Here's a "working" strategy of how to find out how much your competitors are quoting and hence, charging, for their services:
1. Set up a minimalistic architectural web site and call it something that sounds solid and has maybe a hint (but just a hint) of Italian flavour for design in it, let's say "Enrique Lombardi & Asoc." for instance.
2. Just in case your innocent victims ever bother checking who their prospective client might be, you should prepare a generic-looking CV in a PDF-format and put it on your website. An academic title (ideally a "professor") are highly recommendable, as most people are intimidated by it and will be embarrassed to ask any impertinent questions.
3. Put together a gallery of a couple of generic-looking projects. Avoid using high-res images- 350x165pix is perfectly fine for the purpose. Project names and descriptions should not exceed the absolute bare minimum requirements, e.g."Casa en Country Miraflores 3". Put all this into a flash website, so that they are not easily indexed and traceable in Google.
4. To make your potential victim produce more saliva, make your inquiry sound as juicy as possible- "working on a big project in the Middle East, financed by a sheik".
Don't forget to dangle the carrot a bit more - "we will need around 15 images of the different areas (interiors and exteriors) and a 3 or 4 minute animation."
5. Important ! You should put some contact details on the website - an address and a phone number. BUT!
Never ever put any information that might reveal your real identity!
You should not, I repeat, you SHOULD NOT by any means give away your real identity otherwise all your efforts will be in vain!
Oops...! I wish someone had told me not to use my real phone number and address when I started my unique espionage campaign....(sigh). :-(
P.S.: Below is the actual inquiry we received yesterday from, what turns out to be, one of our competitors from overseas. We've tried calling "Enrique Lombardi & Asoc." many times to discuss the project and every time we were greeted by a soft female voice citing "Welcome to Meta..nia!".
Classic schoolboy error, eh?
Sweet dreams are made of this.
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Hello
My name is Andres Harpe and a few colleagues recommended your company.
My studio is currently working on a big project in the Middle East, financed by a sheik. It consists of a group of 7 differente buildings, with hospital, restaurants, parking lots and recreation areas for the staff.
Given the importance of the project, we would like to have a quotation for images and animation.
I guess we will need around 15 images of the different areas (interiors and exteriors) and a 3 or 4 minute animation.
Could you kindly prepare a quote for this? Also, a detail on the time needed for the final delivery.
If you need any more details of the project, please let me know.
Looking forward to receiving some feedback soon.
All my best and many thanks,
ANDRES HARPE
Enrique Lombardi & Asoc.
andres.harpe@enriquelombardi.com
http://www.enriquelombardi.com
