The 3 Big Marketing Questions Interior Designers Must Answer

All entrepreneurs have some serious marketing questions they need to answer when they start a business. These things may be even more important today, as we all work to recover from the challenges forced upon us by the pandemic. For interior designers, there are three big marketing questions to answer that are timeless and critical to your success.

Today, we’d like to take a look at them and see what might be the best way to answer them, taking into account our digital marketplace and the post-pandemic environment.

Answer These Marketing Questions

1) What is my time worth? This is the ubiquitous question for nearly every entrepreneur; how to value and price the service(s) you offer? While market trends can be a useful guide, your reputation (or the lack of one if you're just getting started), will influence what you are able to charge. The current trend seems to be toward package pricing, which means a price for the project without an hourly breakdown. Of course, your hourly rate will be included but it may not be necessary to highlight for your clients.

The key to valuing and pricing your design services is to always remember that the market for interior design is always local. Knowing what the top designers charge in New York and Los Angeles is useless to you in Dayton, Ohio; or even in the suburbs of those mega-markets. Keep your eyes on the prize here, and stay competitive with other designers in your area. Be diligent and check your competition’s rates every six to twelve months, or so. As your reputation grows and the economy recovers, you may be able to raise your prices over time.

2) How do I work with the types of clients I want? There is a persistent problem with the coaching and consulting that takes place online these days. Too many marketing “experts” advise you to define your “ideal client profile”. Of course, that’s not the problem we’re talking about because that makes perfect sense. No, the problem comes from them helping you define your perfect client too narrowly – as someone who wants to work with you.

What about the client YOU would LOVE to work with? It’s your business, after all. It’s your time and energy that is being invested in every project you accept. It should be your preference for both the type of project AND the type of person for whom you wish to work!

3) Where do I fit in my niche and market? Ah, the million-dollar question: where do I fit in? The answer is largely defined by the vision you have for your business, along with the mission you’ve given yourself. Why? Because it is these two things that define the purpose of your design business, and knowing your purpose will help to determine your niche.

Again, as a local business, you’ll need to research the economic characteristics of your market, as well as what the successful designers in your area are doing. (It also wouldn’t hurt to know why the less than successful designers are not flourishing.) First, figure out what’s missing in your market and then decide if it’s a service you can, or want, to offer. Then, based on your answer to the first question above, you can decide if that type of work is worth what you need to charge.

It should be obvious by now that all three of these Big Marketing Questions are inter-related and that the answers to each of them will influence the answers to the others. In other words, answering these marketing questions is a bit like a jigsaw puzzle that only you can put together. But, if you take the time to construct it well, you’ll have a solid advantage over the other interior designers in your marketplace.

Of course, doing all of this on your own may be more changing and time-consuming than you can invest. Knowing this, Ted remains available for business consulting support to interior designers and furnishing store owners. Whether virtual or facemask-to-facemask, 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 changing trends and priorities.

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

How Can You Generate Revenue in Uncertain Times?

Is that what we’re calling this: uncertain times? Does that adequately describe what some designers and furnishing retailers are going through? Or, are there a bunch of other “u” words that describe how hard it is to generate revenue right now better? Words like: unsure, unclear, unreliable, unsettled, unpredictable, unsteady, unresolved, undependable...

Calling the current environment for service businesses “uncertain” may be the ultimate understatement. Trying to survive in what has always been known as a “face-to-face” business when you are unable – or not allowed – to meet with clients or prospects presents challenges most designers have never imagined. 

In the second half of this post we’ll share some steps other designers have taken in response to the ongoing health crisis and social distancing requirements. First though, we’d like to share a few innovative ideas from other types of businesses that just might get your own creative juices for generating revenue flowing.

Innovative Ideas to Generate Revenue in Times of Crisis

Granted, keeping your business robust during a health crisis is easier said than done, so here are a few examples we heard of recently that may just offer some inspiration:

• Bakery cooks up some classes – A local bakery has been all but forced to close due to the restrictions placed on businesses. While they can deliver and are available for pick up orders, their revenue has been slashed. Their solution was quick to develop, and now, they are offering online baking classes at a modest fee. This is keeping them engaged with their customer base while offering a valuable service, and it has also allowed them to soften the blow of their lost revenue.

• Masseuse manipulates her business model – A massage therapist we heard of has had to stop all direct interaction with her client list. Revenue has dropped to nearly zero. Her response is innovative and effective. She has begun creating a series of meditation videos that teach self-massage techniques, as well as online classes for couples to learn massage for each other. While her fees are modest, she has weathered the storm so far and is looking forward to reopening her studio as soon as possible.

