Optimizing Your Website Images - And Get a Bigger Bang for Your Buck

As an interior designer, your website is likely full of images – or should be. To make them even more effective, optimizing the images at your website must become a priority.

Pictures are a great way to communicate with your audience, showing them the kind of work you're capable of performing for them. And, in today’s digital world, a world where the camera in your smartphone may be of higher quality than your SLR, it has never been easier to capture and share high-quality images at your website, favorite social media platform, or anywhere else you wish to do so.

How to Optimize Images for Google

With all of that being said you may not know that, while your audience can appreciate the beautiful images you’ve posted, the search engines can’t really see them. For example, Google may know that there is an image on a web page but, if you haven’t optimized it for them, they may not be able to tell what the image represents – you have to tell them.

Remember, the search engines are machines, not people, and as machines they have limits. Without eyes to see the pictures at your website, they use other clues to figure out what types of information you're offering your visitors. For images, there is a small piece of code available, known as an “alt text” (or “alt tag”) that sits “behind” your image to identify it to the search engines.

The alt text describes what’s on the image and the function of the image on the page. So, if you have an image that’s used to show a reimagines living room, for example, the alt text might say: “reimagined living room project”. The code for this image would look something like this:

<img src="image.jpg" alt=" reimagined living room project" title="living room"/>

See how we simply inserted the image description between the words “alt” and “title”? Because of this simple step, Google no longer needs the eyes they do not have to be able to “see” the image of the gorgeous new living room you’ve designed and published for them.

It’s never too late to optimize images

Now, this doesn’t have to be intimidating at all. You do not have to be fluent in HTML coding to make this happen. In fact, if you have a WordPress website, for example, inserting this clue to the search engines is very easy, right in your publishing dashboard. If instead, you have a support person publishing content and images for you, they should be able to handle this little chore very easily.

And remember, no matter how new or old your images may be, you can always go in and optimize, or re-optimize them to tell the search engines what your visitors are seeing.

For more information and guidance, take a look at these three articles:

• How to Put Your Image ALT Tags to Work in WordPress – for easy and complicated ways to optimize your images for the search engines. (We strongly recommend the easy way!)
• Image SEO: alt tag and title tag optimization – for a clearer understanding of the why and how of image optimization, from one of the best SEO sources available.
• Image Publishing Guidelines from Google – because it’s always good to know what the search giant has to say about things.

Learning something new is always exciting, right? This is especially true when something as simple as optimizing your website images can give your interior design website a boost with the search engines, and expand your reach.

Looking for more interior design online marketing tips? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Design Trends for Baby Boomers

So-called “Baby Boomers” are the most talked about generation in the country. At approximately 77 million people, they're also the largest. Born between the years of 1946 and 1964, this post-World War II generation is now between the ages of 51 and 70.Being the largest segment of the US population, as Baby Boomers reach retirement age they also have a great deal of disposable income, and are using much of it to drive trends in the design industry.Further, this demographic is also driving the trend in life expectancy, living much longer than might have been expected at the time they were born. Needless to say, this group of folks have developed some very clear ideas about what their “Golden Years” should look like, including the spaces in which they choose to live.21^st Century Senior LivingA recent article at Redfin.com, titled The Top 10 Senior Housing Trends for 2016, presents a stark outline of the “shape” of senior living in the 21^st Century.

1. Technology – Changes in technology make it possible for seniors to adapt to many of the challenges that come with the aging process. From wearable devices that automatically alert caregivers or emergency assistance of a fall to large-screen phones, remotes and other important devices, seniors have more high-quality care options than ever before. There are even geo-fencing options available that can help keep individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia inside safe spaces.

2. Home Care – Aging in place has become increasingly attractive to many seniors. They want to be able to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. Affordable in-home care and changes in technology have helped to make home care a more viable option for many individuals. A recent AARP study which estimates that early 90 percent of people over age 65 want to stay in their home for as long as possible.

