How to Get a Client for Young Freelance Architect

A potential client basically have abstract idea of his future house. Your job as an architect is to animate that idea into reality. The following are tools to help you execute this job. Recently I just read book a book called Power Negotiation and hear some of their seminars. Using these tool and my own insights about architecture I've developed some tips that may help us get a a client and increase our chance to close the deal.

Sketches - Let the pencil do the talking. Well this might appear obsolete but manual drawing is one of the most effective way to convince a client because it has an artist touch sense. today a lot of big architectural firm use this skill in spite of technological advancement and use it as a unique selling proposition above other who are CAD addicts. Google sketch-up is the most recommended software. A client basically don't care about how presentable it may be but the main goal is to convince him that your idea works for him.

Realistic Rendered Perspective - It is the most efficient way of putting your idea into reality. It provides the presentation of a concept closest to the real photo of a finished project. Almost all architectural firms today use this type of presentation. The most popular tool is 3DsMAX / Sketchup + VRAY although some still use mental ray and even autocad rendering then edit is to photoshop yet some still prefer the old fashion way above. The danger however would be that the client may perceive it as a just a photo of a an as-built project (it happened once).

Photos - Lots of Architects fail to gather shots of their previous project. In fact this is the most important tool to build trust to the prospect client. showing a drawing is different from showing a building. It's like convincing one that a "banana float on water" or sort of "to see is to believe" kind of think. It is a powerful evidence that you are capable of erecting a building.

Meet the couple - Normally when we meet a potential client we usually meet with the husband. You might be thinking of an option that you meet them both. Don't just think about it, have and appointment with the availability of both of them. If happens that you were able to meet only him, he might have already been decided that he wants to hire you as their architect however he cannot confirm the decision because he needs the consent of his wife's approval. He will just simply repeat what you have been told him to his wife and guest what happens? 90% the wife rejects the idea of their husband and look for another alternatives. Normally you as the architect has the only ability to sell your ideas and not the husband. There's a magic on the architect's mouth during the conversation with the him and he will always be enchanted by it but soon as he meets her to tell about it, the magic is gone. This Idea will not only work to clients like couples but also to organizations. Just make sure that you meet all the decision makers in the company.


I hope I help you by this tips. Please share also your experiences. This may help us success in our career...

absolutely right those kind of thing are the keys...one thing more you have to have a good social skill...

icefrik19 wrote:absolutely right those kind of thing are the keys...one thing more you have to have a good social skill...

Social skill also plays a big role in our field because it is only by that way we can create network of friends and connections to other potential clients. To think that only by referrals that our numbers are dialed and not by paid ads.