If you’re relying mainly on word-of-mouth and client referrals to bring in new business, you’re denying your firm the opportunity to grow and thrive. No matter what the size of your interior design firm or where or what you practice, marketing breeds success. Time and time again, our interior design business surveys have found a strong correlation between firms that bring in more than $500,000 a year in revenue and those that make marketing a keystone of their business strategy. And while some marketing services can be pricey, you can broaden your marketing outreach on a modest budget.
Time vs. money
Every business owner is sensitive to the trade-offs between time and money. You either do it yourself (time) or you pay someone to do it for you (money). The problem for sole practitioners and small firms is that both time and money are in short supply. How, then, can you fit more marketing into your already overloaded schedule and strapped budget?
Start by cutting things you’re doing now that are not directly contributing to your revenue, profit or growth. Look for ways you can operate more efficiently. You may only be able to squeeze out a couple of extra hours a week or even a month. But those few extra hours can make all the difference if you use them well.
Budget marketing strategies
Not so long ago, if you wanted to promote your interior design business, you needed to purchase costly print ads and directory listings. Now, thanks to the rapid expansion of digital technologies, that is no longer the case. If you own a smartphone or tablet, you have a number of low-cost marketing options available to you.
Social media
You probably already have an account for the most popular social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Possibly you’re on X or LinkedIn as well. But how much time do you spend each week actively refreshing your content and promoting your firm on these channels? With so much competition, the occasional passive post is not likely to get you noticed. Engage with viewers and tailor your content to attract your ideal client market. It’s not enough to just post content – you need to use the social aspect of social media, too.
Blogs
Although past their heyday, blogs are still an effective means to demonstrate to potential clients your taste, talent and professionalism. Add a blog to your website if you don’t already have one or look for local media websites that might welcome an occasional blog on design and lifestyle topics. Insights into design trends, design tips, and recommendations on new products are always welcome. Include a few high-quality images to draw readers into the copy. You can also use search engine optimization on your blogs to potentially appear higher in search engine results
Podcasts
These days, it seems everybody has a podcast. So why not you, too? Focus on what you know and love. Make it relevant to your locality and clientele. Invite friends and colleagues to participate. You don’t need to invest in a lot of fancy audio equipment to produce your own podcast. You’ll find lots of information on the internet on how to start your own podcast. Some studios and podcasters also rent out time to use their equipment if you want to sound more professional. Check to see what may be available in your area.
Videos
Producing a quality, engaging video for YouTube or TikTok requires a bit more work and time than any other social media post. Again, however, you can find a variety of tools and applications for your smart device that will help you in creating, editing and uploading your video. As with podcasts, you’ll find lots of information on the internet to get you started. For example, and especially if you’re considering posting to TikTok, try their free editing app CapCut.
Partners
One way to reduce marketing expenses is to partner with someone else. It could be a real estate agent, contractor, home furnishings retailer, developer, or even an architect. That way, you each have the opportunity to expand outreach by getting exposure to the other’s market. Also consider reaching out to influencers on YouTube, TikTok and other platforms popular with consumers. Maybe you already have someone who is a fan or a follower who would be interested in partnering with you to promote your work and their design savviness.
Shine your light
All your effort into creating attractive content won’t produce good results unless potential clients and design enthusiasts can find you. Whatever and whenever you post, always include contact information and a link back to your website. Likewise, provide information on your website about your blogs, podcasts, videos, etc. and where viewers can find them.
To further help interested parties find you, fine-tune the tags for your website and other media for internet search engine optimization (SEO). You especially want to select tags that will help to hone in on your locality and ideal client market. That will help to push your listing on a search engine like Google closer to the top in the search results. Unless you’re tech-savvy, you’ll definitely want to get help with SEO, either from someone you know or a freelance tech specialist.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to market your firm. You do, though, need to devote time to it on a regular basis. Pearl Collective recommends spending 10 hours a week on marketing. The more time you can devote, the more likely you are to get better results. Yes, time is precious. So don’t waste it. Conserve some each week and use it wisely to grow your business and get future clients.