3. Senior Living Partnerships – Senior living providers are rapidly becoming major power players in the health care scene. Physicians, hospitals, insurers and other organizations within the United States health care system are coming together to create more comprehensive care that provides exactly what many seniors need. As the baby boomer generation hits their senior years, their increased numbers give senior providers increased impact.

4. Person-Centered Care – Everyone deserves to age with dignity and to be cared for as a whole person. Person-centered care isn’t a new trend, but it is one that is rapidly gaining ground. When aging individuals receive person-centered care from nursing homes, doctors, and other health care organizations, they are assured that they will be treated as an individual, rather than being treated based only on the capabilities that they no longer have.

5. Life Plan Community – Instead of “Continuing Care Retirement Communities,” many aging individuals prefer the image created by a “life plan community.” Life plan communities are dedicated to helping seniors make the most out of every moment, from living a full and active life to maintaining their health for as long as possible.

6. Memory Care – More and more memory care units are embracing the theory behind reminiscence therapy and extending it. They’re stimulating all the senses, not just sight and sound, but even smell and touch, and creating communities that are reminiscent of the world in which seniors grew up. This helps give many seniors a firmer foundation for retrieving long-term memories of the past.

7. Senior Co-Housing – Senior co-housing offers all the convenience of a single-family dwelling while simultaneously reducing costs and providing a sense of companionship. They have shared responsibilities and access to communal caregivers to assist with daily tasks.

8. Going Green – Many assisted living facilities are embracing the green movement. The goal isn’t just to entice earth-conscious baby boomers. Going green also helps cut heating and cooling costs, improve water conservation efforts, and meet Energy Star standards across many of the devices used in the facility.

9. Location – One of the most critical changes to senior housing trends is the changes made to appropriate locations. Many facilities are considering the area’s appeal to younger seniors. Many senior living communities are learning that the smart thing is no longer to build next to a mall or urban center with lots of shopping. Instead, they’re looking for new opportunities for engaging, senior-friendly activities for those early retirement years.

10. Independent Living, Not Assisted Living – More facilities now are being designed to appeal to the under-80 crowd. Baby boomers know that they can expect to live comfortably on their own, experiencing reasonable health, for a long time. The senior housing market is gradually adapting to that need by providing independent living facilities that celebrate independence.

What have you done to make your way into the growing marketplace of Baby Boomers? Are you focusing on retirement age individuals and couples? How can you approach this dynamic demographic to boost your design business?Looking for help to be more successful in your marketplace? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Interior Design Marketing Tips - Why you should be using email marketing

There is only one reason to employ a particular marketing strategy – because it works – and email marketing works!While it’s unlikely you’ll see an immediate increase in appointments or contracts, the long-term benefits of an effective email marketing campaign can’t be denied. Yes, it requires planning and execution, and you need to develop a message – BUT – when done properly, email marketing may become the most effective strategy you use to promote your business and close sales. For proof, the email marketing company AWeber Communications offers a yearly examination of the effectiveness of the practice, a few of which I’d like to share with you:

• Return on Investment (ROI) for email marketing averages about $40 per every $1 invested.
• Some 77% of consumers prefer permission-based email promotions, while only 6% prefer social media promotions.
• A large majority of marketing companies’ worldwide plan to increase their investment in email marketing – because it works for them.

Obviously, these companies would not use email marketing if it cost them money without providing a return. This also means that you don’t have to research the effectiveness of using email as part of your marketing strategy. That work has been done for you. All you need to do is figure out your target market, build a list, and begin structure your message. You know, the easy stuff!Why email marketing worksWhy does email marketing work? Without oversimplifying the answer, there are a variety of reasons, including:It allows you to target your message:

• It is driven by data
• It promotes direct sales and calls-to-action
• It builds relationships, loyalty, and trust between you and your target audience
• It can be used to support sales through other channels

Still not convinced? Why don’t you try this? Take a moment to remember what you did when you first turned on your computer this morning. (After that first cup of coffee, of course.) If you’re like me, the first thing you did was check your email account. Once you saw where your priorities were going to lie for the day, it was then time to clear out the Junk folder, right?Now, was there anything there that caught your eye, anything that made you think “Wait a minute, I want to open that email”? Not likely; because the emails that interested you this morning, and every morning, were in your Inbox, where only emails from trusted sources are allowed to come through.THAT is why email marketing works – because you TRUST the person or business that sends it to you.Looking for more interior design marketing tips? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

How Do Successful Designers Stay That Way?

