9 Sales Promotion Ideas for Your Architecture or Design Firm

To attract the best clients, architecture and design firms have to come up with unique, effective ways to market their business. It can be more of a challenge today because while the Internet brings several benefits with it, the wide-open spaces can often seem intimidating to those new to the digital marketing world. We can’t tell you exactly how to get your firm to grow, but we can assist you with creative and valuable ideas for promoting sales and securing new clients, as well as sales outreach. 

You can even use some of these efforts to reach out to existing clients and garner new work from them, helping with retention and loyalty in a whole new way. Of course, the biggest secret to doing this is to make sure that you have a promotion that’s valuable to the audience and that doesn’t feel like it’s “just a sales gimmick.” 

Here are some ideas to help you get started. 

1. Partner with contractors or other industry pros 

Partnerships and industry connections are a great way to help build your business reputation and also promote sales and contracts. For example, you could offer your design services with a 10% discount on the finish work when they mention your name to a specific contractor or company that you’ve partnered with. Perhaps you’ll give discounts to those who come to you for a design through a contractor that’s doing a renovation, for another example. However you use these relationships, they can offer great leverage in terms of sales promotion. 

2. Use social media to showcase your work 

Sometimes, professional industries like architecture and design still assume that social media is no place for their business. While it might not seem like TikTok or Snapchat is your next big marketing move, perhaps that’s a reason to consider it. It’s about being innovative and meeting your clients where they are. What clients are you hoping to attract? The odds are good that you’ll find them on social media. In addition to keeping your profiles updated, you’ll want to share projects and promote your past work on social media to give people plenty of incentive to choose your firm. 

3. Attend trade shows and expos related to architecture and design

Trade shows and expos are a great place for architects and designers to find new clients, network with other industry pros, and get their names out there in the public eye. You can gain a lot from these events, including the exposure of your firm, which can increase your leads, customer base, and eventually, your bottom line. There are various trade shows and events held locally, regionally, and internationally. Today, there are even some virtual events you can attend from the comfort of your home or office. 

4. Offer discounts on second projects, add-ons, or other services

Some architects and designers think that their professional services are “better than” discounts and specials, but they couldn’t be further from the truth. Clients love special offers and discounts, or promotions that may give them more for their money. Consider targeting your existing client base by offering discounts for new work, additions to work you’ve done, and so forth. You can also do this to new clients, pitching from a “let us do one project and we’ll give you X” to land more clients who have retention in mind from the start. 

5. Promote feedback by offering an incentive for reviews and testimonials 

Although organic reviews and testimonials are the ideal choices for a business, there’s something to be said for giving it an incentive. When you allow clients and others to benefit in some way by sharing their experience with you, even if it’s just an entry in a sweepstakes or a special mention on their social media page, you make it valuable for them. It also puts them in the position of feeling special and valued by your company, which can create loyalty in clients of all kinds. 

6. Have a seasonal design sale 

Seasonal sales aren’t just for department stores. Your architecture and design firm could easily garner some great projects by offering specials on certain seasonal designs or builds. For example, offer a spring discount on greenhouse designs if that’s something that you offer, or consider a cozy fireplace design upgrade with a winter discount for a happy holiday all around. Get creative with all the ways that you can incorporate the seasons and special events throughout the year. 

7. Post informational content and educational resources

In addition to having a website and social media profiles, you need to also utilize them. This is your chance to post content that is valuable to your audience with no strings attached. You can even seek out guest blogging opportunities so that you can build your authority and become a thought leader in your industry. That will make the work come naturally. 

8. Customize all of your marketing efforts 

In architecture and design, that personalized touch is everything. People could hire any old contractor to build them this or that and use their own designer. If they’ve chosen you specifically, they deserve the same in return. Make sure that your marketing is customized and tailored to the various needs of your audiences, and that everyone feels like they are the most important client that you have. 

9. Partner with Smith.ai to handle intake, outreach, and everything in between 

The best tip that we can offer is our assistance—the 24/7 virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can be there to field all the new calls and messages when your leads increase, and with our outreach campaigns, we can even make the calls in the first place, saving you the trouble and letting you focus on your firm. 

You need to have systems in place to ensure that this influx of leads is properly met with support for things like appointment scheduling, lead intake, and 24/7 phone answering services so that you never miss an opportunity. We can even assist with outbound sales, reminders, feedback, and so much more. 

To learn more, schedule a consultation to discuss how the 24/7 virtual receptionists at Smith.ai can help grow your architecture or design firm. You can also reach us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.