Building a new identity for architects
“I think we were a little bit ad hoc in terms of what we were doing for our marketing and branding. Like a lot of businesses, we started with a logo and then got busy, and we never really took the time to look at it holistically.” - Caroline Shortt, Barc Architects
Branding design by: thisisarca.com
An interview with Caroline Shortt from Barc Architects
Read time 1 minute 30 seconds
When Barc Architects approached Louise, they had a well-earned reputation for exceptional design. However, like many growing businesses, their branding and marketing hadn’t kept pace with their ambitions. Their visual identity didn’t fully reflect the quality of their work, and while word-of-mouth recommendations had served them well, they were ready to explore scalable ways to attract their ideal clients.
Louise worked with Barc Architects to refine their branding, enhance their client journey, and align their marketing with their vision for the future. Together, they created a cohesive identity and Barc were equipped with the tools and strategies to move forward with clarity and confidence.
Barc’s founder, Caroline Shortt, shares how our collaboration helped sharpen their focus and position the practice for continued success.
Q: Where was your business at when you first approached Louise?
Caroline: I think we were a little bit ad hoc in terms of what we were doing for our marketing and branding. Like a lot of businesses, we started with a logo and then got busy, and we never really took the time to look at it holistically – the whole business and how we were portraying that to the outside world. There just wasn’t a consistency in what we were doing.
We’d been doing a lot of work on our business strategy, working out where we wanted the business to go. We had a very clear business strategy, but we needed a marketing strategy to match that – to bring in the work and the types of clients we were looking for. It felt like marketing was the missing piece in our business.
A lot of our work came through word of mouth and recommendations, which was great, but our website wasn’t very focused on a particular group of people or sector. It wasn’t helping us attract the kinds of clients we wanted. It was about getting a bit more focus on what we do and who we want to work with.
Q: So, did you have a demographic in mind that you felt your existing branding just wasn’t aligning with?
Caroline: Yes, I think our branding and our website weren’t very cohesive. For example, we had a different logo on our website than we had on other materials like email templates. Over the years, we’d done bits and pieces ourselves because we’re designers, but there wasn’t an overarching consistency of brand or focus.
The branding wasn’t necessarily bad, but it wasn’t considered. It might have been slightly confusing for clients – it didn’t clearly communicate who our audience was or who we wanted to attract. Part of the process was taking a step back to look at who our clients had been over the last 12 years, who they might be in the future, and who we wanted them to be.
Q: Did you try doing that in-house beforehand and find it wasn’t working?
Caroline: Yes, we did. We tried having someone in-house, but I think having the freshness of someone external – who works with lots of businesses and keeps up with technology – made a big difference.
Digital marketing is such an evolving and changing landscape, and it’s just not what we do. We didn’t have the expertise or knowledge about systems and software that could make everything work more smoothly. That’s why we were drawn to working with Louise.
Q: What made you decide to work with Louise in particular?
Caroline: I met Louise through Six Degrees, an all-female networking group. Being a female founder, I try to support women-led businesses where possible, especially as there aren’t that many of them around. In architecture, it’s quite male-dominated, so when there’s an opportunity to work with a female-led business, I like to take it.
There were other factors too. I was drawn to businesses that align with my values, such as sustainability and having a strong moral ethos. For me, personality is also important. In our line of work, and with marketing, it’s about getting on with someone – working with someone who listens to what you need and doesn’t try to impose their own ego or vision. Louise really reflected the kind of warm, collaborative approach that fits with the way we work.
Q: Were you looking for someone to offer a bespoke approach?
Caroline: Oh, definitely. We’d already done a lot of work on our business strategy, so we had a clear idea of where we wanted to go. What we needed was someone who could listen to us and then suggest how to get there.
One of Louise’s strengths is how quickly she grasps the issues and comes up with solutions. In the past, strategy processes seemed to drag on for months and months, and then the implementation never really happened. I didn’t want that. I wanted to hit the ground running, get the strategy done, and move forward quickly. After our half day strategy session, our plan with next steps was ready to view and begin actioning in just over a week.
Q: What strategies did you work on together?
Caroline: The first priority was sorting out the branding – getting everything consistent. Louise worked with a branding agency to ensure everything aligned with the message we’d discussed. She also helped us map out the client journey, from the first enquiry to the completion of a project.
Before, a lot of that process was in my head, which meant it wasn’t always consistent. Louise helped us document it step by step, so every client gets the same experience regardless of how busy we are. That’s brought a lot of clarity and structure.
She also introduced us to tools like Dubsado, which has helped streamline our processes. Over the years, we’d tried different systems but never found one that worked for us. Louise guided us in finding the right tools and setting them up.
Q: How did Louise support your marketing for events like the Build It Show 2024?
Caroline: She managed the lead-up to the event, including email campaigns and publicity. On the day, she was there to support us as well. She made sure we were fully prepared for the event, which made a big difference. For example, she helped us create a client list by gathering contact details from attendees, and suggested implementing a relevant client download, enabling us to gather email addresses to follow up leads after the event to make the most of the opportunity.
Q: How has working with Louise impacted your business?
Caroline: It’s been transformative. Everything feels much more cohesive now, from our branding to our processes. Having clear systems in place means we’re able to be consistent in how we present ourselves and how we work. It’s really just everything coming together now. The whole team is on board, and our communications and processes feel so much more consistent.
Q: So, would you recommend working with Louise?
Caroline: Yes, absolutely. She’s collaborative, practical, and focused on solutions that actually work.
Interview and words by Gabriella Dyson
Lyme Bay View
Photo credit: Barc Architects