While the news for designers is good nationwide, as we recently shared in our recent post on market trends, it is not the case that every interior designer or design firm is thriving. So, if the economy is on the uptick, along with housing sales, how is it that some designers continue to be successful while others are barely getting by?After all, according to reports from a variety of professional associations, the interior design industry is experiencing one of its best years since the recession. Even the American Institute of Architects just announced its Architectural Billings Index has remained in positive territory for the past five months, and it expects to see momentum continue in the months ahead. Several recent surveys show demand for remodeling and renovation, especially kitchen and bathroom design, spiked last year and has been robust this year as well.Now, no one enjoys sharing bad news but, it must be said that, if there are designers out there with more work than they can handle while others are struggling, we can’t simply blame it on the “economy” or some nebulous “market forces”. Indeed, something else is going on; something that certain designers have twigged to, yet others have ignored.Interior Design Clients Are Looking for MoreAs we’ve mentioned many times in the past, design clients have become far more savvy over the past decade. They’ve begun to “know what they want” in ways that we hadn’t seen in decades’ past. Among the things they seek from their designers today, creativity, sustainability, and technology lead the way – not to mention improved customer service combined with a sense of real caring for their needs and wants.In our experience, successful designers stay that way by creating a positive experience for their clients, developing spaces not merely for show, but that evoke a sense of home.To do this, successful designers possess certain characteristics that are timeless and effective in any economy:

• They regularly update and upgrade their skills and knowledge base
• They constantly seek, or create, opportunities for themselves
• They are always developing and expanding their client base
• They employ a marketing plan and budget, and work at it year-round
• They find innovative ways to promote themselves and their firms
• They adjust their schedules to maintain a steady flow of projects in the pipeline, regardless of how busy they may be
• They stay active in professional associations, attend markets, network with other designers
• They work hard to keep up with trends and developments in the design industry

Successful designers stay ahead of the marketplace, instead of letting it determine their level of success. If you're struggling in your design business, it may be time to leave your comfort zone and take a chance at improving your chances for success, by trying a few of the things listed above.Looking for help to be more successful in your marketplace? Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Interior Design Market Trends [INFOGRAPHIC]

There are some very positive trends taking place in the marketplace for interior designers, manufacturers, and suppliers.According to a June 29^th article at WoodworkingNetwork.com, “The business of interior design has been quite good over the past 12 months, and American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) expects that to continue. Last year’s State of the Industry report showed that interior design had fully recovered to pre-recession levels, and the momentum carried through this year, with only slight moderation. With all indicators showing robust growth, this is a good time to be in the interior design business."Further, the report from ASID shows strong and consistent growth in the interior design business, with the number of designers up nearly 12%, and with design firms growing by 6% in the past year. Check out the infographic below for more of these exciting interior design market trends…Even better, with new home construction (up 8% to 35% for multi-family) and business/commercial building (up some 9% nationwide) on the rebound, the factors that influence and drive growth in the design profession, included competition, costs and profitability, industry economy, pace of change, perceived lack of value, regulation and liability, sustainability, and time factors show no signs of slowing down these current trends in the marketplace.Design Elements that are Spurring Interior Design GrowthWhy is this happening, you may ask. Well, as we’ve discussed in two previous blog posts within the past year, sustainability and technology have become critically important elements in the marketplace, both of which are helping to drive these upward trends. Other elements that are being incorporated into interior design projects, and that are having a powerful influence on growth in the industry, most often include health, innovation, science and tech, and security.For more on how technology and sustainability are driving market trends in interior design, check out these two posts:Interior Design Tips – Yes, Sustainability is a ThingKnow Your Marketplace – Millennials Influencing Interior Design TrendsHave you seen an uptick in design projects during the past 12 months? Which design elements seem to be driving growth in your marketplace this year? Share your comments below.

