“How do I get noticed when I am first starting an architecture firm? I have no portfolio of my own to show clients. How do I get that first solo project?”
I receive comments and emails on a regular basis asking these or similar questions. (Shout out to Andrew and Samantha most recently.)
I’ve shared articles on how much it may cost to start your own firm and how Annmarie and I launched Fivecat Studio with no clients and very little money. Starting a firm from scratch is not easy. Many architects take a different tact by working for established firms and using the knowledge and connections from that position to leverage the launch of a new firm. Your first clients may come from relationships built during your time as an employee.
Another path to owning your own firm is to work your way through the ranks in an established firm, becoming a partner and ultimately taking the reins and responsibility for that firm.
What happens though if you want to launch your own firm and you are not in the position to use the projects or established relationships with clients from your current employer? How can you get things rolling before taking the leap to a full time commitment of running your own firm?
How can you get noticed when no one is watching?
The secret to getting noticed is to build your own platform from which to launch before taking the leap. Build a foundation of relationships, connections and resources that will support you, provide the basis on which to build your new firm and get you noticed.
Here are 10 steps that you can use to build a solid platform and find your first client.
1. Be Certain
The first step is simple, but not easy.
Be certain that launching your own firm is what you truly want to do. Building a firm from scratch may be one of the most difficult things you will ever do. In order to succeed, you will work harder and work more hours than you can imagine. There are many benefits to running your own firm in terms of control, flexibility and freedom, but it will likely be your life’s greatest challenge. It will take years of consistent commitment and you may struggle to find your footing before successfully climbing the mountain.
2. Make a Plan
Once you have committed to taking action toward launching your own firm, write a plan and use it as your guide. I recommend that you read (or re-read) Session 002 of the Entrepreneur Architect Academy Resource Guide, Your Life Plan: Personal and Business Planning.
3. Tell Everyone
Tell everyone you know that you are starting a firm and that you are looking for your first project. Tell your family. Tell your friends. Tell your peers. Tell fellow architects. Tell your alumni groups, members of your chambers of commerce, parish members… Tell everyone.
Depending on the relationship with your boss and the terms of your employment agreement, I even suggest that you tell your current employer. Many first clients come as freelance work that your current firm cannot or chooses not to handle. If your intent is to leave your current position and start your own gig, sharing your plans with your employer may reinforce your relationship going forward and will give them plenty of time for you to transition with your replacement.
4. Start a Blog
One of the best ways to establish yourself as an authority is to start a blog. Pick a specific niche within your intended market. Give your blog a name that will reflect the topic on which you want to write. Be consistent, informative, interesting and entertaining and you will quickly attract a following of potential clients. Be honest with your level of experience and write about how you are working toward starting your own firm. Share your journey and demonstrate an expertise in your specific niche. We’ve all heard it before, “People want to work with people they know, like and trust.” The power of a blog is simply amazing for reaching the people with whom you want to influence and make a connection.
You will have a free blog up and running within minutes using WordPress.com, but I recommend that you visit WordPress.org and set up a self-hosted blog. You’ll need a hosting service such as Bluehost, which comes with a small monthly fee, but a more advanced site will allow you to add forms to collect an email list (see number 8 below) and experiment in the future with ads and/or selling products directly from your site.
5. Start Networking
Your greatest asset, now and going forward, is your network. All the people you know have their own networks, who also have networks.
Terrestrial networking (i.e. meeting people in person) will allow you to quickly build strong relationships that may last for many years into the future. Get involved with your local business groups, your church or your child’s school. (Some of our best projects have come from parents of our kids’ friends.) Be sure to share your plans with everyone you meet. You will be amazed by the connections that lead to new projects. Our first project came to us through a Golden Retriever named Albert.
Digital networking, using social media and through comments on your blog, will quickly build large networks of connections. Share your plans on your personal Facebook page, on Twitter, Google+ and on Linkedin. Set up company pages dedicated to your future firm and build networks through each site. Share your blog articles and post original updates on a consistent schedule. Your digital network will grow and your chances of finding your first client will become even more likely.
6. Volunteer
Take a trip to your town hall and let them know that you are a resident architect who cares about the future of your community. Inform them that you are available to provide pro bono services (that means “for the public good” and without a fee) and are interested in serving on advisory committees such as planning or architecture review boards.
Then visit your library, your school district and any other organization that may need your assistance. Volunteering to provide architectural services may give you the first projects you need to feature on your website and establish your presence within the community.
