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Last Thursday, I got home from a business trip and headed straight down to my basement office to drop off my laptop.
Ruger, our 80-pound German Shepherd, followed me down the stairs like he always does. But instead of flopping down next to my desk like usual, he wandered into the next room.
A few seconds later, I heard him drinking something.
We don’t keep a water bowl down there.
So I walked over to check it out… and that’s when I saw it.
Our sewer was backing up into the basement.
And Ruger — loyal, ferocious, “I’ll-eat-anything” Ruger — was drinking it.
😱 💩 😱 💩 😱 GAAHH!
And that’s when the real lesson started.
The next two hours felt like a blur.
I got Ruger out of there (and told my wife to let him outside because… well, he was probably about to hurl). Then she called the plumber tout de suite!
But when she got him on the phone, he said, “That’s not my department. You need to call Draintech. Ask for [name]. They’re the ones you want.”
So we did.
20 minutes later, the Draintech guy was at our house.
15 minutes after that, our sewer line was clear.
But the damage was already spreading.
The water had moved from the utility room into the kitchen. Then it seeped into two adjacent carpeted rooms. So the Draintech guy, without missing a beat, told us: “Call [cleanup company]. They’ll take care of the rest. Ask for [person]. Tell him I sent you.”
We called. He picked up.
30 minutes later, he was at our front door… even though (get this) his wife had literally given birth that morning.
Still, he dropped everything to come help us save our basement.
No hesitation.
“Tell me what to do.”
That’s what I told him.
He walked through the basement and laid it all out:
- Where the water had reached
- What could be salvaged
- What had to be cut out
- The areas we wouldn’t have even thought to check (drywall, baseboards, kitchen cabinets…)
- The steps we needed to take right now to stop further damage
- And how he could help us with the rest — mitigation, disinfecting, and even rebuilding
- Plus, he reminded us to call our insurance guy to start a claim ASAP. “The costs will be more than your deductible.”
In other words: He showed up. Took control. Earned our trust. And he gave us a plan.
We said, “Go.”
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Here’s why I’m telling you this…
Not because you need to know what to do when your dog drinks sewer water [but feel free to add that to your homeowner horror story collection].
I’m telling you because this is exactly how trust-based referrals work.
And it’s a masterclass in what you want to be for your architect clients.
Let’s take another look at what happened:
- I didn’t Google “emergency drain cleaning.”
- I didn’t compare websites or check star ratings.
- I didn’t shop around for three estimates.
We called the guy my plumber told me to call.
Why? Because we trust our plumber.
And the Draintech guy earned our trust within 15 minutes. He didn’t just do his job. He saw the next need and referred us to his trusted partner.
That next guy — the cleanup specialist — walked in the door with instant credibility. Why? Because he was referred by someone we already trusted.
And the moment he started guiding us through the chaos, we let him take the reins.
Your takeaway:
Architects don’t need another product.
We need a partner we can trust.
A partner who…
- Responds quickly when the pressure’s on
- Doesn’t try to sell everything to everyone
- Refers me to the right person when something’s not in their wheelhouse
- Helps me look good in front of my clients
- Makes the path forward easy to follow
When you become that kind of rep… the kind who sees one step ahead and solves problems that haven’t even landed yet… you become indispensable.
Just like our plumber.
Just like the drain guy.
Like the cleanup guy whose newborn was waiting at home.
Want to build that kind of trust?
Here’s one simple exercise you can do this week:
List 3 architect clients you like working with.
Now ask yourself: “What problem will they likely face 2-3 steps after they specify my product?”
Don’t just think product-wise. Think project-wise.
- Will they need help coordinating with the installer?
- Will their client push back on cost or aesthetics?
- Will there be integration issues with other systems or materials?
Now, how can you show up as their go-to resource for that next step?
Even better: Is there someone you can refer who will make them look like a hero?
Remember: The sale doesn’t end at the spec.
That’s just the beginning of the trust chain.
Be the link they count on.
Be the rep they call first.
💡Last thing: Want help mapping out your own trust-based referral strategy? Hit reply, let me know, and I’ll send you a checklist you can use with your top architect clients this week.
That’s it for this week!
Cheers to building more than just buildings, and see you next week,
Neil “Don’t-drink-that!” Sutton Architect + The Product Rep Coach
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P.S. If you happen to live in the Central Iowa area, let me know, and I’ll send the names of these amazing service pros.
P.P.S. Do you really want inside an architect’s head?
When you’re ready, there are 3 ways you can start working with me:
- Product reps: If you want to be better at connecting with architects, hit reply, and let’s chat.
- Business owners or Team Leaders: You can book an Architect Connections Training for your team. Hit reply, and I’ll send you the details.
- Speaking: If you’d like me to present at an upcoming group meeting, reach out, and let’s talk!
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