After yesterday, when I received several new inquiries, I've been wondering about my method. Care to give me some critique?
1) Get an inquiry (via email, phone, text, whatever...)
2) The project looks underwhelming, and I can tell that it's unlikely that the client will hire me, because my price will be too high for them.
3) I send a quick message - usually via email - that outlines our services and a ball park price.
4) I don't hear back from them, or if I do I hear that I cost too much.
I think I'm probably:
a) 10 times the cost they want to pay.
b) also, about 1/4 of the price I "should" get. (IE: if I was getting 10% of the cost of construction...but we're lucky to get 3.5% sometimes)
I'm sure I could convert more of these potential customers into paying customers if I put in the time to visit with them, but then I'd spend all my time on the road and not convert many more that I am now.
What's your strategy for:
a) finding customers who value design and are willing to pay for it...
b) ...and then converting them to paying customers?
We are mostly word of mouth.
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David Sisson AIA
Architect
David Sisson
Providence RI
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-20-2019 12:27
From: David Sisson
Subject: A New Low
I'm getting pretty good at sniffing out clients who aren't willing to pay for our time. Regardless of who the potential client is, I'm not spending too much time talking to them unless I have a fair idea they are in our ballpark of the price for professional services. "free" would be a unique low though. I mean, the kitchen designer gets paid by selling the cabinets, the contractor by building the home. How would you get paid in this arrangement? I recently got a lot of red flags from a potential client, but quoted them a price. The client called back and offered me half. I told them to take their business elsewhere. There's no point in taking on work that you'll lose money on; better to spend the time building and marketing your business.
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David Sisson AIA
Architect
David Sisson
Providence RI
Original Message:
Sent: 09-13-2019 20:07
From: Laura Kraft
Subject: A New Low
Just got feedback on a well thought out and reasonable proposal I sent for a 2-dwelling-unit house. They are not going to work with me. They think they can get the architectural services pro-bono. C'mon.