I try to do everything I possibly can to accommodate prospective clients. However, sometimes, this can backfire. Some of the couples who interview me about designing their weddings, on occasion, have “played” me against other wedding designers. I refer to these difficult situations as “Professional Wedding Doubts.”
Here’s an example of a conversation I’ve had many times with prospective clients.
A bride will say something like: “Preston, I love your work, but I’m not quite ready to sign. Can you show me an example of what I’ll be getting if I hire you?”
And I respond: “With all due respect, my designs and ideas are exactly what I’m selling you. It doesn’t make sense for me to create designs for you before I have the job.”
And then the bride will say: “I don’t think what I’m asking is unreasonable. I interviewed another designer who was happy to help me make up my mind by designing a sample table setting.”
So then I try to find a compromise and say: “I’ll design a sample for you, but you’ll need to pay me for my time and materials.”
And the bride will come back with: “I don’t see why I should do that when the other designer was willing to do it for free.”
Now, at this point, I have three choices:
1. If this is a really big wedding, I could decide it’s a risk I’m willing to take. In which case, I’ll go ahead and invest my time and money in order to give the bride a full presentation.
2. I might take a smaller risk and create a story board of ideas and concepts for the bride. This way my only investment is my time and not a lot of expensive materials.
3. Or, I could simply tell the bride no.
Dear Readers, if you were in this position, what would you do? I often wish we ALL took the exact same position with our clients, so that they couldn’t play us against each other. What are your thoughts?
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George Bernard Shaw once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” That quote embodies how Preston Bailey approaches every event.
Lydia LaFond
September 12, 2011
“What is it that you are looking for in viewing the design before you pay?, is there something you are concerned about or afraid of?” – Get the bride talking more, maybe you can fix the concern before having to create a design or losing a potential client.
Tere
September 12, 2011
Preston, your work is so incredible that if I were you…I would show her some pics of past weddings to give her an idea of my talents. This way she can either copy your past already seen designs with another designer or see that you are more than qualified and hire you.
Karla Chávez
September 12, 2011
With the name and reputy that you have built up by now, I wouldn’t do extra work for this client and show them as said before, some of your previous weddings and work. They must have an idea of how you work, so I agree with what Tere said.
Fida Viantymala Sakdin
September 12, 2011
if im at ur place i may just let her go to the other designer or make her pay wht u have asked. Didn’t she jst showing her ‘attitude’? She may g worse at later time… It’s either u stick to ur principe or u don’t mind to lose this kind of customer.if
But as for myslef i may sense if she jst trying to test my credibility and wasting my time or i may take it as a challenge and some how will make her engaged me as her wedding planner.
All d best!
Lush Floral
September 12, 2011
I have offered to do the sample meeting for the cost of time and materials. Then if they still balk–let them go. If they are seriously interested in hiring me, they will go for it. If they just want a sample or to get my ideas to take to another vendor who will do it for less, they aren’t going to pay for the sample meeting, and they are not planning on hiring me anyway, so I’ve saved myself a huge waste of time (at least that’s how I see it.) Of course there are exceptions, like when I’m working with a really great event planner whom I respect and trust, and I know the client has a vested interest in using me, and by taking care of the planner’s client, I’m taking care of my relationship with that planner….
Katie McLaughlin
September 12, 2011
Preston, I completely agree with you – it’s a tough situation. My business partner and I were recently asked to bid for a wedding, and they wanted to hear and see our ideas. We struggled with this, because on one hand we wanted the job – and in order to get it, we had to show the bride and groom our visual concepts and ideas. But on the other hand, this is the work we get hired for – and what is stopping them from taking our vision and ideas to a “planner” who is cheaper and/or not of the same quality? In our industry, we really struggle with this…I guess it really is a case-by-case decision.
Jacqueline
September 12, 2011
Preston, I couldn’t have seen this on a better day than today!
I had the same issue with a client yesterday and had to stand my ground explaining that my design, time and materials are all valuable commodities and are worthy of being compenstated accordingly. I will be more than happy to do a sample/playdate but I need a signed contract in order to do so…..otherwise I would be doing samples all day long!
dews of keziah
September 12, 2011
I would most likely do as you have said in option #2. I’d try and get the bride to talk more about what she’d to see at her wedding, what she has seen at other weddings she liked, and from there, I’ll make an inspiration/story board based on she has said and throw in a few things into the board I think she may like. I wouldn’t go further than that until I see a signed contract, before I go all out with samples et al.
Temo
September 12, 2011
Dear Mr.Preston,
I think a sample and a tour are an absoulote nust for everybride to see and to know what is her big day is going to be like.
A tour and maybe a tour in a wedding you are planning and take her with you to let her see how it goes to feel confident.But that does not mean however to let her be a bridezella.Yoour name as a Preston Baily is a name of which everybody trusts and as I know you would,you know exactly when to let someone in,and when to say no.
Jeanne
September 12, 2011
You have enough work in your portfolio to show the range of skill and ability – I think that when someone is pitting you against another designer, the customer might want to incorporate your creativity into someone else’s design without paying for your talent. You can graciously suggest that you would be happy to show mock ups after a deposit is paid; and if the client decides you and she are not a good fit after seeing the samples, you can return her deposit minus costs of producing the mock ups.
Sharon Elezye
September 12, 2011
Preston, I agree with you completely. This is a sticky situation. However, I would think it more true for a less established Event Designer to experience these situations. Your talent and reputation speaks for themselves. I think the scenario and options for resolution you presented are on target.
Sophia
September 13, 2011
Recently happened to me. It was a fairly large wedding, and I knew I had the job. I made several mock ups to choose from at my cost. But each time the cost of the arrangement that they chose became less as I spent money on mock ups.
At this point, I like the 1st answer by Preston. “I’d love to do that for time and materials.”
Thanks for addressing these problems we all face in our career.
GE
September 13, 2011
Are you serious, Preston? You don’t know what she’s pulling? When a prospect is trying to get you to do something because they insist that’s what your competitor is doing for them, instead of trying to figure out how to work it, the answer is you say to them: “Then what’s stopping you from going with the competitor? Why are you talking with me if you want things done the way my competitor does it?”
Pam Archer
September 16, 2011
I tell them that my work speaks for itself and that I will create something equally as beautiful and unique for them. I also tell them that I don’t bid on weddings and that I am not in competition with anyone. They are either comfortable with me and trust me, or they don’t, bottom line. Sounds hard-nosed, but I am very gracious when I say these things. If they don’t like it, I tell them I am not the right person for them.
You did the right thing.
Angela
September 17, 2011
I handle this based on the client. Some clients wont part with any payment or deposits without having an idea of what they would see. Life is full of risk so we have to take time especially with corporate jobs. A lot of money and time is spent in making presentations to the team and you have no clue if you will be selected, since there could be more than 5 companies bidding for the same job. Thanks
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September 17, 2011
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