• Online coach tries pay as you go – Finally, we know of a weight loss coach who has had to adapt to a significant loss of revenue because many of her clients are either not working or are working much less. Their loss of income has forced them to stop working with her since they simply can’t afford her fees. Knowing how important her work is to her clients, her response is to offer the same services to all existing clients with a “Pay What You Can” business model. Clients who’ve continued to work with her to lose or maintain their weight always pay her something, while many pay nearly as much as she normally charges.

These examples of outside-the-box thinking and marketing are enabling business owners to survive in spite of the restraints being placed on them. The fact that they refuse to simply let their businesses die is inspiring and we hope they help you to develop your own approach to staying active and productive.

Virtual Solutions to Pandemic-Induced Business Challenges

A recent article titled How a new generation of designers is teaching (and earning) online, from the folks at BusinessOfHome.com, offers insight into how some designers are expanding their menus and markets in the face of the pandemic – and before.

According to author Haley Chouinard, “Whether it was fellow design professionals looking for business tips or clients interested in the decorating process, the inquiries [from] others repeatedly asking them for advice… demonstrated that there was a viable interest in their experience, which in turn meant that there was an opportunity to share—and monetize—their acumen in a more official capacity.”

This has led to many of these designers to offer workshops or courses, including online training, teleseminars, and/or webinars.

“I wasn’t interested in offering individual business coaching,” says Sandra Funk, who founded the Montclair, New Jersey-based interior design firm House of Funk in 2005. “But I didn’t want to ignore the hunger that I saw for this type of content, which was about sharing the real details on things like how to price a job or what language should be in your contract.” In April, after 18 months of planning, Funk launched The Interior Design Standard, an online business program for interior designers, Chouinard explained.

From eDesigner to eDesign Training

From Facebook Groups to one-on-one and group coaching, these designers are being creative in their responses to the pandemic-induced shutdowns we have all experienced this year. Interestingly, this also includes how to start an e-business about, and for, interior designers.

As an offshoot of her digital design service, eDesign Tribe, designer Jenna Gaidusek launched eDesignU, a platform for independent e-designers. “I launched the eDesign Tribe Facebook group in 2018 and decided to put together a course soon after,” says the Gainesville, Florida–based designer, who has been operating an online-only design firm since 2015. “There was so obviously a lack of information on how to start a virtual business or how to incorporate digital design into existing firms.”

In a slightly meta twist, [rather than merely offering how-to courses on setting up a virtual design platform], there is now even an eDesignU class that teaches designers how to create their own online classes, something Gaidusek collaborated with interior design business consultant Leslie Carothers to produce. “We saw that course as a way to incorporate other voices on the site,” explains Gaidusek. “Once designers knew this was something they could do on their own, they could create their own courses that we could host on eDesignU.”

Can you think of ways to combine the ideas from the first half of this post with those of the second? Perhaps you could offer homeowners some training on the design process on a “pay what you can” basis, as a way to build a future client list? Just a thought.

With all of these thoughts in mind, Ted remains available for business consulting support to interior designers and furnishing store owners. Whether virtual or facemask-to-facemask, 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 changing trends and priorities.

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

Design Trends and Marketing Priorities After the Pandemic

By now, you know how much we love to share interior design trends here. And yet, we also know that the world may seem a very different place in the wake of the health crisis we’ve dealt with this year. In fact, even marketing priorities have taken a back seat to simple survival for some. 

With that in mind, we’d like to mention a recent article at DesignersToday.com, some industry news about a survey which says “designers rely on resilience, creativity, partners to succeed during a pandemic”.

It comes as no surprise that, according to the survey performed by Steelyard, some “30% [of designers] said that between 50% and 100% of their business with clients was now conducted online.” Despite this shift to online interaction with clients, the survey also found that “virtual appointments with sales reps were ranked as the least-important tool on the list with an average rating of only six on the scale [of ten]”.

Challenges of Virtual Marketing

Needless to say, respondents to the survey were concerned about their ability to market design services in a virtual world. The perceived need to present clients and prospects with samples they can touch and feel rated high on their list of concerns. “Physical samples for finishes, fabrics, etc., will always be important to us regardless of how much we do online,” one designer wrote in the survey’s comments section.

Further, “Outside of virtual appointments, 54% of those surveyed report that they plan to do more product research and sourcing online even after restrictions are lifted. But the challenge of communicating feel, depth, arm height, and more outside of [a] showroom is still a concern and was brought up several times by survey respondents.”

Finally, product availability, safe and timely shipping, and transparency from suppliers were all important to respondents. That is, designers, hope to see a variety of shipping options that address the need for social distancing; so-called “white glove” delivery services that allow clients to feel safe.

