Right Shoe on the Wrong Foot

Oh, Right Shoe, the Doctor feels your pain. You’re wearing an Armani suit and the client picked the firm in jeans with the knees torn out. It’s maddening. But here’s the down low: if clients aren’t seeing your experience, you’re not showing it—and I don’t mean your bare knees. The point is, it’s not about who’s best dressed, it’s about who’s dressed right for the room. Get it, Right Shoe?

You say you “know who you are and what you’re good at.” Fantastic! But knowing and showing are two very different things—and you need both. It’s like peanut butter without jelly, Right Shoe. Whoever eats a jelly sandwich? 

Let’s work our way backwards and diagnose the real problem. When a client says they went with a firm that had “more experience,” what they’re really saying is: “We didn’t feel confident that you could solve our problem.” Look, your credentials might be perfect, but you’re talking about the past when clients are buying the future. They don’t just want to know what you’ve done before. Nope. They want proof that you will be able to deliver great outcomes moving forward.

So, what’s the Doctor’s prescription? First, stop assuming your projects speak for themselves. Full disclosure: they don’t. Ever met a building that talked? Me either. It’s up to you to demonstrate to clients how your work is relevant. Meaning, come up with messaging that explains the benefits your buildings give to clients and users. Not “we designed a 200,000-square-foot hospital.” Instead, start with: “We reduced patient wait times by 30% through evidence-based design.” One is a description, the other is a differentiator, Right Shoe.

Secondly, look long and hard at who you’re talking to and whether you’re right for them. Do you even know what your ideal clients care about? If you don’t, then you gotta know what makes them say yes and what makes them run away screaming. Case in point: if you’re pitching healthcare clients on “design excellence” when they only care about operational efficiency and patient outcomes, you’re wearing a tuxedo to a construction site. Impeccably stylish but, let’s face it, completely wrong for the sitch.

Third—and this is where the Doctor really gets real—consider where you’re showing up and where you’re not. Are you just crossing your fingers that clients will stumble upon your brilliance, or are you actively putting your expertise in front of them through thought leadership, speaking engagements, and strategic PR? Curate your look and make sure the right people see it—through bylined articles, compelling case studies, and targeted media outreach.

Look, Right Shoe, the bottom line is this: no one knows about your experience until you tell them. All the time, always. Your website, your proposals, your interviews, your social media, your elevator pitch. There’s no time like the present to get specific about your expertise and then translate that into outcomes clients care about.

I know that you know what to do, Right Shoe. Stop wearing the same pair of jeans every day and start dressing for the client you want. You’ll be putting your right foot forward in no time flat.

Now go forth and build your influence. I’ll be watching you sashay down the runway!