7. Build a Website
When your potential clients decide that they want to proceed with a project, the first thing they do is click over to Google. They search for local architects and review their websites before deciding on a short list of firms to contact. If you do not have a website, you essentially don’t exist.
Without work of our own to feature, Annmarie and I launched the original fivecat.com using beautiful sketches, hand drawn perspectives and full renderings of unbuilt work. The site looked professional, described the services we offered and the types of projects we were seeking. It wasn’t very long before we had photographs of our first projects, which we then strategically arranged throughout the site.
I built our first website myself using a simple-to-use program called NetObjects Fusion and hosted it on 1and1.com. Today, fivecat.com is built on the liveBooks platform. liveBooks offers pre-built templates designed for professional photographers to present their best work. With its focus on beautiful images and its user-friendly control panel to easily update the site with our new work, liveBooks is perfect for architects as well.
8. Build a List
With a blog and website set up, your first task must be to start an email list. Offer visitors something of value, such as a newsletter, short ebook or guide in exchange for their email address. You can use this list to connect directly with the people who are interested in you and your services. You want to stay at the top of each potential client’s mind, so that when they are ready to start a project, you are the first (and maybe only) architect they recall without research.
For Fivecat Studio, I have used Constant Contact and for my blogs, I use Aweber. Both services allow you to sort and create sublists, as well as provide simple “unsubscribe” links for subscribers who no longer wish to receive your content. Annoying potential clients with email that they don’t want may be the easiest way to NOT find your first client.
9. Take Every Project
When Annmarie and I started Fivecat Studio, we weren’t picky. We were happy to provide architectural services for any project offered to us. Our first projects were restaurants, nail salons, small renovations and even a dog house for a charity fundraiser.
Once we built a portfolio and established ourselves as a recognized name in the region, we focused our marketing efforts on high-end small residential projects and built a brand around specific types of architecture within a specific project budget.
10. Start
The most important step of all? Start.
Without taking the first step… Without taking some small action toward starting your own firm and finding your first client, I will guarantee, 100%, you will NOT find your first client.
So, get to work.
Share Your Thoughts
How did YOU find your first client?
Share your stories so our friends with plans for starting their own firms may learn from your lessons. The more we share, the stronger our profession will be. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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photo credit: StockMonkeys.com via photopin cc
I read a book about marketing for architects before I found this blog, made a simple flyer for facebook, tag some specific people and an unknown person call me for a home addition.
Isn’t it amazing how social media works? Thanks for sharing Juan.
Mark, I agree with all of your steps, and I wish I had built a website before I officially started my business. Steps 9 and 10 are especially important, but I would add one additional step……to repeat any of the above steps whenever you need to.
Agreed. I received lots of feedback today that these are good steps for any architect looking for work. Thanks for your comment Rachel.
yeah.. this gives me hope and strengthen me to move on nice article mark!
My first project came from a professor I interned with one summer. He didn’t want to deal with the client anymore. My second project came from a friend of the person I was dating at the time. That client recommended me to one of his friends, then his friend recommended me to someone else, and the chain of recommendations continues to this day 10 years later 🙂
It is very common for firms to pass work on down to lower level associates as freelance work. I think that is a great strategy for finding your first client. It does require a cooperative firm structure to succeed though.
I must say that these are great tips. I really think it could read “How to Find Your Next Architecture Client” because sometimes it feels that we have to start all over after each project to find the next. I know with each successful project it should get easier to find the next, but it does not always seem to work out that way.
Pound the pavement, Matthew. Pound the pavement. : )
Thanks for sharing this article, it has some very intersting points.
Point 3 is the most important I think, without sharing information about your new venture with as many people as possible, no matter how insignificant they seem, you’ll never be able to build the close knit links that are needed when starting a new company.
The more people who know, the better chance you have to find work. It’s all a matter of numbers. Thanks for the comment Ryan.
Mark,
Great post.
Definitely great to see all the steps outlined and helps to answers the questions I have moving forward towards starting my own architecture firm in the near future.
Thanks.
Thanks for the inspiration Andrew. It’s a popular topic. So many are in the same position, whether new firms or not.
My first real client came from my neighbors son who is a home builder. When I was unemployed or I should say moving my new practice forward, he was next door doing some work, so I went over and talked to him telling him I am available if he ever needs assistance. So now once or twice a year he calls upon me for addition/remodel jobs he picks up.
Awesome Josh. You never know from where the next job will come. : ) Thanks for the comment.
