BUSINESS BUILDING BLOCKS: Are Your Prospects Afraid of You?

I was listening to Karen Fisher of Designer Previews on the Interior Design Summit and she confirmed what I’ve always known; design prospects are often very intimidated no matter what level they are at.  Design professionals too often fail to realize that this is a very BIG DEAL!  They are coming to us with their heart in their hands, their home.  And it is a privilege and honor to be considered to craft that to meet their dreams, their desires, and their needs.

It is vital for business success to remove the intimidation and create a relationship based on trust and expertise.  When you do so, you will be rewarded with lifetime loyalty, endless referrals, and profit for your passion and talent. Take a look at some of the gaffs Karen shared here and make sure you aren’t making them!

Gaps in Style: Imagine telling a client that they don’t want to be contemporary (because you don’t do that) and instead they want a traditional design. Wrong!  Either adapt or refer it to a colleague, never force a fit.

Difficult Collections: As a professional it is our responsibility to make the proverbial “silk purse out of a sow’s ear.”  That means that when you are presented with a collection you don’t like you are diplomatic and creative.  You do not tell a client that they must throw out their library because you won’t work with it!  (I don’t care if it was paperbacks; either move it to another room less prominent, or cover each with a decorative cover. Get creative.)

Sacred Challenges: Every now and again all of us work with a client who is unnaturally attached to a challenging piece of furniture. It could be something that is broken down, out dated, bad scale and proportion, or simply an inappropriate fit. While you may be tempted to kick it to the curb, don’t.  If it is sacred you will get farther and win the client’s trust when you devise a creative solution that could involve rebuilding, remaking, refinishing, recovering, or removing to a secondary room.  (The worst I’ve ever suggested is the unfinished basement, never the curb.)

Honor your client’s idiosyncrasies and they will be yours for life. This isn’t about you, it is about them! If real estate is about location, location, location, then good design is all about listen, listen, listen.

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To reprint this article, simply include the following text: Melissa Galt, The Six Figure Design Professional, has a biweekly ezine sharing business building shortcuts and secrets for the design and home furnishings industry. To sign up for free go to www.melissagalt.com. If you are ready to boost your design business and invest in your talent and success, check out www.mystrategysession.com.

About Melissa Galt

Melissa Galt is a sought-after business coach, marketing consultant, keynote speaker and workshop leader who empowers designers to build highly profitable businesses, without the burnout. With over three decades as the principal of her namesake successful residential design firm, Melissa brings firsthand experience and proven strategies to guide creative professionals earn more in less time, with less stress.

She is the author of four transformative bestselling books, Marketing Luxury Design: Attracting Affluent Clients; The Language of Success: 35 Words to Boost Your Worth & Wealth; Design Discovery: The Proven Process to Land Ideal Clients & Grow Profit, and Proximity to Profits: 50 Strategic Locations to Meet Affluent Clients.

She is also the host of the weekly Design Business Freedom™ podcast, where she shares unfiltered advice on mindset, money, and marketing for interior design pros ready to elevate their game. When you’re ready to take your practice to the next level, book a complimentary Design Business Assessment with Melissa.

Melissa draws inspiration from her legacy of iconic creatives including her mother, the late Academy Award-winning actress Anne Baxter; her godmother, the legendary eight-time Oscar-winning costume designer Edith Head; and her great-grandfather, American architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright.