Blog title image - How to win your first architecture clients as a new practice

Starting your own architecture practice? You're not alone. With 17 construction companies going insolvent every working day and even major firms regularly letting people go due to difficulties, many talented architects are asking themselves: “Do I find another job or start my own thing?"

If you're leaning towards the latter, this guide is for you. After 24 years in built environment marketing and over 5 years running my own practice, I've learned what actually works when you're starting from scratch.

First things first - define your niche

Here's the thing - "we work across all sectors" isn't going to cut it when you're starting out. You need focus so that you can make the biggest impact and have something memorable to be known for.

There are so many ways to segment the market that you can niche into:

sector – social/housing, rail, commercial fit out etc
client type – developers, local authorities, transport clients.
project size - small residential projects under £250K or small scale office projects,
Service type – delivery architect, sustainable design
There are so many ways that you can find your niche and to choose yours it’s a combination of understanding your own skills and existing networks, understanding the market and where the opportunities lie.

And don’t worry, your niche can just be a starting point that you can branch out later. But right now, you need something people can easily understand and remember you for.

Get your messaging, targeting and positioning right

I bang on about this constantly because it works and I’m finding that practices small and large can do a lot by looking at their messaging targeting and positioning. You need clarity on:

Your messaging - What you want to say and why people should care

Your targeting - Who exactly you're talking to (job titles matter!)

Your positioning - How you're different from every other architect out there

I always tell my clients - if you nail these three things, your marketing gets infinitely easier. Do check out my podcast on messaging, targeting and positioning which delves into this in more depth.

Build your minimum viable website (not your dream website)

Don't spend a fortune on branding and websites before you've even launched. I see this mistake constantly on social media - people saying "you MUST have a brand, you MUST have a logo" before you can start.

Honestly? Rubbish.

Start with

A simple two-pager about who you are and what you do
Clear messaging about your expertise
Your purple colour (okay, that was just me - I like purple!)

Once you're actually trading and know what people will pay for, THEN invest in proper brand assets.

Tap into your close network

Your immediate network is gold. The lowest hanging fruit? People who already know, like and trust you.

Reach out to

Former colleagues and project team members
Family and friends
Industry peers
Anyone who might need your services

Send them a quick note: "Hi, I've just started my practice. This is what I'm doing. If you know anyone who might be interested, I'd love an introduction."

Don't wait for people to come to you. Be proactive.

Think beyond direct clients

You don't always win work directly from end clients. Consider:

Strategic partnerships - Could you deliver specialist services to larger practices? Subcontracting - Maybe you're brilliant at bathroom design - partner with someone who needs that expertise

Complementary skills: Team up with engineers or project managers and share leads and opportunities.

Map out who you know and which communities you're part of. There are opportunities everywhere.

Get out there and network

Networking events and conferences are huge for visibility. But be smart about it:

Choose events where your target clients will be (not just your peers)
Use LinkedIn to connect before, during and after
Have a plan - know what sessions you'll attend and who you want to meet
Don't discount online events

Consider low-cost options like NLA events, The London Society, London Festival of Architecture and so much more.

Pro tip: Post on LinkedIn that you're attending. People will actually reach out to arrange meetings - it does work.

The having no architecture projects to show problem and how to solve it

"But I can't talk about projects from my previous employer!"

Two approaches:

Get permission and be specific about your role: "I led the design elements of this section of this £2M scheme" (not "we designed this amazing building") and credit the practice too.
Create concept projects showcasing the types of work you want to do. Show your thinking, your process, your ideas.

Invest marketing budgets wisely

High-quality visuals can be game-changing. Magnus Strom invested in amazing CGIs when starting out - the quality was so good you couldn't tell they weren't real. That investment carried his practice Strom Architects until he had completed projects to photograph. Do take a listen to my interview with Magnus.

Simple website + SEO basics - you can literally start with a one-page site and build from there. SEO takes time, so get started early and keep adding content and following best practice as you go.

Google Ads - but only if you know what you're doing or can afford expert help. It's very easy to burn money quickly.

The launch event strategy

Want something different? One recruitment agency I worked with launched with a small roundtable for HR leaders, discussing architectural recruitment challenges. They turned that into a white paper, which became their door-opener with large practices.

Think laterally - What can you add to the industry hot topic debates that will open doors? There’s a lot being done around affordable housing and social value at the moment, for example.

What I’d do if I was starting my business again today

If I was launching Abbas Marketing now, here's exactly what I'd do:

Spend serious time on messaging, targeting and positioning
Create basic materials and start having conversations
Use those conversations to refine my message and approach
Win those first projects
THEN invest in proper brand assets

The foundations matter more than the fancy stuff. Get those right, and everything else follows.

The truth

Anyone telling you that you need massive investment to start is usually trying to sell you something. There's loads you can do with minimal budget if you're strategic about it.

Focus on clarity, using your network, getting out there and starting conversations. The work will follow.

Want more practical marketing advice for built environment firms? Check out The Built Environment Marketing Show

This episode is taken from the podcast epsiode that you can listen to here