Krech, O’Brien, Mueller & Associates
Strong Foundations: A New Digital Strategy for a Relationship-Oriented Firm
The Situation:
Krech, O’Brien, Mueller and Associates is an architecture, structural engineering and interior design firm engaged in a broad range of projects, from veterinary hospitals to Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America. Their existing website did not clearly demonstrate the breadth and depth of their expertise, nor did it accurately convey the personalities of the firm’s staff.
The Communications Challenge:
KOMA needed a website that was as impressive as their work – and one that would be easy for visitors to navigate. They also had to carefully define the line between “professional” and “casual” in the tone of their language and images. Finally, to sustain and develop relationships with current clients, prospective clients and partners, they had to create an engaging and readable newsletter that gave readers the interesting and pertinent details of the work they do.
Strategy:
We partnered with KOMA to develop a new website and e-mail newsletter that have a priority focus on their extensive project portfolio and stories about their staff members. After gathering feedback from clients and prospects, we knew that one of the most powerful reasons for KOMA’s success has been their incredible focus on building authentic and long-lasting relationships with their clients, sub-contractors and other partners. The website and e-mail newsletters reflect this by always including links to project partners (a rarity in the industry) and sharing personal commentaries from the architects, designers and project managers at KOMA.
Results:
Since the new website and e-newsletter launched in January 2009, KOMA’s principals have noticed their significant impact on their new client development efforts. “I have an inbox full of e-mails the day after we send an e-newsletter, and it’s all good news,” says Brady Mueller, principal at KOMA. “I know that we wouldn’t be where we are in our business without these new tools.”
KOMA knows that the increase in their web traffic has made a difference in their professional reputation, too. Although their industry is not driven by web-based searches, they have met new clients through their website and e-newsletters, and their monthly traffic has increased steadily since the launch.
