Why People Fear Hiring a Designer and How to Gain Their Trust
Soothe potential clients’ fears with clear communication about — and throughout — the design process
Interior designers beautify spaces, come up with much-needed functional solutions and simply make life at home better. So why do so many people hesitate to hire them? Experienced interior designers chime in on why some potential clients may be intimidated by the idea of working with a professional and the strategies used to turn them around and ensure a smooth process.
Rosene posted these reasons on her website and followed them up with a clear explanation of her process. This calms the fears potential clients have before they even speak with her. Her post explains that:
- The design process is collaborative.
- Clients will be walked through a step-by-step process.
- Projects can be broken down room by room.
- Services are charged for in a clear-cut way.
Build Trust From the First Conversation
Having a therapist’s skill set is key to working with clients. It applies when designers have to play mediator, help a couple compromise, or need to push people out of their comfort zones to give them the design that will work best for them. You’re in people’s homes, changing the way they’ll experience daily life, and they’ll be laying out their hard-earned money for it. So quickly establishing the same kind of trust and comfort they’d have with a therapist is crucial to a successful relationship.
“Building blocks of client trust are based upon an open dialogue where we address trepidation, fear and anxiety from the start,” interior designer Julia Mack says. “A good amount of my time is spent creating a foundation that is based upon realistic goals and time and budget constraints. If I gain trust from the beginning, we can alleviate so many issues.”
Having a therapist’s skill set is key to working with clients. It applies when designers have to play mediator, help a couple compromise, or need to push people out of their comfort zones to give them the design that will work best for them. You’re in people’s homes, changing the way they’ll experience daily life, and they’ll be laying out their hard-earned money for it. So quickly establishing the same kind of trust and comfort they’d have with a therapist is crucial to a successful relationship.
“Building blocks of client trust are based upon an open dialogue where we address trepidation, fear and anxiety from the start,” interior designer Julia Mack says. “A good amount of my time is spent creating a foundation that is based upon realistic goals and time and budget constraints. If I gain trust from the beginning, we can alleviate so many issues.”
Explain the Return They’ll Get on Their Investment in You
“Hiring a designer is a luxury — you have to let your clients know that the expense is worth the investment,” says interior designer Irene Lovett of designstiles. Among the myriad reasons she lists:
“Hiring a designer is a luxury — you have to let your clients know that the expense is worth the investment,” says interior designer Irene Lovett of designstiles. Among the myriad reasons she lists:
- Designers will manage your project. This takes the stress off you and puts it on them.
- Designers have years of experience that will prevent you from making costly mistakes.
- Designers know where to go and have developed beneficial relationships with trade sources. Without them it’s likely you’ll run all over the place and become overwhelmed.
- Designers can mediate when couples have design conflicts and can find compromises that make both parties happy.
- Designers will watch your budget. “Knowing that every little thing adds up makes us vigilant. And we know where it’s worth spending and where we can save,” Lovett says.
- Designers are always problem solving. “Clients should not be stressed out during construction — that’s our job,” Lovett says. “Problems always come up and we always figure out solutions.”
Get All Parties on Board
You know how it goes: Often one half of a couple is much more involved in the project than the other, so you mostly or solely communicate with them. But this means you’re gaining the trust of only one of your clients, which can lead to miscommunications and problems. So it’s important to make sure there isn’t a hidden hesitant partner who will pop up later. Rosene says she urges all parties to be present for the first meeting so that everyone is on the same page.
“When only one out of a couple attends, that person is responsible for relaying my information to their partner,” Mack says, “and this is when things then get muddy and confusing — that attending person does not have the vocabulary nor skill to explain why it is a good idea to hire a professional designer, and it’s these situations that can cause a potential project to never get off the ground.”
Likewise, if one client doesn’t attend the initial meetings but decides to get involved later, things can fall apart. “A project usually derails when a spouse who does not attend the initial meeting decides that it’s all not worth the time nor money,” Mack says. “I always ask that both people in a couple attend the initial consultation so that we are all on the same page as to how to move their project forward.”
You know how it goes: Often one half of a couple is much more involved in the project than the other, so you mostly or solely communicate with them. But this means you’re gaining the trust of only one of your clients, which can lead to miscommunications and problems. So it’s important to make sure there isn’t a hidden hesitant partner who will pop up later. Rosene says she urges all parties to be present for the first meeting so that everyone is on the same page.
“When only one out of a couple attends, that person is responsible for relaying my information to their partner,” Mack says, “and this is when things then get muddy and confusing — that attending person does not have the vocabulary nor skill to explain why it is a good idea to hire a professional designer, and it’s these situations that can cause a potential project to never get off the ground.”
Likewise, if one client doesn’t attend the initial meetings but decides to get involved later, things can fall apart. “A project usually derails when a spouse who does not attend the initial meeting decides that it’s all not worth the time nor money,” Mack says. “I always ask that both people in a couple attend the initial consultation so that we are all on the same page as to how to move their project forward.”
Show How a Designer Makes a Difference
“Often when I first step into a space, I’ll ask, ‘What if we try moving the furniture this way?’ ” Mack says. Then she quickly sketches up a floor plan and 3D perspective to show them the layout she has in mind. The next step is moving everything around to let them test out the new arrangement. “I explain that it’s free for us to move furniture, nice to live with for a week, and if they are not happy with it after that we can discuss more possible solutions,” she says.
“Often when I first step into a space, I’ll ask, ‘What if we try moving the furniture this way?’ ” Mack says. Then she quickly sketches up a floor plan and 3D perspective to show them the layout she has in mind. The next step is moving everything around to let them test out the new arrangement. “I explain that it’s free for us to move furniture, nice to live with for a week, and if they are not happy with it after that we can discuss more possible solutions,” she says.
Your turn: Why do you find some potential clients are hesitant to hire an interior designer? What kinds of solutions have you used to soothe their fears? Please share in the Comments.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more articles for pros
Design Practice: How to Ensure the Best Client Experience
8 Things Successful Architects and Designers Do
Tips to Help You Qualify Prospective Clients
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more articles for pros
Design Practice: How to Ensure the Best Client Experience
8 Things Successful Architects and Designers Do
Tips to Help You Qualify Prospective Clients
Interior designer Dona Rosene has found that people hesitate to hire a designer for the following reasons: