Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2021 - 30

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well as keeping in mind what is profitable for the both of us, " said John Morgan, CEO of Chesapeake, Va.-based Green Forest Cabinetry. " If a prospect's
needs are outside of that scope, we turn the business down. No exceptions. "
LETTING THEM DOWN EASY

If you do find out that you are not going to vibe with a potential client, it is
important to politely yet firmly let them know as soon as possible. If it is a
budgeting, scheduling, scope or location issue, the answer " no " is easier for
potential clients to understand and accept. If it is because of other reasons, the
professionals we spoke to agreed it is best to just get to the point.
" If we don't align because of budget, we re-direct them to our online design
option, " said Funk. " If it's not a fit for another reason, we keep it very simple.
We thank them for their time and let them know that we're not going to take
on the project. That's it, no excuses. "
Morgan also agrees it's best to let clients know quickly that they are not
a match, explaining that the firm believes in being transparent regarding its
capabilities and sharing in detail why another company might better match
their needs.
" Our hope is that our honesty and genuine desire for them to be successful
today will leave the door open to a future partnership should our objectives
become more aligned, " he added.
According to Molitor, if a potential client found her firm off of Google
or another online resource, it is a red flag since this probably means they are
getting additional bids in the area.
" We're not in it to win bids and only want to work with people who truly
want to work with us and know the quality of work we do, " she explained. " If
we find out they are vetting additional firms, we let them know we're booked
for new lead estimates for the next couple of months and to reach back out
if they're still needing help then. "
TALKING A POTENTIAL CLIENT OFF THE FENCE

You may meet someone who seems like an ideal fit, but for whatever reason,
they are waffling on whether or not to start the project. This can waste precious time if you have already had an initial meeting, but it is up to you how
you want to handle this.
" We love to woo a client who we really want to work with, " said Funk.
" We pay close attention to what they value and use the opportunity to show
them that we're great listeners. A bottle of wine for the client adding a cellar,
flowers in their favorite colors - whatever it may be, a simple, personal gift
with a handwritten note goes a long way. "
For Molitor, she and her team know that renovating a home is a huge
investment time and moneywise, but it also takes a lot of energy, emotions
and work.
" We want our clients to be SO excited about this journey, and if they're
not head over heels in love with what is happening in the planning phase, we
take a pause and re-evaluate to get them to the point where they cannot wait
for the next step, " she explained.
For Mills, it all depends on their reason. A fear of change is one conversation, but it can also be more practical.
" If it is because of budget, I tell them to wait until they are really comfortable and ready to move forward - then let's reconnect, " she added.

BELOW Photo by ﬁzkes/Adobe

Stock

" When you show up in all of these places - with
consistent messaging - then attracting the right
clients should happen easily and organically, " said
Nigara. " If you are the right fit, you should not
have to convince them of this. "
Mills agrees, saying she doesn't look at it like
a competition with other designers and doesn't
present her firm or herself any differently even if
a potential client is talking to other designers. For
Morgan, he demonstrates to clients that his company is solely focused on satisfying their needs,
which he says clients truly appreciate. According
to Molitor, instead of convincing clients that hers
is the best team with which to work, she urges
them to find the best fit for them.
" I encourage them to not hire a team based
on the estimate they receive but rather dive deep
into not only the quality of work they provide but
also the style of person they are, " she added " In
all honesty, I want to work with people who truly
want to work with me. It's a lot like dating, and I'm
not going to try to convince someone that they
need to be with me. "
When asking our interviewees if they wish to
turn all potential prospects into clients, the answer
was a resounding " no. "
" When you are not the right fit, you owe it to
yourself and the prospect to not take the project
on, " said Mills. " The relationship is way too close
not to start off on the right foot. I really work to
make sure that the projects I take on are right for
use both - that's a win-win. "


STANDING APART FROM THE COMPETITION

Our interviewees noted several marketing strategies they use to come out
ahead, including hosting get-to-know-me videos, sharing project and client
journeys through blog posts, maintaining a world-class and oft-visited website and participating in designing show homes.Those are all tried-and-true
methods, all of which help to distinguish yourself from the competition.

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Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2021

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