the architecture of image

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The Architecture of ImageBRANDING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICEThe Architecture of ImageBRANDING YOUR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

CRAIG PARK, FSMPS, ASSOC. AIAManaging Principal, OmahaTHE SEXTANT GROUP

OCTOBER 4, 2013

2013 AIA Nebraska Annual ConferenceCOMMUNITY, CULTURE & COLLABORATION

the architecture of imagethe architecture of image

• INTRODUCTIONS• ABOUT BRAND

– CULTURE• Where your brand begins

– COLLABORATION• Why your brand builds

– COMMUNICATION• How your brand becomes

• SUMMARY• Q&A/DIALOGUE

A great brand creates a sense of urgency, excitement, vibrancy… a buzz.

– TOM PETERSmanagement consultant, author, speaker

the brand called youthe brand called you

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a tale of two booksa tale of two books

ABOUT BRANDABOUT BRAND

For the professional service firm your brand is feelingYour brand is impressionYour brand is perception

what is your brand?what is your brand?

• Your brand is a reflection

of your culture

how you collaborate

how you communicate

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brand integrationbrand integration

three ideas to considerthree ideas to consider

1. For your brand to be successful, it has to begin as authentic. Your brand reflects your culture.

2. Your brand builds on your history and reflects the practice of your practice. Your brand demonstrates how you are thought leaders for your clients and those allied in your field.

3. Your brand should challenge you to move beyond what you know and allow you to become what you want to be and communicate your vision to the market.


Your brand is not what you think you are.

Your brand is what everyone else thinks you are, and what they think about you.

– TRACY BLACKpresident, Black Cape Marketing

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The clearer I can be with my brand, the more likely I will be to work with people who value results.

– ANN BANNING-WRIGHTpresident, Bright Operations



Describe/define your firm’s brand.

iconiciconic

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inspiringinspiring

influentialinfluential

Our criterion for getting involved is that the result will be something that is memorable and remarkable. Our goal is that you can’t walk past one of our features without stopping.

– TERESA POWELL-CALDWELLvice president, WET

impactfulimpactful

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remarkableremarkable

If you are not a brand, you are a commodity.– PHILIP KOTLER

author, Principles of Marketing

why brand is importantwhy brand is important

Clients can’t tell service firms apart. Step one is to declare your vision… then imbed that into your brand.

– MIKE REILLY, FSMPSpresident, Reilly Communications


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Professionals are very analytical people and they often wrongfully assume that their clients are analytical too.

– DICK MUSILprincipal, Webster Design


Telling your story is like trying to communicate the amorphous to the uninformed.

– MARJANNE PEARSONpresident, TalentStar

the brand challengethe brand challenge

know your brandknow your brand

It starts with making sure you really have clarity about your own brand.

– RICHARD WILKEsenior partner, global business development, Lippincott

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brand identitybrand identity


Through our belief in trusting client relationships, we deliver unparalleled value through inspiring design, market leadership, and consistently dependable results.

– CARLA THOMPSON, FSMPSglobal marketing director, MulvannyG2


We use brand as a differentiator. Our message focuses on our leading‐edge research, our open‐mindedness to change, and our approach to collaboration.”.

– JULIE LUERS, FSMPSvice president & marketing director, HGA

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brand imagebrand image


We could debate the ‘hows and whys’ of client satisfaction surveys… but at the end of the day, I don’t care how it is done as long as it gets done. Surveys are that important!

– TOM BOOGHER, CPSMvice president, CMO, PSI


Your value is not what you did yesterday, your value is what you’re going to do tomorrow to solve the untapped needs of your clients; and those needs are constantly changing!

– ANN BANNING-WRIGHTpresident, Bright Operations

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brand alignmentbrand alignment


Our firm espouses deeply authentic values. We share our values with every new employee and apply those same values in our own practice, in the way we live, and the way we collaborate.

– MARIA MAFFRYvice president business development, BNIM


Is your brand aligned with your identity and image?

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brand equitybrand equity

brand equitybrand equity

Brand equity represents the character of your firm, how you conduct your business, and the level of quality you deliver.

– MIKE SAVAGEvice president, Geotechnologies

your brand is not your logo!your brand is not your logo!

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a few words on naminga few words on naming

• Memorable

–Archimania

• Speaks to what you do

– Structural Focus

• Metaphor & Meaning

–WET

• Avoids alphabet soup

–Gensler

in a few words: taglinesin a few words: taglines

• Brief, 3‐5 words, memorable, exemplify the brand promise

• We Do Work That Matters, Every Day

– Burns & McDonnell, architects and engineers

• Building What’s Next

– Mortensen Construction, builders & CMs

• We Shape a Better World

– Arup, multi‐disciplinary engineers

a book of nine brandsa book of nine brands

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today, a tale of three brandstoday, a tale of three brands

CULTURECULTURE

Defines your brand by how you & they:

impact your clients

influence your clients’ clients

inform your communities

cultureculture

The right culture helps you succeed in accomplishing all your goals.

