Money-tudes

Money Talk and The Business of Home Fashions Design

New Designer Success Teleclass:
Thursday, September 4, 8:00 PM Eastern

Are your attitudes around money making you rich...
or keeping you stuck?

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Chocolate Flowers

Going Beyond Customer Service

While taking a break from an intense day of antiquing, my friends and I ducked into a quaint coffee shop to rest our weary bones. We each decided to order chai lattes - a black spiced tea with a coat of foam on top. The barista asked if we would like cinnamon and chocolate in the tea and, before I could raise an objection (chocolate in tea?), one of my friends responded affirmatively for all of us.

A few moments later the lattes were ready and we were summoned to the counter to pick up our fancy drinks. As I approached the counter, I was delighted to see that on top of the white foam, the barista had drawn an outline of a beautiful flower in chocolate syrup. Imagine that! It was the first time I ever felt that five dollars was actually a bargain for a cup of tea!

That simple flower was something the three of us talked about while we drank our tea, after we left the coffee house, while we shopped, and then several times over the next few weeks. It cost the store practically nothing and took very little time, but it was a charming surprise. For such a small effort, those chocolate flowers made a great impact.

That experience got me thinking. What is my chocolate flower? What is it that I can give to my clients that is unexpected, that is more than I promise, that is a pleasant surprise?

After thinking about it for quite some time, I came upon the realization that there is not one perfect answer. Each of my clients may require a different chocolate flower. And each designer may have their own unique chocolate flowers. But to qualify as a chocolate flower, a product or service must have these two qualities:

- It must be something the customer will like
and
- It must be unexpected - more than promised

I don't know where I first heard it said, but I always like to follow the rule:
"Under-promise and Over-deliver"

Your chocolate flower is part of the over-delivering.

As consumers and designers, we have the opportunity to interact with numerous businesses daily. Doesn't it feel great when companies provide exceptional service - going above and beyond what was expected? (Order several yards of fabric and the mill sends a memo sample for our client file; Buy new tires and the car comes back washed.)

Let's talk about some ways to serve chocolate flowers:

• At the completion of a design project, give your client a board with samples of all their paints, fabrics, and trims attached, so that they can bring it with them while shopping for coordinating items.


• If you are designing a baby's room, make a diaper bag out of leftover fabric scraps.


• While you are up on the 16-foot ladder installing a window treatment, dust the chandelier, clean the window, or replace a light bulb.

The Benefits of Chocolate

For about two cents and thirty seconds of time, that coffee shop received the benefit of some powerful word-of-mouth marketing with much more impact than any advertising could have accomplished. I told at least thirty people about the special service I received, and those people told others. I even heard that some friends were discussing it when I wasn't around. Now I'm writing about it!

Can you imagine such publicity? Would that kind of chatter impact your business in a positive way? Could community gossip about your fabulous, unbelievable service add to your bottom line?

Of course, the answers to these questions are yes! As designers and business owners, it is up to us to create our own chocolate flowers - to find ways to go beyond what is expected of us. It can be the difference between a customer who is satisfied and one who is overwhelmed by the exemplary service and professionalism of her designer. Chocolate flowers are one of the most effective marketing tools at our disposal, and the best part about it is that it costs practically nothing to provide.

Increase your Profits with Add-On Sales

Upselling can often double your profits. And it doesn't take much effort. Once you've created a relationship with a prospect, you simply need to show them other things that will add to the design you have provided.

Upselling is simply offering something else to your client - in addition to what they have already chosen to purchase - that would make their design even better.

REMEMBER: With add-on sales, what you are ultimately offering your clients is:
added convenience increased safety complete personalized service

Here are 10 ideas for add-on sales. Some may seem obvious (but are you offering them at every appointment??), and others may not. You might want to print out this list and keep it in your briefcase near the contracts, so that you remember to recommend something else before you write up the final agreement.

1. Custom Pillows
I remember when it seemed standard to offer pillows to match the draperies. Most designs are not so "matchy matchy" now, but custom pillows can almost always add to the look of a room. The options are limitless - you can create spectacular designs (and your profits are often high!).
2. Passimenterie
Yes, just a fancy word for trimmings. Bedding, pillows, window treatments, etc. always look more unique with the addition of beautiful tassels, fringe, and trim.
3. Coordinating Accessories
What will complete the room you are designing? A mirror? Artwork? Candles? Your clients will appreciate the convenience of getting the whole finished look.
4. Lighting
You don't have to be a lighting expert to recommend lighting. Connect with a local lighting specialist and create a joint venture.
5. Florals
Work with a talented florist, or provide elegant silk florals to add the finishing touch to a room.
6. Another Room
"While you're waiting for the samples to arrive, do you want to get started on your next project?"
7. Hardware
Changing the hardware on cabinets or furniture can literally transform the look of a room.
8. Motorization
If you are designing window treatments, offer the motorization upgrade for increased safety and convenience.
9. Area Rugs
Many homeowners have a hard time choosing rugs, and they will appreciate you taking away their struggle.
10. Fabric Accessories
Use the fabric from your client's upholstery or window treatment, or choose a coordinating pattern, and you can create anything. I've done chandelier cord sleeves, placemats, room dividers, ottomans, table runners, and even a flower vase cover. How about trunks, toilet seat covers, sink skirts, towels, napkin rings, drapery tiebacks, ... the ideas are endless!

