How to Know if a Networking Group is Right for Growing Your Design Business

Can This Networking Group Help Me Build My Business?

   

So many of my clients tell me they go to a networking meeting or two but give up because nothing happens. My response is usually that you must give the group a fair trial. Building relationships takes time so you will need to attend a few meetings of one organization to see any progress. That said however some organizations may just be wrong for you and the sooner you decide that the less time you will waste and the faster you can move on to a group that will work for you. Here are some questions to ask yourself in order to evaluate the group. If you can say "yes" to at least 8 of these the group is right for you.

1. Are there enough people from your target market and/or possible referrers to make joining the group regularly worthwhile?

Your goal is to meet people who can either give you business or refer business to you. There should be a certain number of potential customer/clients or referrers there to satisfy your goal.

2. Is the group large enough so that you get a diversity of ideas and people?

You want to learn how others see the value of what you do from a variety of perspectives. In a small group not only will you have fewer prospects and referrers but you also will not be exposed to as many different points of view. Different points of view can help you to craft better answers to objections, see your offer in new ways, and find joint ventures that you had not thought about.

3. Does the group meet regularly so that you get to network with the people frequently?

You are looking for a group that meets at least once a month. It is hard to build strong relationships in an organization that meets only once or twice a year. Fewer meetings mean fewer opportunities to meet people and fewer opportunities to reinforce an existing relationship. As the saying goes, "Out of sight out of mind."

4. Is the group growing and attracting new members? New members bring new ideas and energy.

Groups that are not attracting new members tend to lose members and fade away. Vibrant groups are growing and evolving.

5. Does the group have long term members?

What kind of member turnover does the group have? When long term members leave you lose a lot of experience and contacts. Just as new members bring vibrancy to an organization older members bring stability and connections.

6.Is the overall philosophy of the group compatible with your philosophy?

Some service organizations have a rule against talking about business. In some business focused group leads are expected to be exchanged. Will you be comfortable with a group with a particular focus? Also does the group understand and participate in the general networking philosophy of giving to get? Of course you must be ready to help others and give to them if you expect to get help yourself. This philosophy is a basic one in networking both online and off. Are you prepared to do this yourself and does the group you are considering joining encourage this?

7. Are the members accessible outside of the meeting so that you have the opportunity to talk with them privately?

If the goal of networking is to build relationships with people, members must be available to do that. You'll want to have coffee, breakfast etc with some of the people with whom you feel a special connection. This will help you build a trusting relationship so that your contacts are comfortable recommending you to their colleagues and you are comfortable recommending them to yours.

8 Are there prominent people or thought leaders in the group that you are eager to know?

Join a group where there are people known in the industry as thought leaders or prominent people in the community who are well known and respected. Referrals from these kinds of people can be powerful.

9. Are there leadership positions open to newer members that would put you in a prominent position?

Once you decide to join the organization do they make you wait to take a leadership position or are there some types of roles that new members can participate in? If you join an organization volunteer to help. The only way to get known in an organization is to become an active participant. Leadership positions help you to stand out and become well known in the organization.

10. What is the purpose of the group and are you comfortable with that purpose?

Some groups especially nonprofits and fund raising groups that you may join have a purpose other than the networking. Be sure that the group's main purpose is something you are comfortable supporting actively and having your name associated with.

By Alvah Parker

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Alvah Parker is a Practice Advisor (The Attorneys' Coach) and a Career Changers' Coach as well as publisher of Parker's Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine. Subscribe now to these free monthly publications at her website http://www.asparker.com/samples.html and receive a values assessment as a gift. Work becomes more meaningful and enjoyable when you work from your values.

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Inspiring Spaces: Graffiti Cafe by Mode Design Studio

Graffiti Cafe

Designed by

    

     Photography by 3inSpirit

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Interior Design Social Diary™: Secrets to Finding a Literary Agent

In her popular advice lecture "Sh-h-h-h- Don't Tell Anyone: Secrets to Finding a Literary Agent", Carole Sargent, Georgetown University's director of scholarly publications, reveals her literary secrets Thursday, June 7 from 11:30 -1:30 p.m. at the American Women Writers National Museum, 1275 K St. NW @ 13th street entrance. 

Sargent's expertise extends well beyond scholarly publications. She has placed authors' work with such mega-famous literary agencies as William Morris Endeavor, Trident Media, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, and others.

