More on After-Pandemic Success – What is the Purpose of Your Business?

Surviving the pandemic through a strategic marketing plan is all well and good but, to prosper in the aftermath of a crisis, you will need to answer the age-old question: "What is the purpose of your business?"

(Uh, oh. Get out the wetsuit; we're getting deep today!)

You would do well to consider the purpose of any business that is successful as a model for your own, whether interior design or a luxury furnishings dealer. After all, the line "to make money" isn't going to get you very far as an after-the-crisis Mission Statement, is it?

Besides, thinking like that is superficial and, ultimately, a cop-out. Why? Because counting pennies like Scrooge just ain't going to cut it when it feels like the world is going to hell in a handbasket.

Why Go Through the Struggle Again?

Stated simply, "The purpose of a business is to offer value to customers, who pay for the value with cash or equivalents. Minimally, the money received should fund the costs of operating the business as well as provide for the life needs of the proprietor." (Alan Weiss, PhD)

The value offered, he explains, is through products or services that provide value in exchange for compensation (usually those pennies you were counting).

The beauty of this type of thinking is that you can stop worrying so much about profitability and focus on the value you have to offer. When you focus on providing value as the purpose of your business, profits pretty much take care of themselves!

Yes, it's true. When you offer real value, all that other stuff (like overhead, expenses, and the additional "costs of doing business") seems to get taken care of without much conscious thought or effort – or loss of sleep.

Now, when it comes to defining value, we have a whole new concept to consider. At a fundamental level, a client perceives value as receiving something worth more than they paid. If you can deliver that regularly, and do so honestly, you won't have to "struggle" through tough times again because they likely won't be tough for you – a recognized value giver!

While there's a bunch more that can be said about offering value and the purpose of your business in the aftermath of the pandemic, this seems like a good start. If it gets you thinking and optimistic about your future, we've done our job for now.

Business Coaching with Ted Can Help

If you're struggling with developing the purpose of your business in the face of the pandemic, Ted continues to offer business consulting support to interior designers and furnishing store owners. With more than 25 years' experience in the luxury furnishings industry and through all sorts of economic crises and natural disasters, he should be able to help you cope with all the craziness.

To get in touch with Ted, or for more design business tips, trends, and marketing ideas… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Are Client Referrals the Best Way to Grow a Design or Furnishings Business?

Perhaps second only to working with previous satisfied clients, gathering referrals from them will likely be the best way to garner new business. Whether a luxury furnishings store or interior designer, happy customers are usually eager to share their positive experiences with friends and family. So, use them to get client referrals as often as you can.

A marketing plan that does not include asking for referrals, especially in a service-oriented business like interior design, is incomplete. Yet, just like “asking for the sale” during a presentation, many designers neglect this step in relationship building. And, not to be left out, many furnishings salespeople do the same.

Turns out, online reviews and testimonials have nearly the same power as direct referrals from clients; that is, a recommendation to people they know.

“Did you know that 97% of consumers regularly read reviews before choosing to work with a business? Did you further know that almost all of those consumers trust online reviews and give them as much weight as a personal recommendation from someone they actually know?” (Podium.com)

Value of Online Reviews and Testimonials

• Expand Your Online Footprint – From your website to review sites (e.g., Houzz.com), online reviews and client testimonials are fantastic reputation builders. In fact, recent research shows that positive customer reviews make 73% of customers trust a business more. And, of 74% of customers who were asked to provide feedback, 68% were willing to do it.

• Learning to Ask is the Hard Part – Make asking for a client review part of the process by mentioning reviews at the beginning, middle, and end of every project so it will become a habit. This will also make it more difficult for a satisfied client to refuse your request (for whatever reason).

• Manage Your Reputation Online – Reputation management is a big deal these days because everyone is online where impressions can last forever. A bad review can cause lasting damage and may be very hard to remove. Instead, respond to negative reviews immediately with a request for more info or a call. Then, get busy asking your best clients for a positive testimonial to counter the “bad press”.

