The Six Reasons Design and Decorating Businesses Fail
Released on = January 17, 2006, 5:24 pm
Press Release Author = The Designer\'s Coach
Industry = Small Business
Press Release Summary = In my study of the decorating and design business, I have discovered that there are six main reasons that will prevent your ultimate success. If your company is skilled in a few of the six reasons, but not all, you will reign in your company from achieving its goals. Therefore, to attain the status of a world-class organization, you must strive to understand and overcome these six areas that could potentially destroy your dreams.
Press Release Body = The Six Reasons Design and Decorating Businesses Fail. In my study of the decorating and design business, I have discovered that there are six main reasons that will prevent your ultimate success. If your company is skilled in a few of the six reasons, but not all, you will reign in your company from achieving its goals. Therefore, to attain the status of a world-class organization, you must strive to understand and overcome these six areas that could potentially destroy your dreams. 1) Misguided Leadership A state where the leader has not developed the competencies necessary to effectively run an organization. This is evident when the leader does not seek out feedback on his/her behavior. He is insensitive to the feelings of his staff and his clients and is unwilling to remedy any weakness that will be detrimental to the organization. 2) Uncooperative Teamwork Whether your company is a one-person operation or has dozens of people on the payroll, your business must operate as a team. Does your team distrust each another and act to protect one's own interest? Is there constant fighting and name calling? Do your plans and ideas go unfulfilled? Are there individuals who look out for number one and not the team? It is a serious problem when the team works in an unharmonious state. 3) Haphazard Marketing Many times I have seen money thrown at advertising as if it would magically encourage appointments. This is an ineffective attempt to generate leads through misappropriation of resources. What ends up happening is paying an extraordinary amount for a lead. 4) Amateur Selling Selling without a plan or system leaves the designer working in a confused state. At times you may be selling on price, and sometimes on value. The design team has not established a position in the mind of the consumer, and projects no clear value-message. 5) Faulty Client Fulfillment Once the deposit is received and the order process is underway, so begins the task of fulfilling your promises. This is the critical area where most businesses fail. There is very little room for error in meeting the expectations of your clients. 6) Lack of Pricing Strategy It all comes down to this, the bottom line. The final measure of success will depend on your margins. This is a complex business, and unless you understand that your business must work on certain margins, you will not succeed. Most businesses will price each job as to the urgency of the cash-flow status and not understand the detrimental effects of a price cut.
When struggling with these challenges, it is good to have a place to turn to. The Designer\'s Coach will be conducting its popular seminar The Designer\'s Coach, March 7th-8th in Baltimore, Maryland. You can register for this class by calling Neil Gordon at 845-304-0520 or go to: www.thedesignerscoach.com