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business management: The Latest Architecture and News

5 Website Design Tips for Architects

I've been designing websites since 1997, and in that time, websites have changed quite a bit. With all the changes over the years, it's no surprise that I often find some firm owners don't understand how architecture website design really works. While you might know a bad website when you see one, you might not understand what makes a good site work. This article will change that.

6 Architect Business Development Strategies to Grow Your Firm

Architect business development can be very challenging. It's not a topic that comes up in design school, and many of the practices that firms employ today can simply be categorized under the heading, “That's the way we've always done things.” At Archmark, we've helped more than 2,000 architects, in speaking with many firm owners, we've come to understand the struggles of running a successful architecture and design firm.

For example, you may be struggling with one or more of the following issues: Taking on “bad fit” projects because you have to pay the bills, Struggling to find new clients because you don't have a marketing system, Feeling pressure to reduce your fees because clients don't understand or value what you do, Getting pigeon-holed into the same type or level of projects due to a limited referral network, Anxiety about your future due to relying on a small number of large project sources.

If you’re looking to grow your architecture firm and take it to the next level, it may be time to consider some new ideas to mix into your business development process. So, what do you do? Where do you start?

How Can Architecture Firms Learn to Adopt a Whole-Systems Approach to Business Planning?

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Business planning is similar to creating design iterations and drafting drawings before starting construction, in the sense that it is the blueprint for a firm's future success. Having a strategic plan provides a basis to evaluate what is happening in real-time against what was expected, make adjustments as necessary, and have a guide to help make better business decisions. Without a plan, how can you coordinate all of the elements and timing required to achieve the desired result? How can you navigate an unpredictable business environment?

Let's review how the business plan with a whole-systems approach can guide us to successful results, as developed by Charrette Venture Group (CVG).

Getting the Data You Need to Run a Successful Firm

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When your firm adopts project accounting—the practice of accounting on a project-by-project basis—you’ll get insights that’ll change the way you do business. You’ll understand your projects, employees, clients, and firm on a deeper level, and you’ll be able to make changes that will dramatically increase efficiency and profits.

Before this happens, though, you need to lay the groundwork. With the right tools, logging and making sense of the data you need is convenient and easy. You just have to be consistent.

Why an Accounting Method Will Change the Way You Work

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A discipline like accounting might seem very different from the world of architecture. In architecture, creativity is revered, but in accounting, it usually entails fraud. Still, you can’t work if your firm is failing, and accounting is vital to success. Beyond the upkeep of your business, though, there are other ways that accounting can affect your work in a meaningful way.