I, Resolve

Barry Harrison (BH) interviews Herbert M. Cannon (HC), one of the leading experts in Architecture and Engineering firm management. Although the focus of the interview is on A/E firms, Herb’s comments apply to any professional service firm looking to get more business value from their site.

BH. Most A/E firms have a website but few have a clear idea about how can it deliver business value.

HC. The first thing potential clients do is check out your website. So your site’s number one job is to establish your credibility.

I don’t believe any A/E firm has made a sale because of what someone saw on the website, but it has certainly started the sales process. It also plays a role confirming a decision the potential client already has in mind.

BH. Does the website replace or supplement the print brochure?

HC. The website has taken the place of the print brochure. When I started out in the A/E business, you had to have a brochure. It probably cost $25,000 to $50,000. The expense of a website is pretty much the same. Now firms have different sheets which they package depending on who they’re sending to.

BH. What about doing brochures through the website?

HC. I look at a lot of A/E websites and I’ve only seen one case and I’m really impressed with their ability to do this. The firm is RTKL. Their website is a great model of how to convey useful information to prospective clients.

BH. What makes a good website for an A/E firm?

HC. A good website provides meaningful information. It positions the firm as an expert in the field and particular project type the prospect is interested in. The big mistake most firms make is talking far too much about themselves and their philosophy. Nobody cares about their philosophy! Think about the decision-maker who visits your website. He’s asking: “Does this firm demonstrate an understanding of my business?”

BH. When you see, for example, several high-rise projects on an architect’s site you feel a certain confidence. But pictures aren’t enough to tell you “we understand your business.” What else can they do?

HC. Good pictures are important. Clients want to see photos of completed projects, not renderings. Here’s one thing A/E firms should be doing: Case Studies. From the architect’s point of view, the project stops once the building is completed and occupied. But in the client’s mind, the majority of the story is just beginning. Nobody’s going back a year later, three years later, to ask: “How is it functioning?”

Another example: Engineers project energy savings and clients invest money expecting to recoup their investment over a certain period of time. Go back and ask “Did it meet our expectations? Did it exceed them?” I know a developer of an office tower whose savings far exceeded the estimates. There are stories to be told. We’re not capturing or sharing those stories that are so meaningful to prospective clients.

BH. How many projects should an A/E firm show on their website? Firms in business for a long time may have, for example, 40 or 50 completed school projects. Do they show them all?

HC. Showing too much can hurt unless you don’t have good images. I’d divide them into sub-categories by year completed, or region, or grade, or all of the above. Consider a “featured project” section to showcase your best projects. It’s important to demonstrate depth of experience but not every project belongs in your portfolio. A list of completed projects can be a great supplement.

BH. What information about the staff and principals should A/E firms include?

HC. It comes back to offering information that establishes credibility. It’s nice to have a photo. Visitors want to know where the principals went to school, their professional designations, awards, and the major projects they’ve headed. Employee info beyond the principal level can become a tool for recruiters so you have to be careful.

BH. How can your website address visitors in the research stage?

HC. Say someone comes to me with a request: “Herb, find 5 local architecture firms that have completed major university projects in the last 3 years.” I’d research 10 – 15 firms to come up with the list.

I need to be able to find the information quickly. Sites with simple navigation, clear project categories and succinct descriptions make my task easier. So many firms’ sites are caught up with being clever at the expense of usability. If you think about a person needing to come up with a list of firms in two days, they don’t have an hour to spend on each website.

BH. Many firms seen enamored of Flash. What is your opinion of Flash websites? Is it necessary for branding?

HC. If it’s done right it has the potential to add value. But in most cases I would sum it up as awful or dreadful. Let’s not single-out architects or engineers though. When I arrive at a site and see some sort of Flash my first reaction is get out of there as quickly as possible. When I have to wait, I’m annoyed. Is that what anybody in business wants to do― annoy their prospects?

On the other hand, a little bit of Flash is fine. I enjoy that as much as anyone. It needs to be short and it needs to add value, not just for the sake of being clever.

BH. How do A/E firms use their website to differentiate from their competition?

HC. On most every site there’s an About Us page which may link to mission, history, awards, etc. But there was one site I came across that said: “About You.” This differentiated them because it focused on the client― instead of talking about ourselves, let’s talk about you.

BH. How can A/E firms use the web to build stronger connections with current and past clients?
HC. Most design firms don’t do a good job of staying in touch with past clients other than finding out if they have more work available. It is much stronger if you can find a way to provide valuable information to your client base. That’s how you establish yourself as an expert.

BH. In terms of building or maintaining connections, have you seen examples of A/E firms successfully blogging?

HC. I don’t know of any firms that are. There are two primary factors. The first is they don’t have the resources to devote to blogging. The second is information is very tightly controlled by senior management. The informal nature of blogging is contrary to their training.  Maybe as the younger generation comes up we’ll see this change.

BH. A lot of businesses are trying to figure out how social media can help them grow. It seems like most A/E firms are stuck with the mentality that “my website replaces my print brochure.”

HC. This is a big topic right now. I’m highly skeptical of its value. I could very well be proven wrong. If we go back to thinking about our clients, are they going to follow an architecture firm on Twitter?

On the other hand, I do think LinkedIn offers value. I know a lot of people in the A/E business who use LinkedIn to do research and find relevant groups. I encourage people to join these groups and participate: Post a news item or press release.

I’ve done it myself with very good results. I posted Solving the Timecard Challenge to several LinkedIn groups and thousands of people viewed it. Does that lead to business? I think it will, even if it doesn’t happen right away. The point is potential clients who didn’t know I existed now know about my firm. I’ve received positive feedback and I’m building up my contacts.

BH. You increased your presence and the number of potential clients. Instead of waiting for the phone to ring you’re taking a proactive approach.

HC. That’s the key word: Proactive. A lot of firms only respond to RFPs. That’s the lowest level in the food chain. You need to get out in front, through as many channels as possible, to establish yourself as an expert and increase awareness of your firm.

BH. What about Search Engine optimization?

HC. A lot of firms are concerned about their Google rankings, thinking “We’ve got to be on the first page!” I wouldn’t get caught up in that. I don’t know too many people who hire a structural engineer by searching Google. But you do want to be out there. That’s where social media sites may play a role too. Again, it comes down to your resources. Invest in developing meaningful content for your website first. Everything else is a 2^nd or 3^rd tier effort.

BH. Do you have any pet peeves about the web?

HC. One of the worst things you can do: putting up a page that says “under construction.” The other big problem is broken links. Almost as bad, under “upcoming events” you have something that happened three years ago.

BH. Those things undermine your credibility.

HC. Right. I don’t care if you spent a million dollars developing your site, ultimately it comes down to content. This point gets lost on far too many firms. The web is a delivery vehicle for your content. Nothing is more important than how well your website delivers information. You need to consistently add valuable content to your website and give prospects a reason to come back.

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Herbert M. Cannon President of AEC Management Solutions, Inc. is one of the nations leading experts in the management of A/E firms. With over 25 years of “hands on” experience in the A/E Industry, Herb has held top management positions in a number of high profile firms.

Barry Harrison is Managing Partner at Resolve Digital, a San Francisco-based web design and marketing firm.