5 Team Building Tips for Solopreneur Designers [Part II]

Now that you’ve accepted the need to hire a team of people who can support you as you grow your (no longer) DIY design business, as outlined in Part I of this two-part series, it’s time to figure out what you want them to do, how to find them, and how to structure the business relationship.

If you already happen to know a group of trustworthy professionals who are able and willing to work with you, great. Sign ‘em up! Unfortunately, this is rarely the case, and hiring family and/or friends can lead to awkward situations that may hurt your relationships with them. Instead, you will need to implement a proven strategy for building your team.

Just as there are areas of running your business that you love and hate, every business owner or entrepreneur has strengths and weaknesses. For your team building strategy to be successful, you will need to outline those things; what you love to do and are good at doing, as well as what you hate and do not do well (those last two things tend to be intimately connected).

This type of self-analysis is difficult for many, if not most of us but, it will be critical to your success when building your team. Here’s a way to make it simpler for you…

For the next week or so, keep a small notebook nearby and create a list of everything you do in a day. Make sure you keep it with you at all times so you write down EVERYTHING. No matter how trivial it is, write it down! When you have your list complete and in front of you, circle all the things that directly generate income.

Place an * next to all the things you HATE to do! Look at the items with an * that do not directly generate income. Now, prioritize those items like so:

1. Of the * items, what would be the ONE task you’d love to give to someone else.
2. Once someone else has that task, what next is the ONE task you’d love to give you someone else.
3. Once those two tasks are taken over by someone else, what is the ONE next task you’ve love to give to someone else?
4. If this is new to you, the first 1-3 tasks may be plenty to get used to. If you have an existing business, continue to prioritize until the only tasks you are doing are those you love to do and that directly generate income for you.

You may very well be surprised by just how much STUFF sucks time away from the work you love to do, and the stuff that generates income. Remember the 80/20 rule of business – 80% of your income will be created by 20% of the time you spend doing so. The rest, like answering emails, tracking sales and revenue, creating new products or services, etc., is necessary self-support, but has very little to do with actually increasing cash flow to your business!

Once you’ve determined the tasks you’d like to be rid of, it’s time to find the person (or people) who can best support you moving forward. Essentially, you will need to create a profile of the types of support personnel you would most like to have on your emerging team.

Write down the answers to these questions:

1. Do you want an employee or independent contractor?
2. Do you want a detailed-oriented person or someone who is laid-back?
3. Are you looking for a specialist or a Jack or Jill-of-all-trades?
4. Should they have knowledge in a particular area?
5. How do you want to communicate with them?
6. When are they available?
7. What time zone/country are they in?
8. Are they an individual or do they have a team available to support you?

Once you’ve completed your profile, you can begin to use your business network to find them; by asking associates, and even clients, if they know of anyone who meets your requirements. Since these are the people who know you best, in a professional sense, they will have a better idea of whom you may be able to work with.

For more on why you should take these 5 team building tips for DIY designers seriously, take a look at this video from a man I respect, Lloyd Princeton, of Design Management Company.

5 Team Building Tips for Solopreneur Designers [Part I]

There comes a point in every business where hiring help becomes a necessity – even for the solopreneur interior designer. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly unending number of tasks that running your own business requires, from the boring bookkeeping and tedious email communication to the far more exciting design work that you love, it may be time to hire some support personnel.

If you're the type of person who likes to keep control of things, this can be tough to do. Who can you trust to do things “your way” and, where will you find them? Without doubt, these are important questions yet, if you’ve been in business for any length of time, you also know that if you try to be all things to all people, you will set yourself up for failure. The long-term stress and anxiety of being and doing everything yourself will lead to physical and mental exhaustion and, eventually, to overwhelm and burn-out.

Instead of going down that road alone, as so many entrepreneurs have done, ask yourself:

• What can you delegate to others?
• Which of your business-owner hats can you outsource?
• Where can you find the support you need that will enable you to focus on your client’s needs, and to take care of YOU?

