Effective branding and communications strategy and execution is critical for architecture, engineering, design (AED) practices. Why?

• To differentiate their business from their competitors
• To communicate the value they offer clients
• To ensure there is consistent messaging from within the business and to the external market

Professionals in our industry are highly creative and visual people. They can communicate well and have an eye for striking graphics. However, the brand and communications are often forgotten or not prioritised after the initial creation of a corporate identity. On top of this, there is still somewhat of a lag in our industry to create emotive and engaging brands that go further than a business logo and project photos.

First things first, your brand is much more than your logo or your colour scheme. Your branding depicts the essence of your business, it conveys the story of who you are, how you got to where you are and the ultimate purpose of your business. Every business benefits from a compelling, motivating, and consistent brand story.

So how can AED businesses create and maintain long-lasting brands that contribute to business success?

Understand your audience

Understanding your audience’s primary motivations, as well as identifying the type of clients you would prefer to work with is crucial to your brand, as this ultimately shapes the content you produce.

Find your brand tone of voice
Your brand tone of voice reflects your business’s communication style and shines through in your communications collateral. This determines how your brand is perceived by the outside world.

Keep your website up to date
Your website should aim to appeal, educate, and inform prospective clients. Your website should give insight into the core values of your business, the projects, its people, and its unique qualities.

Don’t neglect marketing your old projects
Neglecting old projects as soon as new projects are ready to promote is a damaging marketing habit that leads to inconsistent and unsustainable marketing of your business. Instead, your firm should concentrate on improving the visibility of old projects to maintain a consistent flow of work.

Utilise your social channels
Social media platforms allow you to engage with your clients and prospects, whilst also giving you the opportunity to attract new clients. Implementing a social media marketing strategy that involves uploading frequent, quality content, centred around your story, projects, and people, is crucial for effective marketing.

An effective and engaging brand strategy will put you closer with your audience, help you to communicate the value you deliver to clients, and in turn, win you more business. If you would like to find out more about creating a compelling brand strategy for your business, contact Management for Design’s Communication Director, David Clark at dclark@m4d.com.au