4 tips on meeting clients’ budgets and expectations
Over my 25 years in the industry, one of the most common struggles I have found amongst garden designers is getting a clear budget from clients and meeting their expectations.
How do you do it? It’s all about finding a process that works for you, and for the clients you would like to work with. I spoke to garden designers across the UK and found some common tips that help with these struggles.
1 - Showcasing the type of work you do
Throughout your website, social media and other marketing, potential clients should be able to get a clear picture of the type of work you do, and a feel for how much they’d expect to spend on your services.
As garden designer Rob Jones says, “If people look at our website they realise the quality of the designs and work that we undertake and so are prepared to wait maybe 6 weeks for a first visit.”
If you can, cherry pick which photos and projects you include on your website. Focus on the designs and clients you want more of. And of course, be upfront and show projects to aid explanations at consultations.
“From the get go its best to be open… provide them with realistic cost that is tangible and based on previous projects. Show them a beautiful drawing of a garden design, a photo of a completed project and then a cost… £350 to £500 per square metre for a whole garden project is realistic. Not all budgets lend themselves to a new garden, so I choose to be cruel to be kind when the occasion requires.”
“I did redesign my website in January in order to attract better quality, bigger budget design work, so I think this has helped along with Covid keeping people at home and focusing on their gardens.”
2 - Screening enquiries to see if they are right for you
I find that ‘screening’ or ‘assessing’ enquiries is a taboo subject in the industry, and I don’t understand why! Not only are you finding out if the client is right for you and your business, but you’re also helping that person.
By saying that unfortunately you can’t help them (whether it’s relating to lead times, budget or location), you are ensuring they aren’t wasting their time by booking a consultation with you.
And to take it one step further, why not have a couple of garden design contacts you can recommend? By recommending someone who can help them with their enquiry, you are helping them and fellow garden designers.
“When an enquiry comes in via phone or email I send out a questionnaire. This helps me to evaluate clients as I don’t want to be spending time working on jobs or going to see jobs without knowing some background information as time is precious and no one needs timewasters! This questionnaire helps them think about their garden, the features they want, garden style and of course budget. I also get them to send me images of their existing garden and a collection of imagers from Pinterest of garden styles they like or are looking to achieve. Once I have received all this information I then review it and can then further advise moving forward. This works well and is a quick and easy way for me to advise clients if they are on the right track or need to adjust their wish list or budget to suit.”
“I now ask about budget very early on and make sure I get a reply - you (Sam) persuaded me to do that! - and tell them if it’s going to be tight and to have a think about it. They often up their budgets a bit as they go along as long as they feel they are getting value for it.”
3 - Offering solutions to cater for varieties in budget
With all of these tips, it’s about finding what’s right for your business. A great option for you might be to offer design packages at different prices e.g. Standard for 2D design at £X, Premium for 3D design at X.
Or you could offer something like Rob Jones, “Clients have no idea what the budget should be, and we explain that often our designs are modular so that they can be phased in to suit priorities and budgets and our quotes can give more economic options.”
4 - Clear communication
This may seem an obvious one, but by being clear and upfront, you can save both yourself and the client a lot of back and forth frustration.
“Honesty is the best policy’. People have to be told what things cost before you start designing. Managing client expectation is critical to have a happy client, a good design and a happy landscaper. Suggest that they consider what they are going to’ invest in their site ‘to enhance it rather than asking for their ‘budget’.”
“First and foremost, explain costs and timing. (paving per metre on websites does not mean that that is what it will cost laid!). Be wary of mind changers and have a system to manage these. Every project that I have had a problem with has been with a mind changer. So get decisions in writing. If there is an issue after time and materials have been invested in a project, where the client says ‘I didn’t realise ......’ that is your fault. Remember the saying ‘The devil often has the face of an angel!’.”
“I never over promise particularly if they haven’t given me a budget. If you create a design that the client loves they find the money to build it. Always communicating clearly is imperative particularly if any issues arise. If it happens, owning any mistake you might make and offering a plan immediately to rectify it. In my case, having a landscaper you trust and who will work smoothly and to budget.”
Want more tips on budgets and expectations? It’s something I spoke about in the masterclass ‘The Partnership of Garden Design & Numbers’ - click here to get access to the free replay. Charlotte from The Landscaper’s Circle also discusses how you can effectively promote your business on social media.
Featured Designers = Rob Jones, Karl Harrison, Pippa Shennan, Paul Newman, Esra Parr, Ann Dukes, Gordon Croy, Tessa Parikian.