The first step is Acceptance – the knowledge and understanding that you just can’t do it all yourself any longer. You're not an accountant or an attorney, so quit trying to be. You're not a website developer or copywriter, so quite trying to be. Accept that, much like the clients who hire you for your expertise, you need the help of experts to realize your vision and reach your business goals.

These 5 Team Building Tips will help smooth the process even further:

1. Are you taking too much time to complete a task that is not your specialty? When the answer is yes, it’s time to get help.
2. What is your budget? Be realistic, while also understanding that you're making an investment in the long-term success of your business – and in your sanity!
3. Prioritize the tasks to give up, based on the best return on your investment (ROI).
4. Remember that you can always try team-building in small doses, first, and you can also make changes later.
5. Starting NOW (if not already done) create a typed-up process for ALL you do. This way, when you’re ready to give it to someone else, you don’t have to spend a lot of time walking them through a process you that perform without thinking.

Imagine developing a team that not only supports you and your growth, but allows you to step back, JUST do the things you are trained for and love to do, and allows you the freedom to enjoy your family, friends, and free time. By setting criteria for what you need, finding support and building a team can be surprisingly easy.

Building a team of people who will support you will take some time and effort, of course. There may be mistakes along the way. Yet, once you reach a certain point in your business, moving to the next level literally REQUIRES that you find and employ a team to support you.

For more on why you should take these 5 team building tips for DIY designers seriously, take a look at this video from a man I respect, Lloyd Princeton, of Design Management Company.

Interior Design Online Marketing - Blogging

Are you blogging regularly to your interior design website? If not, your marketing strategy will suffer.

Many website owners fear “giving it all away” on their blog, leaving nothing to sell their audience. This was understandable in the days of traditional, brick-and-mortar businesses. However, the very nature of online marketing has forced a dramatic change in that paradigm, of which blogging has become a vital part.

In the impersonal world of internet marketing, building your reputation, creating trust, and fostering relationships with visitors to your website often requires that you use your blog to offer high-value information to your readers, in addition to using it as a promotional tool. Certainly, you can use your blog for promotion from time to time, but industry best practices suggest that freely sharing valuable information with your readers offers the potential for even greater rewards in the long run – through increased conversions.

Here is a video about giving away content and creating real value for visitors, to help build an audience of people who know, like, and trust you. The woman in the video has built a strong reputation for helping folks create and grow an online identity, as well as build a successful online business. She often presents information that helps website owners do things for themselves that she offers as a service, but she believes that doing so enhances her reputation and builds trust and loyalty among her audience.

As she explains, one way to do this is through the use of blogging as a means to offer value.

If your goal is to build value – with the increased trust that naturally follows – your blog posts should always be informative, even if they do not directly relate to the products or services you offer. Doing this builds credibility, enhancing your reputation as an expert in your field, and building the impression that you can be trusted.

An example of a high-value blog post might be this one, from the Australian furniture showroom, Huset.com.au. While it may seem counter-intuitive, and even counter-productive to offer such information to consumers who may be considering hiring an interior designer; consider the amount of increased respect and trust you can garner through the perception that you would set aside your self-interest to educate your audience.

Here is another example of high-value information that can boost your reputation: Interior Design Tips: 100+ Experts Share their Best Advice.

By ensuring that the blogging you do is a positive, informative experience for your readers, you will also ensure that your interior design online marketing strategy is successful.

The ONE Question Your Interior Design Website MUST Answer

It occurred to me while running through this popular slideshow recently (popular in that it has more than 110,000 views), 6 Things Your Interior Design Website Needs, that there was one thing that was, somewhat glaringly, ignored.

What was it? It was the ONE question your interior design website must answer; regardless of design and theme; regardless of how beautiful it is; regardless of what you paid for it. The one question you must answer is…

“What’s in it for me?”

Marketing to your target audience

Knowing what your target audience wants and needs, then marketing to those wants and needs, will be the key to success – of your website AND your design business.