"I'll disclose what literary agents are looking for in a book proposal or a potential author, and why you should get an agent before you even finish your book," Sargent said. She'll share her time-tested tips for finding and working with agents. A Question time will follow her remarks.

Before coming to Georgetown University publications, Sargent taught eighteenth-century English literature there. She earned a Ph.D. at the Unverisity of Virginia. Practicing what she preaches, Sargent placed two of her own books with top publishing house Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

 

Official Website

http://www.americanwomenwritersnationalmuseum.org/html/news___updates.html#shhhh


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Never Sell Again: Get Repeat Business and Avoid the Need to Prospect

If you're a design business owner, you know that repeat business is critical to your success. It also makes your life much easier because you can count on ongoing business without having to continuously find new prospective clients and convince them to hire you.

Here are seven ways to keep your clients coming back:






1. Take time to build a relationship.


Learn to "visit" instead of being so professional that you appear rude. Pay attention when you meet with your clients. Learn about them and their lives. Notice what they hang on their walls and place on their desks. And don't just notice, comment on them. For instance, if your prospective client has a huge marlin hanging on his wall, you could say, "I'll bet there's an interesting story that goes with that fish." Your client will be thrilled to tell you about it, and he'll be flattered that you asked. And it would be like ignoring the elephant in the room if you DIDN'T comment on it. Learning about your client will pay off every day of your relationship.






2. Set realistic deadlines and either meet or beat them.


Nothing impresses a client more than when you follow through with what you say you will do. Do it fast. Do your best. And do it right. Clients always want it "yesterday," but if you know it can't be done that quickly, or it won't be done correctly because there's not enough time, then speak up
right at the beginning. It's better to set a realistic deadline and then beat it by a day or two, than accept an unrealistic one and make the client wait.








3. Make it easy to work with you.


Extend your service hours by an hour to cover when your clients want to talk to you. You can impress your clients  by being available during their "off" hours. [Caveat: Don't go overboard. creating structure around your hours of operation lets clients know that you are a professional and operate as one.]








4. Offer credit card payment options to make it easy for your clients (and the government!) to pay you.


Today, businesses need payment options. If you allow them to pay with credit cards, you'll have more clients. And if you're interested in government business, this is an easy way to get in on the action since most government agencies are now using credit cards for purchases valued at less than $2,500.










5. Be flexible--offer to meet for breakfast.


Just like you, your clients are very busy. They have meetings all day and often during lunch, so it's hard to find a time to get together. Offer to meet for breakfast when you and your client are both fresh, or meet after normal work hours to accommodate their schedule.










6. Provide an added-value service at no charge.


Give them something they aren't expecting. If you go the extra mile, your clients will notice. You'll soon be the one they turn to when they need a problem solved. It works when your vendors do it for you, doesn't it? It sure does for me!








7. Refer business to your clients.


If you send business to your clients related to their profession, it shows how much value them. Connect one client with another, if possible. It's the ultimate thank you.




By Lois Carter Fay
Photography by   Raisa Kanareva

Lois Carter Fay, APR, is a 30-year veteran in the P.R. and marketing field. She now produces three marketing ezines, Brainy Tidbits, Brainy Flash, and Success Secrets of Women Entrepreneurs. All are free. She also offers monthly teleseminars on sales, marketing or publicity topics. Lois is the co-author with Jim Wilson of "Sales Success! Strategies for Women," a quick-to-read ebook containing 52 easy-to-implement sales tips. The ezines, ebook and teleseminars are available through her websites. Visit http://www.MarketingIdeaShop.com or http://www.WomenMarketing.com to learn more sales and marketing ideas and subscribe. Claim your free special report when you subscribe.


 

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Interior Design Social Diary™: Jonathan Adler at The Corcoran

       More Info:

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Client Handling Tips to Greatly Increase Client Retention

What is "client handling"?  "Client handling" is a term to describe all your interactions with your clients that aren't the design process itself. These interactions are mostly face-to-face during an appointment with a client, but also could be on the telephone, by email or text message.

Client handling includes elements of professionalism, technical knowledge, customer service and requires us to pay attention to a myriad of tiny details relating to how we run our practice. Individually, these details may seem trivial or unimportant, and for that reason it can so often be tempting to ignore them or just not bother. However, when added together, these details send the message loud and clear to your clients that you are an organized, dedicated professional, who has their interests and well-being at the centre of everything you do. Great client handling skills plus a fantastically effective design is definitely a recipe for success that guarantees you many clients who will be loyal for years to come, and who will also send you numerous word-of-mouth referrals, as well.

Why are client handling skills so important?


Customer (or client) service is an important feature of client handling.  We are not just in the design industry, we are also in the service industry. As design has become more mainstream over the last 5-10 years, and  clients have become more sophisticated consumers, they have come to expect excellent customer service as well as a great design service. If clients don't like what we do, or how we do it, they will go elsewhere to find a designer who does give them what they are looking for.

In a very competitive marketplace, the extra mile that you go to provide outstanding client service may well be the thing that sets you apart from other designers- and be the deciding factor when it comes to clients rebooking with you.


Exemplary customer service is an attitude - it's not what we do, but how we do it; we can't just pretend to care, we genuinely have to care - both about our clients, and about our own standards of excellence. A genuinely caring attitude will make clients feel looked after, respected, and, above all, valued. A client who feels valued becomes a repeat client.


Great client care is one of the easiest and cheapest of ways to build a devoted following of loyal clients. If you have worked hard on your marketing activities to get new clients it makes no sense whatsoever not to work equally hard to keep them.



What are the keys client handling skills?

A client-centred attitude: your clients should feel that they are getting 100% of your attention and interest, and are at the centre of everything you do, from the moment they walk in through the door, to the second they walk out again. To achieve this requires you to:


• be meticulously prepared and organized: yourself, your office and all your equipment should be prepared for your client's arrival, so that once they arrive all your attention will be on them and their needs

• find out exactly what the client needs/wants from the process

• to be attentive and tuned in to the clients needs throughout the design process

• to respect that this is the client's time, and not your own


Putting the client at the center of everything we do makes them feel cared for and valued - and they will value us and what we do for them in return.




Communication Skills:

Excellent communication skills are at the heart of good client handling. They are involved at every stage of our client interactions: before meeting a client (this could be a telephone or email enquiry); meeting and greeting the client for the first time; during the design process; during the post-design chat; when taking payment and rebooking; during follow-up contact by phone or email.


First - and last - impressions are critical to the client forming a favourable opinion of you, so make sure you give these interactions the attention they merit. Once the design process is under way, explaining what you are doing and why, and letting clients know in advance how the session will proceed will put clients at ease, build their confidence and trust in your expertise and abilities, and generally ensure that they have the best possible experience.



Attention to Detail:

There is no one big "secret", no "one" thing that will guarantee success. A great client experience relies, rather, on you paying attention to numerous tiny details; fantastic customer service is unobtrusive and unfussy, but makes the client feel that their needs have been anticipated and effortlessly met.


Paying attention to these details will establish your reputation for quality and excellence. Once established, it's important to work hard to maintain these standards, and demonstrate your commitment to the highest levels of service.



Individualize Your Service:

One way to make good service great is to treat your clients as the unique people that they are, and to make sure that you are doing all that you can to tailor your time with them to their own individual requirements. Making notes of their preferences will enable you to give them personalized service which they will truly appreciate and value.

Things like making sure they get their favorite appointment time, or sending an article that will be of interest or benefit to them are also examples of how we can demonstrate to our clients that we see them as individuals and value them as clients.



Go the Extra Mile:

Always under-promise and over-deliver. Don't just meet expectations - always strive to exceed them; surprise and delight clients with extra touches that cost no more than a little time and effort, but demonstrate your commitment to quality and excellence.



Put things right quickly and gracefully:

"A criticism is a gift" (although it seldom feels that way at the time!). If something hasn't gone well for some reason, then offer some recompense. You could always ignore the problem and take the money and run, but that would result in an unhappy, dissatisfied client who probably won't come back, and will tell all their friends about their experience. If you offer recompense, they will feel that they have been heard, and their views respected, and you (very probably) will have kept a valuable client. Things always go wrong from time to time - it's how we deal with these situations that's important.


That said, there will always be people whom we can never please, regardless of what we do, and also do bear in mind that good customer service doesn't mean ignoring professional boundaries. Unreasonable and inappropriate behaviour has no part in a healthy designer-client relationship and should be addressed accordingly.


To Sum Up

Good client handling costs you nothing except a little time, effort and energy. Exemplary customer service is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to differentiate yourself from other designers. Making the effort to pay attention to the details, and continually and consistently apply the highest standards to all aspects of your client care will reward you with satisfied clients and many repeat bookings.

