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Process, referrals, and the one risk every designer should take
With 27 years in the interior design industry, Heather Cleveland is the founder of HCD Design Studio, a full-service residential design firm in the San Francisco Bay Area. She handles everything from structural plans and permit sets to procurement and installation — and she's spent more than 20 years refining the process that makes it all work. In this Q&A, she shares what she's learned about winning clients, keeping them happy, and building a business that runs on systems rather than stress.
It's interesting how things move in cycles. I have been around long enough to see it go from referral only to mostly through online marketing (including social media) and now it seems to be pulling back to referrals only. I find the referrals end up resulting in a better conversion rate because they have already started to trust you since they were referred by someone they trust. Because of this, I try to minimise my online marketing and work to establish relationships within the industry for more personalised referrals.
I have spent at least 20 years working on, editing and refining my process, and while I still tweak it here and there, I am finally very happy with how I run my projects.
The most important one is that initial phone call. It gives me a chance to assess if the project and client are a good fit but also for me to "show off" a bit and woo them. I review the process with them in this call and also go over their timeline and budget.
Another key element is the weekly Friday email updates. This includes their order tracking and schedule update, all in one snapshot - we use Calendly - any updates on issues that may have arisen and how we will solve the issue. This is critical: to have a solution ready at the time that you deliver the news of the issue that has arisen. It creates a huge level of trust for the clients, that you have it all under control.
And I would say the third key marker is the bi-weekly job site visits. This ensures that the trades stay on time and have all of their questions answered, as well as allows me to ensure everything is being done the way I intended it in the design.
Finally, creating and sending off to the client a digital packet at the end of the project with all of the warranty info, care info and names of products like tile etc so that they have all the needed info in one convenient spot. They really love those!
It's critical to have a solution ready at the time that you deliver the news of the issue that has arisen. It creates a huge level of trust.
Heather ClevelandFounder, HCD Design Studio
I don't really find that I need to do that. Occasionally I get a call from a potential client who is already working with an architect and they think that I will be the decorator. Typically that is when I explain that while architects have their place in a remodel, often a designer can provide much of what the project scope needs. Some clients do not know that designers are able to produce structural and permit drawings in addition to the decoration piece. Simply explaining my process in that first discovery call usually clears that up.
As my business grew, I was finding that I could not keep up with the office work like tracking orders, dealing with damages, and calculating quantities for things like tile and fabric. I also am not very tech inclined and I wanted to up my brand image with things like digital concept boards and calendar links to clients. Design Assisted has been a true life saver!
Hire people early in your career. Farm out anything you don't like to do or don't do well and focus on the things you are good at and enjoy.
Heather ClevelandFounder, HCD Design Studio
I have a background in psychology and that has come into play on more occasions than I can count! Typically in a husband and wife situation, the wife takes over the project, leaving very little room for the husband to weigh in. I make sure to help them feel heard and often bring the focus on their wants in the conversation to help them build confidence that I will take everyone's wants and needs into the design consideration.
I work very hard to have a fun and relaxed yet still professional relationship with my clients. I let them in on my personal life, just a little, so they feel they know me a bit. Interior design and remodels can last quite a long time and so the relationships need to be nurtured. I also think my process makes the projects go rather smoothly so that helps. There are a lot of horror stories floating around out there so I think when the project goes smoothly, clients feel relief!
I started creating these because I would get lots of calls years after a project was complete about the name or colour of a tile or that a product broke and they needed the warranty info. This all but eliminated most of those calls. It also sets me apart from other designers in showing that I am very detailed. The binder includes warranty info, product info like colour and brand, and care info for things like countertops or fabrics.
The discovery call is EVERYTHING! You will know right away if the client isn't a good fit from that call. I review the timeline and budget and that alone will weed out quite a few projects. And if the client is already asking for special favours before I have even taken on the project, that is a huge red flag. I have been lucky in that most of my projects are with really great clients.
Be more bold! Every time I took a huge risk, financial or design wise, it has always ended up being a great choice. It's scary to take risks when your reputation is everything. But do it anyway!
Hire people early in your career. Farm out anything you don't like to do or don't do well and focus on the things you are good at and enjoy. I hate tech and I am not good at the admin stuff so I pay others to do it and that leaves me more time to do the part I love: design.
