5 tips on how design firms can maintain a strong client relationship
This article was originally published on my Medium blog in 2020 - https://medium.com/@uchechiede
Owning a website and having a social media presence has certainly become the norm. But in the Covid-19 era, this might not be enough. With the recent explosion in online content consumption, there is progressively a need for these companies to re-assess their communication strategy and bridge the physical divide by re-establishing human connection.
Many construction projects are currently affected/stalled by the current market behaviour. Labour & material that had initially been quoted and paid for before the Covid-19 pandemic is suddenly experiencing a huge challenge as the exchange has skyrocketed to ridiculous figures. Companies have been forced to go partly or fully remote, concentrating more on consultancy services; take the case of a company like Space Finish.
I have put together a quick guide to help navigate these turbulent waters.
Re-profile your target audience.
Given the uncertainty, early indications show that clients/leads are reprioritizing their spending; greater importance is given to essentials over secondary expenditures such as design or real estate. The future remains bleak and unsure.
In these times, there is a need to redefine who your target audience is by exploring his/her background, demographics, identifiers and challenges. This will enable you to create content and proffer solutions specifically tailored to changes they are going through at every stage. For instance, a client — Mr. Femi who used to spend 8 hours at work and 4 hours in traffic pre-Covid might now be spending 20 hours at home in the Covid era. This could mean that if Mr. Femi had an on-going project, he might be indisposed to attend site inspections, and it would be more convenient to explore ways in which you can bring value to him in the comfort of his home.
Re-design your content framework and align them to your business goals.
Now is the ideal time to build a strong online design and architectural portfolio. Sharing concept sketches, project progress pictures, presentations, videos etc. will help solidify your online presence.
Additionally, creating a plan for contributing content to external platforms such as design & architecture blogs, papers, and publications can help establish your authority in the field. For instance, the Sencillo beach house project contributed by cmDesign Atelier on ArchDaily. Leveraging on local sites like Livin Spaces is also a good idea.
A modified content framework would address issues like the following:
Clients like Mr. Femi are working from home. Should we share ideas on how to create a more comfortable home workstation/space for him? (This has the potential of generating leads depending on the kind of products or services you render).
Are there more immersive ways to present projects to clients like Mr. Femi in the comfort of his home? Have you considered exploring VAR (for presentations) or 360-degree cameras for virtual project inspections?
What platforms are more responsive and engaging for Mr. Femi? And how often do we reach out to him?
Create value through engagement.
It is never a good idea to leave your clients blindsided. As the famous saying goes, “The show must go on!”
It’s important to share content that creates value for your audience. But at the same time, keep an open line of communication to receive feedback from clients regarding what works and what doesn’t.
Below are a few ideas to explore for value-added communication:
How is my firm responding to the pandemic and keeping clients/employees safe?
The exchange rate was not the same as when the contract was signed. Some imported materials/products would not cost the same. So what now? (Set up a meeting to share this challenge with your client, and tell them what you plan to do about it.)
Has there been a slight change in operational structure? How, and to what degree does this affect Mr. Femi’s project?
Utilize the power of storytelling.
Stats and figures are always nice, but what really ingrains your brand in peoples’ minds is good storytelling. I bet you can recall the teacher who always told a good story back in elementary school, but yet have difficulty remembering the exact details of your discussion with that monotone colleague.
This is because a good story uses your imagination and triggers an emotional response. I have come to discover that the best-performing project-based contents weave a story from start to finish, taking the audience on a journey through the design conceptualization stage, presentation drawings up to the construction stage. This creates a unique expression and identity for your brand.
Engage the personal and relatable experiences of your target audience when delivering the story. This adds authenticity to the relationship you are building.
Track and analyze your data.
Policies, priorities and responses to the pandemic will continue to affect the way we live for at least the entirety of 2020. For this reason, there is a need to constantly re-assess actions and strategies, discover what is or isn’t working and how it can be modified to suit market demands.
Consistently measuring and comparing results from analytics will help get your firm further. As the design community continues to go digital, useful trackable data might include the following:
Website data
Social Media Data
Lead generation and conversion data
Return on Investment (ROI), such as Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
In a nutshell…
The peculiarity of the design industry relies heavily on the relationship between the designer and the client. Inherently building on this relationship, creating a connection and positively impacting the lives of your clients creates a mutual trust between the two parties. It is the foundation of this trust that progresses to brand loyalty over time; an essential element for sustenance, especially in these uncertain times.
On a parting note, below is an excellent example of behind-the-scenes content that can drive engagement to your social channels:
Video credit: NGK Construction Inc.
Comments