What to send after the pool consultation

4 min read

The consultation ends. They say they need to think about it. You're the fourth builder they've met with, and the decision is going to happen in the next few days, mostly without you in the room.

What you send in the next 24 hours matters more than the presentation did.

What most builders send

A PDF of the proposal. Maybe the render image as an attachment. Sometimes nothing at all.

A PDF doesn't play. A JPEG doesn't move. If the spouse wasn't at the meeting, they're forming an opinion from an email attachment and a summary. That's not the same as watching the pool.

Send a video link

Upload your renders to RenderSplash, get a Walkthrough link, and send it that evening. The video plays in their browser on any device, no downloads, no apps. It works when the homeowner pulls it up on their phone and hands it across the couch.

A Walkthrough at HD takes about 100 seconds to produce. If the presentation ends at 6 pm and they're home by 7, the video can be in their inbox before dinner is over.

What to write

Keep it short. One or two sentences. Reference the design. Make it easy to reply.

These work:

Hi Sarah, made you something. Watch it with Dan tonight and tell me what you think.

Hey Sarah, the video of your pool is ready. The negative edge on the back wall comes through clearly. Let me know if you want to see the travertine or concrete option side by side.

Sarah, here's the link again if you want to pull it up on the TV tonight. Call me if you have questions.

What doesn't work: a paragraph, a list of features, a sales pitch they just sat through. Send the link and get out of the way.

When to send it

The evening of the consultation, while the design is fresh and before the next builder's proposal lands. If that's not possible, first thing the next morning.

The window closes faster than you'd think. The homeowner who was enthusiastic in the meeting has three other builders' quotes in their inbox. The one who gets back to them first, with something to watch, is the one they're still thinking about.

The job that went quiet

Three weeks ago you finished a design. The homeowner went silent. You sent a check-in and got nothing back.

This is one of the best uses for a new video. Re-run the renders, produce an updated film, and send it with a short note.

Hi Tom, I updated the film on the Jackson design. The spa position is different from the last version. Worth a look if you're still thinking about it.

"Just checking in" gets ignored. A new film of their own backyard gets opened. It gives them something to react to, and the design that's been sitting in a folder for three weeks has water and light in it again.

The follow-up format

Send a link, not a file. Video attachments get caught by email size limits and spam filters, and a link plays straight away on any phone.

If you use proposal software like Buildertrend or CoConstruct, paste the video link into the proposal itself. The homeowner sees the video alongside the line items.

After a design change

Sometimes the follow-up surfaces a revision. They want to see darker coping, or the spa moved. Update the design, re-export the renders, and re-run the video. Send the updated link the same day with one line: "Updated the coping to charcoal like you mentioned."

That response speed tells them more about how you work than a year of marketing.

Frequently asked questions

Should I include the price in the follow-up?

Yes, if you haven't already left it with them. The scope, the materials, the price, the timeline and the film belong together, so they can decide without chasing you for the missing piece. For the full playbook on the appointment itself, see how to run a kitchen-table close.

Is the video link permanent?

It works until you switch it off. Flip the Share switch on the video and the link stops working straight away, which is worth doing once a job is decided either way. See sharing with clients.

What if they forward the link to someone else?

The link works for anyone who has it, which is useful when a homeowner wants to show a spouse or a parent. On Free the page shows just the video. On Pro and VIP your business name sits under it (adding your branding).

Sources

• Buildertrend, 10 sales tips for landscape and swimming pool contractors
• Pool Builder Marketing, Suggestions when talking (selling) to Pool Buyers
• AQUA Magazine, Pool Selling Secrets From a Marketing Guy