I want to let you know about something we worked on last week in our Growth education and coaching group. One of our designers shared that she had a great job opportunity. The job started with a paid first appointment for a complete kitchen, master bedroom, and master bathroom remodel.
But she was worried about it because she had never done a whole kitchen before.
I’m sure all of us have been at this place before. Part of what makes interior design so interesting is that we’re always doing stuff we’ve never done before. That’s how designers get better, but sometimes that can also be intimidating. So, I told her first to take a deep breath and let some of the tension out.
The reality is that you actually do know how to do this.
You can figure out how to do a full kitchen. You know more than you did last year, and you know more than the client does.
But our designer was worried about how she was going to sell herself. She didn’t have any pictures of kitchens to show. However, since the client called her in and was willing to pay for a first appointment, she had already sold herself. The client already expects her to know, and there’s no need to prove it to her.
All our designer needs to do is sell an Exploratory Agreement. All it takes is to figure out where the project is going, get some ideas on paper, run some contractors through, and look at the numbers to figure out what it’s all going to cost. She can have a scope of work and get started.
Watch the video above where I explain that all it takes for you to make that first step is to do an Exploratory Agreement. The rest will unfold the way you want it to. As a designer, this is how you get good at what you do. It’s because you do something you’ve never done before, and you keep adding to your experience. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked out of someone’s office or house with a check in hand and wondered how I was going to do it. The answer was where to go or who to call to get the information I needed to pull the job off.
The good news for our designer is that she has me and the Interior Design Business Academy community behind her. So, if she has any questions or concerns, we’re all here to support her. One of the coolest things about Interior Design Business Academy is the community and the level of support between me, our coaches, and everyone involved. We help each other get better, and because of that, we get better too.
If you’d like to feel that kind of support in your life and design business, schedule a clarity call with one of our coaches by clicking the link below. You’ll learn how to step into bigger and better jobs, and you’ll have access to our community, who is here to support you and answer your questions along the way.
Until next time, design something beautiful and get paid what you’re worth.