7 Questions to Ask When Considering Potential Clients
By Tobi Fairley
Sometimes it’s hard for a designer to express their design vision while meeting their clients wants and needs. I am often asked how I get my clients to go for a bold color, buy a several thousand dollar lamp, embrace a large graphic pattern, or let me paint their hardwood floors. I think it’s all about the client, so ask yourself these questions when considering potential clients. Finding one who trusts your vision will equal a win-win for you both.
1. How did the potential client find you? If they haven’t seen your work and aren’t coming to you because they “love your style”, they are likely not the ideal client for executing your unique design vision. If they found you from the phone book, beware!
2. Does the client think they know “exactly” what they want? If a client isn’t interested in hearing your design ideas, but rather just wants you to implement theirs, then they will likely be a difficult sale for cutting edge design. An open mind equals a unique design.
3. Did the client provide images of design ideas that appeal to them? If everything the potential client loves is super conservative, you can bet they won’t be confident enough to push the envelope with design. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and you can’t teach a conservative client to be daring.
4. Does your portfolio represent work of a similar bold style or daring design idea? If you are trying out edgy ideas on a client, you can bet they don’t want to be your Guinea Pig. Showing them similar work in your portfolio will help them understand and trust your vision.
5. Does the client budget allow for a unique design? No matter how daring a client, if the budget doesn’t support your ideas, then you won’t be able to execute them. And no amount of wishful thinking (or discounts) will change this. So don’t forgo your profits to implement your vision. It doesn’t pay the bills.
6. Can you thoroughly and effectively explain the unique technique you want to implement? Ok, so you showed the client a photo of a similar idea, but how will it really look in their home? Using sketches, renderings, and 3-D programs can help the client visualize your design dream and allow them to trust you to make it a reality.
7. Does the client value one-of-a-kind design? Just because your client has money, doesn’t mean that they want to spend it on over-the-top design ideas. Most clients err on the side of the masses and are perfectly fine with having things that aren’t entirely unique. Take cues from your client’s lifestyle, home, cars and other purchases to see if they gravitate to the unique or if they are fine with the ordinary. Nothing is wrong with ordinary; they just may not be the client for you.
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Tobi Fairley is a nationally-acclaimed interior designer based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Named by Traditional Home Magazine as one of the Top 20 Young designers in America in 2009, Tobi’s work has graced the cover of House Beautiful and been published in Traditional Home, Southern Living, and At Home in Arkansas numerous times. Tobi recently launched her own fabric line and will release several other products lines in 2012. Her DIY design service InBox Interiors and her Design Camps have been wildly successful. Tobi recently launched Tobi Fairley and Associates, a consulting group dedicated to helping firms with the business of design. She also blogs at Tobi's Blog.
Photo credit: © 2011 Tobi Fairley Interior Design
