Help! She Wants to Stop Getting “Shopped”
An interior designer from Atlanta contacted me recently about a “shopping” problem.
She — and I — can use your help in coming up with the solution.
Hey Fred,
Since when does a successful interior designer with 22 years of experience get “shopped?”
I ask because suddenly prospects — lots of them — are picking my brain, asking my prices, and taking their business elsewhere. Or maybe they’re doing the work themselves.
This is a first for me, after more than two decades doing high end residential and hospitality design throughout the Southeast, and around the country.
Sure, indivduals have objected to my prices from time to time. But I can’t remember when so many tried to steal my ideas — about space planning, about furniture, about damn near everything!
I’m feeling used and humiliated.
I like the way your Superstar Selling System talks about handing out appetizers, but never the main course to these people. Maybe I’ve been giving away too many appetizers lately.
At any rate, I’m getting shopped and I’m getting frustrated.
How can these people be so dishonest?
What do other designers do a situation like this?
What can I do?
AD in Atlanta
What do — or would you do — in a situation like this? Please send your ideas to Fred@FredBerns.com
Comments (2)
In many cases these shoppers NEVER have the intention of buying. So one win you can get is to ensure that you ‘wow’ the person to the degree that they tell their friends how great you were. Do that whilst minimising time given and minmising freebie ideas given.
The other option is to offer mentoring-type services to your potential client/shopper. Offer to help them in their interior designer ambitions (for a fee). Then when they are in a position that they cannot cope with you are the person they would turn to…for an increased fee.
It’s about understanding what the client wants as well as what you might want or you might think you can sell..