How can I be featured in the Designers Around the World Series?
We'd love for you to participate and share your experience as a designer around the world. To be featured, fill out the form and submit your images and we'll be in touch!
What should I charge? / How should I price?
With confidence, clarity and integrity. How you charge is up to you, it depends on your specialty, your ideal clients, and where you're located. I think the simpler the better, to learn about different pricing structures check out this article: Interior Design Pricing. You don't want complicated or convoluted pricing for every project that you do. Pick a structure and stick to it, if a few projects in, you don't feel like it is working you can try something else.
I'm a vendor, how can I reach interior designers?
Every designer is different and what may work for one, won't work for someone else. But here are some tips for reaching interior designers:
- Bribes! - send cookies or nice hand cream to make your package stand out. Designers see a lot of things and often don't take the time to really look or consider what you may be sending them.
- Highlight the benefits of your product/service to the designer - quickly. How does your product/service make their lives easier or more efficient?
- Always include the price. I won't look twice at something if I don't know if the price point would fit in with my business and clients.
- Be as personal as possible - don't send generic Sir/Madam emails. If you want them to purchase from you, you should know something about them.
- Social Proof from other designers is like a stamp of approval, so be sure to include a quote/ testimonial from another designer client. Also include "As Seen In".
- Consider doing a sponsored post with an influencer to reach more people.
- Make it personal - don't hide behind the company, designers will purchase from people they like.
- Make it easy for the designer to purchase from you or get samples.
How can I get clients?
There are 5 ways that your business is different from the others and you need to be very clear on what they are for your business. First, you need to be yourself and figure what value you bring to clients, not just as an interior designer but as YOU. Second, really narrow down who your ideal client is both demographically and psychographically - get into their head. Then if you know who your ideal client is, you know where you should find them and what problems they need solved. Network, network, network. Figure out a marketing plan, which isn't always advertising, but giving talks, writing guest posts, volunteering time or services. Third, answer the question: Why am I in Business? This is your guiding light, its not a goal, it is the reason you want to have your own business, make sure it fits with your ideal clients. Four, create a unique brand identity with your ideal client in mind and, five, what is your specialty, the more focused the better (a tiny home design wizard for clients in their 20s vs small spaces).
What should a design agreement look like?
First, contracts are legal documents and I am not a lawyer. Hire a lawyer to draw up or review your contract (aka design agreement). I cannot stress enough that this document could be the most important one of your business, do not neglect or ignore it. It's better to invest in a professional contract than to deal with the heartache and financially obligation down the road if something goes wrong. This is a version of my interior design agreement: Interior Design Agreement I consider this a living document and it is always changing and evolving. Don't run your business on a wish and a prayer: HIRE A LAWYER, PROTECT YOURSELF.
How can I start my own interior design business?
Start Here:
