Before starting Deb Mitchell Writing, I worked in-house for an amazing interior designer where I live. One of my most important roles was to take over their discovery calls. We joked that it was my job to help them decide who she would be ‘going to the prom’ with–and to ever-so-gently turn down the prospects who unfortunately weren’t a good fit. 

As silly as our analogy was, I found it helpful to think of this as a match-making process. After all, she and her design clients would be spending a lot of time together discussing very personal decisions about their homes and their project budgets. Going beyond aesthetics and budgets to consider things like personalities and communication styles was critical for ensuring everyone involved had a good experience. 

In order to help me process in real time whether each client and project was going to be a good fit or not so I could lead the conversation in the right direction, I created a checklist based on all the ‘boxes’ the designer wanted a client and project to check to be a good fit for her and her business goals.  

Coming up with checklist items

Ideally, we’d all love a business filled with only the most perfect-fit clients and projects. But in the real world, things aren’t always so black and white. Being intentional about deciding who we work with takes critical thinking and strategy (neither of which come easily when we’re speaking to a prospective client who says they want to hire us!). 

The key is to think it through ahead of time and capture it all in the form of an Ideal Clients & Projects Checklist you can have in front of you when you’re on that initial call. 

In the case of the designer I worked for, we knew there were some items (boxes) that absolutely had to be in place (checked) in order for us to even consider the project. From there, we treated other boxes on a sliding scale, allowing us the flexibility to decide on a case-by-case basis when a project made sense for our purposes. 

For example, say a project was in an inconvenient location. If it was definitely going to give the designer great photography for her portfolio and/or a potential press feature, we might decide to do it anyway–especially if the press was local or regional so it would get her in front of more of her ideal clients.

Or if the scope of a project was smaller than she preferred but the budget was generous for the spaces involved and the client had amazing taste, it might be a ‘yes’ in the name of creative fulfillment.

The dartboard analogy

Of course, we all want to work with clients and projects who “check all the boxes.” But realistically speaking, that’s pretty rare. 

I like to think about ideal clients like a target on a dartboard. The clients and projects who check all the boxes are at the bullseye in the very center. They’re the smallest group. We aim for them in our messaging and marketing knowing that we’ll also land many (if not most) of our clients from the larger area just outside of the bullseye. These are the clients and projects that check most of the boxes, including our non-negotiables. For me, that means no newbies–they have to already have worked with a number of paying design clients–and if we’re doing their website copy, they have to give me the freedom to work with ALL the copy, not just their bio and service descriptions (btw, this is because I can’t get them the results they want otherwise).

If you get your messaging right and do a good job evaluating the checklist items on your discovery calls, you’ll cut way down on having to deal with bad clients. If one sneaks in, as they sometimes do, be sure to take the time to evaluate what you missed in the initial inquiry and conversations, then add that to your checklist so you’ll be sure to look out for it going forward. An experience with a client who was brand spanking new to the design industry is what led me to add the ‘no newbies’ item to my list. She simply didn’t know what she didn’t know yet and I realized I wasn’t comfortable having new designers invest with me to commit to messaging during a season of their business that’s inevitably steeped in rapid evolution and pivoting.  

That said, one last thing about that dartboard of clients and projects: When we start our businesses, we work with just about anyone and everyone who’s willing to hire us. Think of this group as being represented by the third and largest circle on the board. They may check the boxes of being nice and great to work with but don’t get stuck in the trap of holding your business back in order to serve them. They helped get you where you are now, but they’re far away from your target and they won’t get you to the next level of growth you’re reaching for. If they ask, tell them about your new pricing and services. If they’ve grown with you, great! If not, they’ll understand and be happy for you and your growth. If they’re not happy for you, did you really want to work with them anyway?!

Implementing the checklist method in your design business

What I love about this method is that unlike an ideal client profile or avatar, it not only takes the characteristics of right-fit clients (and projects) deeper than mere demographics, but it also makes it super clear and easy to spot good fits and bad fits in real-life situations.  

It also makes it possible to weigh and measure each situation based on what’s happening in the business at the moment vs. what our larger goals are. As you probably already know, these often compete with each other. It can get tricky when we’re presented with a project that’s great for the moment but may undermine us in the long run (think: a small project with a controlling client in a zip code you’ve been trying to break into when your goal is to focus on larger projects with clients who trust you fully). 

I’ve implemented this practice in my business, with an Ideal Client & Project Checklist of my own that guides me in making great matches every time. 

And now that I’ve realized how many of my clients struggle at every stage of business with deciding when to say ‘yes’ and when to say ‘no’ to clients and projects that come their way, I’ve started including this in their Brand Messaging, as well.  

To get started, grab a free copy of my Ideal Client & Project Checklist template by filling out this form and personalize it for your needs!

