Clients are very familiar with the fact that interior designers get designer discounts. Here is how to have that conversation with clients about this privilege and how to prevent clients from ever asking for discounts during the project.
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Everyone wants to know they aren’t being taken advantage of by their interior designer. And unfortunately, because nothing is standardized in interior design this can lead to client distrust. That is why I am a big proponent of being super-transparent about your pricing.
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I am a huge proponent of new client packets (aka welcome packet). It shows you you know what you’re doing, it sets client expectations, and it educates. A new client packet prepares clients for working with you and helps them understand your process.
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Just last week, I told you that you can’t make money on small interior design projects. But like most things with running an interior design business it’s not always black and white. So while you may not be able to make money on projects with small budgets, there may be other benefits that you may want to consider.
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Can you make money on small projects? I’ll share what I see in working with thousands of designers because I know that this is a touchy subject for many designers.
But the short answer for me is ultimately: no. You don’t make money on small interior design jobs. The amount of time that interior design takes does not lend itself well to small projects with small budgets. Plus…
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I always liken getting new clients to dating. You do not need to say yes to everyone who asks you out on a date and you do not need to accept every inquiry or prospect that comes your way. In fact, there is power and success in saying no. This is why it’s important to know your criteria for accepting new interior design projects.
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The beautiful thing about setting expectations is letting your clients know what to expect, which naturally puts them at ease. The unknown is a terrible thing for many people and for most when dealing with a personal space as well as a substantial amount of money.
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The better you can set and manage clients’ expectations - the smoother the project will be. But often those things that designers should set expectations around - many feel a little uncomfortable bringing them up to clients - things like money or handling problems. Here is how to talk about it.
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Concerned about not seeing furniture and finishes in person when shopping for your interior design clients? Many designers are - I’m sharing with you some best practices so you can confidently purchase online without ever seeing the piece in person!
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So today I want to talk about: do clients even want virtual interior design services? Before I get into that portion, there's something I want to talk about first, which is why we should still be selling and marketing or our interior design services during this pandemic.
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I am trying something new today and did a short video about providing virtual interior design services to clients - this can work for anytime, but is especially poignant during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This video will go into the three different types of virtual interior design services, I’ll share the tools needed to provide these services (along with my favs) and the workflow required for delivering these services to clients.
After you’ve watched the video - share in the comments what virtual services you will be offering to your clients.
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We all want our interior design clients to love us and spread the word on how great our business is. And the good news is that it really takes just small efforts to create a business that wows clients and that in turn, helps client retention, smoother projects, greater client loyalty, more referrals, and helps you stand out from the competition. Plus clients want to know they’re an integral part of your business and you appreciate their patronage.
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One of the problems with interior design is the long timeline. A lot of money is invested before clients see much progress. It can be scary for clients. To lessen the fear, you want to create fast results.
When I was working full-time as an interior designer, I was hired by a couple to help turn their track home into their home. This was at the beginning of my business and I was still feeling out how to run it. About a month into the project, after I’d done the design plans, had contractors come out for quotes, and we’d met a couple of times, I got an email from the client.
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Whether you have a client installation and project completion that you need a gift for or whether you’d like to give something more than a card this holiday - this client gift guide has the perfect gift for all your clients.
As always, the best gifts are have thought and intention behind them. The time your client mentioned their love of ballet, or a favorite restaurant in Paris, or their guilty pleasure are all nuggets you can translate into a perfect gift.
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When clients can’t differentiate between you and another designer, they will always be making their decision to hire you based on price.
This is why you need to stand out and have a unique value proposition.
Now, unique value proposition is a fancy term for the unique advantage you bring to your clients.
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There are several dozen psychological triggers that can help increase your sales and one of my favorites is scarcity. For interior designers we have a limited amount of time and creativity to service clients, without wearing ourselves out or bringing in help. We naturally have a limited bandwidth. This is where you can use scarcity and a wait list to your benefit.
I have to mention, because I know that many people are going to feel a little resistance on this topic, that many designers I know have a scarcity mindset. It’s a bit of a natural state when you own your own business.
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One of the biggest hang-ups for clients when they work with interior designers is that we don’t take returns. So why don’t we take returns?
Interior designers shop at dozens - sometimes hundreds - of different places. Most to-the-trade places don’t take returns. So really, it’s not the interior designer’s policy - it’s the vendor’s policy. My contract says that if I can get a return I will - but most items are not returnable.
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Should interior design services be accessible to everyone? Does everyone deserve a beautiful, professionally-designed home?
My answer is no.
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I’m a huge fan of creating an on-boarding process for new clients. It makes attracting and signing new clients so much easier, efficient, and professional. A large part of my system involves a detailed client questionnaire. This helps me get to know the client before work begins. But, what happens after the work is complete? Do you have a process with an end-of-project survey?
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Have a client that keeps changing their minds? That selection after selection they want to see more options and it’s stalling the process?
While you may want to chalk this up to being your client’s personality, there are steps that you can take before and during the process to help curtail this.
I’ve presented you with some ideas below that you can use to keep clients focused, keep your project on schedule, and get to that beautifully designed home that you both want.
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