Are you constantly complaining about cheap clients? Unrealistic budgets? Clients who want to use your services but don’t want to pay you?
This is a common complaint…
I regularly hear about designers who are shrinking to fit small budgets and the demanding clients they end up working for – it breaks my heart!
Tell me, are you giving more and more, and getting less and less back? If so, this is a problem that can be solved and the solution starts with YOU!
You must first have a clear understanding of the value you bring to a design job and the results the client gets by hiring you. This will help you say no to a client’s unreasonable requests and respond by making them an offer of what you can do in order to get better jobs and bigger fees!
So here are a few tips to help you get started:
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Budget on the Fly
Use the “budget on the fly” process to immediately determine a potential clients real budget and then decide if this is the client for you or not. Trust me: it’s perfectly fine to tell a client who wants to buy an $899.00 sofa that you cannot help them!
If you not familiar with “Budget on the Fly” CLICK HERE It is my signature process for qualifying a client and getting a real budget in just minutes on the first appointment.
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Raise Your Minimum Fee
Don’t sell your time by the hour, and certainly not at an hour at a time. Create an entry-level design package fee that represents 3-4 hours of your time, and then explain what you can realistically complete in that time. And when ready, move your old clients up to the new rates as well.
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Time To Upgrade
Become familiar with the better quality, higher-end materials, furniture and fabrics that you’ve wanted to use instead of what you have been using. Start designing with those higher-end products since it’s always easier to sell whatever you’re excited about!
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Connections, Connections, Connections
Get out of your office and start networking with people who are connected to your target clients! Maybe it’s a nonprofit event, fundraiser, mixer… just get out there. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you connect with your target clients!
