We were lucky to catch up with Robyn Branch recently and have shared our conversation below.

Robyn, appreciate you joining us today. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today.

As a creative, I am constantly trying to improve our process to be more profitable. One of our greatest obstacles is helping clients see what we see. If they could understand what they are paying for, they may be more inclined to trust and allow the process. Most people who contact a designer need the help, know that, but they also spend too much time on Pinterest, HGTV and in not-so-real-land. The process is not as romantic as the finished product. Communication is key and it rarely happens between the team. A designer can facilitate that and take the burden from the client!

An ideal team, if there is construction involved, is an architect, a designer, then a builder. Clients often go about it in reverse and choose a builder first. By the time they employ a designer, they are bewildered, rushed and frustrated. Builders often dislike a designer rolling in and dictating how the project will progress at the last moment. Smart builders welcome a designer and respect an architect. It really has to be a TEAM for the client to get the best outcome. I definitely insist on this and explain to the client why.

To pay that team often holds a homeowner back. Thus the issues just pile up. When I first started, I was in retail and design was just second nature. I did not charge for it, but soon realized it was ninety percent of my business. Long time clients, which I had completed multiple projects for, said things like ” I’m glad you think your are worth that”, “glad your business has taken off, but no way will I ever pay you”, and “I really only need you for this one thing”.
I lost most of my clients, but had the best year I’d ever had without their constant life draining needs. Thus turning a better profit without the stress of selfish people. My new clients, loved having a team and a go to.

When I hired a coach and tried to learn how to charge, I still could not get it and struggle to this very day! There is no definite way to charge and each project is different. I try to have a standard that clients can understand. Almost every client (I can’t think of a single one who has not) over shoots in time and attention to my estimate. That is my hardest part. That and not being “bank of Robyn!” Clients often think it will just magically happen, so I try to be very transparent with them. Even my good clients. It’s often expensive and anything worth it, takes effort. A fact any entrepreneur needs to know!

Payment, worth and getting the payday would be my greatest focus before I did anything. Design and accounts and logistics, which are usually a nightmare, are easier to solve than getting clients to pay for what they want. Even employees can be a nightmare, but that is still easier than billing. Learn about billing first! And if you cannot sell. forget it!

Robyn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I grew up in the furniture sales side of the business. I literally went to the High Point International Furniture Market as child. I often helped my sister who designed for a track home builder and we did model homes for the neighborhoods she sold. I went into dance and theatre in college and stayed there until my pivot into retail. Design is second nature for me. I am often called Eclectic, which is fine with me. At first I felt the word was so overused, but I soon realized, it is pretty spot on. Bohemian and artful would be in the mix, also. I am very traditional in many ways because I am a Southerner and still believe home is sanctuary and that one should be equipped for entertaining at all times. We have downsized and while I was working on a loftier goal, I may have downsized too much and have no guest room! Big mistake! I like a complete project. While we do many updates, one room renovations and smaller jobs, my preference is the whole house renovation. My background in theater and fashion brought together and kept me working on my eye.

I joined ASID and have felt very fortunate to meet many good designers and have gotten a lot of help for them. The CEU’s we are required to take for our membership are invaluable to me. I can definitely say that we are not a “Dolly Decorator”. We get in the trenches. We are now adding remodels and new construction to our repertoire. We have a licensed real estate broker on our staff, as well as a licensed residential/commercial builder and are able to practice in three states, soon to be four. Evolution is after all, what design is all about!

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

We advertise, but rarely get business from any publications. While being published is a great honor for a designer, it really only validates you with your current clients and peers. A bridge club or tennis team is our best source for referrals. Ninety eight percent of our business comes for referrals. And they are not professionals. Mainly clients! Our peers in the market place give us nice referrals too: realtors, builders, architects.

We now have a podcast and while we may not get new clients from it, it is so much fun, I will not quite! Social media is easy and free, even though it is often a little too much, I do it all. I’ve tried to hire a professional a few times and it was not very authentic. I know the right person for me is out there, but I am not for everyone and they try to make me a marketing dream. I am not a dream, I am different and I’m good with that. I tell myself when I get a new project that very thing because it hurts my feelings when people don’t give me a chance to make it better. I know I can. But… if they could see it, they would do it. That’s where the communication comes in. Over and over. The design part is easy, the orchestration and getting the word out is what is difficult. Design in a person’s home is very private and it’s tough to advertise that!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I have to say that my retail background was probably my greatest deterrent, I see it happen over and over. You will lose your fortune more times than not. I was so funny when I went to market and literally went into every showroom in High Point, Atlanta, Vegas, Europe, wherever I was! I would not even eat trying to get to every single one. I wouldn’t even take a water if I did not write an order. Now…I roll in at 9 or 10, eat four times a day so I can keep going and work until midnight, take the next morning to regroup and do it all again. I really spend time seeing and discussing product. I wear my staff out. But most of all, my relationships with reps, companies and the powers that help me have a good all around business is what I focus on. Even if I can’t buy that trip, I’ll be back and you never what kind of project I will have.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: robynbranchdesign
• Facebook: robynbranchdesign.com
• Linkedin: Robyn Branch
• Youtube: robynbranchdesign. (podcast channel coming)
• Soundcloud: robynbranch
• Other: podcast: Spotify

  Bad Bird Good Design

Image Credits

Head Shot: Larry Laughter

All home photos: Zeke Ruelas