Today I want to share with you something that happened in our Growth Q&A Zoom call. The theme was, ‘This is How I Work,’ and it was three questions about how to handle a client inquiry. This situation often stumps designers as it’s challenging to take what a customer wants and transform it into an offer to do the actual design work.
Question #1
The first inquiry came from a woman who was a past client and was doing a kitchen remodel. She already had a contractor in place and needed a designer to help her with a specific series of selections for the kitchen. The designer stated it would take about 20 hours for them to figure it out. But what if the client doesn’t like what I pick out, and I have to do more? How do I handle that? This situation is fairly common, but we want to have a one-stop solution to it.
Question #2
This question sounds completely different, but it’s actually the same as the last question. This one came in the form of a text to the designer from an acquaintance. They wanted the designer to come over and help with paint colors and pick out some new flooring. The question is, do you even want that job? How do you handle it? If you choose to do it, how would you get paid for it? We all know those little jobs can be more trouble than they’re worth. Or, if you’re moving upmarket, that’s not really where you want to be.
Question #3
The other question that came up was about someone who called in and had a laundry list for something in every room in the house. Those items add up to a lot of money. If you called out a fee for everything, the client would probably faint. They don’t have any idea of what it all costs and don’t have a clue about a budget for it.
What do all these things have in common?
They all need to be handled within the framework of your business, not where you reinvent something to accommodate those situations. You need to have a “recipe” in place to determine how to do those jobs. Designers should not ever customize their offers for a client and make them less. Customization to change the way you work will always cost more, and it’s how you make a profit as a design business.
Watch the video above where I explain in detail what should happen for each of the above scenarios.
I’m really thrilled to share with you that my signature 3-day event is coming up, called Design Biz Summit 2021: Overhaul Your Business in Three Days and Finally Get Paid What You’re Worth.
The event is all about design fees and how to have those ‘This is How I Work’ pieces in place so that you can quickly and easily scoop up those jobs that you want and are profitable for your design business.
This virtual event is being held from November 3 – 5 with full-day trainings. You’ll have access to lots of Q & A time as well as scripts, worksheets, templates, and step-by-step recipes to make this happen. Plus, you’ll also have lots of time to connect with other designers across the country and join our amazing community. But make sure to grab your tickets now, as spots are limited!
Click here to learn more and grab your spot.
Until next time, design something beautiful and get paid what you’re worth.