MEARA DALY | NELSONDALY | MEARA @ NELSONDALY.COM | 323 804 0288

BIZ DEV VS MARKETING VS PR While often related or intersecting, these are three separate activities that each have important roles in an architecture firm. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: Generating new business, following/tracking leads, outreach with the goal of new business MARKETING: outward-facing activities, proposal writing, lectures, conferences, branding, web site, social media PR: media-focused, getting publicity

HOW TO GET STARTED?

1. Create a budget: It is no different than making a budget for models or renderings 2. Know your audience: Read writer’s columns, for instance Alissa Walker writes about urban transportation issues, curbed is a general interest outlet. 3. Do the research: Understand the different types of outlets— what purpose do they serve 4. Check and see if the outlet has an editorial calendar 5. Be selective: Where would these projects most likely be published?

6. Make sure you have rights to the photographs. Do you need to coordinate with your photographer? 7. Make sure your clients are OK being named/interviewed - this is often required 8. Consider the timeline: are your materials, including photographs ready? Or do you have a hard date for photography? 9. Start either a database or calendar reminding system so you can keep track of your contacts

Trade versus General Interest

--A trade magazine/outlet is exactly that: an outlet focused on that trade.

Typical ones: Architect Magazine, Architectural Record, Contract, Metropolis

--A general interest outlet is geared towards the general public: The New

York Times, The LA Times, The Hollywood Reporter (it is trade for film/tv but

general interest for architecture), C, Angeleno, Wall Street Journal, Sunset

--Shelter publications: Dwell, Architectural Digest, Veranda

--Design-oriented general interest: Wallpaper, Monocle, Elle Décor, DesignLA

--Digital media: Dezeen, Sight Unseen, Designboom, ArchDaily. Its Nice That,

Cool Hunting, Hyperallergic, Curbed, etc

--International Design: Casa Brutus, A + U, Elle Décor UK/IT/ESP, AD France,

World of Interiors

Types of Stories

--Rarely does a project feature occur any more unless it is in a trade magazine or Architectural Digest

Types of Stories

--Rarely does a project feature occur any more unless it is in a trade magazine or Architectural Digest…. Unless your client is a celebrity or the project has a very unusual story

Types of Stories

--Or is featured internationally

Types of Stories

--Is your project part of a trend and could be grouped with other projects? The rule of 3

Types of Stories

--Is your project an event or part of an event?

Types of Stories

--Does your project address a timely issue?

Types of Stories

--A feature is not necessarily best, being quoted as an expert in something is as powerful

CRAFTING THE PITCH

1. When Crafting your Text Avoid Archi-speak.

California studio XXX used bright

colors, ample glazing and angled

lines to create a XXX in XXX’s

Silicon Beach that aims to break

down "the schism between

education and the workplace".

"The new campus that resulted is

a symbiotic experiment in co-

locating a media education

program and a professional

broadcasting organization to

maximize the collateral benefits

between the two renowned

institutions."

London studio XXX has completed a

temporary Maggie's Centre for cancer

care in XX with a series of angular

roofs clad entirely in weathering steel.

XXX designed the temporary building

for the charity, which provides free

practical, social and emotional help to

anyone affected by cancer, after a

previous plan for a permanent building

was abandoned.

The interim Centre is expected to be in

place for 10 years, but could be kept

indefinitely.

1. When Crafting your Text Avoid Archi-speak.

California studio XXX used bright colors, ample glazing and angled lines to create a XXX in XXX’s Silicon Beach that aims to break down "the schism between education and the workplace". "The new campus that resulted is a symbiotic experiment in co-locating a media education program and a professional broadcasting organization to maximize the collateral benefits between the two renowned institutions."

London studio XXX has completed a temporary Maggie's Centre for cancer care in XX with a series of angular roofs clad entirely in weathering steel. XXX designed the temporary building for the charity, which provides free practical, social and emotional help to anyone affected by cancer, after a previous plan for a permanent building was abandoned. The interim Centre is expected to be in place for 10 years, but could be kept indefinitely.

1. When Crafting your Text Avoid Archi-speak.

California studio XXX used bright colors, ample glazing and angled lines to create a XXX in XXX’s Silicon Beach that aims to break down "the schism between education and the workplace". "The new campus that resulted is a symbiotic experiment in co-locating a media education program and a professional broadcasting organization to maximize the collateral benefits between the two renowned institutions."

London studio XXX has completed a temporary Maggie's Centre for cancer care in XX with a series of angular roofs clad entirely in weathering steel. XXX designed the temporary building for the charity, which provides free practical, social and emotional help to anyone affected by cancer, after a previous plan for a permanent building was abandoned. The interim Centre is expected to be in place for 10 years, but could be kept indefinitely.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PRESS RELEASE?