What You Can Do

Innovative solutions for client interaction will be the norm for the foreseeable future. While being able to think outside the box will benefit you greatly, you don’t need to do it all yourself. In fact, a little research into what other designers are doing may be all you need to jump-start your business and get your own marketing priorities in order.

Give these ideas a try:

• What services are the busiest designers in your area offering? Check out the social media profiles and websites of some top design professionals and look at their “Services Provided” section. You're likely to see some developing trends that you can work to your own advantage.

• What services are you NOT commonly seeing? There are sure to be categories where services are needed; areas where you could fill the void. Develop services to meet these needs and work to promote them both short and long term.

• What services can you provide that are unique, superior, or at a more competitive price point? You may discover a need for a design pro who is willing to take on smaller projects (or medium or large projects), or with a different pricing structure.

• What home renovation or design challenges do customers have that are unique to your area? Develop plans and services that enable you to better help homeowners solve those challenges.

• Finally… Where have your competitors made changes in their design businesses as a response to the pandemic? Look for specific practices they’ve put in place, such as virtual meetings and other social distancing steps – especially in how they are handling client relationships. (But, don’t forget relationships with contractors and subs, as well.)

The answers to these questions about design trends and marketing priorities in your area will make it clear whether there’s an unmet need you can fulfill to attract clients safely.

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 changing trends and priorities.

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

Home Office Furnishings from Kravet & Lee Jofa

As Bob Dylan sang so many years ago, The Times They are a Changing. (Oy, was it really more than 50 years ago?) Of course, the young songwriter was focused on a completely different set of challenges at the time, with little idea of what might befall us today. That is, social distancing and business restrictions that have forced us to think about home office furnishings in a whole new light.

If the look you're going for is minimalist or maximalist (is maximalist even a word?), Kravet offers a broad range of furnishings for the home office. And, with working from home becoming the norm for many, you can expect a bump in home office remodeling projects.

Having offered you some valuable tips for how you can work more effectively in a new, remote environment in a previous post, we thought it might be helpful to share some cool furnishing ideas you can offer to your clients.

Work from Home Office Solutions

Nothing says “home office” quite like the work surface one chooses. While a bulky wood desk can make one type of statement, a sleek and stylish design can have a great deal of appeal of its own. Here, we offer a few different looks from Kravet and Lee Jofa to consider.

Workhorse Desk by Lee Jofa

From Bunny Williams Home, we feature the Workhorse Desk by Lee Jofa simply because it offers so much style with functionality.

The handcrafted hardwood draftsman desk has actually been around since the mid-1700s in one form or another. The newly contemporary cantilevered design, brushed steel legs and divided pencil drawer may find their inspiration in the previous century, this piece has a decidedly 21st Century vibe. The Workhorse measures 60”W x 35”D x 35”H, with the work surface a comfortable 29 inches from the floor.

Courtney Desk by Lee Jofa

For those seeking a more traditional home office feel but still want to make a statement, the Courtney Desk by Lee Jofa offers a 19th Century feel – without overdoing it. Think of it as a minimalist interpretation of a traditional design, as the folks at Bunny Williams Home describe it. Using a somewhat shallow profile to keep the work close, the Courtney measures 60”W x 28”D x 30”H.

Griffin Desk by Lee Jofa

Simple yet elegant, and absolutely loaded with style, the Griffin Writing Desk, from Robert Brown for Lee Jofa, offers clean lines and a substantial presence, without overwhelming the space in which it rests (and works). Available in dark walnut, pecan, chalk, stone, and truffle, this beauty measures 70”W x 36”D x 30”H.

Home Office Seating Solutions

Of course, it takes more than a desk to make a home office. Again, Kravet has something for everyone when it comes to seating solutions for those forced or choose to work from home.

Gainsborough Leather Chair by Lee Jofa

Available in a smooth or tufted leather finish, the Gainsborough Leather Chair by Lee Jofa offers classic comfort for the home office. The chair is available in two sizes and a variety of colors and wood finishes, as well as with or without the swivel base.

Tufted Directors Swivel Chair & Tufted Wing Chair by Lee Jofa

Choice is the watchword here, with two beautiful options for seating solutions from Holland & Co., through the Lee Jofa line from Kravet. The Tufted Directors Swivel Chair is available in a full range of traditional leather colors and custom sizes. The Tufted Wing Chair measures 31”W x 32”D x 47”H and is likewise available in traditional leather colors. 

