Author: Duane

This seems basic I know, kind of design 101, but getting a client to reveal their budgetary needs for their kitchen or bath remodel is something many designers struggle with. When I am reviewing projects that designers are working on and I ask “What is your client’s budget?”, the response I sometimes receive is that […]

The house lights dim, some music begins from the orchestra in the pit, and in a couple of minutes, the curtain goes up. Who is on stage? You are, and your audience is watching. As a kitchen and bath designer, you rely on interacting with your clients, whether this is in real life, over the […]

This may seem logical and you may do this all the time, but many designers I have seen presenting their work do not always present with excitement and positivity. Some people speak to their clients with an attitude of apathy. Your client’s decision to buy is based on their overall experience with you, their trust […]

by Duane Becker I get it. You are excited to get the sale closed. Demand is making most designers crazy busy, and the projects are beginning to pile up and get overwhelming. The last thing you need is a client who decides to go elsewhere because things are just taking too long. It can be […]

Most Kitchen Designers know that details matter.  When reviewing a design that you believe to be complete, take your time to review the details that remain to be done to complete the look. Consider, for example, the cabinet over the refrigerator.  The is one area that most people don’t give too much thought to, other […]

Imagine you have just finished presenting a full kitchen remodeling project and now it comes time to review the price.  You as the designer know that it is slightly higher than the client’s budget, but it is close and you do know that the pricing is consistent with the scope of work and products needed […]

If you have been shopping for a laptop computer lately, you probably have discovered that there are a multitude of choices, depending on the configuration, size, memory, etc. that you might be looking for. Some manufacturer web sites also allow you to select the models that you are interested in and do a side-by-side comparison […]

Recently, I had ordered some audio speakers for my living room.  The delivery date for the order was going to take a while, but I was patient since this was not a “need”.  On the day these were to have shipped, I received a notification that this was delayed by about 4 weeks.  Once again, […]

As a Kitchen Designer, you are, of course also a salesperson. You could design the best space imaginable, but if you can’t sell it, you won’t make any money, and you might as well close up shop. Part of being a salesperson is and always has been learning how to handle objections. This is one of the […]

If you have been in the Kitchen and Bath design field for even only a month, you possibly have already experienced clients who ask you for a better price. Sometimes they claim that they have a lower quote from elsewhere and ask if you can match it or do better. Recently, a designer (I will call […]