If you’re starting up your interior decorating business, there are a few things you need to know in order to be successful in the home design industry. It’s not just about the décor, after all!
Having an efficient business is how you’ll become a credible and trusted interior decorator in your area. Bring in more clients with these 6 business boosters for your interior décor business!
Sticky Summaries
Here’s one area where you can’t go wrong. When you’ve finished drawing up your business plan and are happy with the final direction, it’s time to start reaching out. You’ll need to speak with investors, banks, vendors, and many other people as you begin. This means you need a compelling summary to catch their eye!
The most important part? Your introduction, of course! You need to be professional, but you also need to make your business plan sound catchy and exciting. Your summary is going to make or break your business relationships – this is why it’s crucial to spend some extra time revising.
Don’t forget, when you’re venturing out to find new business prospects you need to make your business sound profitable. No one wants to get stuck in a business partnership that is going to tank. Outlining basic steps and your expected results is a great way to do away with these fears. More often than not, people will ask how you’ll handle setbacks. Mentioning these in your summary gives you an opportunity to speak more in-depth about your plan!
Fancy Finances
We know it’s not why you’re becoming an interior decorator, but understanding finances is extremely important if you want to be successful!
Having your business budget in order and mapped out for every expense will make your life so much easier. Be proactive when it comes to budgeting, and be sure to log the details of your purchases and projects!
Make your paperwork something to look forward to by starting out with some new stationary and creating a fun organizing system. The number one rule here: be practical and logical. You might have a cute idea for organizing, but if you can’t access information quickly then it will become a headache.
Price and Packaging
You’ll likely be offering more than one service for your interior decorating business, so be sure to offer bundles. Creating package deals for clients gives them the incentive to use more of your services. Listing all of your services on your professional website (and some portfolio photos, of course!) will give potential clients an idea of just how much you can do for them.
Some clients may think they only want one aspect of interior design changed – they might not even know what the possibilities are! Adding photos and examples of what you can provide will inspire other clients to recruit your services. After all, they want their home to be the best it can be. Don’t let them slip away without offering more!
When you package your services, though, be sure not to undersell yourself! You might offer certain discounts to clients who purchase more than one service, and that’s totally okay. It will encourage them to refer you! But you still need to make a living.
Don’t feel pressured to lower your prices below the standard in your area. Do your research before starting up your home design projects!
Work the Web
We’re going to assume that you know how important a professional website is. That being said, what can take your website from good to great?
Consider what you look for when you go to a company’s website – usually your first question is “what do you do?” The best strategy for new businesses is to describe services on your main page. Potential clients should know exactly what your business offers, pretty much right away. Your mission statement is something to keep in the header of your website!
You also want to be able to get in touch. When people are looking for local businesses, there are a lot of questions that they have about services, prices, and much more. Each client has individual needs, so it’s important for them to be able to speak to you about their needs. Create a “Contact us” page on your website so clients can get in touch.
Having a user-friendly website (with detailed business information) is essential for creating a good customer experience. Your clients should have positive feelings about you and your business from the first point of contact!
Sign Up on Social
The only thing to be said here is to sign up on different social media platforms. You need a different account from your personal one – making a professional business presence is key to your success! You want to be seen as a credible business that is worthy of client trust. Having a place to gain reviews, feedback, and to connect with potential clients directly is hugely important for any business.
Helping Hands
As you become more successful as an interior decorator and your client list grows, you’ll find you have a lot more work to do. This is a good thing – you want your business to grow! But there may be a point where you need some extra hands on deck. The solution? Hire yourself a reliable assistant.
Your assistant can be primarily administrative, or they can help out with your home design projects. Wherever you feel the most bogged down with work, get your assistant to help out. Yes, you may need to do a little training. Once your employees know how things work, you’ll be able to delegate – which means you have more time to work on actual designs and working with clients!
