5 Client Process Gaps Draining Your Sanity and Profit (For Interior Designers)
Saying I’m passionate about the client process is an understatement.
Obsessive? Maybe.
But for good reason.
Because here’s the deal—your client process is either working for you…
Clients are fully on board with how you run your business.
They respect your role and let you shine.
They trust you completely.
You’re making money everywhere you deserve to.
Or it’s working against you…
Clients are confused, constantly questioning how things work.
They micromanage, overstep, and buy things that were in your scope.
They ghost you, then reappear like nothing happened—expecting miracles.
They change their minds (a lot), then blame you when invoices pile up.
If you feel like you’re constantly putting out fires, answering the same frustrating questions, or dealing with clients who seem to be running your business… you’ve likely got some got gaps in your client process.
These gaps are sneaky.
At first, they fly under the radar. But over time, they chip away at your profits, your time, and your confidence
The good news?
Once you spot these gaps, you can fix them.
Today I’m giving you a mini-masterclass on what these gaps are that are causing you to feel so powerless in your business, and what life will like for you once these gaps are filled.
Your Assignment
As you scroll through this post, have a pen and paper and rate yourself on a scale of 1-5:
1 = This is a major gap in your business. You’ve either barely given it attention, or you haven’t been able to master it successfully.
5 = You’ve got this down. No problems here!
At the end, we’ll see how you did.
Sound good?
Gap 1. Creating Opportunities to Build Trust
You may think trust is a given, since you have years under your belt and you’ve got the title “Principal Designer.”
But unfortunately, that isn’t enough for your clients to be totally hands-off.
Throughout your entire design process you’re going to need your clients to trust you.
Trust that you’re managing their budget effectively
Trust that you’re moving their project forward, even if they aren’t hearing from you
Trust that the design you’re putting together is going to end up ~STUNNING~ when they’ve forked over hundreds of thousands and their house looks like a freaking disaster zone
Yeah, that is a lot of trust you need to lean on.
But if you don’t already have a “trust bank” established, when you go to ask for this trust, you are withdrawing from an empty bank account.
Which is why your clients don’t just “trust you.”
So how do you build up your trust bank?
By leveraging opportunities in your client process.
You build trust by…
Managing expectations from the beginning
Communicating about potential challenges (like how much it really costs to invest in interior design)
Doing what you say will do (like setting deadlines for yourself and following up on time)
Anticipating your clients wants and needs
Demonstrating good listening skills
When you realize that the client process isn’t just about signing a client, it’s about building a relationship based on trust, you can start finding and leveraging the opportunities in your client process to build that trust.
To summarize, here’s how it manifests when you don’t have your client’s trust.
Clients question your expertise and design recommendations.
You feel like you're constantly defending your fees rather than demonstrating your value.
Clients are shocked and confused by unexpected costs or delays, prompting them to put a pause on your project or disappear for a period of time.
You avoid difficult conversations until they become unavoidable crises.
Now when you DO have your client’s trust…
Your clients follow your lead and guidance
Clients come to you with questions rather than assumptions or accusations
Issues arise, but they don’t turn into full-blown disasters because of the relationship, transparency, and communication channels you’ve created
Your clients are thrilled to refer you others because they felt taken care of
Now that you’ve had some context, where do you rate yourself on a scale from 1-5?
1 being you haven’t created opportunities for trust in your client process, and 5 being you definitely have your clients trust from the start of your project.
Gap 2. Structure
After working with countless designers throughout the years, there’s one thing I know for sure:
Every designer craves structure, yet every designer fears it.
I’ve found the fear really comes from their attachment to being a flexible and easy-going person, and wanting freedom and flexibility in their work.
But here’s what’s funny: the less structure you have to your processes, the more overwhelmed you feel.
And when you feel overwhelmed, you are, mentally, anything but free.
You don’t have a plan for your client meetings, so you miss opportunities to communicate and educate on your processes
You don’t have a defined “next step” to communicate to your clients… so they create the next step for you by requesting unnecessary meetings
You let certain things slide with your clients, like not knowing their budget or not defining their scope of work, causing a lot of confusion for everyone
When you have a solid structure to your client process, it means you have a clear, repeatable process that both you and your clients follow.
It means you’re saying the same thing in every phone call, every meeting, and every follow up email.
