{"id":1520,"date":"2019-07-16T16:21:42","date_gmt":"2019-07-16T16:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tilebar.com\/learn\/?p=1520"},"modified":"2024-01-25T09:21:50","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T09:21:50","slug":"tips-of-the-trade-clients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tilebar.com\/learn\/tips-of-the-trade-clients\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips Of The Trade: Working With New Clients"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to working with clients, you want to make sure that they have a seamless experience. Between being helpful, and keeping a good rapport, there are many things that you should keep in mind for a successful relationship. To help you navigate the world of client relations within the interior design industry, we spoke to 3 experts that each bring their own point-of-views on what the 3 most important rules are when working with clients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, sip on your coffee (or tea!) and dive right into these expert pointers that will help your business grow and relationships thrive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expert 1: Susan Wintersteen, Savvy Interiors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"susan<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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1. Be responsive.<\/strong> \u201cYour very first\ninteraction will set the tone for working together, be responsive, have good\nfollow through and be confident in your value add.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Have your systems down.<\/strong> \u201cMake sure you\nhave a cohesive organized process for onboarding a new client. Set their\nexpectations from the beginning so you can focus on the fun part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Budget + Inspo In Place<\/strong>. \u201cNever start a project without inspiration photos or a budget in place. Never. You will save yourself a lot of hours if you have those two things to start.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Savvy Interiors Project Spotlight:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\"Living<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"pattern<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"wood<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Shop Bella Moma Tile<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Expert 2: Christina and Barette, Widell & Boschetti Interiors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"widell<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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1. Be Transparent.<\/strong>  \u201cBe as transparent as possible!! You want your clients to feel like you’re on their side.  That you are their advocate, doing things for their best interest.  The most important thing is to be honest with your pricing, timeline and as well as the way you work as an interior design firm.   Bottom line is you want your client to have trust in your vision as well as the process.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Create a realistic budget<\/strong>.  \u201cWhat to do when their clients can\u2019t \u2014 or won\u2019t \u2014 commit to a budget. This is a pretty common scenario, and it can happen for many reasons. Maybe your client truly hasn\u2019t figured out how much money they have available for the project, or they need to come to a consensus with their partner. Maybe they do have a general idea of what\u2019s available, but they\u2019re not sure what they can get for that amount. Maybe they thought they were OK with a certain number, but they start to have second thoughts when it comes time to commit to the full amount for the project.  Of course, you need a clear sense of how much a client can spend before you get too far Into their project. But instead of seeing the lack of a clear budget as a stumbling block, you should look at it as an opportunity. The lack of initial budget will give you a chance to really show your clients that you\u2019re going to work with them side by side, that you\u2019re committed to finding solutions, and that you\u2019ll be bringing valuable expertise that will enable them to get the best value for their money.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Exceed Expectations.<\/strong>  \u201cUnderstanding our customers’ unique requirements, challenges,  and delivering designs exceeding their expectations is what we do.  Use the over-deliver method by going far and beyond what was presented, i.e; something so small as quickly answering emails even if you don\u2019t have an answer let them know you received the email and will get back to the client as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Widell + Boschetti Project Spotlight:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\"Green<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Marble<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Marble<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Shop Arden Cozumel Tile<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Expert 3: Richard Ryder, Clear Cut Construction<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Image<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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1. Define Inspiration. \u201c<\/strong>First,\nalways determine their style by analyzing inspiration pictures.  I tend to\nsend clients to Houzz to look around.  I use these pictures to determine\nhow bold of a statement to make with the tile or color in my design.  I\nlook for consistent pictures that are also cohesive in architecture and decor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Kindly Fight Their Fears.<\/strong> \u201cIf the inspiration selections are conservative, I try to determine if they are conservative because of their taste or if they were chosen out of fear.  Sometimes they are just fearful and may really want something a little bolder but are unsure how to achieve the look. For times like these, I work to help ease them into a bolder choice through explanation. On the flipside, if they decide to stick with conservative style out of personal taste, then I lean more towards timeless tile options (such as the Lancaster and Santa Monica lines).  I\u2019ll also suggest a more timeless lay pattern such as the brick pattern and herringbone to shake things up a little.“<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.  Remind Them of the\nImportance of Grout<\/strong>.  \u201cI like to avoid losing the tile pattern in a\nneutral grout. Instead I go with a grout that has a different color tone to\nmake the pattern stand out. If it’s a light tile, then I will use a darker\ngrout and vice versa.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Clear Cut Construction Project Spotlight:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
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\"Tiles<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Back<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Dining<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Shop Asian Statuary Marble Tile<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Did you know we have TileBar Trade Program dedicated to serving design professionals like yourself? Check it out + join today for perks like tile discounts and free samples.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Join TileBar Trade<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We spoke to 3 experts that each bring their own point-of-views on what the 3 most important rules are when working with clients. 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