How to get work from Architects?

[crunchercrunch]

Hello,

I am an Electrical PE (passed my exam with much help from this forum!), and I am trying to get into the business side of things at my company. We are very small. I want to be able to bring in work on my own so that my responsibilities evolves (along with my salary). Can I get some advice on how I can get in with local architects? I have gone to AIA meetings, but that will be a very long process in getting friendly with them, and potentially finding an architect who's work fits ours. Is there another way, maybe cold calling and asking if they need help?

Could use anecdotes/advice.

Thank you.

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

Business relationships of this type are usually dependent upon a few things 1) history with the service provider 2) an obvious cost - benefit analysis that works in your favor.  How you communicate #2 to a potential customer depends to a large degree on how leads are generated in your industry.  Cold calling has its merits.  It's been my experience in more recent years that cold calling is a more readily accepted form of first contact than it was say 10 years ago.

 

[crunchercrunch]

Business relationships of this type are usually dependent upon a few things 1) history with the service provider 2) an obvious cost - benefit analysis that works in your favor.  How you communicate #2 to a potential customer depends to a large degree on how leads are generated in your industry.  Cold calling has its merits.  It's been my experience in more recent years that cold calling is a more readily accepted form of first contact than it was say 10 years ago.

Thanks for the input. How do you typically obtain your clients? What method has worked best for you? Any tips on cold calling that you can give?

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

Thanks for the input. How do you typically obtain your clients? What method has worked best for you? Any tips on cold calling that you can give?

Thus far the business I've garnered for my "on the side" consulting business has come from word of mouth and that has sufficed for me.  My post above assumes that has been insufficient or otherwise inadequate for your purposes.  As for how to cold call, it really isn't any simpler than picking up the phone and talking with the appropriate person about what you can offer them.  The lead-in that I suggest is something akin to "I'm a local business that offers services xyz.  Are you currently using these services from a local provider?  If you are, are you satisfied with how they are currently able to meet your needs?"  If they're not:  "I'd love a chance to prove that I can be that service.  Can we meet to discuss what I can provide? Where? When?"  If they are: "Are they currently able to meet all your needs to your satisfaction?"  If all indications point to them being wholly satisfied, move on to the next number.  If not, you have your in, don't screw it up.

 

[crunchercrunch]

Thus far the business I've garnered for my "on the side" consulting business has come from word of mouth and that has sufficed for me.  My post above assumes that has been insufficient or otherwise inadequate for your purposes.  As for how to cold call, it really isn't any simpler than picking up the phone and talking with the appropriate person about what you can offer them.  The lead-in that I suggest is something akin to "I'm a local business that offers services xyz.  Are you currently using these services from a local provider?  If you are, are you satisfied with how they are currently able to meet your needs?"  If they're not:  "I'd love a chance to prove that I can be that service.  Can we meet to discuss what I can provide? Where? When?"  If they are: "Are they currently able to meet all your needs to your satisfaction?"  If all indications point to them being wholly satisfied, move on to the next number.  If not, you have your in, don't screw it up.

Thanks for boiling it down for me. I will give it a try.

 

[P-E]

If you tell them you don't need any electrical rooms, conduit chases, or roof penetrations that helps. 

 

[willsee]

Are you on your own or do you work for an MEP firm?

I've got all of my work from cold calling Architects.  I ran through the list of all Architects, Electrical Contractors, and Developers in the area and sent postcards to all of them that I thought I could help.  Then followed up with phone calls to them.  I didn't focus on my website, business cards, twitter, facebook,etc, I just tried to get in front of as many people as possible. 

I go to as many networking events as possible and meet more people.  Bankers, lawyers, doctors, etc.  People know people and the more people that know you will help you out. Do good work, get repeat business, rinse repeat.

 

[crunchercrunch]

If you tell them you don't need any electrical rooms, conduit chases, or roof penetrations that helps. 

haha

Are you on your own or do you work for an MEP firm?

I've got all of my work from cold calling Architects.  I ran through the list of all Architects, Electrical Contractors, and Developers in the area and sent postcards to all of them that I thought I could help.  Then followed up with phone calls to them.  I didn't focus on my website, business cards, twitter, facebook,etc, I just tried to get in front of as many people as possible. 

