Creating Your LCC Offer

Okay. Let's go through how to complete the load consultation worksheet. As I've said in the training, you need to first clearly define the key elements of your offer. And this worksheet will help you identify the five key LCC elements before building your marketing collateral.

Okay, so the first thing you need to do is come up with a name for your service. All right. So this one here, name for your service. Now, feasibility analysis, needs and options review. Some people ... When I was a client on client side, I was thinking, what do I want? And all I really wanted myself actually, was just an options review. What are my options? And ball park figure costs.

Initial consultation. That's what everyone else calls it, so I wouldn't really call it that. It's not a very good one. We've got [Elizabeth Carmichael 00:00:50]. She's calling it a feasibility lab. I like the sound of that. Okay. But whatever. It needs a cool sort of name that relates to what we're talking about here.

Okay. Next thing you need to do is identify the problem. So the reason the consultation was developed. What other architects miss if they don't use this service. Well, the key ones I've been stating have been, one, reduce risk. So I tell a little story about how, if you don't do this pre-design research, then you're exposing yourself more because there are too many assumptions. So what we need to do is eliminate more and more assumptions. Get rid of the assumptions. So that you end up with a more defined outcome.

And the second one, the second problem that people have, is they don't investigate all their options. So by doing some pre-design research, you're gonna improve the end design, because we're gonna go through more different options. We're gonna have time to do that. And secondly, we're gonna reduce your risk.

So those are my versions of it. But you might have other reasons for constructing your pre-design session.

The next thing you need to identify is, what is the promise? What is the result or the transformation that your client will get form having a consultation? So remember, value ... The best way to describe value, equals the transformation that people will get. You will move from this situation, of maybe not being sure. Too many assumptions. All the design work based on some assumptions. To a situation where you've got clarity. And I've got clarity. And any architect who quotes you on the design, and even starts the design, has better clarity around what's possible.

So, what is the promise? What will you get. So from a hard copy point of view. What documents will you get. You'll get this and this and this. And what will that mean? That will mean you'll get more clarity, or whatever it is you're gonna promise. So have a think about some things that, by doing your LCC, on what they're gonna get and how their life's gonna be transformed because of it.

Next one is the process. What is the process? The process is really: here's what we're gonna do first. Here's what we're gonna do second. And here's what we're gonna do third. So you just outline. You make it very clear, these are the steps that we're gonna go through. People like structure, particularly when there's uncertainty. Some people don't like structure, but I tell you what, when they're spending a lot of money, they like to see that someone's organized and there is a process. A well-worn path. So this is a chance to show that you've got a well-worn path.

And finally, the price. Now the price of your service and the value it represents. Now, it can be free. If you want to wimp out. But I'm gonna suggest you do charge something. Because every architect I've come across who said, "Look, other architects in our area are doing stuff for free," and then they tried it. They ended up finding that clients were prepared to pay. That the key comes down to the promise and how good you make the results sound. So you can put a price.

There's a good saying ... I can't remember what the saying is, but something like, price is only a ... Value's ... Price is only a problem when value is a mystery. So this here helps you identify what the value is. So put a price on it. Even if you don't charge the net price, you can say, "Look, I would normally do this for $750, but because you're a referral, I will do it for free for you, if you want."

But I would suggest you actually charge 750 to 1,500. Highest price we've ever had for one of these was [Deon 00:04:40] and he got, I think it was a 12 or 10K. Can't quite remember. I mentioned it in the training.

Anyway, that is how to fill out this little five steps to come up with your LCC. Have a look at what some of the other people have written. And have fun with it. Be creative. This is something that may develop for you over time. Good luck. It's a great thing and it's the fastest way to get results.