Designers Getting Coffee

Q&A time! Every 10 episodes we're answering YOUR emails and DMs. Today we're discussing if referral programs are worth the investment, how to find the right business coach, and how to set boundaries with a client whose project is dragging on.

🌟View full show notes and links at https://designersgettingcoffee.com/40/ 🌟

Send us your questions about interior design, business, how to handle difficult work situations, and more! If you've got a burning Q, email us at [email protected] or send a DM on Instagram @designersgettingcoffee.

Hey designers - we're popping in with a special bonus episode because we KNOW you need help right now getting new clients and keeping your businesses afloat. (At least - full transparency - we do!) Stacey Brown Randall is an expert at helping small businesses flourish via referrals. Sounds boring, but OHMYGOSH the info she shares is genius - and could be a game-changer for your business right now.

So many businesses have gone from thriving to barely surviving right now in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis. Amazing service is the key to weathering this storm, and today we're sharing 10 ways that we go above and beyond to serve our clients and knock their socks off. Happy clients equal repeat clients and kickass referrals!

This is the last episode of Season 3 and we'll be taking a break for a while, and we'd love to hear your ideas for future episodes and future podcast guests. Please email [email protected] - we love to hear from you.

You know how we JUST talked about design proposals in Episode 36? Well, we've both had our eyes opened to a new way to present a proposal to a client that eliminates uncertainty, gives the client 'apples to apples' to compare, AND empowers them to choose the best design package for their needs and budget. Listen in for some stellar tips to use pricing options in your design proposals - and close a hella lot more sales!

Guys, things are so crazy in the world right now. We wanted to chat with you about what's happening in our lives and businesses during the COVID-19 social distancing and shelter-in-place, and let you know how we're preparing our businesses and families during this unexpected circumstance. This episode is totally real and raw - we didn't plan, we just hit record. And yes, things get super vulnerable. We're all in this together, friends.

Today we're welcoming our very first guest, Natalie Norcross! Natalie is a former interior designer who now specializes in public relations for interior designers. She recently launched “Interior Design PR,” a DIY public relations platform, and she's sharing some juicy PR tips and ideas that are sure to help you pitch editors with the right content at the right time - and get your work the media attention it deserves.

At the end of the in-person consultation, it's time to take things to the next level and propose the right design package to your client. But, uh, how exactly do you do this? In person? By email, the next day? And how do you know what exactly to propose to them? Here's how Kate and Lesley do it - and why Lesley is switching to a new way of presenting proposals.

The first in-person consultation can feel a bit intimidating, but we're going to help you get over that fear. In addition to walking you through our consultation processes and best practices, we're also sharing what we wish we knew earlier, like what to bring, what to wear, how to start an end the consultation, and making sure you get paid before you go. Kate and Lesley do a lot the same, but there are some notable differences. Listen in and get some ideas to up-level your consultations!

You gotta get to know your client, and a questionnaire is a great way to learn about them, their family, their needs, and their budget. Here's are the questions Kate and Lesley ask, how and when they send their questionnaires, and why a questionnaire is so darn useful.

What do you do when a client says your services are too expensive, or that they need to ask their partner? Or when they say the most vague thing of all: "Let me think about it." Today we are sharing the ways you can treat those objections with grace and move your “think about it prospect” to a “sign me up client”.