• Create a Testimonials Page – Websites without a page full of client testimonials are incomplete. Just like before and after images of your design projects, testimonials offer “social proof” that you're good at what you do. They can also offer the big plus of telling prospects that you're easy to work with. (So, best advice – BE easy to work with!)

• Get Direct Referrals – Asking for reviews and testimonials should be a given but, you also need to ask former clients for names. Your goal here should be to get the names and contact info of people your client knows; people who respect their opinion and who will be open to your approach. Make sure to ask them if it will be OK for the referred prospect to call and ask for more information about you too. This could be critical to landing that lead as a client.

Follow-up is Critical (As Is a “Thank You”)

Whether an online review, testimonial, or direct client referral, showing your gratitude proves that you value the relationships you have with your clients. At a minimum, a big fat “Thank You” is called for, though many business owners offer a reward for a direct referral. This may be something as simple as a gift card or if the referral has enough value, a discount on future work.

Finally, make all reviews available to prospective clients to showcase your credibility and experience as a pro, and include them in any prospective client welcome materials. And yes, it’s perfectly OK to proof and edit for typos and such. (In fact, it’s highly recommended as further reputation protection.)

Looking for more tips on sustainable design trends, designer marketing tips, and product ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Is Your Online Marketing Strategy a Victim of the Pandemic?

The pandemic and resulting lockdown orders have created a massive challenge for in-person service providers. And, while the internet offers thousands of articles on how to respond to such a crisis, few of them actually address the effects on an online marketing strategy for such a business.

Instead, most of the content out there is focused on how to sell and to deliver products during a crisis. While that may be helpful to a portion of the industry, which is the furnishings suppliers, it does little to help interior designers.

According to the digital marketing folks at Forbin.com, now is definitely not the time to go quietly online. Instead, they say:

“Now more than ever, you need to look at your website as your virtual store or office as this is going to be the most accessible representation of your business – the world’s window to your business. This is a great excuse to finally dedicate time to updating the content on your website to reflect how you're serving customers today.”

This means spending time increasing your profile on social media, as well. While many of us complain about the not-so-social aspects of platforms like Facebook and Twitter, it cannot be denied that their use has grown almost exponentially in response to the quarantines we’re dealing with.

Because of this, you should develop and execute a solid social media marketing campaign. Just make sure it’s not too “salesy” and that you offer high-value information instead of a perpetual sales pitch.

Realize that Online Search Trends are Changing

Again, according to Forbin, “Since mid-March, search trends have changed dramatically. We’ve seen obvious search terms like ‘coronavirus’, ‘take out’ and ‘delivery’ soar to top trending terms, but there have also been increases in more unexpected search terms.  For example, the week of March 15-March 22 saw a dramatic climb in healthcare keyword searches that are still on the rise.”

Doing research into trending search terms that align with the services you offer will show big benefits. While it may seem like a stretch to relate interior design to the pandemic, a bit of creative thinking will help.

After all, there are a massive number of people who are stuck at home right now, either working remotely or spending their days streaming Netflix. As the days and weeks under stay-at-home orders pass, these poor souls will become increasingly conscious of how their interior spaces affect their moods, productivity, and comfort.

Many will want to merge their virtual and physical environments. According to an article at Forbes.com, “Video conferencing is making people more aware of how they are perceived, and spaces in the future will be designed with that in mind. Muffled or reverberating sound, harsh or inadequate light will be considerations as we inhabit virtual spaces.”

The need for ongoing distancing, as well as emotional, mental, and physical health needs will become paramount for these folks and a sharp designer will develop solutions to those needs. This will include the no longer rare home office (which actually gets used), as well as the need to keep the entire family comfortable.

Expand Your Menu and Your Marketing Strategy

Granted that isolation has become a dominant trend in our culture, it is death to an interior design business. Expanding your menu and your reach are both going to be critical to your after-pandemic success.

While figuring out how to get this done in the current business environment is challenging (to say the least), it cannot be denied that the designers who survive will find a way.

