Read time: 4 minutes
Yesterday, I wrote this LinkedIn post.
It was about how my wife and I were babyproofing our house for a day with our now-crawling grandson…
…And how it led to an idea for the Crawl-Walk-Run approach to segmenting your list of ideal architect clients based on their experience level. And building stronger relationships with each of them as they grow in their career.
Today, I’ll show you the approach and how to use it.
I’ll also share a practice routine you can use to help make it part of your week and get better and better at it.
The problem with most product reps’ or manufacturers’ strategy is that they take a one-size-fits-all approach. They assume all architects have the same experience level and require the same support or information.
That’s probably not working too well.
Here’s how you can get better at it…
1) Recognize their career phases
Architects evolve throughout their careers, changing needs and perspectives.
Understanding these stages is crucial for meaningful connections. Let’s break down an architect’s typical career progression.
This knowledge will help you tweak your approach effectively.
- Early Career (0-10 years): Eager to learn, tech-savvy, limited decision-making power
- Mid-Career (10-20 years): Growing influence, specializing, balancing creativity and practicality
- Senior Architects (20+ years): Decision-maker, mentor, focused on efficiency and legacy
- Principal/Partner: Business-oriented, big picture thinker, relationship-driven
Tailoring your approach to each stage builds trust and credibility.
2) Adapt your communication style
One-size-fits-all messaging will fall flat with architects.
Your message needs to resonate with the architect’s experience level. Misalignment here can make you seem out of touch or irrelevant. By adjusting your tone and content, you’ll create more meaningful connections.
Here are a few ways to build rapport with them at each stage:
- Early-career: Focus on education & hands-on product demos
- Mid-career: Highlight efficiency gains & innovative applications
- Senior architects: Emphasize long-term value & problem-solving
- Principals: Discuss business impact & industry trends
Matching your message to their mindset shows you understand their world.
3) Offer Stage-Appropriate Solutions
Architects face different challenges at each career phase.
Your products should solve the real problems they’re facing now. Pitching the wrong solution wastes everyone’s time and damages your credibility.
Match your message with their current needs, and you’ll become a valuable partner.
- Early-career: Provide easy-to-use tools & clear specifications
- Mid-career: Offer customization options & technical support
- Senior architects: Showcase case studies & proven performance data
- Principals: Demonstrate ROI & sustainability benefits
Solving today’s problems paves the way for tomorrow’s partnerships.
4) Build Relationships, Not Just Sales
Long-term success comes from genuine connections, not just transactions.
Architects remember those who supported them throughout their careers. Short-term thinking leads to missed opportunities and damaged reputations.
Invest in relationships that grow stronger over time.
- Offer mentorship and guidance to early-career architects
- Provide continuing education relevant to their career stage
- Connect them with peers and potential collaborators
- Celebrate their achievements and career milestones
Being a trusted advisor creates loyalty that lasts decades.
5) Embrace the Learning Process
Like my baby-proofing story, understanding architects is an ongoing experiment.
You’ll make mistakes and face unexpected challenges. But if you get stuck in rigid thinking, you’ll just run into repeated failures and missed opportunities.
Approach each interaction as a chance to learn and improve.
- Stay curious and open to new strategies
- Regularly review and update your approach
- Keep detailed notes on each architect’s preferences
- Ask for feedback from architects at different career stages
Continuous improvement leads to deeper, more valuable relationships.
General tips on how to apply all of this:
Research & categorize:
- Research the architect’s background before your next meeting.
- Use LinkedIn or their firm’s website to estimate their career phase.
- Adjust your approach accordingly.
Provide relevant resources:
Offer career phase-specific resources.
- Early-career: might appreciate technical workshops.
- Senior architects: might prefer case studies of landmark projects using your products.
Customize your presentations:
- Early-career: Include more technical details and innovative applications of your product.
- Mid-career: Focus on efficiency and project management benefits.
- Senior architects: Emphasize how your product creates lasting, iconic structures.
Adapt your follow-up strategy:
Tailor your follow-up emails based on career phase.
- Early-career: Try links to recent industry innovations
- Mid-career: Share time-saving tips or project management tools
- Senior architects: Hw about thought leadership pieces or industry trend analyses?
Offer phase-specific partnership opportunities:
- Early-career: Consider mentorship programs or sponsoring their participation in industry events.
- Mid-career: Offer support in achieving professional certifications.
- Senior architects: Invite them to speak at your company events. They can also contribute to your product development process.
Match their career goals:
Frame your product benefits in terms of career advancement.
- Early-career: How can your product help them stand out? Design competitions?
- Mid-career: How can it streamline their project management?
- Senior architects: How could it boost their firm’s reputation and enhance their legacy?
Remember, these are starting points. Now, you might be thinking…
“How the heck am I supposed to do this for every single architect?”
The Crawl-Walk-Run approach doesn’t treat each architect as a unique case. [Which makes it different than most of my other recommended strategies.]
It’s more about understanding each career stage’s common challenges, priorities, and decision-making processes.
That way, when you apply some of my other ideas and strategies, you’re seeing the bigger picture.
Here’s a suggested weekly routine to gradually ingrain this approach into your process:
Monday: Career Stage Analysis (15-20 minutes)
- Review 2-3 architect contacts in your CRM
- Identify their career stage and note any recent changes
- Reflect on their current challenges and priorities
Tuesday: Content Adaptation (20-30 minutes)
- Choose one email or piece of marketing material
- Adapt it for a specific career stage
- Focus on addressing stage-specific pain points
Wednesday: Relationship Building (15-20 minutes)
- Reach out to one architect with stage-appropriate content
- Practice active listening during the conversation
- Note their response and any new insights
Thursday: Feedback & Reflection (15 minutes)
- Review your notes from Wednesday’s interaction
- Identify what worked well and areas for improvement
- Brainstorm one way to enhance your approach
Friday: Strategy Planning (20-30 minutes)
- Plan next week’s outreach based on career stages
- Set specific goals for each interaction
- Prepare questions tailored to each architect’s career stage
Monthly Review (1 hour, last Friday of the month)
- Analyze overall progress and patterns
- Adjust strategies for each career stage as needed
- Set goals for the upcoming month
This routine helps you practice consistent, bite-sized activities without overwhelming your schedule.
The Long-Term Impact
Remember, connecting with architects is a dynamic process.
As their careers evolve, evolve your approach. By understanding their journey, adapting your communication, offering relevant solutions, building genuine relationships, and embracing continuous learning, you’ll become an invaluable partner.
As they progress from entry-level to senior positions, your relationship changes. It deepens your influence and grows your network in the industry.
That’s it for today!
Cheers to building more than just buildings, and see you next week.
P.S. Want to really get inside an architect’s head?
When you’re ready, here are 2 ways you can work with me:
- Product reps: If you’re serious about getting better at connecting with architects — Book a 1-on-1 call with me.
- Business owners or Sales Team Leaders: Book an Architect Connections Training Call for you and your team
=======
If you’re new here, subscribe here so you don’t miss the next lesson.
=======