If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know how important I think communication is. It's the keystone for an effective business, especially one that involves clients! And no matter what challenges or issues you hit during in your company or with a project, you can definitely smooth things over or make them right with GOOD communications! How?? Well let's take a look!

Building Trust

Communicating effectively with your employees, with your clients, AND with your partners will help you build trust with them. You definitely want people to feel that you are HONEST and have their best interests at heart. This comes in VERY handy when you hit a snag in a project. If you immediately talk to everyone involved and offer effective solutions, your clients will feel that you've got everything under control. That helps when they are counting on you to make the most of their BIG investment in their home! You also want builders, contractors, and architects to feel that they can trust you to partner with them. So working with them on any issues in an open and honest way is going to go a long way toward finding solutions AND making yourself the go-to designer they want to work with! But remember, any big challenge requires a face-to-face meeting or phone call. Don't rely on texts or emails for things that are critical.

Showcasing Expertise

You ARE the expert when it comes to home design, and you should definitely communicate that! Regular weekly updates to your clients will mean that you are keeping them informed AND you're showing that you have got it ALLL under control. That's really important when you hit a snag, whether it's late shipments on furniture, a deadline that's just not going to happen, or an unexpected construction issue. If you've been sending those update emails, your clients will understand that you have the connections to keep things on track, and that you are the expert on finding the right sources to make everything right. That gives them a level of comfort that you are going to get the project back on track.

Boosting Productivity

Good communication should also include your team - that means your own employees, the build team, and any subs. Every project should include regular meetings and WRITTEN communication that keeps everyone up to date. That's going to ensure that the project moves more efficiently and effectively. There will be fewer mistakes and missteps, and a LOT less wasted time trying to find out what's going on or what's changed. It's demoralizing and frustrating for you AND for your team when things go wrong, especially if they feel like they've been out of the loop on something important! Don't let that happen. Be sure that each and every person has what they need to do their job - and definitely tell them when it's a job well done! And if you do hit an issue (and there's always one), ask for feedback and move quickly to get everyone back on track.

Fostering Relationships

I have seen projects that have had almost every single thing go wrong - and still the clients were happy at the end. WHY?! Because the designer did a GREAT job of communicating every single issue and solution. The designer made that client feel that, although things were going wrong, it was ALL going to be fabulous at the end. And it was! We've all had that type of "cursed" project that's just a nightmare, no matter how good our intentions are. But if you keep your cool, show your expertise, and let the clients know that you're handling it all, you'll still come out on top. And that is SO important when you're dealing with clients, because they are KEY to getting future clients! Communication can really make all the difference.

To help you stay on top of your communications, try my exclusive Communication Templates! You'll get email templates, a welcome packet, presentation ideas, and more! All of which are designed to keep you on top of your communication game. Learn more here!

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