By Helen Hunter
Photography by Doncut

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Interior Design PR Tactics: Make the Media Take Notice

Two Key Elements of a Great Story That Make the Media Take Notice

In order to gain publicity, you need to tell a compelling story. A reporter or producer needs to immediately see that there is value in taking a minute to read your press release. To uncover your best story, it's best to spend some time brainstorming your options.

So, let's get started! A story that gets picked up by the media generally has one or two main elements:

It's Personal

In other words, your story draws out an emotion. Your story makes them cry, laugh, get angry, feel happy, be inspired, or feel any range of emotions. This kind of emotional story makes readers feel that they can relate to you.

The Audience Can Apply Your Story to Their Own Lives.

In other words, a person can benefit somehow from hearing your story. They can avoid a problem, learn a new skill, think differently and so on.

One great way to start brainstorming your story is to think of all the labels that can describe you. Labels can include your gender, race, ethnicity, religion, life experiences - good and bad, education, hobbies, business or personal challenges, marital status, sexual orientation, place of residence and so forth. Once you have your labels, you may uncover a great story to tell. Or you may uncover a great market that you can turn to for coverage. Take religion for example. There are great publications out there for those markets. The Jewish Press and the Catholic Press Association are great examples of this. You can tweak your press release to show that you have credibility in those areas and you can increase your reach!

International Speaker and co-author of the best-selling book Guerrilla Publicity, Jill Lublin says that to gain great PR you should "use everything you've got." I love this statement because it's true. What this means is that you should look at all areas of your life and determine if there is a story there to tell. Sometimes your best story has little to do with your business, and that's just fine. Great press coverage will make you stand out even if it's not totally focused on your business.

I decided to "use everything I had" by touting the fact that I was a mother of young kids. This turned out to be a great idea because I was quoted in an article about creative outdoor fun with toddlers. This may not seem like a big deal because my business has absolutely nothing to do with outdoor fun with toddlers, however my name and my business name were mentioned in the article. And it was written for the iParenting website where they get thousands of readers every day. Not bad public relations!

Here's an example of how this can work. Let's say your parents live in a different city than you do. You can quickly and easily customize your press release and make the media in their city take notice. Here's what you can do. Start your press release like this:

Daughter of Lynchburg residents Mary and Gale Weisman, announced today that...

I once got a 3 column story with color a photo using this exact PR tactic!

Now that your creative juices are flowing, take three minutes and brainstorm what story you can pitch that is personal or that others can apply to their lives.

By Meredith Liepelt

Photography by Raisa Kanareva
 

© 2011 Meredith Liepelt, Rich Life Marketing Meredith Liepelt, President of Rich Life Marketing, offers a free report called "101 Ways to Attract Ideal Clients, Build Your List and Raise Your Profile," which can be downloaded immediately at RichLifeMarketing.com.

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6 Tips To Negotiating with Clients, Contractors & Manufacturers

What You Need For More Successful Negotiations

In almost every aspect of everything we do, there is a degree of give and take. Rarely do we ever get everything we want. However, some individuals seem to consistently end up with better results than others. Whether they are doing something consciously or subconsciously, every one is doing some aspect of negotiating on a daily basis. Some are simply doing a better job than others!




In order to be a successful negotiator, there are many things that a designer must do:



1. Do your homework. Expert negotiators always are prepared when they enter in a negotiation. They understand fully all of the needs, wants and limitations of their clients, but also study their negotiating counterpart – the interior design client- in order to understand his needs, priorities, etc. While professionals always enter this process fully prepared, I have often observed the novice simply either ask for too much, not prioritize, make empty threats, enter with an unprofessional attitude, etc.



2. What does your side really need as opposed to simply want? What are the "deal breakers," if any? Have you created priorities?



3. What are the needs of the interior design client? What things do they have more flexibility with, and where is there very little wiggle room? It is important for a negotiator to recognize that there is a need for both sides to feel they did alright in a negotiation.



4. Never ever lie! Many novices exaggerate what their side has to offer, or are even nearly delusional about the "power" their side possesses. Since professional negotiators do considerable homework learning as much as possible about the other paty’s background, history, needs, etc., lying not only doesn't work but casts your veracity in question, thus often creating mistrust and ill will.



5. The best negotiations occur because of relationship development. Experts understand that negotiations are both an art and a science, and while some of the details and analysis may be somewhat scientific, a negotiator must be an artist in terms of building a trusting, open, and understanding relationship. When negotiators get to know each other better, they tend to be able to open up more, and get into more in- depth discussions than they otherwise could.



