I want to share a question that came up in our Growth program Q & A this week. The question was from a designer who is doing very well with her business, and she was wondering how to handle calls from past clients. These clients are asking her to do a little bit of work that will only take her a few hours.
The situation is playing havoc with the big jobs she is currently working on where she has already committed to getting items finished. However, those past clients are also precious, and she’s grateful for the work, but she doesn’t want to jeopardize those relationships.
So, what do you do?
I’ll share with you what I do when this situation comes up. I speak with the client and tell them very kindly that I am pleased to share how busy I am and how my business has taken off. I explain that because of this happening, I had to establish a minimum design fee of $1,500 for anything new that I take on. I tell them I am concerned that if I charge them that amount for just a few items, it would not be a good use of their money. So, I ask if there is something else I could do, and we can include it as part of the minimum. Or, would they like to wait until they do have additional items for me to do to make that fee reasonable for the work involved?
Watch the video above where I explain how following this strategy can help preserve your relationships with past clients without having to tell them “no.” Plus, it can often lead to opportunities for more work. You can set up the situation so that the client makes the good decision, and you can take care of the obligations that are paying you well. It’s also an excellent way to transition into those higher fees while managing your business in a way that creates plenty of time and income for you. And you can provide a better service to your clients.
If you like this type of strategy and valuable information that you can utilize within your design business right now, you might want to have a clarity call with one of our coaches. The calls are fun, you’ll learn more about your business, and you’ll walk away with your best next steps. You can also find out if our Growth, Structure, or Masters programs are a good fit for you without any obligation.
Until next time, design something beautiful and get paid what you’re worth.