Are you an interior designer looking to take your business to the next level? Running a successful interior design business can be challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. In this blog post, I’ve compiled five tips to help you navigate the world of interior design and create a thriving business. These tips will provide you with the guidance you need to succeed. So if you’re ready to take your interior design business to new heights, keep reading!
Tip #1: Define Your Niche
This is an important one, which is why I list it first. But I find many of you push back. Designers are so afraid of turning away a potential client AKA: money that you’ll take any design job that comes along. Instead, take a minute to define your niche. Focus on who you are serving and how to speak to them. The result will be more specific jobs with clients that you know how to serve which in turn means being more profitable.
Tip #2: Have a Solid Contract
Find examples, use a source, but whatever you do, make sure that everything is included. If not, it may come back to bite you on the backend. Contracts are needed when things go south. We hope this doesn’t happen, but conducting business on hope will only lose you money in the long run.
I started with a single-page contract. I made mistakes, I lost money. Each time, I added another paragraph to my contract. You will never cover everything, but you can come close.
Tip #3: Develop Relationships-Contractors, Vendors, Painters, Realtors, etc.
As a small business, relationships are a necessity. Finding and working with people you can trust will not only make you look good but will make projects run smoother. Make a list of the industries and people that are best for your niche and then start reaching out. These relationships take time to build, but you need to start working with them and bringing them in on projects. Clients will trust you to have these relationships in place. Often they are also looking for a designer to work with so it’s a win-win.
Tip #4: Know your worth and how you’ll charge
There are multiple ways to work as a designer. You’ll need to know the ins and outs of exactly the way you charge and be able to deliver and stand by it. Costs for designers vary by location, experience, education, and type of work. If you undercharge, you’ll be chasing the proper fees forever and you’ll be overworked and underpaid. If you overcharge, your client base will dry up quickly if they are paying for far more than what they are getting.
Being able to figure out what you are worth and how to confidently convey that to your clients is a big step in having a successful and profitable design business.
Tip #5: Focus on Customer Service
No one is perfect and something will go wrong. Setting expectations at the start of your project is key. Make sure your clients know that something will go wrong but you will be there to take care of it. Good customer service and communication will carry you far past damaged furniture, broken tile, and late materials. Set the tone at the start that you will always communicate and that you will not walk away from the project until the client is satisfied.
Running a successful interior design business takes time, effort, and a willingness to learn and grow. By implementing the five tips I’ve shared in this blog post, you’ll be well on your way to building a thriving business that you can be proud of. But sometimes, you need a little extra support to take your business to the next level. That’s where the MYDB membership comes in. Manage Your Design Business membership program provides you with access to a community of like-minded interior designers, expert training, and resources to help you build your business, streamline your processes, and attract more clients. If you’re ready to get the support you need to thrive in your interior design business, join the MYDB membership today.
