Why Radical Transparency is Your Secret RFP Weapon (with Lisa Sauve of SYNECDOCHE)

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Growthitect

Tyler Suomala

38 episodes

1 week ago

Actionable growth hacks to help architects improve their sales, marketing, and social media skills.

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Actionable growth hacks to help architects improve their sales, marketing, and social media skills.

Entrepreneurship

Business,

Management

Why Radical Transparency is Your Secret RFP Weapon (with Lisa Sauve of SYNECDOCHE)

Growthitect

40 minutes

2 months ago

Why Radical Transparency is Your Secret RFP Weapon (with Lisa Sauve of SYNECDOCHE)

#30: Lisa Sauve, CEO and Principal of SYNECDOCHE, joins us to reveal how her Detroit-based architecture studio won a major cultural project in a new market by pushing back against the original RFP.

PS - If you’re a growth-minded firm owner or leader, apply to join us inside The Studio - https://growthitect.com/studio

Learn more about SYNECDOCHE: https://www.synecdoche.design/

Here’s what you’ll learn in the episode:

→ What no-portfolio strategy got SYNECDOCHE invited to pitch for a major cultural project in a brand-new market?

→ The unconventional RFP move that helped them stand out, and why it flips the standard approach on its head

→ Why Lisa believes your problem statement can win you work, even if your portfolio doesn’t

→ The surprising way architects can challenge vague RFPs without burning bridges

→ The truth about how relationships actually win you projects

→ How SYNECDOCHE priced a project with almost no details, and why the client still said yes

→ What happens when you admit, “We’ve never done this before”, and still win the job

→ The behind-the-scenes interview moment that tipped the scales and sealed the deal

→ Why focusing on smaller scopes and radical honesty built a client relationship that lasted far beyond the project

(05:04) Building trust to get invited

(10:05) Estimating fees with limited info

(12:08) Why architects should lead with problem-solving

(16:50) How one RFP reshaped the entire program

(21:04) Sizing up client-consultant fit

(23:10) Talking openly about money

(27:03) Planning projects in bite-sized pieces

(29:42) Helping clients prep for a capital campaign

(32:51) Making architecture more accessible

(35:29) Embracing honesty and realigning goals

(39:10) How authenticity fuels creativity

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