If you're struggling with developing an online marketing strategy in the face of the pandemic, Ted continues to offer business consulting support to interior designers and furnishing store owners. With more than 25 years’ experience in the luxury furnishings industry, and through all sorts of economic crises and natural disasters, he should be able to help you cope with all the craziness.

To get in touch with Ted, or for more design business tips, trends, and marketing ideas… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Responding to the Pandemic – What Comes Next for Your Business?

Depending on where you live and work, things should be loosening up a bit for you, though it begs the question of what comes next in response to the pandemic and its aftermath.

We hope that as the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders are relaxed, your life and your furnishings or design business begin to resemble something like normal. Although it's likely to take some time to get back, you would do well to believe that we will evolve from crisis living to a more acceptable way of life and work.

While uncertainty may be the dominant mindset at the moment – we must all remember that it is just a moment – a particularly stressful point in time that will not, that cannot, last forever.

Yes, it may seem like our situation is dire for now. Yet, there is no reason to suppose that the negative aspects of the current situation will be especially important over the next six months or the next few years.

Experience teaches us that human beings are remarkably resilient in the face of crisis and tragedy. It is an integral part of human nature that we bounce back from disasters and look to the future, despite the most serious of challenges.

Examples of this might be the 9/11 tragedy, hurricane Sandy, or the many other natural and manmade disasters from which most of us have recovered. And yes, that is the key. That we have recovered – and that we will recover again.

Visualize Your Future Beyond the Crisis

As you look to the future, you will need to ask yourself some questions – about yourself, your business, and about your clients' lives. The answers to these questions will be an invaluable guide for moving forward successfully and with as little ongoing disruption as possible.

Questions to answer about your business:

• How has your design business changed in the past 60 days? (Or, your life.)

• Do you need to change your value proposition?

• What will be different moving forward?

• What short-term changes have you made, and what are the long-term effects?

• More specifically, which suppliers and subs have weathered the storm and are ready to get back to work?

It may also be helpful to pay attention to your competitors. Some will surely do well despite the current crisis, while others may disappear altogether. Do what you can to emulate the former and avoid the latter like a deadly virus.

Questions to answer about your clients:

• How have things changed in their lives, homes, and offices in the past 60 days?

• What do they value that they did not before?

• What will be the most helpful and relevant things you can do for them to help them recover?

• Which types of clients (which homeowners and office tenants) are doing well and can afford to become clients?

• Where and how can you be empathetic to those who are afraid while accommodating those who are not?

These are essential issues that we will all need to consider as we work to restore relationships, rebuild our client lists, and return to business as usual (or, as as-usual as we can).

One More Thing to Consider

Among the many changes you're likely to see from clients and prospects, as well as suppliers and subs, will be ongoing fear and residual anger. Some will be afraid we are trying to recover too quickly. Others will declare it was a "fake news" conspiracy, and there is nothing to worry about. Neither of these beliefs can be discounted out of hand, for the simple reason that you need their business or support and can't afford to ignore them.

So, work hard to be considerate and respectful of everyone you encounter since you have no idea how deeply or tragically they may have been affected. In other words, employ the Golden Rule and treat them as you would wish to be treated. Your business will appreciate you for it, and your "What comes next?" question will quickly be a thing of the past.

If you're struggling to answer any of these questions, or with creating a vision for your future, Ted continues to offer business consulting support to interior designers and furnishing store owners. With more than 25 years' experience in the luxury furnishings industry and through all sorts of economic crises and natural disasters, he should be able to help you cope with all the craziness.

To get in touch with Ted, or for more design business tips, trends, and marketing ideas… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Interior Design Tips – Home Office Design Projects Will Increase Due to Remote Work

Without taking advantage of a stressful situation, it seems prudent to mention that the need to work remotely will likely lead to heightened interest in home office design projects. In response, Kravet is featuring a line of functional yet stylish furnishings for a home office that is leading the way (as we’ve come to expect).