6. All successful negotiations occur by using a win- win approach. In an optimum situation, you and your interior design client finish the process believing you did well, and extremely satisfied with the results. Develop an understanding of what can be done, and what needs to be done. For example, in being a professional negotiator for over thirty years negotiations, when I have needed dramatic pricing adjustments from a hotel food and beverage department, I work with them to see how they can save money, and thus pass that savings along. It may be by tweaking menus to "tag-on" to another group (thus affording the venue an economy of scale), or by letting the department determine which room works best for them. Your client will appreciate the candor and the understanding of their needs.



One does not become a professional negotiator overnight, and not every one is "cut out" to be involved in negotiations. A successful negotiator must have the attitude, self confidence, perseverance, integrity, and attention to detail to end up with beneficial results.

By Richard Brody
Photography by Kurhan

Richard Brody, with over 30 years consultative sales, marketing, training, managerial, and operations experience, has trained sales and marketing people in numerous industries, given hundreds of seminars, appeared as a company spokesperson on over 200 radio and television programs, and regularly blogs on real estate, politics, economics, management, leadership, negotiations, conferences and conventions, etc. He has negotiated, arranged and/ or organized hundreds of conferences and conventions. He's a Senior Consultant with RGB Consultation Services, an Ecobroker, a Licensed Buyers Agent (LBA) and Licensed Salesperson in NYS, in real estate.  Richard has owned businesses, been a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Development, as well as a consultant. He has a Consulting Website ( http://tinyurl.com/rgbcons ), and his company PLAN2LEAD, LLC's site ( http://www.plan2lead.net ), and can be followed on Twitter

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Managing Your Client's Budget

To execute a project successfully, a designer has to consider many crucial factors of the organization and the client. One of the most important things to consider is the budget. The client sets the estimate and the deadline which has to be considered by the designer or project manager.


What is a Project Budget?

The project budget can refer to an estimate of the overall expenses that are to be incurred on a specific project, or the maximum expense limit set by the client for deliverables. It consists of several factors such as labor, resources, and the scope for additional finances if the need arises. Typically, on a client project, the company bills clients not only on the output but also on the hours that are put in by those working on the project. Below is an explanation on budget planning for project.


Tips on How to Manage a Project Budget:
Proper Resource Allocation

Proper resource allocation is very significant in estimating or planning the project budget. A designer should make it a point to coordinate which employees will perform what tasks, and what are the supplies required for starting out. He should analyze the available resources possible to be used and the supplies or skills to be brought in. To rule out the chances of any loss or wastage of resources, the designer should choose highly-skilled employees for the project. An efficient project team will make the project successful even with the least resources. This has to be primarily considered if it is a client project that has to be completed in a particular time frame.



Using Budget Management Software

Nowadays, designers can manage the project cost using effective budget management software. These software help to keep a track of the estimated budget and actual expenses. However it's up to the designer to make sure every transaction and expense detail is recorded in the software. In addition, these types of software have different modules which enable budget planning to be merged into other functions of the project. This eventually leads to effective management of the overall project. Using a reliable budget management software is a good tip on how to manage a project effectively.


Proof of Expenses Incurred

Along with managing budget records in the software, you should also obtain hard copies of the transactions made and expenses incurred. This is particularly a case in manufacturing or construction projects. The copies have to be attached to periodical reporting of project advancing to the management or appropriate parties. Collecting purchase orders and expense receipts also helps in cross checking with the software if the correct entry has been made. The hard copies serve as a backup to the details recorded in the software.


Reviewing Budget Periodically

A designer should also keep a track of all expenses in detail. Ask all team members to give a status of the actual work done and the resources spent, used, and are available. Reviewing budget factors and amounts is normally done weekly as a standard. This allows you to cut down the expenses on resources, right at the time they are used. This certainly enables the designer to modify the project plan as required.


Good Communication of Budget Risks

When it comes to budget planning and management, healthy communication among those involved in the project is also a requirement. It is extremely important that a designer assesses any risks concerned with an increase in budget expenses. If the budget expenses are predicted to go beyond limit, the designer should inform the client about the same. Besides, he should also inform the client about the need for change in budget. Doing so will prevent the delay that may happen due to budget issues.


To manage a budget, see if the expenses can be reduced on transport, overtime, material and supplies, etc. Following these guidelines will help you to keep the budget under control without having an impact on the quality of deliverables. Remember that budget planning and management is an integral task in efficient project management.

By Stephen Rampur
Photography by Jeinny Solis

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