To answer this question for prospective client, you must provide solutions to problems. These problems are either described by your client or by you, the designer, asking the right questions, and using that information to develop a plan that will offer solutions to your client’s problems.

The average client really doesn’t care whether the 8-way, hand-tied springs in the furniture you recommend will give them years of carefree service and support. Instead, they do care that the sofa that they are about to spend $10,000 (or more) on will solve the aching hip problem they have from the current one they own, and that they will continue to feel comfortable while using it for years to come.

So, how do you focus your own attention, much less that of visitors to your website?

• Address Pain Points – What do your clients regularly struggle to overcome? How can you help them overcome the challenge? Believe it or not, if you take some time to consider this question in depth, you’ll begin to discover trends among the people who’ve hired you in the past, as well as among those who’ve recommended you to others. Once you identify these trends, create website copy that illustrates how well you understand the problems, and let them know you have the solutions.
• Stress Solutions Over Features – Solutions to problems are benefits to your clients. While they may find it interesting to know that the draperies you recommend for their living room are hand-woven in Italy, they’ll be even more impressed to know that their dilemma – that of finding a unique pattern and hand, something none of their neighbors will have – will be resolved for them, for example. Use these solutions to resolve their pain points for them, and you will make the sale.
• Build Value – The cost of your interior design services will mean little to the client who benefits from having their challenges met, their pain points resolved, and the benefits of hiring you clearly explained. Once they understand the value of all you have to offer, the decision to buy becomes emotional – and irresistible.

There are times when even the most experienced business person needs to be reminded of the “obvious”, which is why this post was written – as a reminder that focusing on the needs of your target audience is critical – and can best be accomplished by remembering the one question your interior design website must answer is, “What’s in it for me?”

Is Your Interior Design Facebook Page Dying?

There are a couple of indications that your interior design Facebook Page may be on life support, requiring immediate help.

• Losing “Likes” and “Followers” – your audience is shrinking.
• Conversions are dropping – you're not making sales from your FB Page as you once did.

If you're still doing the same things that originally grew your audience and sparked sales, yet one or both of the above are happening, then it’s beyond time to change your Facebook marketing strategy.

5 Facebook Marketing Habits that could Save your Facebook Page

If you're thinking of your FB page as just another advertising outlet, you're doing it wrong. Your Facebook Page is a place to build relationships, to get to know your audience, and let them get to know you. Facebook is, after all, a “Social Network”, so be social; have conversations and share information just as you would during a face-to-face encounter.

If you're willing to develop some new habits for interacting with your Facebook audience, you’ll not only save your page, you’ll also grow your audience and increase conversions! Here’s how:

1. Engage with your audience – as if they are real people, because they are! There must be things that turn you off about some of the pages you’ve “Liked” on Facebook in the past, causing you to “Unlike” or “Unfollow” them. If you're doing the same things on your FB page expecting a different result from your own audience then, whatever they are, you need to stop doing them right now!
2. Clarify your target audience – to see if you still appeal to the same demographic. Perhaps your product mix or services have changed over time, as most businesses do. Maybe your competition has gotten a leg up on you and has stolen a piece of your audience. These types of changes may mean that your approach no longer appeals to the same audience. If so, it’s time to figure out where they’ve gone and implement a strategy to get them back.
3. Share wisely – and appeal to the interests of your audience. Of course, you have to get to know them first but, once you do, you can share videos, news stories, and other content that will appeal to them, letting them appreciate you more. If you share nothing but advertising disguised as “opportunities”, you’ll force them away from your page in droves.
4. Tag judiciously – over-tagging to boost reach is annoying in the extreme. Respect your audience enough to avoid this boorish practice.
5. Be real – and be interested. Be a human being. After all, if you're going to spend time on Facebook in an effort to engage your audience, you should do it in ways that show respect and concern for their time, as well as your own.

By taking action when your interior design Facebook Page is struggling, you should be able to remove yourself from life support and improve your chances of increasing Likes, adding Followers, and boosting Reach; which are the very reasons you began offering a Facebook Page in the first place, right?