Hello Workroom Owners!
Do any of these things make you feel nervous, embarrassed or scared?
1. Sending a quote, especially one that is very expensive
2. Asking for payment from your customer
3. Admitting mistakes
4. Asking for more details or additional information
5. Saying “no”
In this episode of the Sew Much More Podcast: 30 Minutes with Workroom Tech, Ceil DiGuglielmo and Susan Woodcock talk about why so many of us have feelings of insecurity and how to be more confident in our businesses. You can listen to this episode of the podcast here: Episode 86: What's So Scary About Confidence?
1. Giving a price quote or estimate
You will have more confidence if you...
A. Know your hourly rate
B. Know the cost of supplies and materials
C. Don’t assume anything about the customer (what they can afford, their knowledge of custom work, their values or expectations)
D. Stick to your pricing “rules”
E. Never apologize for pricing
2. Asking for a payment
You will have more confidence if you...
A. Provide a price estimate before you start the job
B. Have a contract with payment terms
C. Remember that you are a professional and payment is no more than a “business transaction”
D. Make money and payments part of the conversation throughout the job.
3. Admitting mistakes
You will have more confidence if you...
A. Admit mistakes! What’s the worst thing that can happen?
B. Plan a solution (or more than one solution) before you contact the customer.
C. Remember that everyone makes mistakes - you are human!
D. Recognize where mistakes happen and why so you prevent the same mistakes from happening again.
4. Asking for more details or information
You will have more confidence if you...
A. Prepare clear, concise and educated questions
B. Let the customer know that it is part of your stellar customer service
C. Your question might make you the hero of the day!
D. Don’t assume that you are bothering them...
5. Saying “no”
You will have more confidence if you...
A. Establish policies to back up your “no”
B. Listen to your inner voice and gut instinct
C. Understand that a “no” can lead to a “yes”
D. Wait to reply until you have thought it through
E. Don’t assume the customer will be upset or angry
F. Say "no" with a positive attitude
Read the article The Confidence Co-efficient by Suzanne Cox, from Custom Home Furnishings Magazine that is referenced during the podcast.
Final thoughts
Use confident body language - even if you feel scared you don't have to look it!
Practice the 3 P’s of business interactions....
Poise (having a calm, self assured manner)
Professionalism (competent, skillful, thoughtful, knowledgeable)
Positive attitude (constructive, affirming, optimist, and confident)