We just got news last week that the fabulous Terri Taylor is coming to CDT to present a seminar. And while many of you may not have heard of Terri, I guarantee you, she IS fabulous. Everyone in her office is just delightful and even though I have not talked to Terri directly, her personality shows in her writing and I can't wait to meet her - she has great ideas. She talks below about how designers should present themselves when selling luxury furniture. This is something that, I think, is very prevelent in a designer's mind. The way a client perceives their designer molds their thoughts to what kind of furniture they may buy or what style they will design. Read on and take her advice, it will be fun! And don't forget to sign up for her upcoming seminar on June 14th at the CDT showroom.
A designer recently asked me if driving a Toyota Camry was hurting her ability to sell high end jobs and preventing her from moving her business up into high end clients.
Should she splurge and buy a BMW?
Perhaps it is...
In some communities and some client markets it is necessary to look that successful in order to connect with the clients that you want. More importantly, if you feel awkward or embarrassed about the car that you drive, then it is likely you will appear to your client to be unconfident about your work. An obvious lack of confidence will get in your way when presenting high end concepts and products. Buying an expensive car will make you look good but will it solve your confidence problem? The trick is, to fully adapt and believe in "the Mindset of a Million Dollar Designer" so that you daily act with the confidence and decisions making ability that a designer that has "arrived," has achieved. In that case then you no longer need the BMW, you might choose to make a statement with a Prius instead. Unfortunately most designers don't "get it" that easily... it usually takes a bit more work. Most of us have family money histories that were not filled with luxury cars, expensive furniture and European vacations. This can create a challenge when trying to grasp the concept and hold on to the idea of feeling like a Million Dollar Designer. Sometimes stepping "big" into something that you have never done or experienced before, like buying that luxury car, committing to a mentoring program or developing your branding and marketing will propel you into the business mindset that you are looking for.
But you don't have to start there...
You can begin to master your "inner money gremlins," with these three simple tips. Begin here, consider that your BRAND is reflected in the way that you present yourself to your potential client. They may or may not take notice of your car, it is outside. Ladies, the big first statement that you clearly make about your design ascetic is with your handbag. You walk into the clients house, you introduce yourself and set your bag down on the table or counter. This handbag makes your first very definite and very bold statement about your personal design ascetic and style. Think about this... make sure that this bag says exactly what your personal "brand" is about. So who are you... Armani or Macy's?
Next, go on a mission to experience what luxury feels like in your own life. This weekend make a date with yourself to put some luxury next to your skin and find out how good it really feels. Go for a test drive in a new very high end luxury car and feel the leather of the seats, experience the precision feel of the engineering, experience the luxury of quiet. Next visit a high end clothing store and try on a couple of very expensive, fabulous outfits. Feel the quality of the fabric, look at the exquisite detail of the construction and see the difference that quality tailoring makes. I want you to understand on a personal level, the pleasure that your client receives when they sit in that gorgeous, beautiful and expensive furniture that was so carefully placed in their home. This is the the level of pleasure that you are giving and selling to your clients.
Finally get in touch with your own personal family money history stories. Very often the money values we were taught as children (however loving and well intentioned) are in direct conflict with our ability to present and sell those high end concepts and products so dear to our chosen profession. You need to get in touch with these childhood messages to see if they make sense in your design business world today. These internal messages can be reset and restated so that they support your personal desire to move into a more upscale market... and free your path to success.
Beauty and Success,
Terri
Terri Taylor teaches money, marketing, and mindset strategies along with proven business templates so that you can build inspired, creative businesses that pay you what you are worth. You can visit her website here.
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