Initial meeting/video call

set up

  • Send a friendly confirmation text message to confirm the meeting and to express how you enjoyed the phone call

  • Send a calendar invite to the client for this meeting

Goals

  • Create a consultative approach to the client’s needs

  • Find potential project-related issues

  • Quantify all items that you are able to and take notes

  • Build rapport with client and make a friend

  • Determine if they already have an Architect and/or Drawings. If not, offer a preconstruction agreement for design services.

    Primary Client Priorities

  • Character/Integrity/Honesty/Transparency

  • Price within their budget

  • That we give hard bid by due date, not only our internal pricing

  • Timeframe to complete project within their budget

  • Our track record/past projects

  • Our comprehension of plans, including RFIs & VE options

  • How can we minimize COs (No gaps in bid, healthy contingency)

  • If we are willing to be a capital partner

  • What % of our projects are we partners on

Appearance

  • Clean and well put together

  • Company shirt or button down

  • Nice shoes

  • Well groomed hair and face

Items to bring

  • Business Cards

  • Marketing brochure

  • Mobile Phone for photos if meeting on site

  • Notepad (or notes on phone)

  • Laptop to potentially show our website, project management software, past projects, etc.

Information to gather

  • Location

  • Number of units

  • Square footage

  • All of clients needs and desires for the project

  • Rough budget numbers (Per unit, per sf, for entire project)

INTRODUCE OUR PROCESSES

  • “We use a very easy to use project management software called CoreCon where you can see all the project details right on the mobile app or the website”

  • “We provide daily reports with photos, videos, an online project schedule, documents, submittals, etc. It really streamlines the whole construction process.”

  • “Your project manager will be your main point of contact, but I will always be available at any time before, during, or after the project to resolve issues and concerns and keep the project moving”

PRE-QUALIFY THE CLIENT

  • “Are you comfortable if I talk some rough ballpark pricing right now”?

  • “This is just a shoot from the hip number, but I like to do this just to make sure we’re on the same page as far as pricing before we really dive into all the project details and present a super detailed and professional proposal”

  • Use average square footage costs from past projects (Typically $160-$190/sf for New Construction)

  • Start with a slightly higher dollar amount to gage their reaction

  • Give a ballpark and explain that it could vary 20% either direction depending on further detail

  • “Do these numbers sound somewhat reasonable to you”?

  • “Would you still like to move forward with a meeting”?