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Industry News
What Does She Really Want?
By Bonnie Chase and Shelly Graham, Upper Deck™ Marketing Group
Do you often feel that clients thrive on challenging you with continuous project changes? Hmm, let me
guess . . . there's a woman behind it, isn't there?
As women, we can assure you, it's nothing personal. And there is a way to reduce the number of changes.
In order to overcome the "changing mind challenge " you must first understand that your female clients aren't
necessarily changing their minds all the time, but rather, growing more and more educated as digital home
projects progress. This is very good news for Digital Home Integrators because it means that your clients are
gaining knowledge. But how can you avoid making major changes at inconvenient times throughout the integration
process, and save valuable time and money? Is there really a way to overcome this madness? Drum roll,
please…There is, by simply asking your clients the right questions at the beginning and design phases of the
project.
Sound too simple to actually work? Not at all because it's critical that clients are knowledgeable about the
options available to them right from the start. Women are rapidly learning what digital home automation is,
but they may not know the extent to which it can fulfill their needs. The trend appears to be that female
clients often like new ideas from the very beginning, but as they learn more and more about the options,
they realize that the initial selection isn't necessarily their best solution.
Does this mean that you have to do an extensive educational process? Not likely. It does, however, mean that
you have the opportunity to lay out three different options based on your initial discovery process. The
three options you present should be explained in a way that highlights unique strong points, such as an energy
saving concept, an entertainment home concept, and a safety first concept. Your three options don't have to
be extremely detailed like an estimate, but rather can begin with conceptual ideas.
Let the client tell you what she does and doesn't like about each option. This will guide you to better
define her specific needs and budget. To learn more, just ask, "What are you trying to accomplish
through home automation?", "What is your vision for your home?", and "How do you and your family plan to
use these automation features?" These example questions can help minimize unrealistic expectations, and by
educating every client right from the start, you will get fewer changes - of the mind and on the project.
Applying the concept of interview and education to your current business model can positively impact your
bottom line, and your clients will be grateful when their expectations are met and their home is running
smoothly as quickly as possible.
We don't really want to change our minds. What we really want is to gain an understanding of our options so
we can make the best decisions for our household. And, once in a while, you will ask us all the right
questions, educate us till the cows come home, and it will seem like we know exactly what we want. Then,
for no apparent reason, we will up and change our minds... and that is the bottom line.
Bonnie Chase and Shelly Graham are co-founders of The Upper Deck Marketing Group. In the digital-home
industry, they focus on one main challenge - effective communication between integrators and their
women clients. Learn more at www.upperdeckmg.com.
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