Well Mark, I’m starting to think that you’re either reading my mind or I’m under Entre-Arch hypnosis because every time you’ve put up an article lately I’ve been in the midst of needing the exact direction you’re giving.
In the past 2 months I have felt the motivation (with great help from your articles) to:
1- start my website on September 1st — http://www.alex-architects.com —,
2- established a Twitter account and Facebook page — https://www.facebook.com/alexdesignbuild 3- spread the word to ALL family and friends
4- connect with people anyway I can (Local Chamber of Commerce which already has me in contact with 3 potential projects working with another local architect that may turn out to be a great mentor!!)
5- setup the home office on a SLIM budget
6- established accounts and business entity with county and local authorities
7- Now all I need is that FIRST CONTRACT!! (and the strength to step away from a “steady job” to become the practicing entrepreneur I know I want to be)
Thanks Mark! Keep motivating those of us fighting the good fight, and keep inspiring those that are just one more Entre-Arch post away from taking it up themselves!
-Christopher Alex
Principal, Director of Design
ALEX ARCHITECTS
That is so funny Christopher. Let’s see if I can keep my record clean. Batting 1000… Thanks for the support and encouragement.
Hi Alex,
I checked out your website. First off, nice job!!! It looks clear and professional. Questions for you: One, Since you have only recently ventured out on your own, are the projects shown on your website owned by previous firm(s) that you have worked for, but worked on/ managed, etc.? Two, If yes, Did you obtain permission from your previous employers to show the work? I ask because I am in a similar situation where I am on my own after working for others after almost 20 years. Luckily for me, the firms I worked for previously have allowed me to use images of projects that I worked on. I do have footnotes noting what firm the project came from.
Mark, Great Article very well written…
Christopher, Very Impressed with your senario and website that I visited recently and I agreed it is well organized and easy to navigate.
Garth, you raised a very important point regarding copyright using images of designs developed by other firms that one has worked for in the past, prior to starting their own practice.
Getting the firms approval is essential, maintaining the respect of collegues is essential when starting your own firm, as it shows you have ethics in your practice of Architecture.
The advise you gave Christopher is excellent and appropriate and he should ensure that he obtains their permission, afterall he is in competition with them now… for future client’s projects.
Christopher, the very best of success in launching your new Architectural Firm, looking forward to hearing good things in the future about you an your firm…
I agree with Christopher. Your posts and podcasts are eerily in sync with what I’m working on.
As you know, I’ve launched Thousand Story Studio and I’m looking for that prized first client. Several projects are out there, so I’m patiently nurturing them toward a contract.
The only item on your list that I’m not doing is “the list” – for some reason, list-building has always eluded me.
Mark, please keep doing what you do. We all appreciate it.
I’m curious Collier, what’s your prize client look like?
Well, Mark
It is very useful article!
My first client was myself, i started with designing my own old apartment, second was flat of my parents. Then it was one of my friends and some time after i’ve had a good portfiolio to search clients in internet from my web-site (which i made by my self for free).
Regardless of paying capacity of my clients (is it a Big-and-rich director or a student with extremely small flat) i always try to do my best. My reputation is the very important thing for me and i very esteem it! When my client’s friends come to them they see a well-done job and ask them to provide my contacts, and then appeared friends of their friends – that is so i started.
Hello Mark,
Thanks for the helpful information as it all helped reinforce me to keep on the track that I was on. All is chugging along with a slow but positive growth for me and my company ArcFormz. My first client was a referral from a client whom I had done work for while at a previous employer. The contacts that you make while employed are somewhat important if you are going to open your own firm not to far away from your past employment. As for self promotion you must mention your new business often and especially when meeting new contacts. Instead of sitting back and waiting for clients I have targeted realtors, developers and builders who can perhaps connect my firm with potential clients…so far it is working and hopefully going to keep the steady positive growth.
Thanks again Mark,
Rick Rocchetti – ArcFormz
Rick.
Thanks for sharing. It sounds like you are on the right track. Keep us posted on your progress.
I am a student architect about to graduate, but I want to start off on my own how do I go about it? And I want to take a course on project managment.
Where are you located?
Great advice on your site. My wife started a small company focusing on 3D modeling, drafting and design services after having our son in the summer of 2012. We already had a few clients from previous side projects but to keep her working from home we needed to really add to that base. So far it has gone well, some months are tighter then others but the flexibility it’s provided is great. Keeping in contact with previous firms and co-workers really pays off as several of her larger projects have come from these previous employers. I’ve also found bringing up work at different meetings, picnics or gatherings can surprisingly bring in projects. You never know where the next client will come from so always have a business card handy. Hopefully 2014 will bring more business, thanks again for sharing your experience.