While you are at the appointment establishing a relationship, and the client is ready to purchase, you know she already likes and trusts you. So why not suggest the perfect finishing touch to go with her _____? You'll be creating a better design, and putting more in your pocket.

Got some inspiring add-on tips of your own? Click to share them here.

My Biggest Time Management Secret

I struggle with getting everything done, just like everyone else. All my life I've tried to cram too much into each day. Then I had a baby, and - well, those of you who have kids know that's like adding 3 more full-times jobs to your schedule.

So when people ask me how I get so much done, I try to think about what I'm doing that many others aren't.

One thing I've learned to do is delegate. I'm not perfect at this - I'm still learning to give things away. But each week that goes by, I let a little more go. If a task doesn't require me personally to get it done, it should be done by someone else.

But delegating isn't my biggest secret. Of course, that really isn't even a secret. Most of us know that we should delegate more. We just have to start doing it.

My best secret for getting more done is a quote from marketing guru, Dan Kennedy:
"Good enough is good enough"

This phrase usually horrifies perfectionists (which I know most of you are). But being absolutely perfect about everything is also something we need to let go.

Just think about this weekly newsletter. When I first started doing newsletters, I spent days putting each one together. I'd take a few hours to write an article. Then I'd edit it, re-write it, and edit it again. Then I would send it to a few friends to get their opinion. "Make sure you find any typos and grammar mistakes," I'd say. After correcting it a few more times, I had to send it to myself to proof it yet again. It was a miracle that I got even one newsletter out each month.

I did the same with all my promotional materials - which meant I never had anything done! I was afraid to put up a website or send out flyers because they weren't perfect yet. What if there was a mistake? What if some people didn't like it? What a waste of my time!

As you probably see now - I am not so worried about being perfect. There are often mistakes in my articles, and my grammar isn't perfect. I just try to write from my heart, and then I SEND IT OUT.

And I get so much more done! Can you do the same? While there are certainly things that should still require your perfectionist attitude, there are many things that do not. For these tasks, you must remember:

Good enough is good enough.

Wow - I wrote this article in less than an hour.
I'd invite you to find all my goofs, but that would be a waste of your time.
Go do something constructive!

My Big Birthday Bash in the new house

We had our first party in the new house, and although we aren't decorated or furnished, it was a blast to have friends and family over. Now the house really feels like a home. It's amazing how the energy of a home changes when friends come to visit.

Here are some photos from the weekend:

Me and Hubby Rob

My friend - and genius webmaster, Michael

Best friend Karen - revealing that her gift to me

is a playmate for Ellie (she's pregnant - yippee!)

Everyone's reaction to Karen's news

Rob performing a game show skit in my honor

Karen and Kelly - my two preggie friends

Getting Creative in a Challenging Economy

A special report for Interior Designers, Decorators, and other Home Fashion Specialists

Are you feeling like your clients and prospects are getting more wary about spending money? Are they taking longer to make decisions? Are you struggling to convince homeowners to purchase from you?

If not, great! You are one of the lucky few. Although "official" statistics do not yet show that consumer spending has dropped, many designers have seen a slow-down in spending on home furnishings.

So what do we do? Many small business owners stick their heads in the sand and ignore it, hoping that what they've done in the past will start working again... soon. But studies show that if you keep doing the same type of marketing and selling while the economy changes around you, you very well could be out of business before things pick up. If you want to be a design professional who thrives despite the challenging economy, there are many proven methods you can use.

Here are a few ideas:

• Spend more time and energy on short-term marketing
  Long-term strategies, like branding and website optimization, are extremely important for creating a strong, profitable business, so you can't give that up. BUT - in a slower economy, you need to apply strategies that create immediate revenue. Hold a promotion, offer a limited-time special, try pay-per-click advertising.
• Highlight your less expensive products
  Okay, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying to sell cheap things, or to sacrifice your high-end image. But there are homeowners who want to spend right now - if they can get something less expensive. If you can offer a fabric line, for example, with lower cost fabrics that are still of a quality you are proud to sell, everyone wins.
• Go virtual
  Is there a way you can offer any of your services online or over the phone? Businesses that are working this way are seeing overhead costs go WAY down, and profits go way UP.
• Increase online product sales
  Most designers have a hard time imagining selling online. We are artists, for goodness sake! And our services are personal and customized. How can we sell over the Internet? Well - with rising gas prices, homeowners are shopping online more than ever. These homeowners, who once only wanted customized service (and who will want this again in the next few years), will more likely purchase something now because it is quick, easy, and inexpensive. Make sure you have products for this market.
• Ramp up your client retention
  It is always harder and more expensive to acquire a new client than it is to get business from a past one. But during a slow economy, the cost of acquiring new customers is even higher. Remember to exceed your existing clients' expectations, and keep in touch with past customers through your email newsletter and by calling them on the phone.

When the market seems tough, you just need to be smarter with your marketing. Fortunately, you now have some effective tactics to use so that you can not only get through the tough times, but actually flourish!

Leverage your business using the Internet

And make a lot more money, while working less

My next program designed to help you skyrocket your income - while working LESS hours - will be starting in June. It is an intensive course that includes lots of one-on-one time. I am going to show you specifically how to use the Internet to leverage your business - and create extra money every month. (This program requires a substantial investment, and if you think it is for you, email my assistant Scott for more information)