Negotiating in Your Interior Design Business

10 things a client wants besides a great price:

1) A "no brainer" easy relationship.

2) Predictability, reliability, and dependability.

3) Quick reaction to their needs

4) Accurate quoting of delivery times.

5) Cost reduction by not allowing costly mistakes.

6) Total product knowledge and sources.

7) A willingness to go to bat when a problem arises.

8) Early notice of any delays of delivery.

9) Ease of doing business with.

10) Quick and no hassle remedies to problems. And of course, an experience they won't forget, and they will tell their friends!


Tracking all costs

Do you have a system for tracking all costs of a job?

Are you really tracking all the costs of a job?

How do you value your time?

How much of it do you give away?

It has been remarkable how many times I have coached designers who give their time away. This business requires a lot of time to put a job together. You need to put a value to your time, and track it for each client. Once you see this in dollars and cents, you will be very reluctant to negotiate on price. I use Quick Books, a great accounting program that provides a way to assign labor costs to each job.

The 4 Temperaments

The Choleric

The Choleric, she is a self-motivated leader. She is someone who can be strong willed, and make quick decisions and relentlessly pursues her goals. Decorating decisions are not something to agonize over. She can be a great client, because she decides fast, but she will turn on you if she doesn't't like the final results. "It's your fault, you're the designer, why did you let me select this?" No one can stand in her way. This person typical is logical and practical and doesn't reveal emotions easily, unless it is anger. They can be at times, stubborn and bossy, and demand loyalty from those who are involved with them. However, if pleased, she will tell the world that you are great!

The Melancholic

The Melancholic likes her time to be quiet and reflective. She likes her home to beautifully decorated and organized. You can usually tell a Melancholic by looking into their closets and seeing how perfect everything is. The Melancholic tends to be very critical and pessimistic, however, if you can please them, they will become extremely loyal and your greatest advocate.

The Phlegmatic

The Phlegmatic can be easy going and is usually likable. She is someone who is dependable, polite, and even-tempered. This person is not flashy and her decorating decisions are usually informal, she likes a comfortable, easy to live in home. She can be un-opinionated, and this is difficult in making decorating decisions. She will have to be led to choices. If she is unhappy, you might not know it, because, she is not likely to complain about anything. She doesn't like to stir up a conflict. You will have to push her to complain.

The Sanguine

The Sanguine is most likely the life of the party. She like social activities and has lots of friends. She is creative and imaginative, and loves to decorate. To her, Decorating is Entertainment! Since she is very spontaneous, and will make quick decisions, you need to slow her down at times. The Sanguine can also become easily distracted, and hard to get to focus. She might get angered quickly but she is quick to forgive and forget.