Home Office Lighting Solutions

As always, putting the right light on the subject is as important to a comfortable home office as are the desk and chairs. A bright designer knows this of course, and is willing to put a spotlight on their client’s lighting choices. (See what we did there? LOL)

Holmes Desk Lamp & Karlene Table Lamp from Curated Kravet

From Curated Kravet, the Holmes Desk Lamp and Karlene Table Lamp provide you with an opportunity to present a traditional lighting solution, or something more contemporary. While both are beautiful in their own right, the statements they make are quite different. While both are made of sturdy, elegant brass, the finishes differ in both look and feel, with the Karlene about 1.5 inches taller (27.5”) than the Holmes (26”).

As home office furnishings solutions go, these desks, chairs, and lamps offer far more than mere functionality. Rather, they present a sharp interior designer with multiple opportunities to enable clients to create a remote working environment in which they can be not only productive, but comfortable and “at home”.

We remain open for business and ready to support you in any way we can. We will continue to share the design trends, like ICreate from Kravet, that we believe will benefit you most as either an interior designer or furnishings retailer. Click here to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Social Distancing Makes Marketing with Video More Important Than Ever

We've written a few times now about the importance of marketing with video. However, as social distancing continues to impact all of our lives on so many levels, the importance of video marketing for your design business has grown significantly. (And, perhaps, exponentially.)

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. Video conferencing has now become true for many interior designers who more commonly work with clients face-to-face. This newly enforced need to work remotely has likely led you to reimagine how you can build relationships with prospects (and current clients) when you are unable to appeal to them in person. (Or, perhaps more accurately, not allowed to do so.)

Even as many of us wonder if the craziness will ever end, you should take steps to preserve your business for the future..

The Value of Video Marketing as a Social Distancing Tool

The good news from all of this is: People who've never before attended an online meeting are becoming familiar with using video conferencing apps. They're also becoming ever more comfortable grabbing information that matters to them from platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and other video sites. (Of course, they're also getting plenty of sketchy dis-information; but hey, we'll just leave that subject for another time and place!)

As a way to limit the spread of contagious diseases, keeping social distancing involves the simple tactic of keeping extra space between yourself and others in typical situations where you might interact. Grocery shopping, working in an office, and going to school have all become a bit scary, as has sitting in a prospect's home, and sharing your design ideas.

This begs the question then of how all of this could enhance the value of video marketing. Well, as the fear of personal interaction has grown, so has the importance of video for promoting your marketing message!

According to online video production sites like Animoto and Biteable.com, video drives traffic to your website. This increases the odds of visitors being comfortable interacting with you remotely.

Online marketing has always been about one thing – making connections. Yet, people are feeling isolated right now, which is why viewing online videos has jumped exponentially in the past few months. Knowing this, a sharp interior designer can put this valuable information to use in their interest – as well as in the interest of their clients and prospects.

Which Types of Video Work Best During Social Distancing

According to NBCNews.com, "YouTube says its data show more than 500 percent increases in views on March 15, compared to the daily average for rest of the year, for personal activity videos with the terms "at home" or #withme. Videos on meditation (55 percent), cooking (100 percent), and working out (200 percent) also increased in mid-March compared to the same time last year, the platform said." (emphasis added)

While we're recommending you use video conferencing to meet with clients and prospects, it's also important to mention how valuable it can be to share videos on social media and your website.

Why? Because videos get attention and increase interest in you and your business! According to Biteable.com, there are 11 types of videos that are getting the most attention right now:

1. Interview/Q&A

2. Behind-the-Scenes

3. Feature/Product Video

4. Live Videos/Live Streams

5. Promos and Deals

6. Giveaways and Contests

7. User-Generated Content

8. Announcements/Reveals

9. Events

10. Breaking News/Trending

11. Tutorials/How-To Videos (these have always been a great idea!)

These subjects are hugely popular during lockdowns, as so many folks are looking for new types of entertainment or quality information. If you can use a variety of video presentations to present your services in a positive, informative fashion – and offer real value in them – you're far more likely to see substantial results!

How to Make it Happen!

The most effective videos have some common characteristics:

• Entertain, inspire, or educate: Rule number one is to make your video valuable! Aim to either educate, entertain, or inspire.

• Be attention-grabbing: If your video's not engaging in the first few seconds, your fans are likely to keep right on scrolling. Add an eye-catching title card and aim to grab viewers' attention in the first 3 seconds.

• You may not need sound: Make sure your video works well without sound (most videos on social media are on mute until the user chooses to turn on the sound). If you want people to listen, encourage viewers to tap for sound in the video description or captions.

• Use captions: Lots of pages have success with completely wordless or text-only videos. But if the dialogue is a must, add captions so viewers can follow along.

• Keep it brief: Short videos tend to perform best on social media. We're talking 2-3 minutes tops on Facebook and Twitter. Instagram only allows videos of up to one minute, though the old upper limit of 15 seconds is still often a good length to aim for.

• Try interesting angles: Bird' s-eye or drone videos, 360° views, Go-Pro action shots…try making videos that offer viewers a seldom-seen view.

• Let 'em repeat: Videos on Instagram loop automatically, as do short videos on Facebook and Twitter. Take that into account when you're creating them — you might even want to try a seamless loop that viewers won't notice.

• Be creative: There are so many fun apps that make it easy to create professional, visually appealing videos, especially for Instagram, though you may want to post on other networks too.

If this doesn't answer all your questions about how and why the value of marketing with video has increased as a result of the pandemic and social distancing – or how you can use it to promote your interior design business, then Get in touch with TD Fall today.

ICreate Custom Furnishings Program from Kravet

The ICreate Custom Furnishings Program from Kravet enables increased creativity for all interior designers, and their clients.

As an interior designer, your job is to be as creative as possible, within the constraints of your client’s budget, needs, and space. Yet, you’re often restricted by other factors – such as the features and specifications of the furnishings available. In other words, while a manufacturer may offer a variety of designs and styles of a chest of drawers, you are usually required to take them as is, with few (or no) options beyond color or hardware.

Wouldn’t you love it if you could pick and choose from a wider variety of features, such as: faces, bases, finishes, and hardware (including placement)?

With the ICreate program from Kravet, you can. And, you can customize each piece using 360-degree visualization and augmented-reality technology to help you realize your vision. With ICreate, you are able to “choose [your] desired finish, fabric, size, and other features, all while generating virtual renderings that will show [you] how the customized furniture will look in the spaces [you] are ultimately designing.” (ElleDecor.com)

A Custom Design Tool Offers Greater Creativity & Choice

Gone are the restrictions caused by the need to control inventory and reduce production costs and lead times. Gone are the narrowly focused presentations that restrain the innovative use of space. Gone is the possibility that the customized look and feel you promised your clients might be duplicated in another’s home (or office).

“This program offers a designer the creativity and freedom to do what they do best—design!” says Sara Kravet, the vice president of furniture at the company.

Instead, you can choose different top, trim, and base treatments for ottoman customization, in addition to optional decorative elements like tufting, inset trays, or carved legs as your vision to satisfy the needs of your clients dictate.

“These tool sets take the guesswork out of custom furniture and allow the designer to enhance their client presentation,” says Jesse Lazarus, Kravet’s chief innovation officer.

Originally scheduled to launch during the Spring 2020 High Point Market, which was canceled due to the pandemic, the tool will offer customization options for chests, tables, ottomans, benches, beds, and upholstery. There will also be additional special features at designers’ disposal within each selected furniture category, such as nail head trim for a headboard or tufting for an ottoman. Once a given design is complete, the designer will receive a price quote on the spot.

Always ready to take the lead in innovation and design, Kravet’s ICreate Custom Furnishings Program is using the latest visualization technology to help you reach the next level of creativity and service to your clients.

We remain open for business and ready to support you in any way we can. We will continue to share the design trends, like ICreate from Kravet, that we believe will benefit you most as either an interior designer or furnishings retailer. Click here to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Is Social Media Marketing Worth It? (Or is it just another money pit?)

If social media marketing works so well, wouldn’t everyone be doing it? One would think so. Then again, many of the “experts” touting it as the ultimate solution to your marketing dilemma just happen to sell their support as a service. So, what’s the real deal with marketing on social platforms?

As with so many things in life, the truth lies somewhere in between “it’s a waste of time and money” and “your design business won’t survive without it”.

Here are a few truths about social media marketing that you need to accept:

• Social media marketing has limitations, based on the nature of your business

• Facebook is a great Business-to-Consumer platform

• LinkedIn is a great Business-to-Business platform

• Neither is the perfect platform for both

• YouTube and Instagram are great video marketing tools (by design)

• Pinterest is “Meh” for marketing

• Tweeting is for birds, not business

Also, while a platform with a billion or more subscribers can increase your reach, there is a ton of competition. Long and short of it – don’t expect overnight success with your social media marketing strategy.

Even more important to remember is that interior design is a local business and worldwide reach will mean little to a designer in Boise (for example).

OK… we have now destroyed the almost ubiquitous belief that your business will inevitably die without a heavy focus on social media. But hey, that sets us free to explore when, if, and where you should use it.

When is Social Media a Good Marketing Strategy?

There is a very popular saying in sports commentary that goes like this: the biggest ability is availability. Along the same lines: social media makes you available to your audience, while also making them accessible to you.

Availability and accessibility both have real value in the world of online marketing and, while there are limits, social media networks provide both of them in spades – potentially!

