PROMOTING ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS IN THE NETHERLANDS

Abstract

Proposal: This paper reports on a project to survey the promotion practices of Dutch architects. Although it is not difficult to find marketing advice for architects there has been very little research into the actual marketing practices employed. What is clear, and is often repeated in the literature, is that it is generally assumed that architects do not devote adequate energies to promoting their practices. The researchers felt that it is necessary to first establish the actual practices of architects before formulating generalized advice for the profession. The research was based on three empirical methods: a survey of the members of the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects (BNA), a series of case studies of architectural firms, and a series of interviews – not only of architects but also of clients, project managers, and marketing consultants. The intention of the interviews was to make possible a comparison between the supply and demand sides of the market. Through the survey it was established that the majority of architects are actively working to promote a specific image of their offices. This includes both internal promotion – informing the staff of the firms image – and external promotion. 40% of architectural firms have a long term strategy, 42% a promotion plan, and 50% have some knowledge of how they are perceived in the market. This is a better picture of the situation than was given by the consultants in their interviews. No clear pattern of relationships emerged between promotion practice and type of firm, with the exception that larger firms were more active in promotion than smaller firms, and strangely, that firms active in the public sector were more active (this despite the fact that public sector work is obtained through the European Tendering procedure). Interviews of clients showed that the individual clients follow different strategies in selecting architects than do professional clients or project managers. However, reputation and name familiarity play a large role in both areas. The findings lay to rest the common assertion that Dutch architects, at least, to not actively promote their practices. What remains to determine is which practices are more successful.