The lessons I
have learned throughout my business often start within me as
a vague feeling of uneasiness, and then after a time or two
I can pinpoint what was making me feel uncomfortable as the
problem is clarified and the lesson is learned. Some people
might call this learning the hard way. And it still
surprises me when I have to learn the same lesson more than
once.
The first time
I learned this particular lesson involved great enthusiasm
on my part. I was so excited about all of the things I
could do for a client that I really didn’t narrow the
solution down to their need – I just said things like “Oh,
you need a new chair? I can do that” or “You need built-in
bookshelves? I can make that happen” or “you have beautiful
things – I can make this room look gorgeous.” But what they
wanted to know was –“How does this work? What happens
next? How are you going to work with me?”
After a couple
of times of being sure that the client and I really hit it
off and why oh why didn’t they hire me to do the work it
occurred to me – I wasn’t answering their question. When my
client said she needed a new chair, after letting her know I
could do that, I needed to explain to her how I was
going to do that. In my business there are several ways to
get a new chair from me – but after spending some time with
her and determining how she liked to operate, the answer for
her specifically was –
-
I will
shop in stores locally that will sell a chair right off
the floor.
-
I will
take digital pictures and be sure dimensions will be
correct for the space.
-
You will
then decide which chairs you want to see so you can sit
on them
-
You can do
that alone or you can hire me to join you
-
You can
purchase the chair directly from the store and have it
delivered.
It did not
matter at this time that I carry exclusive furniture lines
that you can only purchase through a designer and that
fabric samples and furniture could be viewed on line and the
chair could be custom designed and ordered and delivered in
12 weeks – because that is not what this client needed. It
was up to me to determine which one of my services would
best suit her needs. A custom piece of furniture that would
take her 12 weeks to receive and she would never see in any
of the homes of her friends was not what she was looking for
at this time.
Being the
creative types that we often are, and knowing what we know
about our business, it is very easy to answer this question
by saying “Any way you want it to. We can do anything that
you want.” And herein lies the problem.
Very often
your client doesn’t know what they want. They may
think they know, but once you start asking them questions
and letting them know what services you offer, their wants
may change dramatically. Determining what the client is
looking for is often one of the toughest parts of your job –
many clients know they need something – but they may not be
sure what that something is.
And telling
them that you can do anything they want doesn’t help clarify
the situation for the client. Anything is just too
broad. It doesn’t let the client know how you will do
things for them specifically – and ultimately that is the
answer that they are looking for.
Consider these
things before answering this question. First and foremost,
your answer must be suited to the specific client and their
needs. Be sure that you are clear on what the client is
looking for – if not, ask questions until both you and the
client are clear.
Now that you
are clear on just what it is your client wants, you need to
consider the services you offer, and be sure to tailor these
services to the clients needs. Now I know that sounds
simplistic, but this too is very important. How can you
satisfy the wants if this client? How are you going to do
this? How does this work?
Being vague or
overly broad with your response will not move you forward in
your design work. When you are unclear, so is your client,
which will eventually lead to discomfort which will
eventually lead to lack of trust – and trust is the most
important element in your relationship.
Copyright © 2006 Mary Larsen Designs, GrowYourDesignBiz.com
Do you want to use this article on your website or in your
newsletter? If so, you must use the following bio info: Mary
Larsen is the founder of
www.MaryLarsenDesigns.com
and
www.GrowYourDesignBiz.com
– where she helps you design your home
– or design and grow! - your business. She has been featured
on ABCs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and is cited as an
expert in small business and design in various media
sources.