What do we mean by this? Based on statistics from Review42.com, the average time spent on social media was 142 minutes per day in 2018, and young people from 16-24 spend 3 hours a day on various social networks.

There simply is NO other marketing strategy that allows that kind of accessibility combined with such availability, enabling you to:

• Build brand awareness

• Increase engagement

• Target your audience

• Generate leads

• Enhance your reputation as an expert

Even your designer website can’t offer you so much access to such a vast audience. (Although, one of the goals of your social media campaign should be to ask folks to visit your website “To Learn More!” or “Get Your FREE Gift!”.)

Choosing Your Social Media Platform

Of course, the ultimate question for you is, where should you focus your time, energy, and money in a social marketing campaign? Well, below are some insights that may help:

• Facebook: On average, the 2.4 billion Facebook users spend nearly 40 minutes on the site every day. 

• LinkedIn: With 133 million users in the US, LinkedIn is 277% more effective at generating leads than Facebook and Twitter.

• YouTube: With 1.5 billion monthly active users, 5 billion YouTube videos are viewed every day.

• Instagram and Pinterest: Both networks tend to appeal to a younger demographic. Instagram users spend nearly an hour on-site every day, checking out up to 25 million business profiles. And, 50% of US millennials use Pinterest every month, while 80% of Pinterest users prefer to use the mobile app over the desktop version. (Is your website mobile-friendly?)

• Twitter: The platform does have some appeal for marketing due to a large audience (330 million monthly active users). However, audience demographics can make a massive difference in how your message is received, with nearly two-thirds of Tweeters aged 35-65, with a whopping 66% male and just 34% female.

Ultimately, it’s true that marketing on social media can be a money pit for some but, for others, choosing the right platform can make it a powerful tool for marketing your design or furnishings business.

However, you must always remember that the makeup of your target audience must determine how you develop and where you use a social media marketing strategy.

Are you looking for more social media marketing tips, more design business tips, and trends, or business consulting? If so… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

How to Attract Luxury Clients for Interior Design Projects

In our recent post on why you should want to attract luxury design project clients, our goal was to whet your appetite for seeking high-budget projects. Today we hope to offer tips for doing so; taking you to the next step with a sort of roadmap on how to attract luxury clients for design projects.

To help us with this task, we again refer to a recent article in the “For Pros” section at Houzz.com. The author of the article, Erin Carlyle, drew from information shared by Designer Wendy Glaister and Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing at Houzz, when they led a continuing education course for pros on just that earlier this year. This took place before the pandemic struck but, in the face of the economic turmoil that resulted, the information may be even more relevant now.

Stated simply, we believe recovering from the slow down of the economy caused by lockdowns and stay-at-home orders could be easier if you can appeal to this segment of your market. With this in mind, we offer the four tips for attracting luxury clients outlined in the article.

4 Tips for Attracting Luxury Design Clients

1. You’re only as good as your last photographed job. When potential clients are scanning your work on your business website, photos really matter. “This is a really competitive industry. If you have lackluster photos of a $100,000 kitchen, it’ll make it look like a $10,000 kitchen and that won’t get you anywhere in the luxury market,” Glaister said.

Because photos are so important, Glaister recommends specifying in your contract with a client that the project will be photographed – no opting out.

2. Luxury clients are buying you as part of the whole package. Glaister, whose demeanor is upbeat and frequently smiling, told a story about changing her profile photo on Houzz and Facebook. In the new photo, she was unsmiling and styled like a sleek, serious, accomplished designer – a photo of herself she quite liked.

But the reaction from her followers was swift and overwhelmingly negative. “People watch you a lot closer than you think,” Glaister said. She switched her photo back to a smiling one. Her anecdote is a good reminder that in the internet age your online presence … must reflect your professionalism and personal brand. Glaister’s brand was smiling, and followers didn’t like it when she veered from that.

Glaister takes care to use correct grammar and spelling in her online communications and to present a professional and wholesome image. “There are designers who are photographed with many cocktails during the week,” Glaister said. “Great for them. I have found to get a half-a-million [dollar] reno … that does not work.”

Houzz’s Hausman concurred. “You’re crafting a public image for yourself that’s going to bring in this clientele. You can be true to your personality and style, and this doesn’t mean you can’t be more whimsical. Clients want to know that you are a confident professional who is still creative and fun.”

Treat Luxury Clients Like the Special People They Are to You.

3. Just good enough isn’t good enough for luxury clients. Everything for luxury clients – from cabinets to tile layout to electrical installation – needs to be customized and special. Just standard or just OK isn’t going to cut it at this end of the market, Glaister said. You will also need to provide high touch service.

