Smart PR tips to get you started

Whether it is drawing up plans for upcoming building remodels or building a house, architects can manage such tasks in a jiffy. But they do tend to hold back when it comes to promoting their own USP and publicizing their own work and practice. They are quite possibly under the assumption that they do not need any form of PR as their work will speak for themselves and thereby be the best possible PR they can generate. While this is true, and it may hold good only up to a certain extent as your designs and work may not be always visible to potential clients. And in today’s rapidly transforming digital age, PR becomes all the more crucial to ensure that you and your work are rightly positioned where it matters.

An architectural firm needs to promote its work through all possible mediums whether it is social media, word of mouth or networking. If the right steps are followed, your phone will ring off the hook, attracting the best clients as an integral part of running an architectural firm is also attracting the right set of clients.  

Here are a few PR tips that can help firms to get started on their PR:

Zero in on your USP: Before you start speaking to your audience, craft and crystallize your USP and the message you would like to communicate. Have a key message that will be the central nervous system from which other messages will radiate. Define it and then find credible ways of communicating the message.

Minimize jargon: While there are a lot of new terms that are cropping up in the industry if you choose to use one especially in your key message, make sure it is explained in a simple message. Cannot stress enough on the importance of keeping it as simple as possible.

Build community connects:  Actively participate in the industry discussions and engage with people face to face outside the community as well. The professionals you meet during such interactions might be your future clients or could help you with referrals in the future.  Actively building a community will help you create a strong network.

Establishing your presence:  Look for places to tell your stories. Don’t limit yourself to a few genres, ensure presence in online and offline mediums, and don’t underestimate the importance of having a social media presence. Customize your work keeping in mind the audience you are approaching, as this will help you broaden your horizons in the future. 

Maintain media connect: Create and maintain a harmonious relationship with the media by giving out quotes and information required on the industry happenings and new changes taking place in the fraternity. Working with a PR agency for the same can help you connect with the right media at the right time. Leverage Twitter to reach out to the right publications and influencers who talk about an issue in your industry that you are passionate about.

Hire a photographer: Photography is an essential aspect of documentation as it showcases the work and projects you have worked on along with those in the pipeline. The old age saying, ‘a picture speaks more than a thousand words’ has never been truer for this segment. Well-crafted photos help establish a human connect with the work. Project showcases across publications, help in garnering visibility for your work, among a wide range of audiences. Since each project takes atleast a couple of months it is essential that you start building a portfolio from the first day itself.

While you can look at taking on the task of doing all the above yourself and it is advised when you start out, you need to look at the right PR partner when you have a good amount of projects under your name and want to build a brand that will help attract more clients. The right PR partner will lead your communication, build and manage the right reputation for you in the industry. Building trust and credibility in the industry with your peers and clients is the most essential form of PR, but that also must be communicated well and extended to the right media which will amplify your message and add to your credibility. The right PR partner will help you craft this message, set in protocols to make sure it is communicated well and manage it end to end.

With a good PR partner, an architecture firm can reach the next level of brand trust and position themselves as thought leaders in the industry a lot faster, be in the news for the right reasons by building the right brand image with media interviews, panel discussions, awards and a robust online presence through social media. When potential clients look to make informed decisions on their choices, positive PR will play a huge role in them choosing your company over competitors.

About Nucleus PR: Nucleus PR is a firm that has been put together by seasoned industry professionals.  The PR firm works across different verticals that include media, architecture, entertainment, FMCG, technology, non-profit, art, lifestyle, fashion, food & hospitality, corporate and many more across the MNC, SME and Startup segments. They have an established presence in the major metro cities of the country. They also work with a strong network of 80 preferred affiliates, making inroads into rural India and are a part of the elite global group of PR professionals – PRBI, via which they now established footprints in 17 countries across the globe.

Ishita Shah | Nucleus PR

Connect with us on info@nucleuspr.in to know more about how we can help your brand create a powerful story.

About Nucleus PR

The 11-year old firm has clients across multiple verticals. With an already established presence in 4 major metros, they have successfully created a strong affiliate network across 88 towns across the country via a team of trusted professional experts. With its inclusion in the exclusive and prestigious worldwide collaborative network of PR firms – PRBI Boutiques International, it adds brilliant minds from over 40 agencies across 14 countries to their resource pool. As the first members from the Asian sub-continent, they represent the entire region in the prestigious international PR network. Their current portfolio includes entertainment, lifestyle, media, hospitality and corporate clients across MNCs, SMEs, and Startups.