What to Say When Clients Say “No”

At any point in a design project the client may raise objections.  They may feel the budget or your fees are too high.  They may not like the design concept or the colors you’ve chosen.  They may refuse to accept an item you have purchased for them.  You may feel confused, frustrated, angry, or even betrayed.  How do you salvage the situation?

The most important thing is to keep your cool.  Don’t argue with the client.  Telling them they are wrong or don’t understand will only drive them deeper into their corner.  In order to turn the situation around, you need to guide them toward a middle ground where there is room for discussion and compromise.

You want to find out what is motivating the client’s objection. Start by asking him or her to tell you more about their concerns. They may be having trouble envisioning the final result. They may not perceive the value in what you are offering them. They may be feeling insecure about their own tastes and ability to judge the quality of the design. They may be worried about losing control of the project or that they are being coerced into accepting a result they won’t like. They may be feeling ambivalent about spending the money for professional design services or new products.

Or, they may simply have changed their mind. Probe as much as you are able without appearing pushy or defensive to get at what lies behind their decision.

Once you have a better idea of why they are objecting, you can begin to move the discussion in a more positive direction.  Provide them with some options.  Reassure them that they will have a chance to review colors, fabrics, purchases, etc., before making a final commitment.  Explain how the various elements of the design work together, and show them, if you can, how making changes will affect the overall result.  Describe the rationale behind your choices and how they were made to fulfill the client’s needs and wishes.  Share with them the thought you have put into the project, looking for ways to save them money or make their budget go farther.  You want to shift the ground of the discussion to how the two of you can work together to achieve a mutually satisfactory solution.

Of course, there are times when the client will dig in their heels or realizes they really don’t have the funds to undertake the project they had in mind.  If the issue is a purchase, you may have to negotiate with the vendor instead.  If the issue is budget, you can propose an alternative plan, such as undertaking the project in stages. Or, you may need to graciously part ways with the client.  However, in many cases you can bring about an acceptable resolution by letting the client know you understand their concern and then helping them to find a way past it.  They may even thank you for it later.