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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