This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
4. Make It Clear How You Can Help
Don’t assume a potential customer knows everything about the service you offer. That first conversation is your opportunity to get them excited about hiring your business, so make time to take them through how a project would pan out.
“Clients often underestimate the technique, rigor and commitment required as an interior designer, thinking just a moodboard does the trick,” Eude says. “Explaining the process and the boundaries of the service agreed upon ensures everyone is clear about roles.”
Interior designer Lindsey Higgins goes through a sales process with all her leads to make sure they understand what she would offer at each stage of the project.
“It’s a pathway with touch points to explore their needs, how I can help and how I work,” Higgins says. “It helps us both to work out if we’re a good fit to work together, because that’s critical to achieving the right outcome for a client.
“I always know where the prospect is on that journey and I always make sure they know what the next step is,” she says. “Signing a contract only happens at the end when there are no more questions to be answered.”
10 Questions to Quickly Identify Your Customers’ Needs
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
2. Block Out Segments of the Day, Including Rest Time
Once you have your plan for the day, it’s a good idea to work out an effective timeline. “I block out time in meaningful chunks, so I know I can achieve something and make progress in whatever area I’m working on at that time,” Higgins says.
Take into consideration factors that influence the best time for each task. This could be the need to work around the schedules of clients or contractors, but it could also be influenced by how your productivity ebbs and flows throughout the day. If you’re a morning person, perhaps schedule tasks that require concentration earlier on, for example.
“I find using an online [calendar] keeps me organized, not just for appointments, but tasks too,” interior designer Ann Cope says. In addition to setting aside blocks of time to work on your business, she also recommends scheduling breaks away from the desk.
6 Proven Time Management Tips for Home Professionals
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Is your yard a little too sunny for comfort? The right mix of shade sources not only can cool things down and make your outdoor spaces more inviting, but also can enhance the overall design of your landscape. To help you find the best approach, eight landscape experts share their take on the pros and cons of shade options ranging from quick fixes to long-term investments.
A few themes stand out in their advice: Umbrellas are hard to beat for instant shade and flexibility, pergolas and other structures deliver the most reliable coverage for outdoor living, and planting a shade tree is the best investment for natural shade.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
4. Avoid Multitasking
When you have too many plates spinning at the same time, they can all come crashing down around you, so try to focus on one task at a time. An effective strategy, according to James, is to block out time slots for each different activity.
“For instance, set aside blocks of time for client meetings, design concept development, sourcing materials, and administrative tasks,” he says. “Stick to your schedule as closely as possible to ensure you have dedicated time for all aspects of your work.”
“I also prefer blocking out a few hours each week for design work and try to switch off my phone or email in order to focus on the project in hand,” interior designer Chantel Elshout says.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
4. Put Your Screens to Sleep
Fed up with feeling tired but wired at night? If you want to properly unwind before bed, it’s worth keeping devices away from the bedroom or stop using them an hour or two before bed. Too much exposure to the blue light that many screens emit can interfere with the production of melatonin, which can lead to that feeling of your mind being awake when your body needs to rest.
Try leaving your phone outside the bedroom at night or, if that’s too big a step, limit usage before bedtime and switch it to night mode, which dials down the blue in favor of warmer tones.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
6. Get Comfortable With Delegation
“As leader, your primary role is to set the vision and strategy for the team — steering the ship toward its goals,” Hains says. “By delegating tasks and responsibilities, you not only free up your time to focus on higher-level priorities but also empower your team members to develop their skills, take ownership of their work and contribute to the team’s success. Effective delegation builds trust within the team.”
“No one person can do it all,” says Jeff True, vice president of operations at Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors in Bolingbrook, Illinois. “If you want to keep people for their entire career, they have to feel they are growing. Growth comes from delegation. It allows a more timely response to clients and lets people be specialists in their area of expertise. A high-performing team that is both efficient and results-oriented is rooted in delegation.”
“When delegating, I focus on the bigger picture and hand off tasks like project management, client communication and execution to my incredible team,” Crosby says. “At first it was hard — especially because I’m a bit of a perfectionist. But once I saw the results of trusting my team, it became easier.”
6 Pros Share Strategies for Leading Under Pressure
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
5. Build a Storage Wall
If you’re planning a full kitchen renovation, take inspiration from this thoughtful kitchen design by Studio Fabbri. Designer Gemma Fabbri had a run of floor-to-ceiling cabinets designed to hide appliances, food supplies, the boiler and everyday clutter that might otherwise drift onto work surfaces.
“I wanted to get things off the [countertop] as it’s mostly on the island and I didn’t want much on there,” Fabbri says.
The wall of cabinets has two standard Ikea cabinets on the left, one of which contains the refrigerator, two wider, 32-inch ones, which were custom made. One is a double-door pantry cabinet containing a coffee machine and toaster.
Every member of the family has been considered too. When Fabbri was left with a slim space next to the boiler cupboard, she decided to make a cat tunnel. “The panel pops off so you can get in there to clean it, and there’s a piece of carpet in there so their feet dry a little,” she says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
5. Build a Storage Wall
If you’re planning a full kitchen renovation, take inspiration from this thoughtful kitchen design by Studio Fabbri. Designer Gemma Fabbri had a run of floor-to-ceiling cabinets designed to hide appliances, food supplies, the boiler and everyday clutter that might otherwise drift onto work surfaces.
“I wanted to get things off the [countertop] as it’s mostly on the island and I didn’t want much on there,” Fabbri says.
The wall of cabinets has two standard Ikea cabinets on the left, one of which contains the refrigerator, two wider, 32-inch ones, which were custom made. One is a double-door pantry cabinet containing a coffee machine and toaster.
Every member of the family has been considered too. When Fabbri was left with a slim space next to the boiler cupboard, she decided to make a cat tunnel. “The panel pops off so you can get in there to clean it, and there’s a piece of carpet in there so their feet dry a little,” she says.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
7. Turn to Technology
Automate as many maintenance chores as you can. A good place to start is with your irrigation systems. You can add timers to in-ground systems, drip systems and soaker hoses. These systems allow for watering all parts of a garden without having to drag a hose from place to place. In-ground systems with a timer also reduce the possibility of tripping over a garden hose. You can set the timers for the times that are best for both you and your garden, such as during the night.
Take it a step further by adding other automated features, such as motion-activated lights that come on when you step out at night or lights that turn on and off on a regular schedule.
New smart and automated garden products and features are rapidly coming on the market as well. Look through gardening magazines and websites, and talk to the staff at nurseries and hardware stores about what automated features they would recommend.
Bonus: An automated watering system, particularly one with smart features, ensures that your garden will get the water it needs when it needs it, and often results in using less water.
Plus, automating both your irrigation and your lighting will allow you to go on vacation without scouring the neighborhood for someone to tend to your plants or, if it’s in a front yard, worrying that your home will look empty.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Native plants are a favorite jumping-off point for landscape pros when they’re designing a low-maintenance garden. “Plants indigenous to your area will result in lower maintenance needs, as they are well adapted to your natural soils, precipitation patterns and microclimates,” landscape designer Isara Ongwiseth of FormLA Landscaping says.
Oscar Ortega, who oversees maintenance for FormLA Landscaping, adds that native species do not need fertilizers or pesticides, which cuts down on maintenance while also supporting wildlife habitats.
Landscape designer Deborah Gliksman of Urban Oasis Landscape Design is another champion of native plants for the same reasons. She adds that native species often use less water than many nonnative exotics in her Southern California locale, where water considerations are a must, and help restore natural biodiversity.
What to Know About Starting Your First Native Plant Garden