High-end clients may have especially strong opinions, and they may also like to shop. With budget not a major constraint, they may be more likely than lower-end clients to purchase items for the project that may or may not work with the design. Some luxury clients may also want to comparison shop the products that you’re proposing. If they come up with cheaper alternatives, you may need to let them purchase products themselves. “Be ready to let go of some markups and some spaces,” Glaister said.

All this adds up to the fact that with a luxury project, though you probably will be able to make something beautiful and unique, as a designer you may not feel like you have a blank check and carte blanche to execute your vision.

Often, clients in the luxury realm have gotten there because they’ve been smart about their money, Hausman points out. They may want to be relatively involved in the project to make sure they’re getting not only a beautiful result but also a good value. (Remember our post about value as your purpose in the aftermath of C-19?)

4. Details help create that luxury experience. In addition to creating personalized, custom projects for luxury clients, Glaister stressed the importance of paying attention to service details that make the experience of working with you feel luxe.

For instance, Modesto, California-based Glaister takes her clients in a limo to San Francisco twice a year. They have mimosas and treats and fruit. They see the San Francisco Decorator Showcase house or visit the latest exhibit at the de Young Museum or the Legion of Honor museum with a private docent. They go out to dinner in San Francisco and then head home with a bottle of wine and a box of chocolate. The clients love it.

Those twice-annual trips are a significant marketing expense and experience, but Glaister also keeps the luxury feel going in smaller ways. Everyone who hires her gets a handwritten thank-you note on embossed stationery after they decide to work with her.

For her project presentations, Glaister places samples of the selected tile, fabric, and furniture tear sheets in a beautiful box with a big bow. It’s fun for clients to open, and it’s a tax-deductible marketing expense.

On demo day and photoshoot day, Glaister always brings along white orchids. These little touches “elevate the brand” and help shape client experience in a positive way, she said.

We realize, of course, that all of these ideas sound good – in theory. In practice, some will likely be too costly for a smaller design house but, you can let the market determine that. Remember what we always preach, that all interior design is local and your area may be less expensive than the California Bay Area, for example.

If you're still struggling to figure out how to attract luxury clients in your marketplace, Ted’s business consulting services may be exactly what you need. He’s worked in the luxury furnishings and design industry from New York to Utah and has more than 25 years’ experience helping designers grow their business.

Curious if he can help you? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Why Virtual Meetings Suck (Except When They Don’t!)

Lately, watching live TV has been illuminating. Whether it’s news, sports, or home channels, it’s obvious there are problems with remote reporting and commentary. If you’ve also been trying to stay in touch with family, clients, and team members during the lockdowns, you know that much of the time, virtual meetings suck.

It seems like when they don’t suck; it’s time to celebrate because that is so unusual.

Of course, this then begs the question of why having meetings using video chat apps is so disappointing. Is it the app? Is it the host (you!)? Is it the guests or team members you’ve invited?

Well, according to an article at Forbes.com, it’s all of the above and more!

It’s Hard to Really Connect Virtually

Thanks to the world suddenly going off the rails a few months ago, it’s likely you’ve been required (forced?) to attend a few of these meetings yourself. Or, you may have conducted some as The Boss, or as a way to stay in touch with clients. Whatever the reason for these experiences, connecting virtually rarely eliminates the sense of isolation many have been feeling.

By definition, “remote” means “far apart in time, relevance, relationship or kinship.” That kind of separation is tough to overcome with a webcam video connection. (Not to mention a sometimes sketchy internet connection.)

After all, if virtual meetings were so great, we would all have been setting them up and using them all along, wouldn’t we? Yeah, in-person meetings are so much better because it’s easier to connect and interact on a personal basis.

Still, when online meetings are needed just to stay in touch, there are ways to make them better.

Tips for Effective Virtual Meetings

Harvard Business Review offers a dozen tips for effective virtual meetings, a few of the most important we want to share:

• Test the technology ahead of time. Beyond the apparent essentials of using video and audio, nothing kills momentum at the start of a meeting like a technical delay or unfamiliar software. Before a virtual meeting, all participants should test the technology and make sure they are comfortable with the significant features.

• Make sure faces are visible. Video conferences are more effective when people can see each other’s facial expressions and body language. Ask individuals to sit close to their webcam to help to recreate the intimacy of an in-person meeting. (And, ask them to remove distractions or inappropriate backgrounds before your meeting.)

• Stick to meeting basics. Before the conversation, set clear objectives, and send a pre-read if appropriate. During the session, use an agenda, set meeting ground rules, take breaks, and clearly outline the next steps (including timing and accountabilities) after each section and at the end of the meeting.