SIMPLE LAYOUT

EASY TO READ

TWO IMAGES AT THE

TOP

CLEAR HEADLINE

OPENING STATEMENT IS JARGON-FREE *note this is often all that gets published, make sure everything you want is in there!

FOCUSES ON THE WHO WHAT WHERE WHY

ABOUT SECTION IS

ABOUT YOU/YOUR FIRM

TO GIVE CONTEXT

CONTACT INFO FOR

MEDIA, RELEVANT

LINKS FOR SOCIALS

2. Passion and Clarity are Important!

American firm XXX has completed a three-story nature retreat

in Costa Rica, featuring local teak wood, slatted walls and columns

made of tree trunks.

Envisioned as a surfer hut, the Costa Rica Treehouse is located in

a dense jungle near Playa Hermosa beach.

The clients, who live in the US, are surfers and passionate

environmentalists. The house is meant to embody "their deep

commitment to sustainable land management" in the small Central

American country, which is known for its rainforests, volcanoes

and scenic coastline.

"The project has a relatively light, natural footprint on the

landscape, both in terms of the site itself, but also in using

available local materials that are helping advance the next level of

environmental stewardship in Costa Rica.

3. Be aware that whatever YOU send can be published.

Any material you offer the press is viable for publication. Any quotes you give the media either spoken or in email are viable for publication. IF you are sending scouting shots clearly indicate they are NOT FOR PUBLICATION IF you are providing text or material make sure your client and photographer are ok with that information being provided

4. What to Send

--Pitch/description. Not too long. In body of the email. --Attach a release or fuller description with DATA/CREDITS/MATERIALS/SOURCES (for furniture/interiors) --A selection of LOW RES images, with either a link to an image gallery (dropbox, etc) OR who to contact to see more images --Your contact information and how best to reach you --Keep track of what you send and to whom (I use google docs but excel or other systems work)

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PHOTO? Why professional photography is so important………

Same space, different photographer

Same space, different photographer

5. DO NOT DOUBLE OR TRIPLE PITCH

--Be honest and fair when pitching. If that outlet is your first choice, tell them so --Do NOT send to all the trade magazines at once --Be persistent but move on when you are not getting a response --Writers are very busy and get many pitches a day, they may not respond right away --Keep track of when you want to follow up with a calendar notice

6. WHEN TO PITCH

--It is best to have photos to pitch but if you have decent scouting shots and have a hard date for professional photography you could start reaching out --If you feel the project is unique/special/has a great client story consider reaching out early to give your most desired publication a heads up so they can keep track of it. Do not do this to multiple outlets. --Make sure you have all of your materials/assets lined up before your pitch– for instance don’t make the dropbox gallery AFTER you pitch. Have your text in word or a pdf, use typical formats --If you are promoting an event give as much time as possible, for example if you will be in a gallery show start promoting 3-6 months before to be on calendar lists

7. What to do When They DO Respond?

--Get back to them right away --Provide what they are requesting (high res images? Quotes?) --Make sure to have all the material ready to go --It is ok to ask when a piece is running, how it is running, how many photos might be used, the angle of the piece, who else might be included --Be aware that anything you say CAN BE USED in the piece --Clearly state your ideas about the project in short, concise sentences

8. Use Social Media to your Advantage

--It is a good way to generate traction on projects as they progress --If you are good at captions you can generate story ideas --Do NOT tag a bunch of writers in your post --DO credit collaborators and the photographer --Put hashtags in first comment

ADVICE FROM WRITERS AND EDITORS From professionals in the field!!

I'd advise them to get away from archi-speak. There's the discourse used in architecture schools, and the way normal people talk. Since my job involves breaking down complex ideas to make them accessible, I always appreciate a PR person who can do the same.

National Radio Show Producer

It's also great when an architect can contextualize their work within larger trends in the design world, to make their projects more interesting for journalists to cover.

National Radio Show Producer

I'd say that having great images, be they analog, digital, or fantastical renderings for example, is key. A lot of visual culture critics aren't expert in the language, so it's hard to visualize from lingo, but compelling architectural renderings/photographs of extant projects, are super effective and have merit in their own right to garner attention.

Local Arts Journalist

1.PR is not about impressing your colleagues and peers

2. Do not send pitches to more than one editor at a time 3. Be cautious when promised “exclusives”, this isn’t always the best thing for a project or practice

National Critic and Curator

Ditch the architecturespeak. Describe the work like you would describe it to your very smart friend who listens to NPR but doesn’t know anything about architecture. Focus on the specific details that help shape a design, since this can help tell a story — whether it’s the social aspect of the design or a particular material that is used, or the story behind that material and why it was chosen. Details help fill out a story.

National Design and Art Journalist

MEARA DALY | NELSONDALY | MEARA @ NELSONDALY.COM | 323 804 0288