Q. My first corporate presentation was a disaster. The company president asked if he could have substitutes to what I showed, and I said ‘yes’ to get the account. Later, I calculated everything and found that the baskets will cost a lot more than anticipated, leaving me with pennies in profit. How can I keep from repeating this mistake?

A. New designers occasionally fall prey to this switching tactic. The best you can do right now is to honor the order without beating yourself up in the process. Here are three steps to help you move on.

1. Be willing to say “let me check on that” when you’re unclear about the cost. Tell the client that you want to make sure they’re not being overcharged for the design change. In reality, you want to double check your own profitability.

Call the client as soon as possible with the details and to close the deal. Don’t think that this scenario puts you in jeopardy of losing the sale. Remember what happened the first time.

2. Bring a personal list of 3-5 items that can be exchanged for the majority of items in the baskets you present. Offer any of these products if asked for substitutes, and stick with these options unless you must resort to No. 1 above.

3. Make certain designs “as is” with no substitutions. If they aren’t acceptable for clients, offer your custom designs, which can elevate profits substantially.

Disasters are blessings in disguise because everyone must face one to grow. When mistakes occur, you can make changes and move forward to more profitable pastures.

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