The Biggest Mistake Interior Designers Make with Fees, Part 2

Not doing a good job of qualifying clients with effective questions that help uncover potential problems before developing a design proposal is mistake #2.

What are some of the problems that may be encountered?

• Pricing a project based on a typical client instead of understanding that someone may be indecisive may cost you money, and potentially all of your profit.
• Not uncovering the real buying criteria and jumping to conclusions about what they value may lead you to proposing something that really doesn’t fit what the client wants.
• Not having all decision makers participating in the interview process together leads to potential conflict.  The dynamics are entirely different, and you get different stories from each client when you interview separately.  What is important to one is a non-issue to the other in some cases.  And, the flip side is also true.  What is really important and derail your process may not be uncovered in separate interviews.  You must have all of the decision makers involved in the initial interviews.
• Not asking the tough questions and having a way to uncover the potential objections and fears that the client might have about your services leads to potential problems.  When your clients are feeling stressed, it could be turned on you if you the problems weren’t addressed in the initial interview. Surface the difficult questions about money in the early stages, or you may face challenges later.

Ultimately, it is up to you to ask direct questions (in a tactful way of course) so you start on the right foot with your new clients.

Where have you encountered challenges due to not asking enough questions?

Be sure to read the rest of the series to get the rest of the message:

The Biggest Mistake Interior Designers Make With Fees – Part 1
The Biggest Mistake Interior Designers Make With Fees – Part 3
The Biggest Mistake Interior Designers Make With Fees – Part 4