Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023 - 16

H O T
T OPIC
Building a Connection
Keys to a successful designer-client relationship
INTERVIEWING A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT is a lot like speed dating. You
only have a few moments to discern if you will be a good fi t, which, in turn,
will lead to a successful professional designer-client partnership.
From the initial " discovery call, " you should be carefully listening not only
to the questions the client asks you but how the he or she responds. Th at's
right, you are also interviewing the client. If a nagging little voice in the back
of your mind starts raising red fl ags, take note. Intuition plays a big role.
What is the key to a successful relationship with any client? Honest
communication from day one. I have developed a tried-and-true system
to vet potential clients. Th is article will provide some ideas to help you in
your interior design and/or kitchen and bath design practice.
PERFECT YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH
When you ask the question " tell me about your project, " you will be able to
determine if the scope of work and budget are in alignment with the services
you provide. When speaking with your prospective client, you should succinctly
explain what services you provide, your design process, what value you
bring to the project and what type of investment working with your fi rm will
require. Generally, you will know by their response if you might be a good fi t.
During our conversation, I ask three very important questions:
1. How Did You Find Our Firm? Are you familiar with our work? Did you
come across my work in an editorial in a magazine? Are you a referral
from a client? If you have been referred, that would mean you are familiar
with what working with my fi rm would be like. Did you conduct
an internet search and fi nd me that way? If so, next questions are have
you reviewed my portfolio, read my client's testimonials and my " how
we work " page? Th is will give me insight as to how much they know
about our fi rm.
2. What Is the Scope of Work and the Timeline for the Project? If the client
is looking for services you do not provide, you should politely and
honestly let them know that up front. Next, look at the type of project
as well as the timeline. I specialize in kitchen, bath and millwork projects.
Furthermore, our materials are custom, so they will take time to
produce. If the client is looking for something outside of the services
we provide or a faster timeline than we can accommodate, we might
not be a good fi t. Again, being forthright during the interview process
avoids problems down the road.
3. What Are You Willing to Invest in Your Project? Unquestionably, this is one
of the most important factors in a successful designer-client relationship.
Th e client may not have any idea what their project will cost if they work
with you. I use my portfolio to help them understand what investment
is needed to complete a project. Th en, if needed, you can further explain
the value you bring beyond the material costs.
16
/ JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023
" When speaking with your
prospective client, you should
succinctly explain what
services you provide, your
design process, what value you
bring to the project and what
type of investment working
with your firm will require. "
HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
I have many years of experience with successful
designer-client relationships. During our initial
meeting, I am often asked " What do you need
from us? " My best response is honesty. We can
talk about the project and look at inspiration
boards and portfolio images, but if everyone is
not being honest, not only will the project fail but
so will the designer-client relationship. Being up
front about the costs, the availability of products
and what your schedule is like are three of the
most important details to discuss.
WHO IS YOUR IDEAL CLIENT?
Determining this provides the key to fi nding that
client. I know who my processes, services and
design style resonate with. Th at discovery was
crucial to successfully developing my own designer-client
relationships. Once you understand
the personality and expectations of you and your
dream client, the rest will fall into place.
Th is may sound like a long process, but I have
honed these conversations down to a 15- to
20-minute discovery call. If you lay the proper
groundwork, your collaborations will be so much
stronger. Just like building a strong foundation
to support a building, build the foundation to
support a great designer-client relationship.
By Sharon Sherman, CKD, ASID, CID,
NCIDQ, founder and principal of Thyme & Place
Design, thymeandplacedesign.com
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Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business January/February 2023
