Starting an interior design business is tough. It’s a supersaturated market and it’s hard to stand out and excel. Every year lots of people start Interior design businesses and then start to get incredibly downhearted because it’s a crazy lot harder than people think. Here are 10 ways that will help you relaunch your business and cut through the rest out there to develop a interior design career and a strong client base!
1. Stay in Education for as long as you can/ Never stop learning | Interior Design career
It’s a tough competition out there and to stay in the game we should never stop learning. You have to keep yourself updated with current trends. The will to learn gives you a certain edge.
It shows a certain slaying power and demonstrates your seriousness about things. It also allows you to get your thoughts and perspectives in order. After all, interior designing is not just about choosing curtains and matching fabrics!
2. Join a Support Group
It’s always been said that when like-minded people gather together something always great comes out.
“…when like-minded people get together, they often end up thinking a more extreme version of what they thought before they started to talk to one another.”
- Cass R. Sunstein Find a peer group and see the magic work. If you don’t have one nearby you can always try and create one. It’s going to be a great initiative towards wonderful ideas and topics.
3. Build Strong Relationships | Interior Design career
Whether it is with clients or with vendors your relationships are going to make the strongest impact on your career. Don’t burn any bridges, they need your business. However, some things need to be taken care of in this process.
We need to learn to trust and create a persona that makes it easier for them to trust us. The things you say or do must convey the impactful message of positivity to your audience.
4. Build a very Trendy Website
No one is going to take you as a serious designer if you cannot even make a special experience giving website. Clients look forward to you proving yourself. The first impression that you can make through your website is going to be a turning stone for you. Spend wisely in this domain, find a great web designer and create a great site.
5. Get the promotions going | Interior Design career
Just as important as it is to create a website, think about starting a blog or a creative YouTube channel to fuel your career. On these platforms, you can share your designs, your most successful projects and share your style and give your audience a peek of the good stuff.
Do it yourself and if you don’t have the time to do it yourself or you just can’t understand it then invest your money in someone who does.
6. Enhance your stunning Photography
Your design work is going to survive or perish by its photography. You can’t make a mark as an interior designer if you don’t have any great photography to show off your projects, it is as simple as that.
If you are not confident enough to do it yourself then hire a proper interiors photographer. This is an area seriously worth investing in.
7. Make Mistakes, Learn from them
We all make mistakes. It’s not in any way wrong or makes you less but repeating it is surely going to be bad. The good news is that you can learn from your mistakes and gain valuable wisdom from them that are going to come in handy in the future.
8. Become Diverse | Interior Design career
You have two choices, change your client base or change your rates. No, we are not suggesting that you target one particular section more. We are suggesting that you move to a locale that is more in line with your current worth. You use the skills, education, and talents you have and make it worthwhile. Also, you can refer to some hotshot in the industry for their interior design tips. Basically, Re-market yourself.
9. Master your body language
Sometimes, how you move matters more than what you have to say. Before all communication moved online, we hadn’t even realized that your messages were being conveyed mostly by non-verbal cues. As video calls became the need, you need to make a conscious effort to think about what message you are sending with your on-screen body language. Also, invest in a good wardrobe. Because looking at this part just might make or break it.
10. Hone your communication skills | Interior Design career
You must have excellent communication skills since you will need to communicate with clients, project managers, contractors, supervisors, vendors and laborers at various stages like from designing till the execution of a site. Also, listening skills and patience are vital to understanding the need of a client both aesthetically and functionally.
