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How to Use Ideabooks to Work Smarter With Clients
Want to find out how to work more efficiently with your client? Here's how to do it by using Houzz Ideabooks
Houzz AU
8 March 2018
Communication is the key to really understanding a client’s vision and achieving an outcome that everyone’s happy with, but sometimes that’s harder said than done. To really get to know what your client wants it’s important to be able to share ideas visually and to collaborate in real time – that’s where Houzz ideabooks come in. Here’s how to use them to ensure a smooth-running and successful project, as well as a quick video to guide you through the collaboration process.
Realise the value of ideabooks
Mood boards are a tried and tested way to get a sense of what your client likes. By conveying their ideas visually, a customer can explain their tastes and style preferences more easily than they would by just communicating verbally. Houzz ideabooks work in the same way as a usual mood board, but with a lot more functionality.
By getting your client to share an ideabook with you right from the beginning of the project you’ll be able to keep up to date with their likes, dislikes, product choices and style suggestions from start to finish.
If you both have access to the same ideabook, you can simultaneously add images, comments and notes.
Mood boards are a tried and tested way to get a sense of what your client likes. By conveying their ideas visually, a customer can explain their tastes and style preferences more easily than they would by just communicating verbally. Houzz ideabooks work in the same way as a usual mood board, but with a lot more functionality.
By getting your client to share an ideabook with you right from the beginning of the project you’ll be able to keep up to date with their likes, dislikes, product choices and style suggestions from start to finish.
If you both have access to the same ideabook, you can simultaneously add images, comments and notes.
Get them started
You can make the most of Houzz ideabooks right from the start of a project. If your client doesn’t already have a Houzz profile, you could help them to set one up – it’s easy to do, and completely free. Ask them to create an ideabook where they can save images they find while searching through the photos section of the website. They can simply search for images using the filters, or type in a relevant keyword, such as ‘white kitchen benchtops’.
Encourage them to write comments and notes below each photo, pointing out what they like about it, or asking where a particular product can be sourced, for example.
What if they find images outside of Houzz? No problem, they can save these to their ideabooks too.
You can make the most of Houzz ideabooks right from the start of a project. If your client doesn’t already have a Houzz profile, you could help them to set one up – it’s easy to do, and completely free. Ask them to create an ideabook where they can save images they find while searching through the photos section of the website. They can simply search for images using the filters, or type in a relevant keyword, such as ‘white kitchen benchtops’.
Encourage them to write comments and notes below each photo, pointing out what they like about it, or asking where a particular product can be sourced, for example.
What if they find images outside of Houzz? No problem, they can save these to their ideabooks too.
Share your input
It’s easy for your client to share their ideabook with you by pressing the plus sign next to ‘Add or Edit Collaborators’ below the title. They can also email you the URL, but this won’t allow you to edit the ideabook as well.
If your customer has chosen to add you as a collaborator, you can work together on the ideabook to really refine their vision and make it work both practically and aesthetically. You can find alternative images that might work better for example, or answer any questions your client has. The beauty of this is that it’s possible to log on wherever you are and work together remotely.
It’s easy for your client to share their ideabook with you by pressing the plus sign next to ‘Add or Edit Collaborators’ below the title. They can also email you the URL, but this won’t allow you to edit the ideabook as well.
If your customer has chosen to add you as a collaborator, you can work together on the ideabook to really refine their vision and make it work both practically and aesthetically. You can find alternative images that might work better for example, or answer any questions your client has. The beauty of this is that it’s possible to log on wherever you are and work together remotely.
Be even more creative with Sketch
Of course, images and comments aren’t the only way to collaborate on Houzz. If you want to share even more detail with your client, you could try out the incredibly useful Sketch tool. By clicking on the pen tool on any image, you or your client can draw and write on the photo to point out elements, the positioning of objects, or to ask questions.
In their ideabook, your client can click on the ‘Create New Sketch’ square to find out more possibilities. You can create a mood board together by searching for products on Houzz, trying out the look of different materials together, or even designing a floor plan.
By making the most of these collaboration tools, you’ll be able to get a full sense of your client’s vision and achieve an outcome that really works.
Tell us
Do you use ideabooks to collaborate with your clients? If you have any tips that work well for you, feel free to share them in the Comments section.
Of course, images and comments aren’t the only way to collaborate on Houzz. If you want to share even more detail with your client, you could try out the incredibly useful Sketch tool. By clicking on the pen tool on any image, you or your client can draw and write on the photo to point out elements, the positioning of objects, or to ask questions.
In their ideabook, your client can click on the ‘Create New Sketch’ square to find out more possibilities. You can create a mood board together by searching for products on Houzz, trying out the look of different materials together, or even designing a floor plan.
By making the most of these collaboration tools, you’ll be able to get a full sense of your client’s vision and achieve an outcome that really works.
Tell us
Do you use ideabooks to collaborate with your clients? If you have any tips that work well for you, feel free to share them in the Comments section.
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