How to raise your profile and set yourself apart from your peersRIBA CPD Forum

David Patrick Yes Agency15 March 2011

My credentials

M.D. of Yes AgencyCommunity marketing specialistWide experience in construction marketingMember of the DMA North CouncilFellow of the Institute of Direct Marketing

What’s changing?

Lack of confidence in traditional mediaPeer-to-peer recommendations are increasingly importantConsumers and businesses less reliant on corporate spinMerging of the personalwith the professional

“Customers are becoming less brand-

loyal and more trusting of each other”Mary Kemp

It’s true of consumers

People assert their individuality more than everTrend towards individual rather than collective responsibilityProliferation of media channelsOne size no longer fits allPeople no longer defined by where they live

It’s true of business

Information transfer faster than everGlobal economy means fierce competitionNew business models and new niches appearingProliferation of media makes it harder to control your marketing messages Yet it’s also easier to personalise your message

It’s true of architects and specifiers

Time is preciousNumerous approaches from providersToo many cold callers and irrelevant approachesWary of the hard sellAlready using a bank of trusted suppliers

New communities are being formed

Communities are based on:-Shared valuesShared professional goalsA common interestA level of trustAn understanding of each other

New communities are being formed

What this means for you

This will inspire greater confidence and trust and result in more word-of-mouth recommendations

Tapping into these communities will help to set you apart from your peers

So what’s the benefit to me?

Communities:-Share informationMake relevant recommendationsGive feedbackCommunicate regularlyWork to address common issues

So what’s the benefit to me?

Get to know your audienceWhat do they specialise in?Which suppliers are they currently using?Who are the key personalities?Which of their ‘needs’ can you identify?

What kind of communities exist?

BDA Case StudyArchitectsSpecifiersEngineersBuilders / contractorsLandscapers Property ownersHome owners

What kind of communities exist?

Severn Trent case studyHome ownersOnline Ethnic BME, PolishProfessionalPolitical Voluntary sectorLocal community groups

How does it work?

What you need to do is:Build relationships within your communitiesFocus on promoting best practiceKeep in mind your commercial objectives

How does it work?

What you need to do is:Reach people within communities they’re part ofHarness power of peer-to-peer recommendationsUse genuine insights to inform your communications Achieve buy-in from your target audience by involving them in the process

“If people are talking about you it’s going to

be good”Mark Ralphs

How does it work?

What you need to do is:Understand your client’s worldShape your message around their needsDemonstrate how your product/services meets those needsAlways act strategicallyGet feedback and act on it

“Be quick but be smart”Amanda McDonald

How does it work?

What you need to do is:Use word-of-mouth in a cost effective wayEngage more effectively with people on an individual levelIntroduce your services to warm audiences Make your marketing work harder

What this means for you

“Marketing is moving from making messages to nurturing connections; from delivering push tocreating pull interactions;and from orchestrating campaigns to facilitating conversations”

Peter Kim

What this means for you

Community Consult

How do I identify and tap into my communities?

IdentificationIntroduction

Involvement

IntimacyIntegration

Immersion

IdentificationIntroduction

Involvement

IntimacyIntegration

Immersion

What are its core principles?

IDENTIFICATION

Identify relevantgroups within your

community

Identify keyinfluencers within

each group

Validate name and contact

IMMERSION

Get an understandingof their needs

Immerse ourselvesin their primary

issues and motivations

Interact with the community through their lead channel

INTRODUCTION

Introduce your product/service

to them

Explain how yourproduct/service

meets their need

Encourage themto spread the word

within theircommunity

INVOLVEMENT

Engage them in paid research

Involve themin the development

process

Advise themof new

developments

EdinburghGlasgow

Leeds

Manchester

Nottingham

Wolverhampton Norwich

LondonBristol

BrightonBournmouth

Plymouth

Liverpool

BirminghamNorthampton

Newcastle

Swansea

Belfast

Londonderry

Aberdeen

Dundee

Communityfield teams

Universityresearch teams

INTIMACY

Develop a personal relationshipwith your community

Invite key peopleto share in the

creative process

Offer brand-relatedbenefits and

offers to them

INTEGRATION

Integrate theprocess into your

marketing

Utilise traditionalmedia on the advice of thecommunity

Maximise theimpact of traditional

media channelsthrough advocacy

Community Consult

Introduction Immersion

InvolvementIntroduction

Intimacy Integration

Top Tips

Identify communities your prospects are a part ofListen to their issuesIntroduce your product/service – do they meet their needs?Involve them – get feedback Get intimate – build the relationshipIntegrate what you’ve learned with other clients

Summary

Know your communityBuild relationshipsAlways add valueChampion best practiceWork your networks… and engage with them

“Be patient, keep educating,

be respectful”Kevin Singh

David Patrick01889 564 931

david.patrick@yesagency.co.uk

Thank you

“Client service and day-to-day support is what sets Yes Agency apart”

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