For this reason, we have made this short guide for you in which we explain in detail the psychology of a high-level client that can really help you boost your career and your reputation as an interior designer and / or decorator.
¿What makes a customer truly valuable?
First of all, we list some basic characteristics that separate clients who can offer you large and recurring projects, from those who will only put you to work on proposals without actually specifying anything important.
1.- Design is part of your lifestyle
It is not about someone who for the first time decides to invest in decoration, but about a person who grew up surrounded by elegance and good taste.
2.-The budget is not a problem
Or, at the very least, it is not a particularly restrictive subject. These are clients who understand the value of good design and don't expect you to work miracles on a minimal budget.
3.-They know how to work in a team
On the one hand, they have a more or less clear idea of what they want and seek, but on the other, they are open to new proposals and offer you a good margin of freedom in your work because they trust that you are the expert.
4.- They can connect you with other valuable customers
A satisfied client means a lot of long-term recommendations, especially when you are working with a person who has good relationships and surrounds himself with people with the same profile.
What do these types of clients look for in their ideal interior designer?
Just as you look for certain kinds of projects, clients who have the most ambitious and interesting projects are looking for a very particular type of designer. Make sure you project these qualities early on and you'll have a much better chance of success.
1.- Portfolio and references
You don't necessarily have to have an impressive track record as an interior designer for your portfolio to impress a good client. What is a fact is that the projects you have worked on have to be characterized by their high quality, originality and distinctive stamp.
Therefore, whenever you work on a project, make sure you document it properly in your portfolio, highlighting the most creative aspects and the way in which you solved the most important challenges. If you can, manage a portfolio of residential projects and another of commercial projects.
On the other hand, consider that each happy customer is a reference that you can give to a potential customer.
2.-Versatility
Although each designer has a unique stamp that characterizes it, it is also important that you can project variety in your portfolio. That is, you have no problem adapting to different styles and needs. It is essential that the client does not end up thinking something like "your work is excellent, but I don't know if it suits what I want."
3.-Connection and creativity
Enhancing the client's personality and not imposing yours on a design project is perhaps one of the most complex challenges you are going to face in your career, especially when you come across clients who are already familiar with interior decoration, and they have very clear expectations.
Being creative and purposeful is part of your job, but also making sure that creativity is 100% aimed at meeting the client's needs.
4.- Various proposals
Naturally, when choosing an interior designer, the ideal client will always want to compare various proposals. Don't forget that you're probably competing with at least a couple of colleagues, so go ahead and take the time to create not one, but two or three different initial proposals for your prospect.
This gives you a much greater chance that one of them will be chosen, from among all those that the client may have. And even that he feels so satisfied with your proactivity that he decides not to look for other options.
5.- Comprehensive service
The ideal customer is usually a fairly busy customer at the same time. This means that he is waiting for a comprehensive service, so that he only has to explain what he needs, give the green light to the budget and get to enjoy his new environment as soon as possible.
Therefore, if as a designer you only offer the design project and not the full service to materialize that proposal (hiring of labor, purchase and quotation of materials, supervision, etc.), it is likely that, although it is very good, the prospect will choose for convenience and convenience to a provider that does cover everything.
6.- Knowledge of the best design brands and most innovative materials
One of the designer's permanent jobs is to “hunt” all the time for new proposals both in furniture and decoration design, as well as in materials for interior design. In fact, the ideal is that as far as possible you worry not only about meeting the best exponents of Mexican design, but also about relating to them in order to get better prices and exclusive designs.
For example, at POLaRT we love to pamper our interior designers and design professionals who trust our products to give their work a unique touch. Do you already know our customizable catalog?
7.- Trust and professionalism
Finally, it is worth emphasizing that an ideal client seeks a totally reliable, transparent and efficient service. Never accept a project that exceeds your possibilities and your times, and do not promise what you cannot fulfill just to keep the project. They say that a satisfied customer equals a good recommendation, but a dissatisfied customer equals hundreds of bad recommendations.
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