Once you have identified your ideal clients and referral partners, you can start to focus your marketing more effectively. But what is the next step after you begin to receive referrals and attract your ideal clients? You need to have a process ready to set the stage for a successful first consultation. Your brand should come through in the professionalism of your website, as well as the process you set up for the initial interview. In this article, you’ll learn how to nail your client consultation, every time!
Set expectations before your prospects become clients
By now you have a very clear picture of your Ideal Client Profile (and if you don’t, be sure to read the linked article!). From that, you know you want more clients that fit that profile. How do you do that? By making your brand experience transparent to your prospects, and by addressing their fears and concerns not just by what YOU say, but what your satisfied clients say during the client consultation.
Include the following forms on your website – either as downloadable documents or on separate tabs. Just posting this information on your website can help educate and filter prospective clients.
- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Process of Design – paint a picture of what their experience will be
- Client testimonials
- Contact form – with questionnaire to fill out
Create an initial screening process
Go to fewer interviews. Instead have prospective clients answer key questions on a form on your website, and THEN evaluate and set up a phone interview. If you can tell from the questionnaire that you are not a good fit for each other, send them a thank you note and let them know. Wish them well on their project. You can gain some goodwill with the prospect and with the industry by suggesting another designer they might consider.
Clients need to understand immediately that your time is valuable. Plan about 45 minutes on the phone with prospective clients and ask key questions. As your firm grows, you can train your team members to do this initial screening. Delegating the Initial Client Interview saves you time that you could instead spend on money-making projects. You want to find out if you are a good fit before traveling out to their site, so this step is key in the client consultation process!
Second prospect interview
Once you decide a prospect is a potentially good fit, arrange an in-person appointment. Hold this meeting in your office or at a neutral location (not the job site). Explain that your experience has shown that it is best to determine if you are well-suited to working together before the initial onsite consultation. If you do not have an office, you might consider a conference room at the local library or museum, or a co-op office center. A coffee house is a possibility if you are conscious of the time of day and busy hours. Meeting at your office or a neutral location puts you more in charge of the meeting and the time. You can avoid interruptions such as their children, friends, nannies, maids, phone calls, etc. that can – and often do – happen at their homes.
Suggest they visit your website before the meeting and then plan to spend about one hour or less in person for this first interview. If meeting at your office, they can see the professionalism of the space and get a better feeling for all that you do. You can pull out folders/notebooks of previous client jobs similar to the work they are planning and then take them through the process. They have a better feel for the extent of the process and what you bring to it. Set an ending time and be sure to stick to it – remember that this is not a social chat. This is serious business and crucial for a successful client consultation!
When setting this first in-person meeting you can state that if they prefer to meet at their home/office, you are happy to do so with the addition of an onsite consultation fee that can apply to the project fee. Explain that the reason for doing so. You should not meet onsite first as it is premature to begin discussing project details without being sure that it’s a good fit. Your fee is not an hourly fee, but an initial consultation fee – and set a maximum of 2 hours. Remember they have not signed the contract yet, so you have not yet started the “creative process.” Meeting onsite invites too many specific questions and it’s easy to get distracted.
However you set up this initial in-person meeting, don’t forget you are in charge. Do not abdicate your responsibility. When you set the time for the client consultation, be sure to let them know how long it will be. You make the rules, and you need to stick to them.
A few of the questions to consider asking at the initial interview
- How did you hear about us?
- Why are you interested in hiring an interior designer?
- What other designers have you considered?
- Have you ever worked with an interior designer before? If so, how was the experience and what did they do for you?
- What do you expect of the process?
- What budget do you have in mind?*
- What time frame are you looking at?
- Is there a special event for which you are aiming to be finished? (wedding, anniversary, etc.)
- What are the qualities you would like in a designer (they may be amazed that you would ask)
*If they are not really responding here, it is a good time to show them 2-3 pictures of different rooms or furniture lines with 2-3 different price ranges. It helps them get a realistic idea of pricing and helps you find where they fit.
References
Finally, if you both agree that it is a good fit, give them a list of references at the end of the interview. Circle about 5-10 of them that they might call. Explain that these were projects similar to what they are considering.
Showcase the professionalism of your firm from the first contact a potential client has with you. Your client consultation process should set the stage for a positive and professional working relationship if you both feel you are a good fit after the interview.