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Sometimes it’s just a vibe you get … you know there’s something wrong but you just haven’t figured it out yet … It’s an uneasy feeling at best and when you are talking about meeting with potential new clients, it can be a matter of life or death to your business if you don’t figure it out in time.
I’m talking about words and phrases that should send up a red flag – things that you might hear in a conversation that should make you spin around in your chair, look at your wrist and say:
“ooh look at the time … I’ve got a thing to go, I mean be … ahh, what I’m trying to say is I’ve got somewhere I’m supposed to be right now!”
It might be an awkward exit but better to deal with it now than have to deal with it later (and there’s ALWAYS a later). Here are some phrases that should you hear them spew forth from the mouths of others, you should run for the hills!
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spruce, zippy, or classy – e.g. “I already like my house, I just need to spruce it up so I can sell it.” or “We don’t want any zippynew fangled archimabobs.”
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“I’ve done lived in a house my whole entire life and I already knows what I want.”
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“I make decisions super-fast so that should save you time. How’s about reducing your fee?”
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“My last architect didn’t do it that way…”
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“I just need someone to draw up my sketches.”
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“My mother will pick out allllll the finishes, (clucking tongue and winking at me) ‘caus’n she’s the one who got the good taste.”
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“Are you good at designing towers? We like ‘dem towers mmm, hmm…. and turrets, lots and lots of turrets.”
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“I bought this 3d house com-puter program software package down at the Office Depot and got ‘dis all figured out. I just be needing the permit drawings.”
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“One of my favorite materials is glass block, especially in the shower … in a fancy geometric pattern.”
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“We have lots of cats and we have prepared some sketches of a special room that we’d like to create for ’em. (holding cat up to face and making its legs move like a master puppeteer) Yes we do – don’t we?? bup bup bup yes, we do!!”
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“We travels a lot and prolly won’t be round for many decisions, but we’re confident that you’ll be knowing what we’re thinking we want.”
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“We love the guy who just done built our fence and think he would be perfect to built our house!”
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“We already have our drawings but couldn’t find a contractor who bid to it make it fit in our budget – figured you might know of other contractors.”
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“I know the project is over budget, and despite you repeatedly telling me to remove (making air quote gesture) “programming” and make rooms (again with the air quotes) “smaller”, ha haa! I just keep on a’making those rooms bigger. Would you reduce your fees to help lower my costs?”
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“I don’t need full blown architect services, don’t you have a fella in the back who can draw this up at night, like… (whispering) on the side?”
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“Why yes, I am a lawyer, but I plan on acting as my own contractor…”
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For the record, I am aware that I made most of these phrases sound like they came forth from the mouths of hillbillies – because it’s funnier to me that way. It just as easily could have been Cajun but I would have had to add a whole lot of extra “whooo-eeee’s” and “dat-der’s” to these sentences and I decided that it just wasn’t needed (and I don’t want to offend any Cajun’s). Luckily, since I know these red flag words and phrases, I’ve avoided putting myself in a position to have to deal with them too often … but the list is always growing. In fact, I’m sure there are some others, just let me know what they are in the comment section below.
Cheers – and whoooooeeeeee – look out!