As the internet becomes flooded with “pandemic business tips” and “tips for working from home”, few marketing experts seem to be focusing on the home office environment. For interior designers, this could be the difference between staying busy and spending your days streaming Netflix while on lockdown.

Even as you work to keep your design business viable from your own home, you will begin to grasp what other remote workers are going through. From solitude and isolation to screaming children and needy pets, working from home presents unfamiliar challenges requiring unique solutions. Frankly, it’s not for everyone and a sharp designer will find opportunities to generate business from this trend.

The folks at Kravet seem to have realized this need before other manufacturers and are featuring a remarkable line of products for home office design projects. From desks to seating solutions and from lighting to filing and accent pieces, designing a stylish, comfortable, functional work-from-home environment will offer exciting challenges for you.

Other Work From Home Tips

Beyond adding a potential new source of projects for your design business, we would like to share some tips for working from home. As mentioned in passing above, distractions are a huge issue when you're stuck at home during the workday. Thankfully, the folks at DreamHost web hosting have some high-value Tips to Stay Focused When Working From Home:

Have a Dedicated Workspace – Whether you have a sprawling home office or a kitchen table setup, it’s crucial to carve out a dedicated space that’s just for work. (Need a home office, much?)

Stay Off Social Media – Avoid the rabbit hole of endless scrolling — use tools to set specific time restrictions on your fave social networks. (Talk about distracting!)

Create a Schedule – Knowing what you want to accomplish each day helps both Type A planners and go-with-the-flow types to stay on task. (And, change out of your work PJs.)

Take an Exercise Break – Scheduling a sweat session into your workday is a great way to stay active, get the endorphins flowing, and bring on a natural burst of energy. (Even a quick walk is a great way to get away and refocus.)

Know When to Clock Out – Refine your work-life balance by sticking to set work hours. Enjoy your time off and feel ready and refreshed come Monday morning. (Just because you're at home does not mean you have to be available 24/7.)

While the article linked above offers 16 work from home tips, we have found these are the most important for the work at home novice. Good luck!

Looking for more interior design tips, ideas for growing your design business, new design trends, designer marketing tips, and product ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Open For Business Through Uncertain Times & An Unpredictable Future

We’re navigating our way through uncertain times. It also appears that we face an unpredictable future, while individual states continue to enforce stay-at-home orders even as others declare themselves “open for business” once again.

Having stated the obvious, we feel compelled to let you know this: All of the companies we represent are financially stable and fully operational. In response to the unprecedented situation in which we find ourselves, they have implemented steps to weather this storm and protect their customer’s and client’s investments.

Likewise, we at TD Fall are open for business as your partner in design and luxury furnishings. Though our teams are being diligent in following social distancing guidelines, our facilities remain open. To help you keep your projects moving forward, we will hold your orders until you have a time and date for delivery, as needed.

This type of message is essential in the wake of the global health crises we’re facing, with repercussions for businesses at all levels. Experience tells us that, much like the 2008 recession, some will not make it through to the other side. 

Then as now, “On one side of the equation, the buyers are wary. On the other, sellers are stressed. Taken together, it’s an industry-wide game of chicken. With millions of dollars in the balance, designers continue to ask each other the same question nervously: Are you placing orders?” (BusinessOfHome.com)

The follow-up question to this is obvious: Are the vendors healthy, and are the brands ready and able to ship?

Stick with What – and Who – You Know

A recent article at Business of Home, titled Are you placing orders right now?, outlines many of the concerns of both designers and manufacturers in response to the pandemic (and its potential aftermath).

So, where does a designer or furnishings business turn in uncertain times? While small companies may be more versatile and responsive, large manufacturers likely have more resources to fall back on, having weathered such storms before.

As described in the article, “Large or small, the new table stake for any brand is transparency. Companies that don’t pick up the phone, or aren’t willing to send detailed updates about the state of their operations, are rapidly falling out of favor with designers. Now more than ever, vendors have to be willing to field tough questions.”

