Project Management – The Black Hole of Interior Design

As you may (or may not) know, a black hole is a region of space-time where gravity devours everything, including light and energy. For an interior designer, project management is just such an area of destructive gravity.

The list of tasks that come under the heading of “Project Management” for an interior designer, whether for a basic remodel to an all-inclusive re-imagining of the entire living space of a home is nothing if not an Earth-bound black hole. Managing these aspects of the job requires an experienced designer who is intimately familiar with all aspects of a design project.

-OR-

You can invest a relatively modest amount of dollars in one of the latest digital tools available to save designers time, energy, and money. (Huh, who’d a thunk it?)

Time to Reject That Gravitational Pull

We would not normally share so many business-building tips in a single post. However, we believe this area is important enough to give you at least a glimpse of the design-centric project management systems recently featured by the folks at BusinessOfHome.com.

• Studio Designer – Now over 30 years old and ranging in price from $54 to $72 per month, “this well-established platform has a user base of 14,000 designers [and] facilitates the creation of proposals, quote requests, time billing, invoicing, and accounting [specifically] for the interior design industry. Part of what designers like about Studio Designer is its client-facing portal, where projects can be viewed anytime, and payments can be made via credit or debit card and bank transfers.”

• Houzz Pro – This popular home remodeling platform, “offers [interior design professionals] an array of tools from its well-known product clipper to email marketing and lead generation functions, integration with QuickBooks, and an augmented reality feature that allows designers and their clients to virtually experience their proposed vision onsite in 3D. The platform also comes with built-in lead generation from Houzz.” can get pricey, with packages ranging from $65 to $400 per month.

• Mydoma Studio – Created by an interior designer and her app developer husband for her own use, they realized they had solved many of the pain points experienced by others. And so, “the pair launched Mydoma Studio as a wider offering. The resulting platform provides tools for project and client management, purchase orders and invoicing, vendor and team collaboration, time tracking, mood boards, and product sourcing, [plus] templates for a basic interior design contract or an initial client questionnaire, as well as webinars and events.” Monthly costs range from $49 to $99 for the platform.

• Design Manager – This aptly named app offers more than basic project management functions. “Design Manager has additional applications for firms that hold inventory in multiple locations, stock products, or operate a showroom or storefront. Those retail-minded features have made the platform a go-to for designers … who rely on the platform’s tools to accept payments for merchandise and track inventory and employee commissions as they balance design work with bustling retail operations.” The platform goes for $65 per month.

• Design Files – Wow, what a great tagline: “Design, manage, get paid and grow.” The platform makes a serious effort to live up to this by being “similar to other design-specific project management tools [but] its features include a room planner, product clipper, time tracking, and QuickBooks integration. Design Files stands out by offering a unique plan tailored for e-designers, [including an option] to integrate their design packages onto their website and easily process payment[s] upfront.” E-design packages begin at $49 a month per user, while a full-service plan starts at $69 a month per user.

(Dang, does anyone have one of these made for easier living?)

What Have You Got to Lose?

For us, it’s simple. An interior designer has pretty much nothing to lose by trying any of these reasonably priced project management platforms. Well, except for the stress and headaches you will likely lose!

Plus, Ted remains available to help as well, with business consulting to the trade and as a potential guide for the use of digital project management platforms for designers and furniture dealers. If you’d like to chat with him about your design business needs, simply… Contact TD Fall today.

AI in Interior Design – From the Common to the Uncommon

Artificial intelligence in interior design has become a fact of life. In other words, AI applications are a common tool for designing and creating virtual and augmented reality experiences for clients, allowing them to visualize their space before any physical work is done.

Less common is the use of AI among designers to tackle the day-to-day minutiae of running their business. Despite the broad use of such applications among the business community at large, it is uncommon for designers and dealers to employ AI-based solutions for more mundane tasks that devour so much time and effort from a business owner.

From payroll to client follow-up and even from client acquisition to forecasting to help plan for the future, artificial intelligence administration applications enable a designer to spend more time working with clients, and even more time to… design beautiful spaces.

How AI can Help Small Business Owners

A September article at FurnitureToday.com states, “The furniture industry has gotten on board with A.I. and its content-creating subset, generative A.I.”

Further, they declare, “Whether retailers are deploying virtual reality technology to show how home furnishings will look within a room, adding chatbots to their online customer service applications, using A.I. for business forecasting and data analysis, or using it to write copy for press releases or product descriptions on their websites, interest has been growing.”

And, clever people that they are, they inquired of the free-to-use AI-generated chatbot ChatGPT itself to explain to them what the future of AI will look like for the furniture and design industries:

• Advanced AR/VR experiences: Future applications could include more immersive AR/VR experiences, allowing customers to virtually rearrange furniture in their spaces or explore entire room designs.

• AI-powered design assistance: Retailers could offer A.I. tools that help customers design their spaces by suggesting furniture layouts, color schemes, and complementary items.

• Sentiment analysis: A.I. could analyze customer reviews and feedback to gauge sentiment and identify areas for product improvement or customer service enhancement.

• Smart showrooms: Physical stores could incorporate A.I. to create smart showrooms, where A.I.-powered devices interact with customers, provide information, and even simulate different lighting conditions.

• Sustainability and material sourcing: AI could be used to trace the origin of materials, assess their sustainability, and provide customers with detailed information about the environmental impact of products.

• Emotional A.I.: A.I. could be used to understand customers’ emotional responses to different designs, helping retailers create emotionally resonant marketing and product strategies.

• Predictive maintenance for furniture: A.I. could be used to predict when furniture items might need maintenance or replacement based on usage patterns and material degradation.

• Collaborative design platforms: AI-driven platforms could facilitate collaboration between customers, designers, and retailers, enabling real-time design modifications and adjustments.

• Automated personal shopping assistants: A.I.-powered virtual assistants could help customers navigate through the purchasing process, offering personalized recommendations and facilitating the buying journey.

• Interactive in-store experiences: Physical stores could use A.I. to create interactive displays and experiences that engage and educate customers about furniture features, materials, and design options.

Does anyone else think that list is a little intimidating?

Using AI is Inevitable

Granted, We may have seen a few too many sci-fi movies but, asking an AI-generated app what the future looks like for AI-generated apps sounds a bit creepy to us. Seems like they’re just asking the darned bot to take control of things from them. (Have these folks never seen 2001 A Space Odyssey?)

Seriously, the burdens that can be lifted from a business owner’s shoulders are almost too numerous to count. And, it’s only going to grow: “Few segments [of the economy and business] are growing at the rate of the artificial intelligence market. What was estimated to be a $140 billion industry in 2022 is expected to grow to nearly $2 trillion by 2030, according to Next Move Strategy Consulting.”

(After reading this, you may want to watch something like “White Christmas” before bed tonight so you can avoid dreams of various artificial intelligences attacking you.)

Ted remains available for business consulting to the trade and as a potential guide for the use of AI in design as well as for furniture dealers. (Unfortunately, he has yet to learn dream therapy.) But, if you’d like to chat with him about your design business nightmares, simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Artificial Intelligence – Will it Hurt or Help the Furnishings Industry?

Artificial Intelligence… The very words can frighten us after seeing or reading countless movies and books where the friendly helper becomes a deadly foe. And now, we see it making an impact in the home furnishings industry – an impact that will affect all of us eventually (if it hasn’t gotten to you already).

So, what is AI? “Artificial Intelligence (AI) is machine-displayed intelligence that simulates human behavior or thinking and can be trained to solve specific problems.” (SimpliLearn.com)

Further, AI is already impacting all of our lives on a daily basis.

• As per Gartner, 37% of organizations have implemented AI in some form. The percentage of enterprises employing AI grew 270% over the past four years.

• According to Servion Global Solutions, by 2025, 95% of customer interactions will be powered by AI.

• A recent 2020 report from Statista reveals that the global AI software market is expected to grow approximately 54% year-on-year.

Technology is Changing How We do Business

OK, so why should we worry about using Artificial Intelligence for interior design or in retail furnishings? Well, according to Ashley Furniture CEO Todd Wanek, “By the end of this decade, there will be two types of companies. One, that’s in business using A.I., and the second one that’s out of business. I think it’s going to be that impactful.” (FurnitureToday.com)

Admittedly, that is a pretty bold claim. Then again, it’s not like a smartphone, tablet, or laptop is NOT being used to help interior designers reimagine a homeowner’s space. Or, to help a furnishings dealer show a client exactly how a new piece of furniture will look when placed in their home.

Apps like these are the very definition of Artificial Intelligence and they’ve been available for quite a few years.

“Home furnishings retailers are deploying [AI] with virtual reality technology to show how home furnishings will look within a room. They’re adding chatbots to their online customer service applications. They’re using it with business forecasting and data analysis, as well as to write copy for press releases or product descriptions on their websites.”

AI Will Boost Productivity

Clearly, AI can make our lives easier – when used effectively. The fear of AI comes from imagining what the logical implications of employing such a powerful technology might be moving forward.

Could AI be developed in a way that it could design custom furniture on its own? Could it take over for interior designers and reimagine a client’s space without the designers’ input? Just how far will we go?

Mr. Wanek explains, “There’s a tool called Midjourney right now that we’re using. We’re using it for creative service. Our design team is using it to help design product[s]. It’s unbelievable what it can do in five minutes, which would have taken hours before. In our product knowledge team, what would have taken them three weeks, they got done in three days just through ChatGPT.”

Additionally, he shared, “We’ve deployed it already in some cases, like in transportation and accounts payable. We’ve also deployed it in human resources. It goes through resumes and helps identify whether the person applying is capable of working for our company.”

Whether we like it or not, new technologies – including Artificial Intelligence – are having and will continue to have a meaningful impact on our industry. To quote our hero and mentor:

“I have an idea that AI needs to be humanized for designers. It's already having an impact on our industry and the early adopters will own the largest market share.” (Ted Fall)

We’ll be examining this issue in future posts about how and whether Artificial Intelligence will hurt or help the furnishings industry.

For now, Ted remains available for his impressions of issues like these and for business consulting to the trade. All you have to do is… Contact TD Fall today.

2024 Color of the Year from Dutch Boy Paints (Wait, wut? Already?!?)

Well, the dance has begun, folks. Paint manufacturers have already begun to announce their 2024 Color of the Year: with more than four months to go until the New Year!

Trying to get a jump on the competition is one thing but, when everyone jumps at the same time – nothing but confusion can follow. Never fear, for we are here to help reduce the clutter.

Dutch Boy’s “Ironside” Paint Color of the Year

One of the first to jump is Dutch Boy Paints who, according to DesignersToday.com, have gone “deep and dark for color of the year”. The paint has been named “Ironside, [and is] a deep olive shade with dark undertones that creates a level of comfortable sophistication.”

“As dark shades become more appreciated in the home, this deep olive is versatile in wide-open spaces or enclosed comfy places, reflecting well-being from all angles, according to Dutch Boy,” wrote Product Editor Lauren Roses.

Quoting Ashley Banbury, NCIDQ and color marketing manager for Dutch Boy, we learn their thinking behind this intriguing color as the foundation for numerous palettes from the manufacturer:

“Creating a space for wellness should be a driving factor in everyday life,” she said. “That’s why taking a natural approach to healthy living and safe spaces is a pivotal part of the current landscape. Dutch Boy Paints’ 2024 One-Coat Color of the Year – the stunning, strong Ironside – incorporates all the above in one bold color and can be applied in one single coat.” (emphasis added)

Complementary Color Palettes from Dutch Boy Paints

Of course, every paint manufacturer offers a spread of choices, based on their chosen Color of the Year. In this way, they can offer a palette of colors that can be used by designers and homeowners to make a particular statement or enhance the feel of a chosen space.

• Embrace Palette - As homeowners place an emphasis on the comfort of slowing down, the Embrace Palette focuses on self-care and wellness. Shades include Antique White, Whale’s Tail, and Heritage Brown.

• Inspire Palette - Personal expression and creative outlets have become therapeutic. Bold uses of pattern, color, and curated spaces in this color palette create self-inspired trends and environments. Explore color by combining shades like Ultra White, Pineapple Flan, and Strawberry Shade.

• Retreat Palette - The Retreat color palette is intended to give peace of mind while taking extra personal time. Ironside is the color that ties Sanded Grout, Wild Orange, and Antiquated Olive together, bringing both cleanliness and warmth to the home.

Without a doubt, we’ll be hearing about and seeing many more offerings from many more paint manufacturers about their 2024 Color of the Year. As we do, we’ll be sharing them with you.

A quick cautionary note: Don’t be surprised by the variety of colors, some of which will definitely contrast with others.

As always, Ted remains available for business consulting to the trade, whether you have questions about colors or basic business practices. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Labor Shortages and Product Delays Persist But Are Improving

Following up on our post describing ongoing Marketplace Challenges for Interior Designers, this week’s post will get into some of the specifics behind those challenges: including skilled labor shortages and product delays.

We are grateful to the folks at FurnitureToday.com for clarifying much of the statistical analysis derived from the Q2 2023 Houzz U.S. Renovation Barometer.

Skilled Labor More Available in 2023

First, the good news: it appears that, overall, carpenters, electricians, cabinetmakers, and other critical, skilled subcontractors are more readily available than a year ago.

“Carpenters are in the shortest supply, followed by electricians and cabinet makers (as cited by 42%, 28%, and 26% of industry pros, respectively). However, at least 30% fewer renovation and design pros are reporting shortages of these subcontractors as compared with [last year’s] survey.”

Still, “Labor shortages continue to be a headwind for the home renovation and design industry. The most significant business impacts include increased project costs (81%), subcontractor compensation (72%), and project length (71%).”

Product Shortages and Delays

While we are certainly seeing improvement in the supply-chain backlog, “construction and design professionals [continue to face] challenges in securing the items they need to complete their projects.”

“Nearly half of businesses not only report moderate to severe shortages of products and materials (49%), but also shipping delays once purchased (63%). Material challenges are greatest with copper or brass (47%), followed by lumber or plywood (46%), drywall (40%), and aluminum (40%).”

Unfortunately for interior designers and furnishing dealers, some of our most important product categories continue to be plagued by shortages and shipping delays.

“Delays in the arrival of cabinetry (96%), indoor furniture (95%), windows (94%), outdoor and indoor doors (94% and 93%, respectively), and lighting fixtures (92%) are top of mind for design professionals as they plan their projects.”

Things Are Improving

Yet, there is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

“Nearly eight out of 10 of residential construction and design businesses (79%) report moderate to severe shortages in the past quarter, down from 91% of businesses in Q2 2022.”

Although some believe this good news to be a result of bad news; that is, a slight drop in new projects reported at the end of last year, we take a more positive outlook. If the traffic we saw at Spring Market and the myriad of new products from furnishings manufacturers are any indications, things are looking up all over!

Are you still struggling to find solutions to labor shortages and product delays in your design business? While he may not have all the answers (and does not happen to be captaining any container ships at present), Ted does have more than a quarter-century of experience in the design and luxury furnishings businesses. He is available for business consulting to the trade.

To learn more, simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Marketplace Challenges for Interior Designers – Have Yours Changed?

From finding installers and other tradespeople to ongoing lead time issues and rising costs, the various marketplace challenges for interior designers are being impacted by geography, local competition, the general economy, and consumer skepticism. (Run-on sentence, much?)

According to a piece at DesignersToday.com, the biggest issue facing interior designers right now also include managing expectations, finding talent, the “speed” of business in the luxury furnishings industry, and dealing with unrealistic client budgets.

We guess it goes without saying that, when one asks designers for the “biggest issue” they are facing at the moment (that is issue, singular), they offer not one but many (14, 15, or 16 depending on how you count them)! (Hey, that’s almost like the way we’ve written not one, not two, but three run-on sentences in a row. How designer-like are we?!?)

For example:

“Overall, I think it’s managing expectations – internal and external.  If I could highlight some of the top ones we see on our end, I’d say: Talent (it’s still a challenge to find the right talent when hiring); Industry speed of business (I find the industry still moves quite glacially, as a whole); and budgets, a perennial favorite that never really goes away. Clients’ expectations of how much things should cost versus how much they really do cost. And in general, the rising costs of it all.” ~ Alex Alonso, Mr. Alex Tate Design, Miami, FL

Furnishing Supply Chain Issues Persist

As for consumer skepticism, Claudia Leah of Claudia Leah Design in Naples, FL shares her thoughts:

“We are in this weird spot where on the one hand, we are still experiencing supply chain issues for certain quality items, components, and trades, literally designing around availability. Yet we are also facing the threat of discounted overstocks on the retail side where mass-produced container items are being shoved into our clients’ inboxes, making them question if we as designers are telling them the truth about those long lead times.” (emphases added)

Brittany Farinas at House of One in Miami agrees:

“One of the biggest issues facing designers today is the lead time on materials. We are still working through this [despite being] post-pandemic.”

Finally, the exponential growth of online shopping for anything and everything for the home – including luxury furnishings, designer wallcoverings, and hand-woven rugs (among so many other high-end items) has led to pricing pressure on designers and furnishing dealers alike.

If you find yourself losing sleep because of the regularly shifting marketplace challenges for interior designers, Ted is available for business coaching and consulting to the trade. Simply… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Business Goal Setting Tips (How to Set Up Your Business for Success)

Advice about goal setting for your business (and life) is ubiquitous among coaches of all types, and that’s a good thing – sort of. This is especially true in the new year.

The problem develops when you recall that, on average, eight of ten yearly resolutions are never realized. In fact, they are usually forgotten as early as February each year. That is a stunning lack of success in the face of so much “expert advice” about how important it is to set goals.

The possible reasons for this failure rate tend to be more a matter of opinion than of scientific fact but, one thing must be said… If you regularly struggle to set and reach business goals, it’s because you’ve not been taught how.

Wait, wut?

Yes, Virginia. Goal setting is a learned skill that requires training and practice. It is not “instinctive” and is barely intuitive. Despite our tendency to endlessly look to the future, hoping always for good things to happen, we are frequently blinded to the present by our focus on tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year.

In other words, we lose focus on the practical day-to-day steps that need to be taken to reach the end result we hope for; that One Big Goal every coach tells you to set each year.

Successful Goal Setting Starts with Small Steps

Turns out, successful goal setting requires you to focus on the small steps you need to take to get to your Big Result; the boring, daily routine that will eventually get you where you want to go.

While this may fly in the face of currently popular belief, the truth of such a claim should be obvious. After all, if you're climbing a ladder to reach the roof of your house, you have to do it one rung at a time. The same is true for reaching your One Big Goal; there must be a clearly outlined, step-by-step process to get there or you will fail again.

You Need a Goal-Setting Strategy

So, rather than repeating those steps here, let’s take a look at what your goal-setting strategy should be:

• Be realistic – No matter how high you want to reach, if your goal is unrealistic, you’re setting yourself up to fail and you will never get there. Big goals are fine because they give you something worthwhile to aim for. However, they have to be reachable, or you will remain in that 80% of folks who never reach their goals.

• Set positive goals – Setting negative goals for the new year is probably the most popular approach; to lose weight or quit smoking for example. These are rarely successful. Instead, it’s better to put a positive spin on the changes you want to make: to get more exercise, to eat healthy, to wear the patch, etc. Turns out, a positive mindset is far more powerful than negative thinking.

• Recruit others – Sharing your goal with others will help you stay focused. Sharing it with your team will enable and engage them in helping you get there. Do NOT be shy about telling someone about what you hope to achieve. Instead, get them on your side and allow them to encourage and support you in your efforts.

• Make a plan – You’ll need to outline the steps along the path toward the result you want to achieve. It’s important to always remember that you're in the middle of a process here; a progression from point A (setting your goal) to point B (the realization of your goal). There are no shortcuts.

• Daily follow-through – If small daily goals are the secret to successful goal setting, then following through on them is the only way to get there. This is your responsibility and only you can ensure these tasks are completed. The benefits of being diligent are outlined below.

Of course, all of these ideas are great in the abstract but, that begs the question of how to put them into practice. Below is a very simple example of how to reach a new business goal for the year.

Your Big Goal: Increasing Income!

• So, at the top of the pyramid: your Big Goal = Boost Income 25% this year

• Next level of the pyramid: 4 Quarterly Goals = Boost Income 6.25% each quarter

• Next level of the pyramid: 12 Monthly Goals = Boost Income 2.1% each month

• Next level of the pyramid: 50 Weekly Goals = Boost Income 1/2 of 1% each week

Do you see how easy it is to increase your income by 25% next year – IF you think of doing so in terms of Less Than 1% per week? Your half-a-percent per week goal quickly becomes more than 2.1% per month, which is more than 6% each quarter, which will easily surpass your 25% Income Boost for next year’s Big Goal!

Easy peasy! Who knew successful business goal setting for boosting your income could be so simple? (We did. LOL)

Are you looking for more tips on goal setting for your business, or other marketing ideas? Ted is available for business consulting to interior designers and luxury furniture dealers across the US. Simply… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Sales Trends for 2023 – Can We Trust the Experts?

There is a problem with predicting trends and outcomes, whether in politics, sports, or sales trends. First, the future is malleable and variable. Second, expert predictions are usually based on historical trends.

Unfortunately, while the past can certainly influence the future, it may only foreshadow things to come without offering an accurate picture of the next week, month, year, or the next few years.

Then we have the number-crunchers. Statistical analyses are great as far as they go yet, changing environments over time can skew toward new trends that are unpredictable based on historical models.

So, what does this say about the expert predictions we hear and read about sales trends for 2023?

As always, you should take such prognostications with a grain of salt and remember that interior design and furnishing sales are local businesses so national trends may mean nothing in your market.

Broad-based Sales Trends for 2023

With all that said, there are some broad trends that can be seen as influencing past sales trends and can reasonably be expected to continue for at least the next year.

With thanks to the marketing experts at Hubspot.com, we would like to share what we see as the top five sales trends from their latest report:

1. Specialization – Though it seems counterintuitive, targeting a narrower market is often a great strategy. “In modern sales, ‘the riches are in the niches.’ In other words, when you try to appeal to everyone, the opposite happens: you end up resonating with no one.”

2. Culture – One thing never goes out of style for a successful business: your sales culture. “Building a high-performing sales team should never fall to the bottom of the priority list. After all, how much a salesperson sells, how productive they are, and how long they stay at a company are all influenced by sales culture.”

3. Persistence – A never-give-up approach to sales will be critical to overcoming the infinite range of appeals and influences on clients and prospects. “Rarely do we make a sale at first contact with a prospect – although that would be nice. In reality, [making a sale is] a process that requires multiple touchpoints. But here's the problem – the average salesperson makes only two attempts to reach a prospect.”

4. Relationships – Building relationships and working with repeat clients should be a priority this year. “26% of sales professionals say existing customers took priority over finding new ones [last] year and we predict this trend will carry over in 2023. Almost 90% of sales professionals try to upsell their customers. The result? Almost half of [those] companies report up to 30% of their revenue comes from upselling. When it comes to cross-selling, 80% of sales professionals use this tactic. 42% of companies report up to 30% of their revenue comes from cross-selling.”

5. Personalization – We’ve previously mentioned the importance of a personalized approach to sales. “In 2023, personalization [will be] the name of the game in sales. In fact, more than a quarter of sales professionals believe personalization is the biggest change in the sales field this year. A good place to start is with your trusty CRM, which can put all that data to good use to help you paint a clearer, more holistic picture of your customers. It's no surprise that 22% of sales leaders want to leverage their CRM to its full potential this year.”

If you find yourself struggling to create a sales culture for your business that includes these important elements for making sales, Ted is available for business consulting to the trade. Simply… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Making the Sale in Shifting Markets

Perhaps the ultimate challenge for making the sale in 2023 will be successfully responding to volatile markets. What do we mean by this? Well, for many individuals and families, our world has changed dramatically; it’s less stable and more unpredictable than we might have imagined.

Over the past couple of years, consumers have responded to this lack of stability by also becoming less predictable. At once they can be impulsive and deliberate; prudent and reckless; extravagant and cheap; nostalgic and pragmatic; cynical and trusting; logical and emotional.

Such inconsistencies in attitudes and perceptions have made the buying process, whether for products or services, very different from what it was just a few years ago. These conflicting mindsets have turned the design and furnishing markets into virtual quicksand and made the selling process more confusing and complicated.

Taking as a given that emotional appeals are often the key to making the sale (as most marketing experts agree), we can’t help but ask: How is that possible when today’s consumer of luxury furnishings seems to be riding an emotional roller coaster?

Successful Selling Requires Creativity

Solving problems for your clients has always been the foundation of successful selling. Yet, hitting a moving target (as in your target audience) requires creative problem-solving, with ingenious strategies for resolving your client’s and prospect’s pain points. But those keep changing too!

Ultimately, you must be the rational influence in your client’s lives, divining their needs and offering the types of creative solutions for which you’ve been trained. Doing this will require almost infinite patience and a very personal experience that will make their lives better on both a practical and emotional level.

It has never been more true that there is no one-size-fits-all (or even most) approach to making the sale in today’s shifting markets. “If you want to stand out in the market, you must personalize customer and prospect interactions … According to research by Instapage, more than 60% of consumers are annoyed by generic advertising messages, and 80% prefer doing business with companies that provide a personalized experience.” (Business.com)

In short, your sales pitch must be solution-focused, value-driven, and creatively tailored to the needs of each client.

If that isn’t enough to make you view the new year with a jaundiced eye, stay tuned to this blog for more from the experts that will ensure making the sale will be even more challenging in 2023. Fear not, however, for our guide and mentor, Ted Fall, remains available for business consulting to the trade. Feel free to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Pantone Color of the Year 2023 – A Bold, Dramatic, Stunning Statement is Made

Finally, the paint color trendsetter has announced its startling choice for the Pantone Color of the Year for 2023. As their website says, “Welcome to the Magentaverse”, with Viva Magenta rockin’ your world!

After exploring the colors of the year from the major paint manufacturers, we are excited to see that Pantone has declared 2023 the perfect time for a bold, dramatic, even stunning statement to be made. And, with Viva Magenta, nothing could be more stunning.

Viva Magenta from Pantone

As they describe it, “Pantone’s Color of the Year, Viva Magenta 18-1750, vibrates with vim and vigor. It is a shade rooted in nature descending from the red family and expressive of a new signal of strength. Viva Magenta is brave and fearless, and a pulsating color whose exuberance promotes a joyous and optimistic celebration, writing a new narrative.

“This year’s Color of the Year is powerful and empowering. It is a new animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundaryless shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement. Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta welcomes anyone and everyone with the same verve for life and rebellious spirit. It is a color that is audacious, full of wit, and inclusive of all.”

Why Choose Such a Striking Color?

Why did Pantone choose a color that is so bold and striking? According to Pantone Color Institute’s Executive Director, Leatrice Eiseman:

“In this age of technology, we look to draw inspiration from nature and what is real. Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta descends from the red family and is inspired by the red of cochineal, one of the most precious dyes belonging to the natural dye family as well as one of the strongest and brightest the world has known.

“Rooted in the primordial, Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta reconnects us to original matter. Invoking the forces of nature, Pantone 18-1750 Viva Magenta galvanizes our spirit, helping us to build our inner strength.”

If the Pantone Color of the Year for 2023 doesn’t resonate with you, feel free to check in with us for further impressions of these categories of colors trending for next year. Just click here to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.