Client Kick-Off Meeting

Once a client decides to hire your interior design services, do you ever question your process for moving forward with the kick-off meeting?

• How can you set boundaries?

• What can you do to build trust and show them they’ve made the right choice in hiring you?

• What are strategic ways you can identify their preferred design style and establish an idea for a colour palette?

In this post, I’m going to show you exactly what I brought to a recent ‘kick-off’ meeting with clients.

With my help, you don’t have to guess, after you get a ‘yes’.

Client Backstory

No two design projects are the same. Here’s a backstory of this interior design project we’re working on now.

This lovely couple hired us about 8 months ago for our Concept-Only Design Services for a 2nd-floor renovation project.

We’ve completed the 3D designs for the layout only, which included 2 different floor plan options and one set of revisions.

Clients have paid my GC a deposit confirming their wish to move forward with his bid for the job.

As our Concept-Only design plans don’t include selections for finishes, fixtures, or furnishings, and because we have proved our value and gained their trust, the clients continued working with us for our hourly Designer By Your Side services.

We have already received payment for our initial invoice for 20 hours of design services and are ready to meet again.

The Client Kick-Off Meeting

The first step at this kick-off meeting is to review our Designer By Your Side contract.

I am a stickler for reviewing contracts in person, by the way, as I find it always sparks great conversation and helps to manage clients’ expectations.

Next, I show them an example of our ‘Project Site Binder’, also known as ‘The Spec Book’.

So far, we’ve added the finalized floor plans, 3D drawings, and our initial scope of work outline from the concept-only presentation.

The Site Binder also includes a printed copy of my GC’s estimate with pricing and square footage requirements for materials, with some highlights made by me for specific points I want to discuss further once the project is underway.

Additional documents to be added to the Site Binder include:

• Contact info of me, the GC, and the site supervisor
• Our Materials & Finishes Forms (hardwood, tile, paint colour selections, etc.)
• Product Specifications (I.E. spec sheets of lighting and appliances)
• Elevation drawings as needed
• Change Order request section

Upon reviewing this with my clients, the husband looks at his wife and says, ‘Very organized, I like it!’

This is a great example to show your value in a way that reassures clients they have indeed made the right decision and a good investment in hiring your interior design services to help with their project

Past Project Examples

We also shared the images below with my clients while explaining how we curated the design for a previous interior design project.

This not only gives clients an idea of your thought process, but it also builds your credibility. Whenever you can, share details of how you overcame design challenges, came up with thoughtful solutions, and show the results of past projects.

While the photos shown above were taken by me, we also regularly reference our professionally photographed portfolio wherever possible when having discussions with clients.

So I didn’t risk overwhelming them. It was time to wrap things up and discuss next steps with our clients, which are as follows:

1. Have my assistant send a follow-up email that includes a private Pinterest board. Sometimes this isn’t necessary, but in this case, I felt the clients would not only benefit from it but also enjoy this idea.

That’s why, as much as I believe in following a set process, there will be times when you can leave room for some flexibility.

2. We agreed to meet in 2 weeks, which would provide them the opportunity to look at some inspiration images for us to review at the next appointment.

I advised that after our next meeting, the plan was to head to my suppliers to start curating the design palette.

I’m really happy with how the meeting went. I could tell the clients were, too. Yay!

Further Insights About Clients

When working with a couple, if you can have both clients attend this kick-off meeting, it’s going to give you great insight into their personalities and the dynamics of their relationship.

This can be very telling for what to expect when working together once the project gets underway.

For example:

• Do they have similar design ideas?
• Do they communicate well with one another?
• How do clients react when you mention high-end items and custom treatments?

For all the details, be sure to scroll back to the top and watch the video.

If you are new to the idea of Concept-Only Design and wonder how it works, I have further details on this service model, including my starting-from fees.

Instantly download my Services & Rates Guide here. It’s free!

If you want to learn more about the pros & cons of offering the hourly Designer By Your Side service, read my blog post about it here.

Do you have a client kick-off meeting? Comment below to let me know your tips for identifying a client’s design style.

Looking for more clarity in your interior design business? Check out the details of my 1-on-1 Coaching here. I help designers transform their businesses with bigger projects, better clients, and higher profits.

I’m Claire Jefford, and I hope to see you soon. Cheers!