At the end of the day, as business owners, the reason we shouldn’t work with certain clients isn’t because we simply don’t like them. It’s because they’re looking for something that we’re not best at giving them, be that a project experience we don’t provide, a service we don’t offer, or a result that we know we’re not best at creating. 

And while you may feel pressure to say YES to every prospect who comes your way and is willing to pay you, working with misaligned clients is just setting yourself (and the client) up for an unsuccessful experience. 

For this reason, I advise all my clients to make an “ideal client checklist”. And if we work together, creating your Ideal Client & Project Checklist is included as part of my Brand Messaging services. 

Once you have a list of what’s important to you in a client and a project, it serves as a boundary to help you stick to your goals. It keeps what you’re trying to build for your business at the forefront of your mind as you vet your prospects.  

You need to align in more ways than simply an agreement to a transaction. A well-thought out checklist is about setting yourself (and your client) up for the best possible experience, creating a business you truly love full of fulfillment and joy, and avoiding people and projects that could cause miserable setbacks and stress!

Are you settling for clients and projects that aren’t best for you simply because you haven’t thought about what you really want and need? 

You may make money that way initially, but it’ll end up costing you in the end. You’re allowed to want more. And quite frankly, you deserve more! 

(The exception to this is early on in your business or any time you find yourself really needing to bring in some money. In those cases, I recommend compromising on aesthetics over working with a client who doesn’t value you and/or who’s going to make your life miserable! In other words, even if a project isn’t aesthetically fabulous as long as you’ll be paid fairly, go ahead and take it but don’t have it photographed.)

How to craft your ideal client & project checklist 

If you want to Get In The Room™ with amazing clients who’ll help you create a joyful, profitable interior design business you love, your ideal client checklist needs to include more than just the obvious (that they have the budget to work with you and that they want to hire you).

After all, making a bad match at the start makes for a bumpy road ahead with some very uncomfortable conversations with your client along the way at best and an unsuccessful project that leaves everyone involved unhappy at worst. 

Avoid all of that and lay the foundation for an enjoyable, successful, and profitable project, by making sure your checklist puts other key aspects of a healthy working partnership front and center, as well.  

To do that, first get clear on what your business needs and wants are right now and in the near future.

Ask yourself:

• What do you need most right now from your business?
• What are your business goals for the next 3-5 years?
• What type of clients and projects will help you meet those goals? 
• What kinds of clients and projects do you need to start taking, stop taking, and/or continue taking in order for you to advance to the next level in your business? 
• What types of clients leave you feeling drained? 
• What types of clients light you up and inspire you?
• What types of clients tend to give you the best feedback about your design work and processes (NOT about saving them money or ‘going the extra mile’ for them)? 

Getting really intentional about your goals, and how you want work to feel, is an essential part to creating an ideal client checklist that moves your business in the direction you want it to go. How amazing is it that we have the power to mold our businesses into whatever we want it to be?! 

Don’t forget to factor in your personal life.

I’m serious about this. Most entrepreneurs don’t take into account what’s happening in their lives outside of work when they set goals for their businesses. But personal demands on our time and energy can greatly affect what we can realistically give to our businesses. 

For example, if you’re raising young kiddos you may have less capacity for design projects than if your kids are older and more self-sufficient. There are many clever ways to package and price your services to support your needs while helping you achieve your business goals.

Your personality is also something to consider. If you tend to be more introverted, for instance, you can put processes in place that cut down on the time you need to interact with clients, vendors, etc. to protect your energy. 

Create your own checklist

Every designer’s checklist is going to be a little different; your ideal client checklist will depend on your personality, your business goals, what affects you emotionally in your work, and how you work with people. 

That being said, here’s a general template to get you started:

• Matching energy levels  (Do you prefer high energy or super chill vibes?)

• Similar communication style (Is it buttoned up and professional, or warm and casual?)
• Aligned values (like caring about investing in sustainable products vs. that not being a priority)
• Potential to give you great photography

An ideal client and project checklist acts as a touchstone for you as a designer. It’s something you and your team can use to vet prospects and–most importantly–keep you laser focused on saying ‘yes’ to the types of clients and projects that are best for your business and thinking twice about all the rest.

Putting my own ideal client checklist in place is the best thing I’ve ever done in terms of assessing if prospects are a good fit or not! I’ve learned you have to get really clear on exactly what it is that you want, in order to take intentional steps towards it. 

Pumped up to create your checklist, but don’t want to go it alone?

When we work together to create your brand messaging, helping you create your Ideal Client Checklist is part of the process! We’ll customize one that’s individual to you and your business. 

The first step to working with me is my Message Level Up service. 

Contact me for a free discovery call or send me an email to see if we’d be a good fit!