Reply To: Trade vs. Retail

What has helped me in figuring my services is what pain points am I solving for my client?

1. Am I ordering fabric? Well, then I’m doing Project Management.

2. Am I figuring fullness against a scale or function? Well then I’m doing design.

3. Am I fabricating against specs? Then I am fabricating. If I made the specs, I also did the design.

Retail vs wholesale isn’t the question. It’s what pain am I resolving and what service am I offering? And then, what is the cost of me to do it (to cover my time, and operational expenses)? Plus risk, plus my planned profit.

I can offer design service to a designer or to a homeowner. But what pain am I resolving?

As a designer, they don’t know what hardware is best for that one way functioning drape and how much fullness to account for as well as any deductions or ease to add for function. That’s my design and experience.

As a homeowner, they don’t know the above, either, but they also may not know what fabrics to choose for the aesthetic they want. That’s also design.

Consider the services you offer and price accordingly. I bet you offer;

-design
-project management (beginning to end)
– subject matter expert in hard treatments
– fabrication
– support through the end of the project
– installation and troubleshooting

What else?

Think about it for a few projects and I bet you’ll see your real services and wow—— you offer a lot! Then you start your language and pricing conversations and get the pricing right so you’ll be there the next time you need them.

Kathy