“…And What is Your Planned Investment?”
I promise this isn’t a trick question or a “gotcha” moment!
This question marks the opportunity to openly communicate how much you are expecting to invest on your project to see it fully realized. From the very beginning, being able to answer this fundamental question helps to establish your project’s foundation and will guide selections made throughout each phase of your project’s development.
Talking about money and design might seem uncomfortable, but it doesn’t have to be.
Understandably, some potential clients may not initially feel comfortable sharing what we’ll call their “maximum tolerable investment.” It could be out of fear (i.e. if I tell them my investment level, they’re definitely going to figure out how to exceed it!”), it could be to avoid potential embarrassment (i.e. “is my investment level too low? Will they think I’m completely unrealistic?”), it could be that the potential client simply doesn’t know what the appropriate investment amount to achieve their design is. Whatever the reason, I’m here to say that it’s okay, I get it, and that I’m on your team!
By openly sharing your planned investment, it allows me to deliver thoughtfully selected materials that align with what you are looking to invest.
The funny thing about this “elephant in the room” topic is that as consumers, we have this conversation about “investment-levels” with ourselves almost daily on a range of items at all different price points. For example: Imagine yourself walking into the grocery store or visiting your local farm stand. How much do you expect to spend on a dozen eggs? When you look for the price, what is the threshold in your mind for how much you’d like to spend before you look elsewhere to make your purchase? The question ultimately becomes: how much will I spend to have this item? It might seem simplistic, but it is a good example of how there are tolerable “investment levels" for everyone from products ranging from eggs, to vehicles, to professional interior design services, and so on.
When you indicate a clear investment level right from the start, I can truly figure out where we need to begin.
Sometimes when I have a complimentary call with potential clients, I need to provide education on pricing before we continue to talk about their design. Whether they decide the pricing is in alignment with their expectations or not, our relationship is started on strong fundamentals: honesty and transparency. As with my consumer example above, people always have the power to choose to move forward with their purchase or not. I truly support both decisions since in the end, it saves everyone time and energy.
Every successful design project begins with a thoughtful conversation about your vision, priorities, and planned investment.
When I ask a potential client “what is your planned investment?,” it is not meant to create pressure or distrust - it is just one component of a process that ensures you are happy from start to finish. Rest assured that when you choose to work with Kate Kelly Interiors, we will use thoughtfully selected materials and furnishing options within your investment tolerance to achieve the best possible results.
-Kate Pechinka - Principal Designer & Founder, Kate Kelly Interiors
Would you like to have a conversation about your planned investment, or do you have questions about how much of an investment you would need to complete your space? Let’s have an open, stress-free conversation about it by scheduling a complimentary call.