Explore unconventional strategies to adapt and thrive in the evolving design industry. From free lectures to innovative loyalty programs, revolutionize your approach to client acquisition.

Introduction

How can design firms and 3D artists adapt to the rapid evolution of the industry, seizing new opportunities while navigating through challenges? 

Through this blog, we invite you to discover a treasure trove of unconventional strategies that promise to revolutionize your approach to client acquisition. From conducting free lectures and embracing invitations to speak to leveraging community forums and newsletters, we'll explore diverse avenues to enhance lead generation for your design firm. Stay tuned for our discussion on innovative 'money-stretching' programs in the next section, aimed at cultivating client loyalty and driving business growth.

Ways to generate more leads

1. Conducting free lectures and accommodating invitations to speak

Some of your potential clients could actually be your students from the accessible public or private lectures that you conduct. Once you share your design expertise on those lectures and see that you have the skills, knowledge, attitude, and experience that could benefit their business, the chances of closing a contract with them in the future could be higher. 

In the age where conducting lectures are much easier through social media platforms and other online networking sites, hold as many online lectures or courses as you can. You can do this by taking the following steps: 

A. Search for a timely topic that is most likely attended by your target market. Some topics that you may include are: 

• Home renovation ideas from award-winning remodelers in 2021
• Home interior designs for small spaces
• The advantages of using standard-sized furniture
• The different design elements and their impact to your home
• Eco-friendly home layouts
• How to make your home space productive
• Must-avoid home layout mistakes

B. Educate and update your knowledge about the topic or invite someone from your business to do it. 

C. Know when is the best time to conduct the online or onsite lectures.

D. Invite your target market.

Ways to invite: 

• Post the lecture on your website and social media platforms  where they can register to join
• Send them a personalized email with the link 
• Share it with your friends and proactively ask them to share it with others as well. You can also post in community forums or FB groups. 
• If you can pay for the advertisements, explore them as well so that more people can join. Generate more leads for your design firm with a very minimal cost via social media advertisements. 

F. Prepare for your lecture–mentally, physically, and technically. Ensure to deliver a smooth presentation that’s memorable for your audience. You may also record your lecture beforehand if you want but make sure to answer the questions live.

G. Record your lecture if you’ll do it live and upload it on platforms that are most visible to your target market.

2. Community forums and groups

Community Forums could take place anywhere–offsite or online where people of the same interest engage with one another. Therefore, if you want to generate more leads for your design firm, this is one of the best options. If it’s onsite, simply start a chit-chat and share your calling card later on or let someone do it on your behalf. If it’s online, participate, interact with the posts; just make sure to abide by all the rules. You may also initiate a post that enables you to share your knowledge about designs.

Here are some topics you may consider: 

• Interesting and innovative house designs
• House plan that fits best with all seasons
• Design trend in the next ten years
• The impact of COVID on the cost of home design and construction
• The latest policies about designs and drafting 
• Possible design issues and how to prevent them
• Construction materials that are of high-quality 

We hope those topics drive you to participate in community forums to get more leads. You’ll never know. The people you're sharing conversations with, in the comment section could be your next leads or could help you generate more leads for your design firm. 

If you can, try to build an online community forum where you have broader control. :) 

Aside from community forums, you may also explore helping local community groups. Being a member of the neighborhood leads to trust, which enables you to generate more leads for your design firm in the long run.

3. Newsletters

How often do you read news and articles online? Have you encountered a site where a tab suddenly pops up inviting you to sign up so you can receive those articles directly on your email? 

That is how newsletters typically work to generate more leads for a business. 

Since newsletters of businesses contain interesting information, people are often drawn to sign up for it. This gives the company the chance to send more promotions, invitations, and advertisements, especially if the person allows it.

However, take note that sending newsletters is not that easy. They need to be set up using particular software, and the information that needs to be shared must be compelling. You must also be ready to regularly create more of that information to engage your target market. Since you’re from the design industry, it would benefit you to send them newsletters informing them of the current design trends and inspirational case studies. You can also maximize newsletters by directly including the properties you designed or properties from sought-after cities or areas that require expertise from an artist.

4. “Money-stretching” Programs

What drives you to buy from the same online shopping platform every time? 

Loyalty points. 

