Basic Concepts
of Marketing
of Marketing
This is one of the four traditional Ps of Marketing that represent operational elements the design firm can control in the process of marketing and selling goods and services.
Product (What design services will be offered)
Place (Where will the design services be provided)
Promotion (Choosing strategies to inform potential clients of the firms existence)
Price (How much will services cost)
Additional contemporary Ps added to the combination are:
People (the firm's personnel and those who do work on the firm's behalf, such as an installer)
Process (how the firm provides its services)
Physical evidence (influencing perception through image by controlling cues, such as the appearance of the office or using clean, unbent business cards)
It's the primary part of the graphic image and identity package for a firm, typically used on all written communication.
Logo
Logos should
- be designer to be incorporated into all stationery and documents of the firm
- be effective in black and white as well as colors
- work in a variety of sizes
This is who controls the content and format of a project proposal.
Client
Design firms interested in a project must respond with the required information in the proposal. Leaving out sections or making the presentation different from what was requested can lead to disqualification. The client uses this control so that all proposals will be treated equally
These popular online websites written in an informal or conversational style can be a way to make a connections with future clients, but take a big commitment to keep up.
Blog
It's important to know what you want to accomplish with a blog, such as establishing expertise or attracting new customers, so you can tailor your content appropriately. The goal is to have others read and comment on your content because most benefits come from back and forth communication.
This term, often used interchangeably with marketing, includes all the activities and strategies the design firm undertakes to communicate its services to the market.
Promotion
Technically, by definition, marketing is the broader category of raising awareness of a firm's services and products, and promotion is the final step of marketing - converting visitors into buyers.
This is research most commonly taken on by a specialized consulting firm on behalf of the design firm (or potential new design firm) to gather information about such things as potential clients, the economy, and the competition.
Marketing Analysis
It involves asking questions and seeking out information related to the firm's business goals, and will be instrumental in starting a new firm.
Brochures, flyers, and inserts fall under this general type of promotional materials.
Collateral material
Although websites are more popular nowadays, collateral material has not disappeared. Collateral material should:
- grab the eye
- use high quality photography
- use well-written and brief copy
- provide a "taste" of what the firm is about rather than providing in-depth material. Otherwise the client may not bother to call for more information
- include information about the firm and services offered
After proposals are reviewed, this is a name used for the small group of design firms the client wants to interview for a project.
Short List
Commonly short lists are limited to three to six firms.
It is absolutely critical to keep your online personal life and online business life separate, or at the very least compatible, here.
Social Media
Clients use social media to find out something about designers long before they shake hands in person, and employers research social media to learn about potential new employees.
This term, abbreviated as PR, refers to all of a firm's efforts to create an image in order to positively affect the public's opinion of the firm.
Public Relations
Public relations concerns the communication of information about the firm through such devices as web pages, brochures, and news releases placed with media; it also can include participating in special events for the community, making contributions to professional organization fund-raisers, or becoming involved in legislative efforts.
This is described as "promotion of a particular product or company by means of advertising and distinctive design." (Piotrowski, 2020, p. 496)
Branding
It's the combination of images and encounters that the customer perceives, accepts, and experiences with a product or service provider. The purpose is to develop a positive impression of the design firm in the mind of the customer.
This is when an interior designer utilizes print media to gain publicity for the firm. Typically it involves showing examples of completed projects or writing articles as an expert.
Publication
Publications "provide proof of who is real and who isn't... Published work tells [a potential client] that the author must have some substantial experience..." (Piotrowski, 2020, p.517)
It's abbreviation is RFP
Request for Proposal
RFPs are an efficient way for clients to obtain information from several firms before deciding on one to do the project. RFPs will generally include proposed pricing/costs for residential designers, but not for commercial designers. That will come after being selected and completing programming.
This online pages that open upon arrival to a website is different from a home page in that it contain forms into which visitors submit information in exchange for an offer, also known as a Call to Action (CTA) page.
Landing Page
The purpose of landing pages is simple: turn a targeted visitor into a lead for your business by capturing personal information such as a person’s name, email address, phone number, job title, company name, and much more.
With this information, your company can work to convert that lead into a customer. But you can also use it to build your email subscriber lists, funnel users through the inbound marketing cycle, or increase the number of sales for a given time period.
Unlike advertising which involves payment, this is what you use to get media attention without paying for it.
Publicity
Designers who participate in events like fundraisers (Dine by Design) and competitions, or who offer free lectures, benefit from the publicity those type of events are able to provide. Publicity may involve activities that the firm pays to participate in, but does not involve any payment to any type of media.
Though interior designers may define this term as the perfect place to put an object, it also refers to a design specialty practiced by a firm.
Niche
A niche is a design specialty that is focused on meeting the needs of a specific group - or segment - of the total market. Niche is also called "market segmentation." One example is designing for law firms. An advantage of being a niche designer is that you will become very experienced in the needs of one particular area of design. The important thing is to make sure enough work exists in that area to support the goals of the design firm, meet business expenses, and generate a profit.
Very common for interior designers and architects, these are sponsored by professional associations of chapters and often come with publication of the winning work.
- Keep in mind competitions require entrance fees, project photography by a professional, time away from other work, and often client permission. However, adding that winning accolade to your promotional materials is very powerful!
It's abbreviation is RFQ
Request for Qualifications
Also called a letter of interest, the RFQ asks for staff resumes, brochures, references, and other experience documentation. This is usually the step by clients to narrow down which firms will receive an RFP.
Unlike outbound marketing, which is when traditional flyers, brochures, and mailers are sent out to get interest by potential clients, this is the type of marketing which entices the the potential customer to find the design firm.
Inbound Marketing
A web site, social media platforms, blogs, and other digital methods are used to secure inbound marketing.
This is one common way that Public Relations professionals provide information considered newsworthy to the news media.
Press Release
Almost any kind of news or announcement can be prepared as a press release if it is truly a newsworthy event, such as winning an award for design work, winning a contract to design a large new project, or announcing the opening of a new design business or second location. Local industry-related publications may consider information not publishable by larger media to general readership.
This is created by a firm to help create marketing goals and establish how those goals will be achieved.
Marketing Plan
A marketing plan is short-term and looks at the firm's future activity for one year. It is one piece of the long-term strategic plan.
This is defined as any kind of paid communication in media, such as newspapers, magazines, television, or radio.
Advertising
Design firms that are successful with the proposal process are exceptionally good at identifying these within a proposal, which are of critical concern to the client.
Hot-Button Issues
An examples of hot-button issues may be quality design at an economical price. Clients do not always describe needs succinctly or obviously, which can make identifying them more difficult.
If you want clients to leave information on your website so that you can contact then, your site must be designed with an SSL, which stands for this.
Secure Sockets Layer
These are purchased and designed in to websites by a web designer or the domain site host.
These are the classic five "Ws" and "H" used in concise journalistic style for press releases.
Who, WHat, When, Where, Why, and How
The most significant information should be presented in the first paragraph; additional details can be in subsequent paragraphs.