– PEG NEUHAUSERauthor, Culture.com

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cultureculture

Your culture is your brand.. What the clients want most is to believe your brand promise.

– RON WORTH, CAE, FSMPSCEO, SMPS

author, Building Profits

No one knows as much as everyone.STEVE MCDOWELL, FAIA

principal, BNIM

BNIM: walking their talk

7

AIA Fellows

2

AIA NationalPresidents

1

AIA National Young Architect

78

Staff

10

Principals

BNIM INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP

2011 AIA National

Architecture Firm Award

42

Total Number of LEED Projects

8

AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Buildings

Omega Center for Sustainable Living: World’s

First LEED Platinum +

Living Building

Founded the AIA COTE

Key role in the creation and

development of the USGBC, LEED, Living

Building Challenge

First Living Building

Challenge On the Boards

Winner

BNIM INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION

BNIM: walking their talk

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triple bottom linetriple bottom linePeople, Planet and Prosperity

sustainability

people prosperity

planet

people prosperity

planet

leaders in sustainabilityleaders in sustainabilityDesigning What’s Next

number of LEED projects

90+

number of COTE top 10 awards

9

number of Living Buildings

3

number of LEED AP staff

111+

number of LEED Platinum

20

number of net zeroprojects

11

a culture of valuesa culture of values

We seek a better way.

We are committed to long‐term thinking and measurable improvement as a way of life in every community we touch.

We are passionate about generous design, believing that it inspires people and changes the world for the better.

We care about what our buildings do and how they positively impact the lives of people, organizations, and communities.

We promote integrated thinking and a collaborative dialog of discovery.

We partner to find the answers.

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cultureculture

BNIM’s brand is truly about making the world a better place. It goes beyond just buildings to touch the human element and really make a difference for people and communities.

– MARIA MAFFRYvice president, business development, BNIM

cultureculture

What defines your firm’s culture?

COLLABORATIONCOLLABORATION

A combination of focus and excellence on:

internal & external leadership

strategic analysis & growth

interdisciplinary experience

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collaborationcollaboration

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you'll help them to become what they are capable of becoming.

– JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE


Your brand value becomes exponential when they know you know so much about them. You become a resource of information.

– MIKE SAVAGEvice president, Geotechnologies


While we are best known as dependable, hard‐working, and trustworthy, according to client perception studies… our brand image is always a work in progress.


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MULVANNYG2: value & passionMULVANNYG2: value & passion



We do what it takes to win, to be the best.

We commit to create inspiring design and deliver best resultsand value to our clients.

We continually seek new opportunities and challenges.

We push to constantly learn and grow.

We build expertise and thought leadership through experience.

We constantly take the initiative to reach the next level of performance.

We embrace continuous evolution and lead change.

We get it done—pushing through adversity.

Excellence in everything we do—this defines Mulvanny G2.

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It comes down to people. The best way to differentiate is to focus on your people’s experience, expertise, and personality because clients hire people. They fire firms.



IDEO is such a great example of a company whose name reflects how they live their brand.


the ideo impactthe ideo impact

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on leadershipon leadership

• Firm Leadership

– establishing vision and management best practices that result in significant and sustained, profitable growth

• Market Leadership

– being ranked in the industry press for size, revenue, or results

• Technical Leadership

– being recognized for expertise and innovation

on leadershipon leadership

The firms that have dynamic leadership who ‘live the brand’ are the most successful. It starts with great leadership.

– DICK MUSILprincipal, Webster Design

on collaborationon collaboration

Do you have an example where collaboration strengthened your brand?

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COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

The practice within the practice that:

finds and tells stories that resonate

demonstrates a unique value proposition

measures and shares results

communicationcommunication

The medium is the message– MARSHALL MCLUHAN

philosopher of communication theory


The computer can't tell you the emotional story. It can give you a design, but what are missing are the eyebrows.

– FRANK ZAPPAmusician & philosopher

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a consistent brand messagea consistent brand message

• Advertising

• Books/Monographs

• Direct Mail

• Feature Writing

• External Newsletters

• Internal Newsletters

• Special Events

• Trade Shows

• Sponsorships

• Community Involvement

a note on social mediaa note on social media

thought leadershipthought leadership

Positioning through speaking is an important part of our outreach efforts. We use the opportunity to promote the success of our clients. This makes it much easier to position for the next project.”.

