As the leader of your firm, it is your responsibility to know how to increase business and keep those employees busy. One way to accomplish this goal is to get more architecture RFPs.
Of course, we all understand that the more RFPs, the higher the bottom line and the happier everyone will be. The boss is happy, you are happy, and your employees are not just standing around looking out the window watching the traffic drive by.
You need to understand the inbound marketing methodology. If you are not familiar with inbound marketing, now is the time to start educating yourself. Finding resources like this will help you understand where to start the process of inbound marketing.
Starting with four important points in the inbound marketing methodology:
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Attract
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Convert
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Close
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Delight
Related Post: Why Magneto Is Getting All The Landscape Architecture RFP
Attract
Become the expert!
You want to impress strangers and visitors. Make sure you plan. You have to know what your content will be about and who you want to reach - your audience.
Gain trust with your audience. When people feel they can trust you because they view you as the expert, it can result in future business and collaborations.
When thinking about attracting your target audience, narrow your target to land the right clients.
Write blogs with keywords. Use social media to appeal to the target audiences you are looking for.
Focus your blogs and social media posts to your “ideal” customer, those companies you are dreaming of receiving an RFP from. Focus is the key word here.
Convert
You can have the biggest audience reading your blogs and participating in your webinars. BUT, if that is all they are doing, you are not making money.
Your content must attract the audience and subsequently convert them into the leads you are wanting!
This is done through action, such as having a call to action button that allows the reader of your blog to fill out a form of interest. They need help and are looking to you as the expert.
Letting your ideal clients opt into your network is another way to make the client realize how important you are to their needs. Give them a reason to need you.
“Customer conversion is dependent on the right customer conversation” ~ Rasheed Ogunlaru
Close
So you have now attracted the audience you want, and converted them into prospective leads.
Now let’s close the deal and make some many! Remember, you are the expert, so make yourself the go-to firm.
Nurturing your leads with great tips and advice on areas they are struggling with makes your firm the one that stands out.
This is how you create those leads into clients.
Send emails with valuable information, as this is not spam. There are millions of email accounts - use them.
Do not send a mass email saying the same thing to everyone. Take the time to customize to each lead.
Ask open-ended questions in emails to trigger thoughts and questions that the prospective client might have for you.
Delight
Have your past and current clients spread your expertise. Do not be greedy and think it is YOUR content only.
You want past and current clients to share this great content you have created with others. Think of it as the digital word-of-mouth.
We all enjoy spreading the word about an attentive customer service from a firm. That feeling of importance when you get a call asking how things are going.
Attention after the sale gives the client the assurance they made the right decision in working with you, your team, and firm.
Share events on your social network. Use the social inbox and smart content.
Utilizing all these tips will be sure to get you more architecture RFPs. By sending the right content to the right audience at the right time is crucial. Stay in touch and keep increasing your leads, updating your social media and following the four steps - attract - convert - close - delight.
Go win those RFPs!
Photo credit goes to Flickr user Erika
