Interior design is as competitive an industry as any. A homeowner or business owner has an overwhelming selection of interior designers to choose from in any major metropolitan area. And with so many talented designers covering a wide range of styles, the decision only gets more difficult. If you want your design firm to be the first choice for your ideal clients, traditional marketing tactics may not always get you there. To maximize visibility, you’ll need to follow what the most successful designers are taking advantage of! Here is what’s working in this industry, and what’s not.
1. Clear Brand Identity
A successful design firm is memorable, distinctive, and consistent. This means that you should define your unique design style, as well as your tone and image. It should be immediately clear what design services you offer, what design styles you specialize in, and the overall feeling and experience that clients should expect. Not only that, but this should be clear across all platforms. That means your website, emails, social media profiles, and even in-person experiences should follow a consistent brand identity.
2. Storytelling Over Selling
Any designer can create a beautiful space. But when a homeowner is stuck between half a dozen designers who have all created beautiful spaces, how do they pick one? In many cases, selling them on the why can tip the scales in your favor. Sharing the story behind client projects and individual design decisions can help a potential client see themselves in a space that you’ve designed. Use client transformations and case studies to make emotional connections with new clients. You never know what will help someone relate to the non-measurable aspects of design that you help with.
3. Multi-Channel Visibility
Designers naturally love Instagram, as it’s very visually-focused. And while it’s important to put the most energy into the promotional platforms that will give the best return, diversifying your presence is similarly important. In addition to an attractive website, you should also be active on as many social media platforms as make sense and are a good fit for your content. You should also have an email newsletter of some kind, engage in public relations, and network with professionals in your field as well as potential clients.
4. Data-Driven Decisions
Successful designers didn’t get there by throwing ideas at the wall to see what stuck. Instead, they made decisions based on data and testing. With digital tools like email, advertising, and social media, you have access to an abundance of data that can tell you what works and what doesn’t. Experimenting with new ideas is good, as long as you measure the results. When it comes to marketing, also be sure to track the ROI (return on investment) of your spending.
5. Leveraging PR and Partnerships
Every designer wants to be featured in design publications. But you can’t just wait around for these opportunities to land in your lap. Proactively reach out to media outlets and publications to see if you can get a feature. Working with vendors, artists, influencers, and even other designers can be great for broadening your horizons, but it can also increase your brand’s reach and expose you to a wider audience. Never be afraid to chase an opportunity!
6. Creating Conversion-Focused Content
You may feel like you’re obligated to create content, whether that’s blogs, photos, newsletters, or update videos. If it feels like an obligation, then you’re probably not creating content that is purpose-built to convert potential clients into paying customers. Great content will showcase your knowledge to position you as an expert. But it will also contain clear and relevant calls to action that prompt ideal clients to learn more or engage with more content along your marketing funnel. Successful designers also know the power of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” To that end, don’t be shy about repurposing well-performing content or reposting it on different platforms.
What Successful Designers Avoid
Chasing trends with no strategy doesn’t usually offer any value. Memes and trends can be fun, but rarely are they thought-out or contribute to your broader goals. And if you do wait until these trends fit into your marketing strategy, the hype may have already passed.
It’s also important to keep your ideal client in mind. Successful interior designers know their preferred audience and market to them. There is no point in wasting your time on trying to attract any and all potential clients, as many of them will not be a good fit. Focus all of your energy on the people you’d like to work for.
Successful designers don’t ignore marketing and sales when they’re busy. Instead, successful designers know that design work can have a feast or famine cycle if they don’t invest in attracting clients year-round. Marketing, even when you’re busy, means you’ll still have clients once the current projects end.
Building a Marketing System that Works
Knowing what to do and what not to do is one thing. But actually executing on these tactics and incorporating them into your overall marketing strategy is another.
To hold yourself accountable and stay consistent, here are a few things you can do:
- Create an annual marketing budget and calendar
- Outsource tasks when possible
- Periodically reach out to past clients
- Balance short-term tactics (ads, social media) with long-term tactics (SEO, PR)
One of the major differences between a struggling firm and a thriving firm is intentional, consistent, and effective marketing. Don’t just do what you feel like you have to; do what works! If you’re struggling to master your marketing strategy and you still feel like you’re throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks, check our events page to see if we have an upcoming Mastery Lesson that can set you on the right path.