Posts by Gail Doby
Walking the Path to “Yes”
Trial lawyers have a basic rule of thumb that says never ask a witness a question you don’t already know the answer to. In sales, a similar maxim might be to never allow the client to gain control of the conversation. Of course, you need to listen carefully and understand what the client wants. All…
Read MoreHow Important is Social Media for Your Design Business?
Wondering if you need to invest your time and energy into Social Media Marketing? My answer to you is that it all depends…. Depends on what? Well, you need a few things in place to make it all worthwhile: An overall marketing plan A way to measure your results from your efforts Done right, social…
Read More4 Tips To Increase the Value of Your Time
Yes or no, do your clients value your expertise and your time? It all starts with you, if you don’t value your time you can’t expect your clients to either. If you don’t value your time, how can you expect clients to do so? The following tips may not only help you get more value…
Read MoreThe Value of a Referral
By Drue Lawlor, FASID Director of Coaching, Gail Doby Coaching & Consulting & Design Success University I’m sure you are already aware of the value of the referral in building retention, loyalty and value to your “brand” — your design firm. But some of you may forget to include this process in your weekly calendaring.…
Read MoreHow to Handle Clients That Shop You
Every now and then a designer contacts me for advice on dealing with a client who has taken their product recommendation and purchased it themselves online or directly from the vendor. Fortunately, this does not happen often, although with so much product easily available through the Internet it happens more often than it used to.…
Read More7 Recommended Marketing Tasks For Your Interior Design Business
I often get asked this question: What marketing tasks should I consider that will make a big impact on my business? Here my list of 7 things that I recommend you consider when planning your marketing budget: 1. Photography Think about how many projects do you intend to photograph and how you will use those…
Read MoreEthics: It’s Not A Choice
“Those who stand for nothing fall for anything” Alexander Hamilton With the popularity of “Hamilton” on Broadway, I thought this quote from Hamilton a good reminder of the importance of ethics in business. I would assume none of you feel you are unethical, but there are slippery slopes in business that need to be addressed.…
Read MorePlanning for Success in Your Interior Design Business
Do you set aside time on your calendar to plan for your interior design business on a regular basis? I find that not every designer does this regularly. You’re the CEO of your interior design business and you need to plan for your business and not just let it happen by accident. My recommendation is…
Read MoreBuilding Your Trust Account
By Drue Lawlor, FASID Do you or your team members feel as if you have to know everything, be able to answer any question asked of you, and prove you are an expert in every area of your field in order to build a financially successful business? If so, you are probably like many others…
Read MoreCounsel Clients When Selling Your Design Concept
Managing client expectations is one of the most challenging aspects of the initial phase of a design project. Clients often have only a vague idea of what they want or what their budget will buy them. They have trouble envisioning what the final result will look like or how their lives will be different in…
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