And that those things you’re saying are strategic - they are placed in that exact spot for a reason.
Because at that time, your clients need to know that thing.
Or because at that time, it’s the perfect thing to lighty mention that thing, and then say “but we will dig into that more later” so it’s at least on their radar.
Having a structure to your client process also shows your clients that you know what you’re doing and that they don’t need to worry about the next step, because you’ve already told them what it is and have moved them toward it.
Basically, it gives them no wiggle room to create a process for you.
Here’s what it looks like when you DON’T have a structured process:
You’re constantly answering the question, “What happens next?”
Your clients request unnecessary meetings, and you don’t know how to decline these meetings, so you’re going out on meetings that are unnecessary
You leave your meetings feeling like you could have been stronger in them
You feel there are opportunities to show up more professionally
You don’t communicate your policies, processes, or expectations and hope your clients read your contract and understand everything in there
Here’s what it looks like when you DO have a structured, repeatable client process:
Your clients move through your process seamlessly, knowing exactly what’s next.
You have a plan for each of your client process meetings, and know that when your client signs your contract, you are on the same page with budget, scope of work, your policies, your processes, and your boundaries.
Your mind feels free of worry.
You don’t have to explain yourself… really, ever.
Clients trust your process because you’ve already confidently led them through it.
You aren’t spending any energy wondering what to say in your design meeting, client consult, or how to set boundaries.
You aren’t worried about whether or not your client is interviewing other designers, because you know your process is attractive to the right clients.
Now that you’ve had some context, where do you rate yourself on a scale from 1-5?
1 being you don’t have any structure to your client process , and 5 being your client process is repeatable, sustainable, and structured.
Gap 3. Exemplifying Boundaries
Ah - you may think I was going to say “communicating boundaries” here.
Or even “having boundaries.”
But the truth is, what’s even more important to me than these two is that you exemplify boundaries in your client process.
Someone who exemplifies boundaries exudes confidence.
Without having to say it, you just know you cannot take advantage of this person, nor would you ever want to!
This person is too respectable, too much of a badass, to try and push the boundaries of.
And someone who exudes boundaries?
Attracts clients who respect boundaries.
The best designers showcase their boundaries from the first interaction—not in a defensive or outwardly way, but in a way that commands respect.
A way that says, “Hey, my time is important. It isn’t more important than yours, but I am in charge of mine, so I am going to ask good questions and make sure you are worth meeting in person. And if you aren’t, I’m not going to set up a next meeting with you.”
If you have boundaries and have exuded them throughout your client process, not only will you attract more desirable clients, but you also will not feel sick to your stomach when it’s time to communicate your boundaries.
The designers who don’t exude boundaries? Are very insecure when it’s time to talk about them.
If you struggle to exude boundaries, this is likely how it manifests in your business:
You say yes to things you don’t want to do, then resent it later.
You are afraid of setting client boundaries.
You often say “I tried to set boundaries and it didn’t work!”
Despite communicating that you prefer text and not email, and that you do, in fact, have hours of operation, your clients still text you at all hours and expect an immediate response.
You work with people who are not respectful of boundaries.
You’re always letting things slide.
Your projects feel like they take over your life because clients don’t respect your time.
If you exude boundaries well, you likely…
Have a process to communicate your boundaries that doesn’t make you feel demanding or pushy.
Have clients who respect your expertise, your processes, and your time
Confidently communicate when a client crosses your boundaries.
Don’t feel guilty saying no or reinforcing your policies.
Have solid work-life balance and healthy client relationships
Now that you’ve had some context, where do you rate yourself on a scale from 1-5?
1 being you don’t exude boundaries in your process and you feel nervous when it’s time to communicate your boundaries, and 5 being you definitely exude boundaries in your client process and your clients are attracted to it.
Gap 4. Authority
In every design project there must be a clear leader.
The leader assumes the position of deciding where the project is going next, what meetings need to take place, what input is needed, what experts to bring in, and what will bring about the desired result in the least amount of time.
Clearly, this leader should be you.
But often, you’re not seizing the opportunity to step into this role, prompting your client to seize it, and you wonder how in the heck you just wound up as a follower of your own design project.
I’ll tell you how: it’s because you didn’t command authority when you had the chance.
Commanding authority is a requirement for your clients to follow your lead. If they feel that seat isn’t being filled, they WILL step in and fill the position themselves, and it will not work out for you.
