LOCAL ARCHITECT BUILDS WEB PRESENCE
Tough economy inspires digital age marketing
August 11, 2010 - Rohnert Park, CA - Carl Servais knew he would be an architect from a very young age, but he never imagined he would end up in marketing too. A little over a year ago, Servais found himself without a job for the first time since he was 14 years old after the firm he worked for, Wattenbarger Architects, closed their office in Petaluma, CA. "I had to figure out how to market myself for the first time," says Servais.
Servais had a little marketing experience working as an architect. “Carl understands that architects must first get the project, and that marketing is the first step,” says Steve Wattenbarger, President of Wattenbarger Architects and Carl's former boss. However, Servais found marketing a firm to potential clients was vastly different from marketing himself to potential employers.
The biggest hurdle for Servais was that without any income, he had no marketing budget. So Servais found a way to market for free, social networking sites and the web. He used the free service, Google Sites, to host a website that contains his resume, a portfolio, and a means for contacting him. The website also includes a link to his blog, which he set up for free at blogger.com. The blog titled "Architecture and Politics", is a means for Servais to write about topics that interest him, and to showcase his showcase writing skills for potential employers. Facebook has gotten a lot of attention for its explosive growth over the last several years, and Servais took advantage by creating a free fan page for himself. The fan page allows him to have a professional profile on the site separate from his personal page. Servais also maintains a profile on LinkedIn, a social networking site similar to Facebook, but geared toward professional networking.
Servais also uses his various profiles to create an "identity" for himself that emphasizes his focus on sustainable design. His "identity", as well as his resume and other written marketing materials always includes the LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional) credential after his name. "It's not just a marketing tool, though," insists Servais. "I want to serve as an advocate for the green building movement, as well as let potential employers and clients know what my values are so they know what they're getting when they hire me." His former supervisor from Wattenbarger Architects, Ross Jones, attests to Servais' passion for green building, “Carl is the first employee I had to become a LEED AP and instilled the values in others in the firm. Carl served as a leader in the firm in this area."
So far, Servais hasn't had any full-time job offers, although that may be more an effect of the overall economy than of his marketing efforts. Jones says, "I'd hire him back at the first opportunity." Unfortunately, opportunities are few and far between in the architecture field these days. However, when things do pick up and architecture firms start looking for help, Servais will be easy to find.
Carl Servais, AIA, LEED AP is a Washington State licensed architect currently residing in the North San Francisco Bay area. Mr. Servais began his career in architecture in 2003 at Wattenbarger Architects in Bellevue, Washington after earning a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. Mr. Servais' work focuses on providing high quality professional services with a focus on sustainability. Mr. Servais' current clients include students at Napa Valley College where he is teaching a residential architectural drafting course in the Digital Design and Graphics Technology Department.
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If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please don't hesitate to call Mr. Servais at XXX.XXX.XXXX or email Mr. Servais at XXXXXXXXX@XXXXX.XXX.
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