Thank you for sharing this! It encourages me a lot. I am an architect but never practiced and used my license for 2 years now. I want to be an employer but not an employee. I really wanted to start my own firm. I know it’s not that easy there are a lot of challenges especially ‘rejection’ failure and other nerve wrecking negative and false hopes projects. Whew!
Really useful yips here. Have done quite a few but a blog and website is surely going to help. Already have a firm had the first project reffered by a friend but still strugling to find new clients.
great article. my wife and i are both architects. we have done a couple of projects individually and two projects together as a team in the past four years. fortunately, all the projects that we signed were purely through word-of-mouth and supply of work has been just ok till now but recently there has been a dip in the market and we are now struggling to find new projects.
I love this Article!! Thanks alot Mark I am an architect in the Caribbean Islands and this has inspired and motivated to take the first step in starting my own firm. I started a blog like you suggested (wordpress.com/stats/insights/cearchitect.wordpress.com). I have been drafting and designing for a construction company for over 2 years now. And i have designed structures that have already been built. But now that im ready to go on my own I have a small problem. No clients!! All I need is just one at least. I hope that you or anybody else that is reading this can be of help.
I hope this article helps. If you don’t have clients before you leap, you need to build a platform first that will attract clients to the work you do. It’s great to be a solo small firm architect, but if you leap before you’re prepared, you may hit the ground before you learn to fly 🙂
Great advice Mark!
please help me to get my 1st client….im from india
I got my first project for a client who needed a roof improvement from severe ice dam. Later some as builts plans for a large finished basement for the CO now we are talking about building a house. My first contact came from a real estate collegue of my wife. I got referral from friends and an old office mate also and made many proposal for subtaintial projects however the client never persued it even after being behind for whatever unknown reason. I recommend to move on quickly to hunt for the next proposal instead of waiting forever one starts. One potential client took one year to finaly tell me “no” I am not doing the garage at this time, even if he told me repeteadly to call him back in 2 months. Keep in touch but move on quickly, keep hunting.
One recommendation I have is to study where to catch targeted clients and in which trade network niche they mostly gather: real estate, law firms, sport clubs…another one is to go and play golf. However finding the next project is never easy
Thanks for the one stop shop to starting your own firm. I’ve been actively seeking new clients for http://www.kcarquitectos.com for a right while now and also working part time.
All your points are great advice but if you’re not consistency reinforcing them things can slow down.
I’m having the double headache of starting up my firm in Valencia, Spain in the slums of economic depression where of course Spanish also has to be mastered. Though I’m getting there slowly but surely.
I would add one more possible client generating idea, take part in competitions, although they can be a lot of work to loose, albeit you always have them for marketing.
Thanks again.
That’s a great suggestion. Keep us posted on your progress in Spain.
sir i am electrical designer i have good experience i want to find clients about electrical project please help me
Thanks
Thanks for sharing this beautiful destination. It looks like a great place to visit for a lot of reasons. I’ll definitely have to check it out!
how can I get my first client? please help me
Was there any part of this article that you found helpful?
Wonderful article Mark! I have rexently started my firm and this was so helpful! I got my first project at the Gym I go to! My Client was training next to me and she just randomly asked “What do you do?” I replied “Well, am an architect!” And pat came the reply “Woah, I was actually searching for an architect for my new house! Can you do it for me please?” And I agreed! Feels so strange!!
My brother has been wanting to get into drafting, and I think that being able to get some information for him would be good. I’m glad you talked about being able to get a website, which I think would be good for him. I’m going to have to look for some good options for getting him drafting work and see what we can find!
All tips are great and, I’m sure, will work for certain people. I find it unlikely to get a super successful job from your very first client, but anything is possible. My first client was okay, I guess.
I’d like to share the way that’s worked for me. At first, I created my own portfolio with the help of https://www.format.com/professions/architecture It wasn’t really hard and doesn’t take a genius to create something professional-looking. And then starts the fun part of sharing to on social media and all possible online services like Reddit. Soon, I’ve got an order from a small private company that still contacts me from time to time.
I got my first project while doing job in private firm. One of contractor recommended me to client directly 😛
and Second project through a carpenter. He recommended me to his friend to design his apartment.
Unfortunately, i still do not website and working since 2015.