A Client Who Wants to “Think About It” Actually Needs Help – Here’s What to Do
.
We’ve all heard those crushing words from clients…” We’d like to think about it”. After weeks of empathy, inspiration and perspiration, they’ve become stuck – and indecisive. Here’s how to help them move forward…
No matter what stage of the engagement process you’re at, client feedback of ‘we’d like to think about it’ leaves you in limbo, disempowered – creating project uncertainty.
Whether after your first meeting, after a ball park costing, or detailed costings; these words never comfort you because they tell you the client’s hesitant to progress to the next stage.
What Drives Their Hesitancy?
Imagine never hearing these words again. Instead, imagine clients who give you clear & timely feedback enabling you to progress the job or move on to the next project. How would that help your business?
To achieve this, we need to understand the client’s hesitancy when they say “we’d like to think about it”.
The good news is, there’s a wealth of literature from consumer psychologists on client hesitancy that distils down to one thing:
Clients hesitate when they don’t yet have all the information required to make informed decisions.
This hesitancy has served humankind well since the beginning of time, meaning our ancestors learnt to avoid unnecessary risks (avoid that sabre-tooth tiger) by hesitating and waiting for more information. Back then, it was crucial to their survival so evolution has hard-wired our human brains.
So, how does this psychological dynamic play out for home owners investing in one of their biggest life-time spends?
Simply put, they want to minimise risk by answering any unknowns, such as:
- Will the local council approve it?
- Are they the right builder?
- What contingencies do I need to build in?
- Is the design is the best for my brief?
- Can I afford to build this?
- What’s the process to make this happen and when’s the latest I’m comfortable backing out?
Fortunately, you can pre-empt all of these questions (and more), reducing the client’s hesitancy and streamlining the way forward. Simply create a standard information pack for clients and employ readily available tools.
To illustrate:
Clients’ Information Need: Are you the right builder?
Your Pre-Emptive Response to Help Them Progress: Create an information pack that illustrates your successes, case studies, testimonials, project photos, processes and more. Deliver all the information in this pack early to avoid hesitancy later.
Clients’ Information Need: What contingencies do they need to build in.
Your Pre-Emptive Response to Help Them Progress: In your client information pack, include standard project risks such as asbestos or sub terrain floaters. But then, assess their site/project for any additional risks and advise the client up front. They’ll thank you for it.
Clients’ Information Need: Can they trust the design is the best for their brief?
Your Pre-Emptive Response to Help Them Progress: Speak directly and honestly with the client about the buildability of their design. If you can see issues, develop a solution and table it. They’ll appreciate your honesty and willingness to help.
Clients’ Information Need: Can they afford to build this?
Your Pre-Emptive Response to Help Them Progress: Avoid budget ambiguity by including a ProCalc report early in their engagement – take a free ProCalc Trial here
Clients’ Information Need: What’s the process to make this happen and when’s the latest they can back out if they change my mind?
Your Pre-Emptive Response to Help Them Progress: In your client information pack, include an infographic of the entire process from first meeting to finished product. Help the clients understand the journey you’re taking them on and avoid surprises.
In conclusion, when a client wants to think about it, ask if they need any further information. Then, over time, build up that information in a client info pack that you send to clients when they first contact you.
Mapping out the way forward for clients helps explain the process, build trust and eliminate any surprises.
You Might Also Like:
- Industry Webinar: Successful Builders Work Smarter, Not Harder
