Learn how to increase your revenue as an architect
You may be wondering how to increase your revenue as an architect, and what happens if you raise your fees, narrow your market, and identify your ideal client. Becoming a more effective marketer can require turning your business around 180 degrees, causing stress, perhaps, but well worth the effort.
What if the result was your highest-earning month in your entire professional career?
That’s exactly how Dulcie Horwitz, owner of Horwitz A+D based in Thousand Oaks, Southern California felt about her revenue explosion. And the AMI Mastermind conference in New Zealand has blown her mind even more.
Redefine the belief that working harder gets results
Dulcie said two things in particular needed to shift. She was holding on to some sort of pride about overworking. She realized there was an odd sense of control that was absolutely useless, thinking that working harder would ensure certain results. And Dulcie would drill herself into the ground when things were going well.
During the persuasion equation technique where you answered simple questions, it exposed a couple of core beliefs that are not functional and not based in reality. Dulcie didn't know they were happening, they weren’t useful nor were they helpful. Her reason behind holding onto those beliefs was that it was uncomfortable to let them go.
The whole conference for Dulcie was about fighting for her right to be uncomfortable. Letting her beliefs go and understanding that life is bountiful, she realized that there’s no reason why she cannot be compensated for the value that she provides for her clients.
Though this belief sounds simplistic and too based on money, it's based on something much deeper―scarcity and fear.
Realize what makes you effective and productive
Dulcie’s second takeaway from the conference was from another Mastermind member sharing her process. The fearlessness with which the other member approached her process was simple: “Just continue on.” It’s like having the mind of a goldfish. If things don't go well forget about it and two seconds later, keep going. The act of “just keep going” lets everything fall into place, especially if you're solution-focused.
“If you're solution-focused and not fear-based or resentful, then all of a sudden the world will open up to you.”
It’s self-actualization and a real way some of those core beliefs made her work ineffectively and unproductively and didn’t help her clients.
It was exposed to Dulcie at the conference to break down to some very brass tacks. She visualized her office, questioning: How many employees does she need? How can she delegate? How can she let go of control? Who are the people that she needs to hire? What sort of project load does she need to take on to hire those particular people so that she can craft the life that she wants and charge the fees that are commensurate with someone who's been doing this for 30 years?
Reap the benefits of AMI knowledge of how to increase your revenue as an architect
Dulcie’s had her own business since 2001 and quite honestly was a little tired. With her kids grown, she thought she could now focus everything on running her business. But she felt beaten down by a lot of the typical problems. She saw Richard Petrie's (AMI Co-Founder) videos on Instagram addressing some of the difficulties architects face and that he had a process to fix them.
Dulcie compares AMI to going to the gym. “We all know what to do. When you get into a group they remind you of all these things that you could be doing. And it works if you do it. You implement these simple, straightforward, logical strategies and get visible so that people know that you're available.”
AMI helps architects realize that there are people who need your particular brand of architecture. You are specifically qualified to design for them. But if you don't do marketing, these people will never know you exist.
Dulcie admits that it feels a little bit magical. There are certain things that you can do, that most people don't do because they're uncomfortable. You can meet and greet people, but you have to know which actions to take.
Taking all the wrong actions, and being overly busy isn’t the answer. By joining AMI, she got into a community of architects with guides like Eric Bobrow (co-founder of AMI) and Richard who specialize in marketing, and she listened. And all of a sudden, the actions Dulcie was taking worked as opposed to spinning her wheels in places without making sense or producing anything.
What the future holds
Dulcie predicts that a year from now, she will probably have 1 to 2 more employees and will delegate and have more free time. She’ll be charging even more than she’s charging, and rightfully so, and serving her clients very well.
The AMI Mastermind conferences were phenomenal. The conference in September of 2023 gave Dulcie the push to learn 5 software programs in Q4 of 2023. She never would have uptaken that in the past. Someone who’s been in business for over 20 years, like an old dog learning new tricks, she was embracing technology. Dulcie has virtual reality now, Morfolio, and uses ChatGPT as well as Midjourney.
She feels young and rejuvenated like the wonders of life are back. Instead of thinking that she knows exactly what's going to happen, she’s willing to take risks and things surprise her. And it's just incredible.
Thanks to implementing the methods taught in the Architect Marketing Institute’s SIX program, Dulcie has gone from burnout to achieving a record-breaking revenue explosion.
Watch Dulcie’s short success story above to learn how to increase your revenue as an architect. Like this clip and subscribe to our YouTube channel to receive up-to-date notifications on advice for architects looking to win better projects.