Kitchen & Bath Business - October 2019 - 33

"A lot of designers are surprised
to see I have been found
through online viewers. I like to
have a personality mode - not
just a business mode - to make
myself more relatable."
NINA GREEN
NGD Interiors
PROMOTE THE PROFESSIONAL

She suggests managing your clients' expectations at the start of the project. Present them with
a clear timeline with a built-in budget, and explain
that this project is not the only one the team is
working on.They also need to understand the cost
of quality labor and building supplies.
"HGTV doesn't always provide accurate
products costs, as they don't include items that
are either donated or that are just there for staging," said Nina Green of Churchville, Pa.-based
NGD Interiors. "When a client sees a room put
together, they are always shocked at what that
cost actually is."
She also says sites like Houzz, Zillow and
HomeAdvisor can also be misleading by talking
about renovation costs in certain areas that are
unrealistic, which establishes a disconnect with
how much things actually cost. For her projects,
Green lays out detailed costs of the design she is
proposing before any products are purchased.

The key to attracting more business is good marketing - both as an individual
and as an industry. Consumers need to understand the benefits of hiring a
designer for their kitchen and bath projects.
"We need a broader swath," said Maria Stapperfenne, CMKBD, CLIPP,
of New Jersey-based Tewksbury Kitchens & Baths, who explained that with
the industry's connection to HGTV and the DIY Network, we should use
that to promote the professional."Maybe create a show that visualizes the pro
space versus the DIY space, including the quality of the selected materials, so
people can compare the two."
In terms of individual marketing, Pacheco says there are several things you
can rely on, but the most important thing isn't about making sales - it's about
giving your clients a great experience so they will refer you and/or rehire you
for a future project.
Green, on the other hand, became successful without a referral base in a
brand-new location. She attended networking events to meet the competition, find out what they were doing and learn what she could do better. She
created a website complete with SEO marketing and does a revamp every
three to five years for a fresh look. She also posts project details on social media
and explains why it is important to work with a designer.
"A lot of designers are surprised to see I have been found through online
viewers," said Green. "I like to have a personality mode - not just a business
mode - to make myself more relatable."
OBLITERATE THE STEREOTYPE

If you expect your clients to trust your judgment when it comes to budget,project timeline and product selection, you need to trust that what they are telling
you is true about their needs and limits.Some homeowners shy away from using
design services because they think it will cost them more than they have. If you
only want to work on $100,000 projects,and a potential client only has $20,000,
then move on. But by doing this, you may be shooting yourself in the foot.
"You have to be able to help every client at every budget," said Stapperfenne. "Some designers are hurting themselves by limiting their market to a
very specific niche and then whine when there is no business. We all have to
make a living, but we can't be greedy."
If you think a client budget is unrealistic for what they want to accomplish
with their kitchen and/or bath renovation and their product requests, explain
that to them as a professional, and tell them what they are capable of doing
with the money they have. In the end if it doesn't work out, it wasn't meant
to be for either of you.
"Everyone needs to be on the same page with budget before construction
starts," said Green. "We may have to curtail our clients' expectations, but
everyone deserves good design."

Kitchen & Bath Business - October 2019

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