Structural Engineering Marketing 1

[SteelPE]

About a year ago I decided to "go on my own" after the last company I worked for went out of business. I have never really been an outgoing person so it has been a little difficult in acquiring new clients. Most of my clients consist of architects and contractors I used to work with at my last company. I have received a few new clients through recommendations made by some of my existing clients and even other engineers I used to work with. While things are OK, I would like to see if I could possible bring in some more business. I am wondering if anyone has had any luck and what people think about putting together a flier and mailing it to the local contractors and architectural companies in my area? Or if people think it's a waste of time and money?

I know the standard response is going to be "you should take the imitative and call the companies directly" but I have never really been that way.... basically I couldn't sell water to a guy dying of thurst in the desert..... all of those skills went to my brother the head hunter.

 

[Ron]

Hire your brother to do marketing for you or get him to take you along on a couple of cold calls to get an idea of what works.

 

[msquared48]

To me, fliers are unprofessional. Direct contact either by voice or in person contact works best.

Developing a good website will help too, with the right exposure.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[kipfoot]

Yeah, I'd say it's worth it. When I started, I initially sent out post cards with my card attached to every architect whose address I could find. This was just to let them know I was in business. As I remember it now, I can still almost feel the pit in my stomach of the next step of phoning a list of firms I wanted to work with. I started from scratch and had to force myself to make these calls.
To those that were at all receptive, I sent a folder with cut sheets on projects I'd worked on. Out of the stack I managed to send, I got a couple real jobs. Years later, I worked with a graphic designer to develop a booklet with my own projects. Now you might do this by way of a website.
It's tough because you can't really get anyone on the phone and there's really nothing to talk about until there's a project in front of you to look at. Some have called because I presented myself in a way that could relate to architects and they may have been unhappy with whoever they'd been working with.
This thought doesn't help you, but overall my most effective method of marketing has been architects changing jobs. People I work with would go to another firm and just like that I'd have someone on the inside making my case.

 

[SteelPE]

I never would have thought sending out a flier would be unprofessional. I would love to hire my brother.... but he is too busy working in Houston with the energy boom. I am a few thousand miles away.

What kipfoot describes is what happened. I was working for a steel fabricator doing design-build engineering work with contractors. When they went under everyone scattered out to various other companies. Most of the work I have currently is from the people who I used to work with. I also called up a few architects I had good relationships with while working ant my previous employer. I am figuring it is going to take a while (a few years in this economy) to get a good bunch of established clients that can keep me busy and I am looking for a way to jump start the process.

 

[SLTA]

I've joined the local Realtor board as an "allied member", been to AIA and local homebuilder meetings. It does stink but you have to get out there and get your name and face in front of people. I also give talks to local realtor meetings about why engineers are helpful to them, and I give out a brochure and card. It is helpful for them to have something to refer to and pass around.

Good luck!

 

[kipfoot]

msquared48 may have a different definition of flyers. What I'm talking about is like a formal announcement. I designed mine and had them printed - you know, at an offset printer - so it wasn't like I was putting 8 1/2 x 11 coupons under windshields out in the parking lot outside architectural firms.

Though, now that I mention that I may give it a try.

 

[msquared48]

You need to put them on the windshields outside the bars where the developers and contractors hang out.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[kipfoot]

msquared48,

funny...but also a valid point on the topic of who are the best clients, a subject for another thread.

 

[JAE]

All business is personal. Despite your reluctance to depend on your ability to sell yourself, if you want to succeed you have to accomplish a couple of things:

1. Be technically good at your designs.
2. Be on time with your designs.
3. Submit your attitude to being that of your client - care for what they care about - i.e. their projects.
4. Strive to make your client's work and efforts easy. Be their resource and help.
5. Be sincere and honest.
6. Charge your clients a good, fair fee.
7. Be responsive to them.

I realize that the difference between an extroverted engineer and an introverted engineer is that the extrovert looks at your shoes when he speaks instead of his own.

But you still must develop and maintain good personal relationships to succeed and the work will eventually come in.
And those personal relationships are reinforced by the seven points above.

Fliers are OK to a point, but the personal aspect rules the game.

 

[FlashSet]

You may need to hire someone you can trust who is extroverted to be your social team member.

 

[abusementpark]

You need to put them on the windshields outside the bars where the developers and contractors hang out.