How to Hire Me, #101

Need Deb to help you find a solution to a challenge in your store? Just ask me!

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Hello, Debi, {greet me by name}
I'm Shell, owner of The SeaShell Boutique in Alki- www.shesellsseashells.cam. {tell me who you are}
I found your blog through a search for retail designers. {tell me how you found me}
When I saw you were from Seattle, I cheered! I need help with my retail store and am hoping you can assist me in finding solutions to a few problems.

Specifically, I have floor plan 'issues': {state your case succinctly}Too many hidden spots, no clear direction of where to go, and a cashwrap that seems to be hard to find. {give me some details}

I'd like to have you create a new floor plan that addresses those issues. {give me the final result you want from me}

So, I need to know if you are accepting new clients now, what your availability & fees are, if you can get this done in the time frame I have, and how the process works for you. {ask me what you want to know}

I have a limited budget for this (don't we all?!) which means I have just a few hundred bucks to spare - and I'd prefer not spending it all! My time frame for design & installation of the plan is two months, because I need to make changes before summer tourist season hits.  {be open about your situation}

But really, I want to know from you how to best utilize your services. How much can I do to prepare so that your time is maximized for my benefit? {ask me SMART questions}

Can you email me back this week at _____ with the specifics of this? (You could call, but then I'd have to write it all down legibly enough to read it later - probably not going to happen!) {give me your contact info and tell me what/when/how you want it}

Feel free to visit our web site at www.shesellsseashells.cam {include store contact info}
and take a look at our slideshow - it shows the entire space. If there are other materials I can send you (photos, links, etc.) to help you review or prepare, please let me know. {send preliminary materials so I can see what I would be dealing with}

Thank you, Debi - I look forward to hearing back from you!

Shell
The SeaShell Boutique
Alki, Washington

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There is no Shell who sells sea shells in a boutique on Alki Point, Washington - to my knowledge, anyway. She's a fictional perfect 'inquiry'. She's an example of how to get to the heart of a matter fast. If the emails, phone messages, and comments sent to me came in that form, I'd be off and running on your business challenges before I even got back to you! A very efficient way for me to work.

Maybe it's just me. ?
Maybe I am so busy with two businesses that cryptic messages and endless exchanges of vague statements just bog me down. I need info! I need it now! Give it to me straight, honest, and open so I know what you want, and you'll get back from me a quick answer stating what I can do for you and where we go from there. I won't accept the project if I can't fit it into my schedule on your timeframe, or if I think I'm just not the right person for it. If your budget seems really low, I'll ask you what the most important issues are so we can focus on that and cut my time involvement to the minimum. But I'll still try to help.

BTW, Jessica from Yarn Market News did exactly this when she contacted me about speaking at the recent YMN conference. I checked the links she sent me, and immediately made the decision to say yes based on her informational email. ;0)