The Email That Will Get You More Clients

Construction projects are an emotional marathon. For our clients, it is likely the most expensive and stressful things they will ever do.

Most architects and interior designers make the mistake of only emailing when they have a "deliverable". Some studios however know that the most important email you send all week can often be the one where you say nothing has changed.

The update with no update is your most profitable habit.

Your clients brain psychology

When you go silent, you can accidently trigger "Buyer's Remorse." In his book Never Lose a Customer Again, Joey Coleman points out that 20 - 70% of new customers decide to stop doing business with a company (or at least start looking for alternatives) within the first 100 days.

That's why it's quite common for a single client to have gone to three different designers for early concept designs without getting much further. Nothing quite sang, either in the design, or the level of service.

When clients enter the "affirm" stage - they need to know they made the right choice in hiring you. A weekly Friday update, even if it just says, "We are still waiting on the council," proves you are still "holding the baton." It maintains the Perception of Progress.

Progress means better fees

In The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, Blair Enns argues that expertise is proven through leadership. When you lead the communication, you are the Consultant. When the client has to email you to ask for an update, you are the Vendor.

• Consultants charge premium fees.

• Vendors get haggled on price.

By being the "Drumbeat" of the project, you remove the client's need to manage you. That peace of mind is what high-end clients actually pay for.

The client referral machine

People don’t refer architects and interior designers just because the house looks good (though that helps). They refer people who made the process easy. When a client’s friends ask, "How is the renovation going?" and your client can say, "Great, I get a status report every Friday afternoon," you’ve just been handed a 5-star referral.

My friday email cheatsheet

The goal isn't to get stuck in the weeds. The "thought" counts more than the detail.

How to write these emails in 5 minutes

If you're staring at a blank screen, use this mindless update prompt. Just fill in the brackets and hit send.

"Hi [Name],

Just my usual Friday update. This week we [Finished X].

We are currently [Waiting on Y]. Next week the focus is on [Z].

Have a great weekend, feel free to give me a call early next week if you want to discuss the above. "

We've found this email is great for project approvals. It's much softer to say, "we are currently in a 'holding' status while we wait for your feedback on the kitchen layout," then to send a, what can seem like, a confrontational email asking why they have not replied. Some design decisions can be big, with lots of pressure - so we need more empathy in these cases.

The nudge puts the ball in their court, without you nagging.

If you want more tips on managing with clients, download our free 40-page client guide.

Written by Tim, Architecture Templates