McKerns Development Press and PR

Strategic Marketing and Press for Architects, Developers

McKerns Development specializes in Strategic Marketing, Business Development, Press and PR for Architects and Developers. Ms. McKerns has over 25 years of experience in marketing for the architecture, interior design, building and development industries. She is a licensed Interior Designer in the State of Florida, and a leading publicist for the industry, and in her over 25 years of experience in the architecture and design industry has designed and promoted multiple millions of square feet of projects.

New Economic Realities in the Architectural Landscape

Architects are facing new economic realities, and this has changed the landscape of how architectural firms obtain new business and loyal clients. Many architects have never actually had a marketing program beyond responding to bid packages or responding to a steady flow of client requests. Now, entire market sectors are unfunded and overbuilt.

Relying on a printed brochure, static website with photographs of past projects and bios (performing the job of an online brochure) is no longer bringing projects to the door or leads to the pipeline. What to do?

McKerns Development is a specialist at assisting architectural clients to identify a niche for new projects and in bringing outstanding talent and expertise to new markets. McKerns Development will position the firm as a thought leader, and leadership is the new currency.

The New Challenge for Architects

Architects responding to social challenges bring new relevance to their work. What are some of these social challenges? Basically, people are doing things differently; catastrophe in housing and work has caused a social shift. Offices and commercial spaces are emptying; generations are moving in together; homes and lifestyles are downsizing.

There is a need for thought leadership in architecture; what is to be the new direction in architecture to respond to these behavioral shifts?

Rapid response for re-building after disaster; affordable building systems for construction in the Caribbean or more remote areas; Small house designs and functions for living; offices for the digital age, replacing the large communal commercial office with collaborative and multi-functional use; adaptive reuse for unoccupied or underutilized space; energy efficient designs for new and retrofit projects; Green homes with multigenerational capabilities, edible landscapes and captured water and energy; Green commercial spaces with multi-functional spaces; hospitality projects that capture the need to work and stay in communication; and an array of healthcare projects focused on prevention as well as treatment for our aging and needy population.

These are just some of the considerations; your own experiences and expertise will lead to more.

Opportunities for Architects

Opportunities exist to bring architectural talent to the forefront, through online global reach. Strategic Public Relations can be effective and cost effective. Built and un-built work can be released through embedded videos in websites, specialized mini-sites and YouTube, and promoted through social channels including LinkedIn and Twitter. Print can be leveraged through article writing and great editorial content. Speaking engagements can be secured and promoted before and after, with optimized press releases with links to websites and video. Collaborations can be sought and firms can merge without changing locations or staff.

The architectural community can provide thought leadership and be rewarded, even in these economic times. McKerns Development is ready to listen and respond with effective strategic growth programs.

Developing Custom Leads for Architects

Marketing the Architectural and Development Profession in a Downturn Economy: One the most important ways McKerns Development contributes to the strategic marketing of the Architectural and Development firm in an economic downturn is by providing a consisent source of new project leads and contacts. McKerns Development offers a custom leads program called MarketWatch.

With the custom leads program for the Architectural and Development firm called MarketWatch, you are able to select your project areas of interest and have custom project leads delivered to you complete with the contact information: names, addresses, websites, e-mails and phone numbers.

With the Mckerns Development MarketWatch, you will have fresh projects and lead sources gleaned from hundreds of project sources, trade sources and conventions, related industry professionals, investors, financial sources, trend papers, websites, stockholder reports, press releases, town hall and city meetings, major media, trade media, media sources and contacts, personal contacts, referrals, and many more. This is a custom service based upon research in every aspect of the industry, and is not a standard lead delivery service.

Your firm will have the insider knowledge of all the major players and trends in the architectural and development industry, a description of what projects they have now and what they plan for the future. Your sources are custom and compiled only for you - your Marketwatch will not be shared with your competitors. There is no better way to fill your project leads pipeline, and provide strategic direction to your marketing efforts.

Publicizing the Architect and Special Expertise

As a professional writer, strategic marketing expert and publicist for the architecture, interior design and building industry, Leslie McKerns and McKerns Development has publicized professionals and their projects and written press and articles for the industry's most prestigious publications. Ms. McKerns is the Real Estate, Design and Development Editor for a major magazine, and regularly writes and contributes to all name publications in the architecture, interior design and development industry. McKerns Development clients are industry leaders in development, architecture, interior design, engineering and related industries.

Strategic Consultation and Direction for the Architect

McKerns Development provides strategic consulting and direction for architects, developers and builders. Guidance is provided in promoting the firm, growing the firm in new markets and services, attracting and retaining top personnel in the architectural and development industry, partnerships and mergers and developing an effective exit strategy, including sale of the business, transitions and mergers.Ms. McKerns is a strategic business development expert and promotes projects and professionals through search engine strategies, internet marketing, websites and article writing, driving visitors to websites through search, keywords and other strategies.

Content Development, Feature Stories and Promotion for the Architect

McKerns Development promotes the architectural and development firm through content development for websites, and content in articles. An architectural and development website must never be static, and must have searchable content and relevant, naturally placed keywords in each page of content. It should be filled with news and content that will be of interest to your market and target audience. A regular, consistent source of good website content attracts search engines, improves search engine ranking and delivers new and return clients to your website.

Sample Feature Articles on Architects, Developers and Interior Designers

(content may not be reprinted in whole or part without prior approval)

EDSA - Creating Paradise

Bring the Neighborhood Downtown

Sculpture in the Sky

When Developers LEED

Zen and Earthly Paradise

Custom in the Tropics

Creating the Next Big Thing

The Lifestyle of the Condo

To view more articles by Leslie McKerns--McKerns Development, please visit the Feature Articles and Press section of this website.

mckerns@mckernsdevelopment.com