Put Yourself in Your Client’s Shoes

Maryalene LaPonise wrote a great story 4 Mistakes Seniors Make When Remodeling in US News and World Report, but do you know how to take her advice to seniors and help your own marketing efforts?

She said mistake number one is remodeling, and then moving. She cited Joe Heider, founder of Cirrus Wealth Management in Cleveland, who said the pre-retiree build monster houses just before leaving the workforce. In your business, ASK your clients about retirement if they are in their 50s! Imagine if you start talking to a prospect who is planning on “building a monument,” and you ask a simple question, “When are you going to retire?” That might change the entire value proposition! Remember, you’re working on the side of the client and prospect – not yourself. Sure, it would be easy to design and remodel big, but wouldn’t it be better to help them anticipate their future needs?

That’s actually mistake #2 – forgetting to plan for the future – according to LaPonise. “We’re starting to put laundry near the master suite, so you’re not hauling clothes all over the house,” Valerie Dolenga, spokeswoman for adult community developer Del Webb, says. For even more ideas on where to locate the laundry, try Where to Put the Laundry Room on Houzz.

The other two mistakes involve financing the renovation, and when you are a designer, you are actually acting like a financial adviser. Remember: the more you care about your client’s budgets, the more of that budget will come your way. There’s nothing like meeting the needs of a client by designing what they really need – which is not always what they want.

For more ideas, check our blog. Better yet, take Interline Creative Group’s webinar Staying in Front of Your Customers: Strategic Planning. The program will discuss how architects and designers can get a better understanding of the market today in regards to developing a strategic plan—including putting yourself in your clients’ shoes. Attendees will ascertain a clearer perception on how to respond to market challenges based on the overall business strategies developed. You can view our CEU schedule here.

And don’t forget to also send us an e-mail too with your ideas or questions, and we’ll share them with our audience. Reach us at [email protected].