Authority isn’t about being bossy or arrogant – it’s about knowing that you are the expert of the design process, being confident in that fact, and guiding and directing your clients accordingly.
And when you lack it, your clients aren’t going to wait for you to assume the throne.
They’re going to see that big, comfy red chair with gold trim and sit in it themselves.
If you lack authority in your client process, it looks like:
Your clients pushing back on your recommendations
Clients controlling your process
You telling your clients what they want to hear vs what they need to hear
Holding back on sharing your expertise, or feeling like you don’t have any opportunities to share your expertise
Clients taking their sweet time to make decisions, to pay you, to basically do anything that you want them to do
When you have authority in your client process, it looks like…
You confidently present your design fees and ask for the money you know you deserve.
Your clients are happy to pay it, because they know you’re worth it.
Clients look to you for direction and trust your recommendations.
You confidently lead every meeting, knowing exactly what needs to happen in it.
You don’t hesitate to tell a client when something isn’t a good idea—and they respect that.
You close deals faster because clients feel assured in your expertise.
Now that you’ve had some context, where do you rate yourself on a scale from 1-5?
1 being you don’t command authority in your client process, and 5 being your clients know that you’re the leader, and they are the follower.
Gap 5. Salesmanship
Ah yes - salesmanship. Another thing designers shy away from in fear that they are going to be misunderstood.
Listen, if you are selling people on something because it benefits you and only you, then yes, that is icky and you should not do that.
But if you’re an honest and ethical interior designer, which I am guessing you are, then you need to learn how to leverage salesmanship to guide your clients toward making decisions that are in their best interest.
Example being, if you know you would be an amazing designer for them, you cannot just hope and pray that they realize that, you absolutely must help them realize that.
By…
Showcasing your expertise
Educating them on where to invest, and where not to
Knowing when to check in, and when to leave them be
Knowing when an upsell is in their best interest, and if so, not pushing it but educating them to make a good buying decision
You also need salesmanship to properly “sell them” on your policies, processes, and boundaries and how all of these are in their best interest.
Admittedly, good salesmanship is both an art and a science.
It does involve intuition, but also involves strategy and thoughtfulness, two things that can easily be overlooked, or done incorrectly, if you’re not spending enough time on this.
Truth is, the best interior design business owners know not only how to design, but how to guide clients toward the right decisions with confidence and care.
If you lack salesmanship in your process, you will…
Struggle to communicate why your policies exist
Fumble over your words when your clients ask questions about your processes
Shy away from suggesting upgrades or alternatives because you don’t want to “be salesy”
Struggle to have clients move forward with recommendations, even when they make the most sense for them
Be afraid to follow up with prospects
Lose clients to other designers
If you definitely have salesmanship, you will…
Confidently guide clients toward the best decisions for them.
Have clients follow your processes with little pushback.
Use language that helps your clients see the value of your recommendations.
Won’t feel awkward talking about money or policies.
Follow up like a pro, increasing conversions and closing clients with ease.
Now that you’ve had some context, where do you rate yourself on a scale from 1-5?
1 being you lack salesmanship in your client process, and 5 being you confidently sell yourself, your processes, and anything else that’s in your client’s best interest.
Your Results
Now that you’ve rated yourself, review your results.
Do you have mostly 4s and 5s? Amazing—you’re running a tight ship! And that’s something to feel so good about. Probably 1/10 designers I meet fall into this category.
Mostly 2s and 3s? You have a solid foundation, but there are some areas that do need tightening… and you’re likely losing money and sanity because of it.
Mostly 1s? Look no further! This is exactly why you’re feeling exhausted, undervalued, or stuck in the client chaos cycle.
Client Success Academy
If you have a bunch of 1’s, 2’s, and 3’s, then you definitely have gaps in your process that need to be filled.
And filling them will not only ease your stress, but allow you to see greater profits, too.
In Client Success Academy, I walk you through the exact framework for structuring your client process so you can attract better clients, set boundaries your clients will actually follow, and establish trust with your clients to ensure it will be a positive client relationship.
If you’re ready to have a client process that works FOR* you, and no longer against you, tap here.
*clients agreeing to all of your policies in advance, they understand their process, they know your role and their role and stay in their own lane, you make the money you deserve