I recently gave a speech and a vendor in the audience asked me a very interesting question. I’ve been mulling it over ever since and want to address it here with you:
“Do most clients shop for value more than design?”
I resist pigeonholing potential clients, because the truth is usually much more nuanced. However, I think the answer to this question is both — people want good value AND good design. If they only wanted one, our jobs would be much easier.
Now, thank you, thank you, God, that after more than 30 years in this business, most of my clients are extremely rich. Of course, most of them are wealthy, because they know how to take care of their money and have a deep appreciation for value. (Only once has a client ever said to me, “Money is not an issue.” Unfortunately, this client was living in a fantasy and ended up conning me and several other vendors; money was very much an issue, after all!)
In general, though, I think that most clients — if they have to choose — will pick the more cost-efficient option. Every once in a great while, though, a client will truly understand the price and value of a great design and will recognize how personal an innovative design concept really is. I live for these clients!
Dear Readers, let me ask you the same question I got: do you think most clients shop for value more than design? Have you ever experienced a crazy client who told you they could afford something much more lavish than they actually could? (I call these “fake” clients!)
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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.
La Bella Planners
February 16, 2012
That is a great question! My company is an event planning company and in a nutshell, clients see us as a luxury. Let’s take a wedding for example. If you ask most people who did no use a wedding planner, they would tell you that if they could do it all over again, they would have used a wedding planner.
I think most clients are so budget conscious that to add an extra expense of a wedding planner is scary.
From our point of you, there is a very fine line between being affordable and being able to make a living. We know we are one of the best at what we do, and we work hard and deserve our compensation, but at the same time we do not want our clients to feel like they have to sell their first born child to hire us.
We love what we do, and try to be as affordable as possible.
Joel Rabe
February 16, 2012
There is no doubt that it is a combination of both Value and Design. I am an entertainer but we DESIGN our music around the client (lifestyle, background,etc) and create and atmosphere personalized for that client. We charge more then other Vendors because we do deliver value. My opinion is the term “Value” is relative. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because a client is looking for Value, they are looking for cheap. I would argue Alister’s clients perceive Value with her because she delivers more then they expect, for the agreed on price point.
julia Hewitt
February 16, 2012
I agree with you at La Bella- however, I think that people just do not get what is involved in design or planning of a wedding or special event. They think it is easy and just a few phone calls- The lines are also very blurry between everyone in our industry- and then you have publications that offer a lot of misinformation- so I always find that our job is to inspire people to think beyond what it is that they know to be true or real and take them into a world that they can’t imagine on their own. It is a tough sell in this economy but it is worth it in the long run. Thank you Preston! I do think a lot of clients want the sun, the moon and the stars but really have no idea how much they cost and then think we are ripping them off for providing it- until they walk thru the door, they can’t see what we see or imagine it to be so amazing.
Angela
February 16, 2012
I also say both, clients will typically splurge on somethings and scrimp on others dependant on their priorities. Understanding their priorities (and vision of course) is key in ensuring your client is happy! In a nutshell…take your clients lead and you’ll make them all happy, every time no matter what they want…be flexible And listen, every single client is different! :0)
Heather Chesnet
February 16, 2012
Thank you for this discussion. As a new business just trying to determine where our niche is… it is helpful to understand that even the wealthy care about value and cost savings.
Anonymous
February 16, 2012
I’ve had this struggle for quite some time. I think alot of the answer depends on who your clients are. For Preston, it’s more upscale wealthy client. Our’s are more the middle to upper class. They don’t mind spending a bit more but expect more value for it.
One thing I would add is that sometimes you can provide value in other areas such as service, add on’s, education and knowledge, ect. If they see these things in addition to the wonderful designs, they might be willing to pay your price over the less expensive option down the stree.
Great post! Thanks.
David Kosberg
February 16, 2012
I’ve had this struggle for quite some time. I think alot of the answer depends on who your clients are. For Preston, it’s more upscale wealthy client. Our’s are more the middle to upper class. They don’t mind spending a bit more but expect more value for it.
One thing I would add is that sometimes you can provide value in other areas such as service, add on’s, education and knowledge, ect. If they see these things in addition to the wonderful designs, they might be willing to pay your price over the less expensive option down the stree.
Great post! Thanks.
taylor dedonato
February 16, 2012
interesting topic .. a little of both would be nice !
Sileola
February 16, 2012
Interesting post, and very interesting question too. I think most clients shop for value than design. However clients who have the money for elaborate designs and are willing to pay, are not willing to pay just because they have the money, but because they understand the value of the design being offered to them and thankfully they can afford it.
I have come across clients who say money is not a problem, but eventually it turns out to be. Because of this I ask my clients to please disclose everything. Most times they are not the ones paying for the wedding so they assume their parents are willing to pay hundreds of thousands, and it turns out they are not. I always want to have a conversation with the person paying for the wedding (most times it is the parents) and hear from the person how much they will like me to be respectful of during the wedding planning process. This way there are no games being played, if not it will be a waste of my time and the vendors involved.
Anonymous
February 17, 2012
Fake clients-how annoying! So a client who has used our services before is having a Bar Mitzvah for her son and calls us for a decor consultation. Anything we did in the past for her was always on the smaller scale(house parties,restaurants,etc…). So my business partner and I meet with our client at the location and spend two hours throwing ideas around to make this a fabulous party. The client tells us she loves everything and to take a week and write up a proposal and then meet again. A week later we meet at her house. She then tells us she is getting her own furniture, her own printed materials, someone else will be designing logos and artwork-all things she wanted us to do-before we even give her the proposal. The proposal was around 12 thousand( flowers, furniture, props, etc…a steal by the way). She proceeds to tell us she wants to spend around 6 or 7 thousand or her husband will kill her(heard that one a million times). So we agree to make a sample of the centerpiece idea which she absolutely loved. It was a raised centerpiece constructed with flowers,ostrich feathers, a large lit lamp shade, glass, crystals-not cheap. So the next week she comes in to see the sample and says-quote” Oh my God! I love it but you know I can’t afford it. I just came from so and so florist and I think I’m going to let them make the centerpieces.” Now this nutjob just made us make a costly sample( which we reduced to meet her budget), have two long meetings for nothing and all the while acting like we were doing everything and she was ok with the price, and now she’s using someone else? What a phony wannabe rich person. So she leaves saying maybe we can do the kiddish the day before-which we never did. We eventually saw some pics of what she had at the party-all of our ideas were used in every aspect of the event-every one-but trimmed down and totally cheap looking. Disgusting! It’s true you get what you pay for. Now we know for when she calls next time-oh wait we’re booked that day,sorry!
Navjot Kaur
February 17, 2012
I think one can draw a fine line among the clients who are looking for design and value both yet others just looking at value. Most of all, our job is to eloborate the dreams and then convinicing the clients to make the best choices. Many a time, clients have noidea what it takes for us to deliver and there is a cost attached to it.
Sandra
February 21, 2012
Hi, People do want Value for their hard earned money as well as they do want the best design. Once they see some real good designs, then they want to bargain it to the max.
Many clients do say money is no issue, but it always is a issue. I haven’t met anybody who is accommodating when it comes to finalizing the price. So it has to be the combination of both, Value for Money and a Good Design.