Have better conversations with your clients about money—no matter what roadblocks you encounter.

The moment has arrived. No more chitchat about the weather or how quickly the year is passing. No more disappearing down the rabbit hole of what rug might work for the living room. It’s time to talk money with your clients.

If you got into the industry because you love poring over spreadsheets and asking people questions about their finances, congratulations, you’re one of the very few. But for most, broaching the subject of money is an extremely uncomfortable formality, one that goes against every fiber of social etiquette they’ve ever been taught. Angst aside, it has all the ingredients to be a fraught conversation: The dollar values are big, the sticker shock is real, and money can be a surprisingly emotional subject for all involved. Even for veteran designers—survivors of hundreds of money talks—it’s not likely to be the highlight of any project.