I go to as many networking events as possible and meet more people.  Bankers, lawyers, doctors, etc.  People know people and the more people that know you will help you out. Do good work, get repeat business, rinse repeat.

I work for a very small firm. We're both young but very capable and produce very professional plans. Is there a reason you chose to call them after you sent them postcards? Is there an advantage of that over calling them from the get-go? What did your postcards and followup calls consist of?

In these networking events, what is your strategy when talking to people? Do you socialize with the goal of finding clients or do you just let it happen if it comes up? As you can tell, I've got limited networking skills. I'm a typical engineer, trying to break out of that mold....

 

[willsee]

The postcard gives you a conversation starter

"Hi so-so Architect did you receive my postcard"

"Er, um, postcard?"

"Yeah postcard, 5x7 in USPS mail"

It gives you a reason to call.

The postcard is just a basic postcard advertising the business, the call is just to try to get an in person meeting, lunch whatever.  Get the in-person meeting to find pain points of your future client and see if they are a good fit for you, they might not be, not everyone is. 

Everyone you call is going to know what MEP is/does so you don't have to explain it.  Everyone I met is always looking to have more engineers to call upon that they can trust. 

My goal with networking is to meet people, not necessarily to find clients.  Try to find ways to provide value however you can to the people you meet.  I usually just connect Person A with Person B, since I know Person B can help Person A with a problem they have. 

The second question after asking your name is what do you do and you can give a brief description, but it isn't about you, it's about them and what issues they have and if you can solve it.  From engineering to babysitting to dog walking.

 

[crunchercrunch]

The postcard gives you a conversation starter

"Hi so-so Architect did you receive my postcard"

"Er, um, postcard?"

"Yeah postcard, 5x7 in USPS mail"

It gives you a reason to call.

The postcard is just a basic postcard advertising the business, the call is just to try to get an in person meeting, lunch whatever.  Get the in-person meeting to find pain points of your future client and see if they are a good fit for you, they might not be, not everyone is. 

Everyone you call is going to know what MEP is/does so you don't have to explain it.  Everyone I met is always looking to have more engineers to call upon that they can trust. 

My goal with networking is to meet people, not necessarily to find clients.  Try to find ways to provide value however you can to the people you meet.  I usually just connect Person A with Person B, since I know Person B can help Person A with a problem they have. 

The second question after asking your name is what do you do and you can give a brief description, but it isn't about you, it's about them and what issues they have and if you can solve it.  From engineering to babysitting to dog walking.

Thanks man this is really helpful.

 

[willsee]

I also go up to people at bars and buy them drinks to chat them up. 

Or when I'm out to dinner I'll buy their dinner if I see someone. 

Just always be networking.

 

[crunchercrunch]

I also go up to people at bars and buy them drinks to chat them up. 

Or when I'm out to dinner I'll buy their dinner if I see someone. 

Just always be networking.

I've never done it so forgive me if I sound noob, but is it worth the investment? Drinks are $15+ in nicer bars, and dinners are like $50+ at nice restaurants. Is the investment worth it? What are the chances that the people you chat up at bars happen to have the need for an electrical engineer? I'm sure it's worked for you, and really forgive me if I sound skeptical, but can you shed some light on this for me? I've never heard of this sort of networking strategy before.

 

[willsee]

I'm not talking completely random people, but I walked by a guy with a jacket on and saw the logo, recognized the company, bought the table drinks, led to meeting, and now jobs 6-9 months later.

What's $15 or $50 if you get a $20,000 job out of it?  This past Christmas I spent $50 a client for Christmas gifts and gave to people I haven't done any business with in an effort to get another meeting with them.

 

[crunchercrunch]

I'm not talking completely random people, but I walked by a guy with a jacket on and saw the logo, recognized the company, bought the table drinks, led to meeting, and now jobs 6-9 months later.

What's $15 or $50 if you get a $20,000 job out of it?  This past Christmas I spent $50 a client for Christmas gifts and gave to people I haven't done any business with in an effort to get another meeting with them.

Okay that makes a lot more sense with numbers attached to them. Thank you for explaining!

 

[Road Guy]

Lots of good advice in here. Im glad I don't have to suck up to architects but i do have to suck up to govt folks...

 

[Wezre]

Three words: lunch and learn. 

 

[willsee]

I try to take them out for beer, but that's just me.