work with a professional when you need them, keep them in your contacts (and off your payroll) when you don’t.

Mastering the Gig Economy

The trick to making the sharing economy work in your favor for proposal management is to find someone that can assimilate into your team. They need to be able to enforce deadlines for content and reviews, which means they need to be able to communicate with your subject matter experts and earn their trust. Find someone who knows the right questions to ask, can steer your experts toward writing content with ease and can articulate your win theme in clear terms.

Don’t be afraid to ask if they’ll physically step in as a temporary coordinator or director for a pursuit in your office. If your non-marketing staff needs someone to push for deadlines, having a “boots on the ground” consultant may help with scheduling.

Another bonus – hiring someone who’s worked in your market, or one you’re looking to break into, probably has insights that you don’t about the key players, the project, and the win themes that can get you in the door. Ask them what they know, and how they can help you beyond standard writing services.