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<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nYour firm is sitting on stories that you\u2019re not telling. They tell the tales of the people, designs, and work that goes into shaping the built environment. The narratives are compelling, and the folks you want to work with and for you are eager to hear them.<\/p>\n
Yet, most A\/E\/C firms leave these stories on the shelf. They never see the light of day once a project is wrapped. But if they\u2019re leveraged, they can be used to win new work, enhance your expertise, and attract the people you want to work at your organization.<\/p>\n
Good storytelling comes in all shapes and forms, but we\u2019ll focus on three types you can start incorporating into your marketing strategy.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s break each down, how to put them together, and where to use them.<\/p>\n
The customer story is about your client. They\u2019re the main characters, not you or your firm. You\u2019re there to support them.<\/p>\n
The crux of a good customer is the conversation you have with a client. It\u2019s their words, direct quotes, that give weight to the narratives.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve likely read plenty of case studies that follow the same formula:<\/p>\n
By interviewing the client, you\u2019ll unpack details that are far more interesting while still hitting those three case study pillars. The problem, solution, and outcome will organically emerge in the story instead of being forced to fit those criteria.<\/p>\n
To create a compelling client story, you need to interview well. Ask questions like:<\/p>\n
Customer story length can vary. When written, they\u2019re well-suited for long-form content. This gives them plenty of opportunity to be repurposed as social posts, condensed as leave-behinds for business development staff, and included in the statement of qualifications packages.<\/p>\n
For firms handling public work, the customer story and community story may overlap. Your work designing or building a fire station benefits the firefighters who work there, but it also serves as a storm shelter, impacting the community at large.<\/p>\n
Most people walk around the built environment and use it daily without ever knowing the minds and hands that were behind putting it all together. Community stories give your firm the opportunity to share the work you\u2019ve done and elevate your brand in the public sphere.<\/p>\n
Ask yourself (or the stakeholders you\u2019re working with) these questions to help form a community story:<\/p>\n
A\/E\/C firms do a lot of public good. And it\u2019s important to share how you impact people in a positive way. While maybe not as lengthy as a customer story, a community story can still be great written content and lends itself to be shared on social platforms.<\/p>\n
The hardest story of the three to tell is likely your own. The firm story isn\u2019t just what goes on your firm\u2019s history or about us page. These are the stories of how work is done in your firm. They\u2019re about the people and the conversations that happen inside your office. They give a glimpse into what it\u2019s like when your team develops an idea and it becomes a reality.<\/p>\n
Those stories are the ones that shape your firm\u2019s culture and make you who you are. And this matters to prospective clients. It also matters to the people who want to work at your firm.<\/p>\n
The firm story gives them a look into what life will be like partnering with or joining you.<\/p>\n
Here are a few questions to guide you in putting together a firm story:<\/p>\n
When told genuinely, these stories endear the right people to you. They do well in blog post form and on social media. And if you have the budget and capacity, video and photos make these even better. Your firm\u2019s stories make you more human in a world where it\u2019s increasingly difficult to separate machine and human creativity.<\/p>\n
Your firm has lots of stories that aren\u2019t being told. When you can group them into categories like these, it\u2019s easier to identify what you can tell and how to approach them without getting overwhelmed.<\/p>\n
When incorporated and distributed correctly, these stories can help you win more work, build your brand, and land more of the right people to support your firm.<\/p>\n
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