Does this sound like you?

"I offer free consultations and I’ve been successful at getting a lot of appointments this way. My problem is that very few of them turn in to work."

Are you having problems converting consultations into new business? If so, you’re not alone. 

After working with clients – and having them describe for me what happens during their typical consultation – I’ve found that two main problems get in the way of converting a consultation into business: lack of confidence and uneasiness or awkwardness when the issue of money arises. Let me explain.

First, I find that too many design professionals display a lack of confidence. Notice I said “display” a lack of confidence. You may feel that you ARE confident and, in fact, you very well may be.  However, you may not realize how your body language, facial expression, the tone of your voice, etc. is “coming off” to prospective clients. Remember: a person’s perception is that person’s reality. Put another way, if someone perceives your actions, speech and mannerisms as lacking confidence, that is what they will think of you – regardless of whether their perception of you is true or not. Their perception of you IS true for THEM. 

Before you get out of your car to go into your next consultation, take a moment to reflect on ALL your past successes.  Recall that big project you completed on time and within budget. Recall your client’s reaction of joy upon seeing the new space you created. Revel in a job well done and EXPECT that the same will happen for you again!

Earlier this week, I happened to come upon a saying. I don’t know who said it, but it makes my point perfectly: 

Winners expect to win in advance. Life is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Take this advice to heart. Expect to WIN! Expressing confidence is a HUGE part of converting a consultation into new business.

Second, when the issue of budget or fees comes up, many design professionals look like a deer caught in a headlight. Your eyes may start to glaze over as your mind races, thinking “What should I say? How can I answer that? I don’t want to scare them (the prospective clients) away.” Does that sound familiar?

Before you go into a consultation, you should have a clear understanding of your pricing strategies, your fee structure, etc. I often recommend that my clients charge on an hourly basis. That way, if the scope of the project changes or the client needs to go on several unexpected shopping trips, you are being properly compensated for your time. The point here is:  know in your mind what you charge and be confident that your fee offers good value to the prospective client. 

One other thing to keep in mind: EXPECT a prospective client to ask you about your fees. They’ve expressed interest in your services by asking you into their home to talk about a project. Expect to wow them such that, after getting to know you during the consultation, they will want to hire you. Well, before they can make an intelligent decision as to whether to hire you, they need to know what you will charge for your services.

Now I’m not talking about giving them an estimate of your fees (I would NEVER suggest that). Rather, be upfront and unapologetic when you announce your hourly rate. If pressed, you may offer a range – and, I would suggest, you make the range rather broad – of the number of hours you would expect to spend on their project. When I say “range”, I mean range. So you might say something like: “As I’ve said, no two projects are alike, so I don’t know how much time will ultimately be spent on your project. However, I would expect somewhere in the range of X – Y hours.” Again, be sure to make the range wide and, if anything OVER-estimate your time, leaving some wiggle room for extra time. Doing this will not only answer the prospective client’s question as to your fees, but it will also help you to get a good idea of where your prospective client’s head is. When presented with your estimated range of hours and your hourly rate, was her reaction:  “Oh my goodness. That’s a LOT!” or was her reaction simply: “OK. That sounds fine.” 

If her reaction was the former, you can ask a few clarifying questions to find out what she expected to pay for your services.  With that information, you can then educate the prospective client on what her expected budget would cover (for example, you might say: “I understand your budget is about $500. For $500, I could come up with 3 different layouts and offer ideas on paint colors.”). Whatever you do, do NOT discount your fees. Instead, try to educate the prospective client on a realistic estimate of time to accomplish the project and, if the estimated fee amount is too high, offer to work within her budget by suggesting tackling a PORTION of the work. In this way, you send the message that you value your time and that you are a professional. 

Bottom line:  be confident in yourself as an expert and be ready to talk money. As I’ve indicated, a little preparation can go a long way toward converting a mere consultation to your next project.

Good luck!