– CHRIS WATSONnational director of marketing, GILBANE

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all pr is good pr (if it’s good pr)all pr is good pr (if it’s good pr)

• Needs to be followed‐up with good service

• Helps build and sustain a groundswell of brand support

• Celebrates the client’s customers in an inclusive, non‐exploitive way

• Proactive in idea generation and responsive in a crisis

• Is measurable

• Leverages pre‐existing relationships built on trust and credibility earned over years of service

• Almost always “gets ink” because a good story has been well‐told to the right people

getting ink (without getting stained)getting ink (without getting stained)

• Know your target audience

• Know where they go for information

• Create a list of potential media outlets

• Identify journalists to contact & develop a relationship

• Use all three traditional distribution options: newswire, media database & individual correspondence

• Consider social media as a component of your media distribution strategy

• Avoid: Mondays, end of fiscal quarters, or year‐end

• Monitor and measure what matters


We wanted a name that had nothing to do with the partners’ names, but instead reflected the talents of the whole firm. We believe our name and graphic image say a lot about who we are.

– TIM BARRICK, FSMPSprincipal, RATIO ARCHITECTS

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RATIO: a promise of integrityRATIO: a promise of integrity

Ra–tio (ra’she-o’) n. 1. The root word of rational; to reason, logical. [Latin ratio, from ratus, past participle of reri, to reckon,consider.]

Wechoseanamethatrepresentsourdesignphilosophy.

Webelievedesignshouldhaveapurpose.

TIM BARRICK, FSMPSprincipal


Thenautilusisthesymbolicexpressionofclassicalproportion—thebasisofgooddesign.

Boththenameandthelogoembodytheprinciplesofreasonandlogicalthinking,centraltothedesignprocessatRatio.

TIM BARRICK, FSMPSprincipal


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RATIO: a promise of integrityRATIO: a promise of integrity• Brand Promise:

– Defining Spaces, Creating Places, Enhancing CommunitySM

• Vision:– We strive to energize our communities, our clients, and ourselves by collaborating to achieve design excellence.

• Mission:– We are committed to:

• Design services focused on creating value

• Sustaining profitability

• A culture that fosters quality service

• Personal and professional development

• Public relations strategies that attract clients

• Elevating the importance and respect of each discipline


Brand is important more today than 10 years ago. Because of our branding efforts, we’re known in each of our regions by the buyers of architectural services.

– TIM BARRICK, FSMPSprincipal, RATIO ARCHITECTS

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At the beginning of the day, it’s all about possibilities.

At the end of the day, it’s all about results.– BOB PROSEN

author, Kiss Theory Goodbye

measure what mattersmeasure what matters

• New Business– Contracts

• Net Fees– Billings Less Consultants

• Work On Hand– Backlog

• Quantity of Submittals– SOQ/Fee Proposals by Market Sector

• Opportunity Value– Weighted Potential Fee of Project Pipeline

• Marketing Expense – All Costs Tied to a Particular Market or Pursuit

barometers v. thermometersbarometers v. thermometers

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barometer v. thermometerbarometer v. thermometer

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barometers v. thermometersbarometers v. thermometers

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YOU ARE THE NEW BLACK!YOU ARE THE NEW BLACK!

A brand promise is just that, a promise: every member of your firm should be able to answer two questions:

“What is our brand promise?”

“What will I do today to keep that promise?”

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three ideas to rememberthree ideas to remember

1. Know your market; know your culture

2. Respect your network; collaborate to win

3. Tell your story; communicate value

keys to building a strong brandkeys to building a strong brand

• Survey Says

– Don’t assume you know what your employees, clients, client’s clients, or community thinks about you

• Honor the Integrated Team

– “No one knows as much as everyone.”

• Facts Tells, Stories Sell

– Relevance, benefits & proofs trump dry statistics every time

• Measure What Matters

– Know where you are & which direction you are going

you are the new blackyou are the new black

Ten years ago, branding professional services was seen as a nice thing to do.

Now, if you haven’t done it, you’re lagging behind and you’re playing catch up.


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We can use fancy branding terms like positioning or value proposition, but at the end of the day you need to know what the marketplace thinks of you.


A great brand is a story that's never completely told.

– SCOTT BEDBURYCEO, Brandstream



What will you do to build your brand?

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recommended readingrecommended reading• Beckwith, Harry, Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern

Marketing, New York, NY: Warner Books, 1997.• Bedbury, Scott, A New Brand World: 8 Principals for

Achieving Brand Leadership in the 21st Century, New York, NY: Viking, 2002.

• Miles, Josh, Bold Brand: The New Rules for Differentiating, Branding, and Marketing Your Professional Service Firm, Cleveland, OH: Content Marketing Institute, 2012.

• Peters, Tom, The Brand You 50, New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1999.

• Reis, Al and Laura Reis, The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding: How to Build a Product or Service into a World Class Brand, New York, NY: Harper Press, 2002.

• Trout, Jack and Steve Rivkin, Differentiate or Die: Survival in Our Era of Killer Competition, New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 2000.

Q&A / DIALOGUEQ&A / DIALOGUE

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

CRAIG PARK, FSMPS, ASSOC. AIATHE SEXTANT [email protected]

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the architecture of imagethe architecture of image

Retails for $24.95

Available online at: • Amazon.com• Barnes & Noble • craigpark.com

Available today, with an autograph @ $20

the architecture of image

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