I recently enrolled in an intensive copywriting workshop offered by the good folks at Akimbo. While there are many lessons to share from what I've learned (and I will continue to do so in the coming weeks), the most important one, that is of utmost importance to architects is this:
What do your clients and prospects need to hear?
Underneath the deceptive facade of this statement lies a truth that too many architecture firms ignore at their own peril, and it is this: if you want to communicate something to your audience (or prospects), you have to do so in a way that will speak to them.
Writing copy and doing it with any level of skill is an exercise in empathy. It's about understanding what will connect to your audience and using that to have them take the action you want them to take.
I see too many firms making 'me too' statements that invariably end up sounding something like this: "We are an internationally-recognized, award-winning firm whose range of work covers all sectors. A full-service firm specializing in architecture, interiors and urban planning, we are adept at collaborating with our clients to deliver bespoke, turn-key solutions."
The truth is that all the other firms also sound like this and this kind of platitude does nothing to attract the right prospects.
What your prospects need to hear has nothing to do with you and your accomplishments, but rather with what they care about and how you can help them accomplish their own goals. If you communicate that way, I guarantee that before long you will potential clients responding to you very differently, and in a good way.