It’s pretty funny how sometimes things fall in place at the right time.  I just talked about Green Architecture and the same day there is an article about my book in the magazine Contract in which I say the following…

Pretty good follow-up on what I talked about yesterday!

Could you give us one way in which architects could better promote themselves and their work?
One easy way to get better results, especially for solo architects and small firm owners that are not well known, is to stop talking about themselves. Instead of explaining what one does as far as technical greatness, simply let prospects know what solutions you can provide to the problems and fears they have. People who are considering building or remodeling anything all have fears and problems and are looking for solutions. Understanding this problem/solution format is an important first step to understanding how to promote in ways that generate prospects and business.

For example, on a firm’s Web site or any promotional documentation for that matter, instead of saying “Why We Do Green Architecture,” say “What You Will Lose if You Don’t Have a Green Building” or “Thinking of Building Green: Here are the Important Things You Need to Consider.”  The content of what they want to share with their prospects will remain the same, but the prospect will be able to answer the critical question: “What’s in it for me?” Until the prospect finds an answer to this question, the architect will hope for the best and keep wondering why people are not contacting them.

And here’s the link to the article: http://tinyurl.com/2uvnv47