Selling Residential Architectural Services to Gen X & Gen Y Means Reaching Prospects Where They Live Online - Houzz

Not so long ago, many of your clients were baby boomers. You probably relied on direct mail for marketing. Maybe you even secured a new client over a round of golf. But as baby boomers age, architects are learning that the same strategies don’t work for younger prospects. The way I see it, you can either reach a younger audience or specialize in the age in place renovations.

Still reeling from the recession, many Gen X'ers and Gen Y'ers are highly budgeted conscious. They’re far more concerned with green building and sustainable living than the generations before them. Most importantly, the way they communicate is different. Here’s some advice on how to speak their language to sell your architectural services. 

Join These Social Media Sites

You probably already have a Facebook page, LinkedIn profile and maybe a Twitter account, too. But if you’re not investing time and posting photographs with keyword-rich descriptions on social media sites like Houzz and Pinterest, you’re missing out on younger clients. These are visual-based social media sites - ideal for a visual field like architecture - and they see many millions of unique visitors per month.

Houzz is perhaps the most important social media platform for selling architectural services because it’s focused exclusively on residential design, building, and remodeling. This is where younger generations are going for ideas and inspiration when they’re looking to build or remodel a home. Often, this is where they find an architect. Houzz attracts 46 million unique users each month.

Pinterest is a pinboard-style platform that allows users to share, collect and group photos of things they like. There are boards for just about any topic you could imagine, including many specifically related to architecture and architectural services. Topics range from green building to modern home architecture and fantasy homes. Pew Research estimates that 1/3rd of women in the US are on Pinterest. These are your clients. They are not doing research on "Home Magazines" for your services.

Need specific advice on how to set up your profile? Click here to read our blog on selling architectural services with Houzz and here to read the Pinterest version.

Improve Your Social Media Strategy

You’re already busy, so the idea of spending even more time on social media may be daunting. The key is using tools that make social media posting efficient and have the analytics that ensures the effort is effective.

But simply having social media profiles isn’t enough. You have to use them correctly and consistently enough to capture and keep a user’s attention.

Consistency is crucial. You should be posting to each social media site a minimum of once a day - ideally more often. Respond promptly to questions and participate in discussions on topics related to architectural services. The more often your name is in front of potential customers, the more likely they will be to remember your name when it’s time to build or remodel. Knowing your audience and what they want is equally as important. Social media users want to be entertained, informed and inspired. They don’t want you to inundate them with sales pitches. 

If you’re strapped for time, consider committing just one hour a day to social media or outsourcing the service to a marketing expert.

Build an Interactive Website

Your website shouldn’t look like a brochure; younger generations don’t relate to that. It should be full of interactive features that draw potential customers to the page, keep them there and prompt them to submit contact information. Your site should have:

Keyword-based blogs that bring in visitors from search engines. You might write a blog on how much architectural services should cost or the top five architectural trends for the coming year. Again, the key here is consistency. You want to be blogging on a regular basis - at least once per week. 

Use guides, videos and premium content offers that will be viewed or downloaded in exchange for an email address. Your potential client gains useful information on a topic related to architectural services, and you gain a new contact for email blasts. Write something that helps them buy your services like, "Ten Questions You Should Ask Before Hiring an Architect."

Call-to-action buttons that prompt visitors to download a white paper or e-book, join your email list, learn more about your architectural services or schedule a consultation - to name just a few. The buttons should be attractively designed and large enough to be eye-catching. All buttons should include the words “click here.”