Unfortunately, there is no licensing board for salespeople.�As a result, we’ve all been subjected to the over-enthusiastic, under-informed, opportunist whose motto is “Sell ‘em till they buy or they die.”�(Think: my last car shopping experience.)� A design professional’s worst nightmare is to be thought of in the same vein as the “salesman.”

But this worst-case stereotype is not the only paradigm for marketing, especially in professional services.  A more relevant role model is a physician.  When you visit the doctor, he or she asks a series of questions the answers to which develop a diagnosis from your symptoms.  How long would you listen to a physician who told you what medication or surgery you needed without asking you any questions?

As a design professional you have a special knowledge about what makes the built environment work and the remedies to apply when something doesn’t work.�As such, you have a responsibility to the “patient” (client) to ask the questions that uncover their symptoms and lead to your diagnosis.�From this perspective, the marketing function is really the beginning of the client-designer consultation and it’s more about asking the right questions to discover the right solution, rather than promoting yourself or your organization.�You get the opportunity to do that, too, of course, but only after first building confidence that your abilities, your solution, your style, etc., are right for the requirements.

Of course, not all clients make an appointment and wait for the physician.�There are more steps to take in the marketing process, which you can find on the list at the left.�But the place to start is to put aside the mental picture of the salesman and embrace the posture of the physician.�That change of mindset makes all the rest possible.

Unfortunately, there is no licensing board for salespeople.�As a result, we’ve all been subjected to the over-enthusiastic, under-informed, opportunist whose motto is “Sell ‘em till they buy or they die.”�(Think: my last car shopping experience.)� A design professional’s worst nightmare is to be thought of in the same vein as the “salesman.”

But this worst-case stereotype is not the only paradigm for marketing, especially in professional services.  A more relevant role model is a physician.  When you visit the doctor, he or she asks a series of questions the answers to which develop a diagnosis from your symptoms.  How long would you listen to a physician who told you what medication or surgery you needed without asking you any questions?

As a design professional you have a special knowledge about what makes the built environment work and the remedies to apply when something doesn’t work.�As such, you have a responsibility to the “patient” (client) to ask the questions that uncover their symptoms and lead to your diagnosis.�From this perspective, the marketing function is really the beginning of the client-designer consultation and it’s more about asking the right questions to discover the right solution, rather than promoting yourself or your organization.�You get the opportunity to do that, too, of course, but only after first building confidence that your abilities, your solution, your style, etc., are right for the requirements.

Of course, not all clients make an appointment and wait for the physician.�There are more steps to take in the marketing process, which you can find on the list at the left.�But the place to start is to put aside the mental picture of the salesman and embrace the posture of the physician.�That change of mindset makes all the rest possible.