• Assign a facilitator. It’s usually harder to manage a virtual discussion than an in-person one. It can be helpful to assign one individual to guide the conversation, allowing the other participants to focus on the content. The facilitator can also use a polling system to “take the pulse” of the group on particular questions and ensure that everyone can participate if they wish.

• Call on people. Getting everyone to participate without talking over each other is one of the more challenging aspects of running a virtual meeting. To forestall this, we recommend periodically calling on individuals to speak by “going around the table” before finalizing a decision. This helps the facilitator drive closure without the risk of excluding an introverted participant’s views.

Virtual Meetings Will Remain Popular

While it’s never easy to predict the future, human behavior is a bit easier to guess. In other words, once people become familiar with a new technology or procedure, they tend to adopt it as their own. Don’t be surprised if you wind up attending far more virtual meetings even after the end of the lockdown.

We guarantee that there are people out there who do not agree that virtual meetings suck, so be prepared to make them a part of your life from now on.

To get in touch with Ted for answers to business consulting questions, or more design business tips, trends, and marketing ideas, get in touch with TD Fall today.

The Future of Interior Design – How, and How Much, Will It Change?

Too bad Nostradamus moved to the Great Beyond some 450 years ago. Had he been more contemporary, he might have been able to give us some clues to the future of interior design, luxury furnishings, and business in general. (A few thoughts about online marketing would have been super helpful too!) Alas, we must instead rely on our own experience, knowledge of human nature, and guidance from industry experts.

For the latter, we offer you this link to an article at BusinessOfHome.com, which examines (predicts) what the industry will (may?) look like a decade from now.

Before going there, however, we feel the need to mention our own predictive blogging on the subject of changes in the short term, here and here.

While these posts focus on the ways that doing business will likely change following our recent health crisis, the article mentioned above addresses the probable evolution of the design industry. This is just the first in a three-part examination of upcoming design business trends from the folks at BoH, so we hope to offer more soon.

Long Term Design Industry Changes

For now, the article is devoted to the thoughts of people who predict trends for a living:

“Our crystal-ball gazers are Brian David Johnson, the futurist-in-residence at Arizona State University’s Center for Science and the Imagination; Dror Poleg, a consultant and the author of Rethinking Real Estate: A Roadmap to Technology’s Impact on the World’s Largest Asset Class; and Piers Fawkes, an innovation consultant and the founder and president of consumer research agency PSFK.”

Familiarity Will Not Breed Contempt – By nature, human beings are habitual in their behaviors and environments, resisting change for the comfortable and familiar. This means that despite the inevitable technological advancements we will undoubtedly see in the future, home designs will remain largely consistent. Too much change coming too quickly leads to stress and uneasiness, which most tend to avoid.

Still, making an impression online will be even more important moving forward. Although innovation will generate interest as it always has, things that roam too far outside the box will get little play.

“I tell my students that if you walk out your front door and it looks like it did on The Jetsons, that’s a nightmare. We don’t want our homes to change all that much.” (Johnson)

Personal Space Becomes More Valuable – For many, their recent experiences with stay-at-home orders and working remotely will have a profound effect on how they view their personal spaces. According to the article, this trend was developing before the restrictive regulations in response to the pandemic, and have only been reinforced by them

In other words, “The manipulation of space will become more important, and furniture will get more and more multifunctional.” (Fawkes)

As will a designer’s ability to deliver value: “So in a world like this, the ability to capture more profit shifts to the design of a space, the sales experience, the unique components, all of that. Long story short: Interior design is becoming increasingly a driver of the value of a building, and that will continue to be the case.” (Poleg)

People-Focused Design Becomes Ever More Important – As mentioned above, technology intrigues everyone, interior designers, and homeowners included. Yet, no matter how advanced it becomes, it will never replace relationships between human beings. That means, “Interior design isn’t really just about designing the interior of a home. It’s about people and solving their problems… [so it] isn’t going to be done by robots and artificial intelligence.” (Johnson)

Even more telling, “The profession will still exist, but I think interior designers may need to develop another layer of technical sophistication to understand what people’s desires are for their homes. They may need to go from ‘This is wallpaper that looks nice’ to ‘This is wallpaper that looks nice and blocks Wi-Fi signals and protects digital privacy’.” (Fawkes)

As much as people resist change, the natural evolution of all aspects of life forces us to deal with it. This is as true in business as it is for life in general. Though predicting the future is difficult, experience and recognition of current trends can offer direction. This makes predicting the future of interior design critical to your success, whether you are resistant to change or not.

While he’s not in the same league as Nostradamus (and doesn’t claim to be), 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 get ready for your future.

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