Of course, vendors also have concerns about those with whom they do business. They can’t help but wonder if their designers and dealers are working on a solid foundation. In other words, this is a two-way street of business stress. Both sides want to be supportive, and both sides worry at the viability of the other.

Even as the article offers the opinions of various designers and vendors, the conclusion seems relatively apparent – the solution is to rely on relationships. “Designers tend to be deeply involved with the companies they work with, and a worldwide health crisis has only deepened the bonds.”

Based on our decades of experience, the relationship we’ve built with Kravet is as stable as it has ever been. Further, working with the recognized leader in the home furnishings trade has instilled a sense of confidence in our ability to support our customers as fully as we have in the past.

In short, our relationships with the vendors we represent allow us to proclaim confidently… Yes, we are open for business!

Are you looking for more tips on growing your design business, new design trends, designer marketing tips, and product ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Does Working from Home Lead to Feelings of Increased Isolation?

As we continue to cope with the Coronavirus pandemic or try to, a multitude of changes are taking place. Most evident of these is the trend toward working from home instead of heading to an office or, in the case of an interior designer, the studio. These changes also lead to questions such as:

• Does working from home cause feelings of increased isolation?

• Does creativity suffer from a work-from-home lifestyle?

• Does working from home allow for more flexibility and freedom, or do you feel trapped in the unfamiliar?

Of course, the concept of telecommuting and working in the virtual world are not exactly new. However, this approach applies to a relatively small number of people. Now, while it’s becoming increasingly popular to claim that our experiment with social distancing will inevitably lead to a “work-from-home revolution”, others have serious doubts.

With these things in mind, let’s consider what the future may hold as the pandemic plays itself out.

The good news: The rate of coronavirus infection seems to be slowing, as is the mortality rate as new treatments become available.

The bad news: Many states and localities remain on “lockdown”, requiring tens of thousands to continue isolating themselves by working from home.

Whether or not you believe the various stay-at-home orders were necessary for keeping people safe from Cov-19, it appears they will remain in place for some time yet. This will only exacerbate any of the negative consequences that shifting to work from home may have caused for you and your team.

Consequences of Social Distancing: Are Isolation and Loneliness Inevitable?

There certainly are some fantastic benefits to working from home. These include, “The flexibility to plan your work around your life, not the other way round, the control you have with the flow of your work and the hours you add back to your day from not having to commute further than the stroll from your bedroom to your office (or dining table).”

Then again, while staying in your uber-comfy work PJs all day makes you happy, “Working from home has one big drawback that burns people out and makes them depressed, and that’s social isolation and loneliness.” (TheWorkAtHomeWoman.com)

The sense of being disconnected due to social distancing is very real. Granted, it may be an unintended consequence, but that does not mean we shouldn’t have seen it coming. In fact, with the benefit of hindsight, it seems to have been inevitable.

If you’ve begun to crave more social interaction than our current restrictions allow, you can get it virtually and stay safe.

Online business meetings – Staying in touch with your team, clients, and others in the design and furnishings industries will enable you to feel more in touch with your business. It may even enhance your professional relationships by displaying your commitment to staying connected in times of distress and/or crisis.

Social meet-ups – Family and friends are an invaluable resource for engagement when you begin to feel socially isolated. Just because you can’t visit them in person does not mean you have to avoid them altogether. Stay in touch with all who matter to you so you can remain close when the current pandemic ends – and it will.

Live online events – If you’ve been thinking about signing up for a particular webinar or getting some online training, now would be a great time to follow through. Heck, you could even produce your own online event!

With a live event, you may also benefit from the opportunity to connect and network with others in the design or furnishings industry. In other words, use this as an opportunity instead of adding to your sense of loneliness and isolation by avoiding the chance to connect with others, virtually.

You would do well to remember that many of the people you used to interact with daily, whether personal or business, are in much the same boat as you. If you’re feeling isolated, it’s likely that they are too.

Are you looking for more tips on coping with COVID-19, design business consulting, marketing tips, and product ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Design Business Tips for Coping with Pandemic Pandemonium

If the goal of a blog like this one is to offer tips, educational gems, and support (and we certainly hope it is seen that way), then it makes sense that in this time of pandemic pandemonium we should share nuggets from the experts. Plus, knowing that time is at a premium for many of you right now, we hope that we can offer design business tips that will help you save some of it.

Recently, the folks at Houzz.com printed a piece that featured some of the better-known designers in the US. In it, they shared some of the steps they’re taking to cope with the change in work style (and to some extent lifestyle) that shifting to working from home has caused.

As we mentioned in a previous post, it’s already true that remote conferencing and video chat apps make “social distancing” the norm for many of us. This is also true for these designers.

Coping Tips for Working Remotely from Your Contemporaries

As explained by Corey Damen Jenkins, when it comes to out of town projects, “We’re still communicating with contractors and builders via FaceTime, Skype, and Marco Polo, as we’ve done for years. In a way, we were working with social distancing long before this crisis arose. These platforms are great tools for communication, but they are also fairly effective for visuals too.”

Now, the entire staff at his firm, Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates, are working remotely from home. And, despite the need to avoid in-person meetings with clients, “It’s crucial that we as professionals take the initiative to communicate with clients, showrooms and contractors just how much we respect the seriousness of this situation [through] our business protocols and our commitment to doing our part in fighting this thing,” he says.

According to Jena Liu, owner of a design firm that bears her name, infrastructure at home is an issue.

“One thing we realized three days into this quarantine is that with the entire family at home and on one device or another, the internet speed is not as fast as what I’m used to in our studio. We hope to upgrade our household internet to fiber in the next week to accommodate the entire household’s need to stream. We hope with this increased bandwidth will come increased creativity and productivity,” she said.

Know the Personal Costs and Challenges

Needless to say, taking care of business during this crisis is important – but so is recognizing the personal changes and challenges – and dealing with them.

This situation is unprecedented, which means your coping skills will be stretched to the max. For many of us, even the simplest, most familiar daily tasks may suddenly seem daunting.

You may have found yourself losing focus frequently as new thoughts and feelings about your situation intrude. You may have begun to create innumerable, limitless “To-do Lists” that have no relationship with your business.

In other words, simply changing your work environment has made your days more challenging; that shifting from working in your design studio or office to working from home has been fairly stressful and surprisingly exhausting.

“Wow,” you may be thinking, “having kids and/or pets around instead of work colleagues has made a huge difference in productivity! It’s really had an effect on my workday!”

Realizing this can create new levels of anxiety and generate whole new levels of stress on your system; on your mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health.

Recognizing that this is your “new normal” is just the beginning of coping with these changes. Being mindful of the differences in your work and life, and taking the time to adapt will go a long way toward helping you smooth out the rough patches of this new journey.

Remembering that many of us are on this same challenging journey, and finding others to share it with – virtually and safely – will also be a huge benefit to you, and to your business.

Ted continues to work on and produce new video presentations about these challenges and design business tips. He invites you to follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, where more product pictures and links will be posted.

Looking for more tips on growing your design business, new design trends, designer marketing tips, and product ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

A Personal Note from Ted Fall, founder TD Fall Luxury Furnishings

On a personal note, and I hope you don’t think me presumptuous, but I would like to offer my business consulting support to interior designers and furnishing store owners during this crazy time we’re going through.

I’ve spent my entire professional life working in family-owned businesses, most of them related to the home furnishing and design industry. From the East Coast to the Rocky Mountain Region where we are now headquartered, and for more than a quarter of a century, I have represented some of the finest luxury home and hospitality furnishing companies in the world

Through it all, my focus has been on finding ways to empower others in this industry I love to reach their dreams and beyond; to help them create extraordinary environments for their clients by providing luxury home and hospitality furnishing solutions and outstanding service.

“But, what does that mean in the business environment we find ourselves right now?” you may ask.

Business Consultation Services from

Ted Fall

Through the years, in addition to leading the TD Fall team, I have continued to spend time on improving myself, as both a business owner and as a human being. Whether attending a seminar like Tony Robbins Business Mastery, or an online course from one of the recognized sales masters, I have worked diligently to grow personally and professionally.

Beyond these things, I work regularly with a business coach to improve my management and marketing skills and acumen. In short, I am always eager and ready to explore new ways of helping design clients and home furnishings accounts.

With these things in mind, and in response to our current crisis, I am eager to offer my time to consult with you to explore ways to cope with the fallout caused by the COVID pandemic.

Are you familiar with the Farmers Insurance saying, “We know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two”?

Well, despite the unprecedented situation we all find ourselves in at the moment, I’ve also seen a thing or two, and have built my business through some serious challenges over the years. If you need me, I am here to help you. Whether you are an interior designer, workroom, furniture store or furniture manufacturer, we can use a comprehensive evaluation of the current strategies designed to help you weather this storm.

While I can offer no guarantees, I can offer vision and experience, along with a solid commitment to helping you find solutions to the challenges you're currently facing.

Wishing all the best to you, your family, and your business,
Ted Fall & Team TD Fall

P.S. I am currently developing a series of product presentations and would like to invite you to follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, where more product pictures and links will be posted.

Looking for more tips on growing your design business, new design trends, designer marketing tips, and product ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Designing Your Design Business – Becoming a Homeowner Consultant

While on the one hand we recognize it’s impossible to

be all things to

all people,

it’s also true that interior design clients and prospects often need more than re-imagined spaces in their homes. What would happen to your business then, if you were able to add the title of Homeowner Consultant to your menu of services?

It’s not at all unusual for service providers to spread their wings and offer advice to their clients. After all, we frequently learn new approaches to common problems as we make our way through a business day. Sharing these experiences and ideas with our clients shows a true generosity of spirit and a desire to be helpful. It’s also a sign of increased professionalism for many of us.

Well, what if you could also make money from doing so?

Expand Your Design Services Menu as a Homeowner Consultant

Now, this is just an off-the-top-of-the-head sort of idea but, if you were able to present your clients with ideas that would simplify their lives, they would surely appreciate your efforts. And, if those ideas were based on real-world solutions to recognizable problems and challenges, they would very likely be willing to pay for such a service.

Here are three ideas for expanding your skillset and services as a homeowner consultant:

• Organize the mess – Small business owners tend to become intimately familiar with disorganization as their customer base expands and teams grow in response. Developing organizational skills is a prerequisite to success for a growing business. Sharing what you’ve learned about overcoming organizational challenges, whether your own or those of your team, will also be valuable to your busy design clients.

• Using space better – Of course, the effective use of limited space is one of the tenets of quality interior design. However, living well in the space one has is a very different matter. If you can help your design clients reduce clutter, increase comfort, and help them make their home feel more livable (in addition to more beautiful), you’ll be doing them a favor for which they would be happy to pay (whether they know it or not).

• Improve time management – Entrepreneurs often wear many hats in their businesses, especially during start-up and/or periods of robust growth. This requires the development of solid time management skills to avoid scheduling conflicts (and going insane), and to ensure tasks are completed on time. Sharing the secrets of managing your time effectively will have real value to busy parents who are trying to juggle the needs of everyone in the family.

Coaching and consulting are two huge growth industries today, especially in the world of online marketing services. Yet, despite this almost exponential growth, few of these self-proclaimed “experts” possess the level of experience that an interior designer can boast. You are, after all, intimately familiar with the transformation that can take place in your client’s homes during a truly transitional experience that can affect every aspect of their lives.

Why not put that experience and knowledge to work, for them and for yourself? Sure, maybe you can't please all the people all the time but, you can please some of them in more ways than one.

These are just a few ideas on how you might be able to expand your design services menu to boost revenue and profits. Can you think of other services, besides homeowner consultant, that you could provide as compliments to your interior design business? Share your ideas with others in the comments section.

Looking for more tips on designing your design business, new design trends, designer marketing tips, and product ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.