Rik Rushton shares why proactive communication is a builder’s greatest asset — and how to do it better.
It’s not often you leave a talk at a building industry event and immediately start changing how you run your business. But that’s exactly what happened when Rik Rushton stepped on stage at the Level Up Experience event hosted by Live Life Build.
Rik isn’t just a great speaker — he’s a master communicator, peak performance coach, and award-winning author of The Power of Connection. Through his work at Insight Personal Development, he’s helped elite athletes, major companies, and now, a growing number of builders become more impactful by saying less — and listening more.
But the biggest takeaway from our conversation with Rik wasn’t about motivational buzzwords or performance hacks.
It was this: happy clients don’t need constant hand-holding — they just need clear expectations.
“No One’s Ever Said, ‘My Builder Over-Communicated With Me’”
According to Rik, most builders spend too long trying to be the best at their trade, without ever realising the trade they’re in is actually trust.
“Everyone listening to this will have lost a job to someone they know isn’t as good a tradesperson as them,” he told us. “The reason wasn’t skill. It was rapport.”
And what builds rapport faster than anything else? Clear, confident communication from the get-go.
But here’s the catch: communication doesn’t mean more phone calls, more emails, or more hours glued to your screen.
It means setting expectations upfront — and sticking to them.
The Weekly Video That Could Save You 10 Phone Calls
One of Rik’s simplest and most powerful suggestions? Start the job by laying out your “rules of engagement.”
That could be a short list of:
- When clients can expect updates
- How they’ll receive those updates
- What’s the best way to contact you if something urgent comes up
It’s not about over-servicing — it’s about making the rules of the relationship clear, so everyone can relax.
“Could a builder do a generic video on a Sunday?” Rik asked. “Something like, ‘Hey guys, here’s what this week looks like — Monday to Wednesday we’re at Site A, Thursday we’re back at yours, weather’s looking good, let me know if anything’s changed.’”
Simple. Efficient. And it builds trust.
Stop Guessing. Start Guiding.
One of the biggest challenges builders face is not knowing how often or how much their clients want to hear from them. The result? Stress, confusion, and sometimes — clients who ghost you or fire you without warning.
But as Rik rightly points out, you don’t have to guess.
“Why not proactively set the expectation?” he said. “Let them know how and when they’ll hear from you. WhatsApp, SMS, video update — whatever works. Just be clear.”
It sounds obvious. But how many builders actually do this?
We’ve spoken to hundreds of builders through The Good Builder, and while most say they value communication, few have a system for it.
It’s a Skill. So Learn It Like One.
The great news is that communication is just like any trade — you can learn it.
Rik, who used to struggle with speech as a kid, is living proof.
“There’s no silver bullet in building,” he told us. “But communication is the hinge that opens every door.”
“The best builders aren’t always the most talented — they’re the most resourceful. And being resourceful starts with how you listen, how you show up, and how you lead the conversation.”
Final Thought
At the end of our chat, Rik left us with this gem:
“Be a better communicator of what you do than a doer of it.”
In a time when trust is everything and reputations can be made (or lost) on a single misread email, this advice couldn’t be more relevant.
Whether it’s a WhatsApp message, a Friday wrap-up video, or a voicemail that actually tells people when you’ll call them back — builders who communicate well win.
And the best part?
You don’t need to be the loudest, smartest, or smoothest operator. You just need a system — and the will to get better.
Want to Get Better at Client Communication?
Get in touch with Rik Rushton at rickrushton.com or search The Power of Connection on your favourite bookstore. His work with Insight Personal Development is helping people across industries become better communicators, teammates, and leaders.
📢 Are you a builder with a system that works? Got a great WhatsApp setup or client communication hack? Get in touch — we’d love to feature you on The Good Builder.
Contact us at [email protected]
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