That’s the no-nonsense selling approach advocated by two of America’s premier interior designers.

Business by Design this month reports that two famous professionals known worldwide for their design skills are also serious about their selling.

THIS MONTH:
+ Naomi and Vicente Talk Business
+ Dis-qualify Your Prospects
+ Manhattan Memories

Naomi and Vicente Talk Business
Naomi Leff and Vicente Wolf are all business when it comes to running theirs.

Widely acclaimed for their work on residential and commercial interiors the world over, the two attribute their success in large part to personal sales and promotion.

Leff and Wolf joined me earlier this month for a “Supercharge Your Sales” panel in New York. Each emphasized that design professionals should attach a value to who they are and what they do – and bill accordingly.

Leff, whose commercial design clients include Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus, has designed residences for the likes of Steven Spielberg, Ralph Lauren, Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols.

Wolf, whose work has been featured in publications around the world, has designed everything from furniture to flatware collections. He also regularly speaks at international design shows.

Both have won numerous awards, and both have been included on lists in trade publications of the world’s most influential interior designers.

Among their suggestions on how to run a profitable design business:

+ Be clear. Make it easy for others to understand your services, and how you bill for them.

+ Be bold. Have the courage of your convictions with your design style, philosphy and rates.

+ Be confident. Believe in yourself, and high end clients will, too.

+ Be different. Do what your competitors don't.

+ Be frank. Don't apologize for your fees. Say, instead, "This is how I charge for my services."

+ Be in Control. Take charge of your appointments and your time.

Dis-qualify Your Prospects
The problem: you waste too much time presenting your design services to prospects who, you find out, can’t afford them.

The solution: raise the price issue before they do.

Conventional wisdom is that talking about your fees too soon will force a prospective customer to rule you out before you fully explain your services.

But, if you question their ability to pay, that can be a good thing. It can save you time now – and save them sticker shock later.

Determining the budget for your prospects can be difficult. If you can't qualify them, try disqualifying them.

Begin by saying: “Let me tell you what I can’t offer you. I can’t offer you the lowest price for… (this floor plan, these wall coverings, etc.) If they balk, “disqualify” them. Politely explain that there’s no point continuing the conversation.

If they can’t afford your price, you can’t afford the time.

If they don’t protest, inform them what you can offer them.

Like the benefits of your 20 years experience working with, and solving problems for hospitality firms. Or the kind of personalized, customized service that’s unavailable from cheaper competitors. Or expertise about window treatments that are safe for children – and will increase their home’s resale value. Or access to a full array of highly-skilled subcontractors.

Disqualifying enables you to rule out those prospects seeking the lowest price for design services and products.

And it helps you connect with those who can afford to pay the kind of prices, fees and margins you need to make to reach your financial goals.

Manhattan Memories
Moderating the panel in New York this month brought back two sobering memories.

The last time I spoke in that room (The Astral Café) in that building (the D&D building), I was on crutches. Weeks earlier I had a Colorado mountain climbing accident, falling 30 feet off the top of Long’s Peak.

My other memory: starting to present a designer fees program that, after only about 15 minutes, was interrupted by the frightening sound outside of sirens and sight of smoke.

I never did finish that program, but it took me eight days to get out of New York.

The date was September 11, 2001.