Think about this for a second. Are you doing the right things in the right places? If not, you have not found your niche project type and location.
Feeling lost? You're not alone.
I'm with you on this. Well, actually I'm in Aosta, Italy, a beautiful village in the Italian Alps and our family loves it (you can virtually meet my son Max in the video). Roman ruins give us a glimpse into the country's past … but the problem in our present is that we were supposed to travel to Orta, not Aosta, today.
Orta (San Giulio) is a commune 100 kilometers northeast of Turin, while the commune of Aosta is 110 kilometers northWEST of Turin. There's a difference.
Here we are, in a completely different town, which fortunately is a great place. Life isn't always so lucky for the lost.
When I do coaching sessions with new AMI members, I always ask these architects what they want to achieve. Where do you see yourself in 5+ years? That sort of thing. About 1 out of 15 can tell me what they want.
However 14 out of 15, the people who need marketing more than ever, need direction. Occasionally life will land you in a good place without much effort, but more often than not you need to set sail in the exact RIGHT direction. If you really want to go to Orta, make it clear in your mind and to your team and clients.
Becoming a specialist means marketing to your niche project type.
Sail with purpose and the right people will follow. I've been working with architects for years and 14 out of 15 are drifting. So if you're drifting too, good luck with where you end up … or take my advice, and get specific. Map out exactly where you're going.
Big spenders in any market want the BEST. And the specialist is considered the best because… ‘It’s all we do.’
‘But Richard I like to do a variety of work.’
And you can!
You can be a specialist in two different areas and even a generalist as well if you felt you were going to miss out but the two specialist niches need to see, hear and feel you as the expert.
Okay, so niching or segmenting is the process of positioning yourself as a specialist in a particular submarket. The benefits are:
1) You can charge higher fees
2) You can deliver your work faster
3) Deals close faster
4) People value your opinion more
5) People seek you out
6) Many more.
You’ll truly thrive when you look deep inside – discover your leading talent and the people who crave it.
Choose your niche project type and set sail to the projects, people and places you deserve. Where is the greatest location in the world for architects? It’s a paradise we call: Sunshine Island.