Singapore has some of the most iconic buildings in the world, starting with the Expo MRT Station in Tampines, VivoCity, ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands hotel complex, and Gardens by the Bay. The out of the box architectural designs of these buildings has placed the island-state on the world map.
According to the Housing and Development Board, over 80% of the total population lives in flats, and 90% of this population owns their homes. The architectural design of a building is among the factors that potential homeowners look for before making a buying decision. Property developers are well aware of this fact and are increasingly hiring architects to design beautiful and iconic buildings to lure new homeowners to their property.
In this guide, we look at how you can market your architectural services in Singapore.
Create a website for your architectural firm
Chances are most of your prospective clients are on the internet. The internet has gained popularity and it is rare to find a Singaporean who doesn’t use it. The first step in establishing your online presence is to create a website for your services. Give it a professional design and include all the details about your firm.
Responsiveness is an important issue when building a site. Ensure that when a visitor opens your site, the can easily move from one place to another to find what they need. Having a site enables internet users to find you online.
Create Architectural Content
One way to get ahead of the competition is to show that you have the necessary expertise in architecture. As part of your internet marketing strategy, create and publish quality content related to the architectural industry on your website and blog.
This lures the millions of people doing online searches for professional architectural services to your company. Soo Chan of SCDA Architects has tapped into this strategy and influences architectural opinion to market his architectural company.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
This s a technique you can use to beat competitor websites. It entails manipulating your websites with the aim of improving rankings on search engines. The first way to do this is to include industry keywords in the content you publish.
Secondly, make your site mobile friendly since a large number of Singaporeans access the internet from their mobile phones. Another SEO strategy is to have articles in other trusted publications/websites linking to your website.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
A significant number of Singaporeans will find your services through search engines. SEM is the process of paying to have your architectural services advertised on search engines. What you do is bid on keywords that users are likely to search.
It’s a cost-effective strategy because you only pay when internet users click on your ads. It’s also a proven way to increase traffic because when a search is conducted your services will appear in the SERP.
Stay Abreast Of Tech Advancements
Many upcoming entrepreneurial architects are slow in adopting technology in their businesses, and this puts them at a disadvantage. To compete effectively with the established companies, learn 3D modeling and visualization. You also need to understand the technology that can give you an upper hand over your competition. Making innovative and impressive presentations are some of the sure ways of getting high end clients.
Increase Activity on Social Networks
If you want to land more clients for your architectural firm, then you have to find out where to find them. Over the past few years, there has been a rise in the number of Singaporeans using social networks. People socialize, make new friends and talk about their interests on social media. Establishing a presence in these platforms is thus vital.
Once you have a social media account, work on your messaging. Your followers prefer a firm that informs, educates and entertains them. Keep followers engaged by posting interesting content and answering all their questions regarding architecture. If you are just starting out, create at least two social media accounts for your firm. The secret lies in understanding how these social networks work.
Let’s say you decide to use Facebook (platform with the most number of users). Apart from the normal posting, it allows you to create targeted ads, where you tailor your messages to fit a certain demographic. The advantage with social networks is that users can share your posts and help you reach a wider audience.
Market Through Video
There is no denying that video is the future of marketing. This is a technique that your architectural firm will benefit from a lot. It’s mainly due to the fact that internet users would rather watch a short, interesting clip that read a post bearing the same message. First, you’ll need to know how to make great videos using tools such as Powtoon and Slidely.
Videos are generally engaging and usually increase the chances of your content going viral. Besides that, it is easy to create (you only require a couple of minutes). Start sharing your videos on YouTube and other video sharing platforms such as Eyespot and Dailymotion. Videos can also be posted alongside content on your website/blog and social networking platforms. If done the right way, video marketing can help you convert many potential clients.
Work on building your brand
With the high number of architectural firms in Singapore, it can be difficult to establish your own space in the industry. To increase the chances of becoming an industry leader, you have to differentiate yourself from your competition. What image do you portray to your potential clients? Building your brand guarantees success in this industry.
You can start with your website-it should be professional and tell your story in a way that will make visitors interested. Do not shy away from showcasing your expertise when you attend events such as seminars or architectural conferences. You social media accounts should also echo your professionalism and expertise. When you do this, potential clients will start to trust your firm and want to work with you.
Embrace email marketing
If you are serious about promoting your business, you need to get your prospective clients’ contact information. One way to do this is to collect their email addresses. You can include a sign up icon in your website to get emails. To increase the number of emails, you can provide a free e-book/informational article for any visitor who signs up to your newsletter.
You can also get emails when you attend events such as trade shows and industry conferences. Once you have them, communicate regularly with clients. Send weekly newsletters. Customize these emails for different clients to get better results.
Get published
Many architects do not know this but getting published is one of the best ways to attract clients. You can publish an article in the local newspaper/magazine or any other industry publication. Remember this should be both print and online. So, what are the benefits of getting published? First, you get to show potential clients that you have the knowledge and skills to give them what they want.
Secondly, you don’t have to wait for someone to write about your services, you can simply write them yourself and send it to the editor. Before getting published you need to find out what publications your potential clients read regularly. You then develop good relationships with journalists and editors to make it easier to publish your articles and press releases.
Speak at events
Public speaking is a great technique to use to promote your architectural services. There are many industry conferences, trade shows and seminars that happen in different parts of Singapore. Attend this events and showcase your expertise through your speeches. At these events, you can be sure there will be many potential clients and businesspeople who can help you grow your firm,
Aside from attending these events, you can host/organize workshops and spread word about your services. This is a great marketing tactic because you have face to face interactions with potential clients and industry leaders. It is a great way to build a large network which means more opportunities in the future. If you want these speeches to reach your online audience, you can upload them on social media, your website or video sharing platforms such as YouTube.
Become Involved With the Community
The housing sector in Singapore is experiencing a change in needs and circumstances. The Public Housing arm of the Housing and Development Board has an ambitious plan dubbed ‘Remaking Our Heartland.’ This is a plan to transform the existing towns and estates into excellent living environments over the next 20 to 30 years. Become involved in this and any other community-based architectural projects. It will help you connect with potential clients in your target market.
In conclusion, the best way to market your architectural services is to ensure that your existing clients are happy. This will in turn, bring in new clients through referrals. Start by delivering on your promises and doing a good job at providing value to your existing clients.
If you follow the strategies in this post, you will easily market your architectural services in Singapore. It may take a bit longer to get results so don’t be tempted to use any shortcuts.
MediaOne helps architectural firms in various parts of Singapore to market their services online by providing world class SEO services. Call us today at (65) 6789 9852.
