How Clients Get to Know Their Architect Before the First Call

Case study: Helping Caitlin share her stories, expertise, and approach to attract the right projects.

It was August 2022 when I first spoke with Caitlin. She wanted to attract new clients and be more consistent online.  She had tried LinkedIn, but described the response as “crickets.” Referrals were her main source of getting projects.

Caitlin wanted a step-by-step approach, so we began with one blog post. She wanted to show more than finished projects.  She wanted to share how they came about: what clients wanted, the challenges involved, and the decisions that shaped the design.

She valued client relationships and wanted her content to reflect not only her experience, but also how she listens and works with people.

How We Began

We began with one project and the material Caitlin already had.

Caitlin shared magazine articles about Sun Harbor Marina, a San Diego project that had stayed with her long after it was complete. I used those articles and our conversations to write her first blog post.

The article described the finished marina and the story behind it.  We wrote about the project’s environmental goals, what Caitlin learned while pursuing LEED certification, and the relationship she built with the owner along the way.

That first blog became the starting point for four years of collaboration.

How the Magic Happens

Caitlin doesn’t have to prepare anything before we meet. She just talks.

We come to each one-hour story-capture session with a few topics in mind.  I ask questions. She talks about her projects, clients, and ideas. I listen for the magical nuggets: the detail that brings a project to life, the question a client was really asking, the decision that changed everything, or the insight only she could share.

I turn those conversations into blogs that sound like Caitlin. She brings the experience and perspective. I shape it into engaging, informative content that feels authentically hers.  This frees her up to focus on her architecture practice. 

The Magic at Work

Over four years, we created more than 20 blog posts together.

The topics ranged from specialty rooms, material choices, and wellness to architectural craftsmanship and the decisions that shape a custom home. And we don’t treat each blog as a stand-alone piece of content.

We connected them.

Someone who arrives on Caitlin’s site looking for information about materials can keep reading about open floor plans, why building bigger isn't always better, or trends in luxury custom homes. One article leads to another, giving potential clients the feeling of what it’s like to work with Caitlin and the results she delivers.

A new client mentioned Caitlin’s blog about the revival of craftsmanship in architecture. She was surprised to realize people weren't just finding the posts.  They were reading them.

“With over 20 blog posts, I’m seeing real results. A new client even referenced my article on the revival of craftsmanship in architecture, and I thought, ‘People are actually reading these.’”

— Caitlin Kelley, Architect

Recently, Caitlin’s website received 77 visits and client inquiries came through the site. But the more meaningful result is harder to measure: people are arriving with a sense of her thinking, her experience, and the kind of relationship she brings to a project.

For Caitlin, the exposure has been worth it. Her website now has a growing body of content that reflects her voice and gives potential clients useful information before the first call.

Want content that helps the right clients find you and get to know you before they reach out? Book a free 30-minute introductory call.