Well, summer finally arrived last week in Seattle and it is already over…it was a ‘fresh’ 53 degree this morning…Grrrr!!!  You would be right to bet that everyone around here talk about the cold weather!!! I went to see our soccer team last night and it was a lot of fun and I’m glad I had my scarf…you can watch a video of the opening on my Facebook account…from my new I-Phone 4 :-)

A few weeks ago we talked about ‘Building more than the foundation’; today I would like to say a few things about your communication…

Your Communication
You need to have a “sales” structure in place and in front of you so you can practice your communication skills on a regular basis to be sure you improve it over time.  People like to work with people they connect with and that they like.  If you go to the effort of making the client feel that you are more alike than different, they will like you more.  If you observe your own behavior you’ll find that you buy from those you like and not from those you dislike.
   
Tools to use: The more comfortable you are at talking in everyday (non-architectural) language and mirroring the client’s behavior and language, the more projects you will get.  When you communicate in this fashion, as opposed to as if you were talking with another architect, you connect with them at a deeper level and the result is improved project acceptance and more people receiving the benefits of the expertise of an architect.

You might think that your prospects always understand what you are talking about, but be advice, it is not always the case and it is in your best interest to always be sure that they do understand what you are telling them.

We were train to present to our peers and our professors, very different once you are talking to one of your prospect!