These loyalty points give us more perks, discounts, and most importantly, a sense of satisfaction that drives us to visit the site and buy more products. However, loyalty points are not that applicable to design firms since properties are not something that people will keep on buying in the short run unless they don’t want their homes to be outdated or they want something new every year. 

Offer these “money-stretching” programs instead, 

• Perks for word-of-mouth referrals (referral = 1 bottle of wine)
• Discounts for early payers (save 1% off the bill by paying early, that is 1% x 12 months = 12% per year ROI)
• Discounts for repeat customers 

The examples given above are just some programs that could help you generate more leads for your design firm. There could be more, but make sure to study them carefully before implementing them. 

Things that don't work: Giveaways or contests.

People don't care about you or your services; they may only participate for the sake of getting the freebie or winning the prize unless the freebies are given in exchange for quick surveys that allow you to get your target client’s email addresses.

5. Advertisements

If you’ve been in the design industry for quite some time, you know how important this last option in generating a lead is. 

Back in the 80s, the most common practice employed by design firms was to publish their ads in newspapers since most people read them. This trend changed when the world wide web was launched in 1991. The advent of the internet modified how design firms market their properties to generate leads. More firms turned to social media marketing to advertise their services. The rationale behind this is the effectiveness of online advertising in generating more leads for their business since more and more clients (97% in 2018) use the internet to find local products and services. Now, the question would be, how can a design firm advertise online effectively? 

Here are some ways, according to Abstrak Marketing Group 

1. Carefully prepare for your B2B appointment

• Narrow down your lead list
• Train your people who will perform the cold calling

2. Don’t let viable leads exit the sales pipeline

3. Keep a balance between your website’s form and functionality. Make sure both work well. 

4. Showcase your best marketing collateral.

After knowing this. The next question would be, What should you include on your website or social media pages?

• Floor Plans - 2D and 3D plans attract leads who consider a particular goal for their real estate, like knowing the property’s layout or measurement.   
• Mockups
• 3D Renderings - can drive one to visit the site or page that posts it.

Do you have some concerns about getting these types of floor plans and rendering? 

We can help you. 

We, at HomeRender, aim to help clients like you streamline your business by providing a subscription-based 3D rendering service so that you can simply focus on expanding your market and gaining higher profit in the long run. 

Does it sound interesting to you? 

Here are sample floor plans and 3D renderings from our artists:

2D Floor Plans

3D Floor Plans

3D Renderings - Exterior

3D Renderings - Interior

Consider these options when seeking rendering services:

1. Rendering services are commonly found on online freelance platforms like HR Talent, Upwork, or Freelancer, where seasoned professionals offer their expertise.
2. You might also come across local design firms or independent designers specializing in real estate renderings within your vicinity.
3. Consider exploring niche-specific forums or social media groups, as they often provide valuable recommendations or referrals for dependable rendering services.
4. Conduct thorough research on companies dedicated to architectural visualization or 3D rendering for real estate.
5. Explore HomeRender, a subscription-based service renowned for delivering top-tier 3D renderings.

Conclusion

In the evolving real estate landscape, there are various avenues to engage and retain clients, whether through lectures, community forums, newsletters, cost-effective programs, or by seeking advanced rendering services. In today's digital age, a strong online presence is essential for success in a competitive market. Real estate professionals must embrace online marketing strategies like establishing a robust web presence, leveraging social media, employing targeted advertising, and delivering engaging content. Success hinges on adapting and refining strategies to meet specific business needs and effectively connect with audiences. Navigating multifaceted lead generation methods requires choosing approaches aligned with individual goals and appealing to potential clients. Exploring diverse opportunities, staying updated on industry trends, and consistently innovating are key to carving a niche and building a thriving real estate enterprise.

References: 

https://archicgi.com/architecture/architectural-marketing-brings-clients-with-cgi/

https://www.cuubstudio.com/blog/architectural-marketing-strategies-guide-to-promoting-your-3d-architectural-visualization-firm/

https://blog.hubspot.com/service/re-engage-your-customers 

https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/real-estate-in-a-digital-age 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertadams/2017/03/17/23-bulletproof-real-estate-marketing-ideas/?sh=18dd47c46b0c 

https://www.abstraktmg.com/driving-leads/5-architecture-lead-generation-mistakes/ 

This article was last updated on Apr 20, 2024