Most Common Pain Points for Interior Designers

I’ve been in the interior design industry for a while and I’m in a lot of different professional groups. Interior designers are amazing at juggling multiple moving parts and taking what could seem like total chaos and putting it together to create an amazing design. They are master puzzle artists is what they are!

Trying to do it all on your own can get a bit overwhelming and that is why I find that a lot of interior designers face the same obstacles, and the number one obstacle is lack of time!

I’m sure you would agree – not only are you trying to work with clients you are trying to work in your business to keep the pipeline full. The adage of market until I get clients, work with clients, and now have to market again to get more clients cycle gets old and frustrating.

When several hundred interior designers were asked about their popular pain points. These were the top 5 that stood out!

1.       Keeping up on social media.

2.       Writing blog posts.

3.       Creating Renders.

4.       Utilizing affiliate links.

5.       Getting a steady stream of clients

Here are some tips to help you with these pain points.

Social media – concentrate on one platform. It’s far less time-consuming regarding posting and engagement if you focus on one medium and get really good at that one. Or you can always use a scheduling tool like Hootsuite, Edgar or Buffer but as a reminder these tools are great for scheduling posts but not for engagement. You’ll need to do that yourself. OR you can hire a social media manager to do it all. This way the social media is off your plate for the most part and you can focus on other areas of your business.

Blog posts – Block time to write several posts at once and then schedule those posts out. Another option is to purchase pre-written posts to use for your blog or hire a copywriter to write posts for you. Depending on the areas of your business that you enjoy focusing on the most, having someone else handle your blog could free up a lot of time from researching and writing.

Creating renders – there are some very quick and easy ways to create renders – more on this coming soon- or I may sound like a broken record but there are design virtual assistants who will do your renders for you!

Utilizing affiliate links – researching, applying, organizing and using affiliate links can me a nightmare. Keep them all in one place on an excel spreadsheet and in your website favorites tab so you can grab them anytime you like. To start, just work with 1-3 vendors that offer commissions of 5-7% and focus on promoting those. If you are wanting to grow more and use a lot of affiliate links it may become very cumbersome and worth hiring a design VA!

Steady stream of clients – we all want a steady stream of client’s don’t we? There are ways to get those by utilizing social media, active campaign, mail chimp and paid ads. The key is consistency and persistency in your posting. These things take time and patience. Use Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups and local networking groups and get your name out there. Make your portfolio visible to your potential clients on all your media platforms. If people don’t know what you do, who you are and how you can help then how to you expect them to find you? A design VA could certainly help you with all of this, too.

If you aren’t able to hire help just yet you can still become successful by managing your time well, getting your work in front of others, practicing great customer service and by being yourself. You are a Rockstar with a creative gift to share the world – so share it!

 For more information on our services, please check out the website at www.elitedesignassistants.com.

How to Get Clients When You Hate Social Media

I know a lot of super smart, motivated people who would love to work from home and/or run their own businesses, but they hate social media. And as most people in business now – if you aren’t on social media, then you don’t exist.

I’ll be honest, I’ve not always been a fan of social media. At times it feels like a huge drain on my time and I have so many other things I need or want to be doing. When I started my company years ago, I knew this about myself and knew I wasn’t going to be one of those people that could spend an eternity on social media platforms posting and networking and connecting so I came up with 3 easy ways to generate leads on social media without falling down the rabbit hole.

1.       Just Pick One Platform! That’s right, when I started my business, I picked one social media platform that I used to generate clients and that’s it. Depending on my schedule, I spent anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes per day, five days a week on that platform and that was it. I researched where my ideal clients hung out and since I work with business professionals – Linked In it was! I built a six-figure business using LinkedIn alone and it has served me well. You need to be diligent in creating connections and building relationships, but it doesn’t have to be super time consuming. Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest are the most popular platforms for Interior Designers.

2.       Use a Social Media Scheduling Tool. There are several social media scheduling tools out there that allow you to add all of your posts and set your schedule. So once a week, once a month, once every couple of months, how often you want to block out some time and go in and write and schedule your posts. Popular social media scheduling tools are Edgar, Buffer, Hootsuite, Tailwind and Sprout Social. Be sure to do your research and comparisons – some of these tools don’t do all platforms and their prices vary per month. Tailwind is very popular among Interior Designers who are on Pinterest and Instagram.

3.       Hire a Social Media Manager. Now that my business is growing and I need to be on more than one platform, I hired a social media manager. There are a few different ways to utilize a manager. You can spend a few hours each month creating a calendar of content and images for your social media manager to post or you can spend even less time giving them a general idea of what you want each month and let them create the content, find the images and post. Either way, hiring a social media manager is a great return on your investment. Their persistent and consistent posting on your social media platforms creates a funnel of leads that will keep your pipeline full as you continue to work on your existing clients. If you are serious about growing your business a social media manager is an excellent option to create the growth you need! And an added benefit of a social media manager is to have them also follow up on your engagement. You can schedule all the posts you want but engagement is key in generating new leads!

When used properly social media can be a very effective tool in growing the business of your dreams. So stop stalling and get your brand out there already … you’d be so happy you did!

Design Metamorphosis

Spring is the season of change and so it’s fitting that my business is going through a bit of a metamorphosis. My focus has changed and therefore my clients have changed. Instead of helping realtors and clients with virtual staging and e-design I will now be helping interior designers build the businesses of their dreams! I am very excited about this new adventure and change in my life. Working in the industry I’ve seen a real need for experienced interior design industry experienced virtual assistants to help busy interior designers grow and maintain their businesses. So when I found myself working with more interior designers and less with design clients I knew I needed to make a change. I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing design VAs and I’m excited to start matching them with interior designers that can use their services.

At Elite Design Assistants we are offering a wide variety of services including:

1. Marketing

2. Social media

3. Blog copy and posting

4. Rendering

5. Client management

6. Vendor management

7. Affiliate management

8. Graphic design

9. Lead funnels

10. Floor planning

11. Virtual staging

12. Mood boards

13. Email blasts

14. SEO

15. Bookkeeping

16. And so much more!

What set’s Elite Design Assistants apart from other virtual assistant firms? We are specific to the interior design industry. We understand all the moving pieces in an interior design business and we understand that deadlines, customer service and professionalism are key.

If you are an interior designer looking for help, please feel free to contact me! I’d love to work with you! I can be reached at danae@elitedesignassistants.com or 515.309.2838. There will be so much more fun things to come!

It’s the season of change and change is good!

Hot New Looks For Less!

2019 is fast approaching and design experts are already talking about the hottest new trends for the upcoming year. You’ll see more color, more comfort and more mixing of design styles and elements that create a truly unique design that reflects the personality of the homeowners and their families.

What I love to do is find those hot items that everyone loves but find them for less! Let’s be honest, decorating your home isn’t always cheap but it doesn’t have to break the bank. Below you’ll find the expensive version of hot items you’ll see in the new year and a similar item that you can buy for less!

Bar carts might just be the hottest new accessory. They are versatile, glamorous and can be used to entertain or to create vignettes.

The bar cart here is $1,298.00 from Serena & Lily

or get one on Overstock for $151.19

We will see changes in furniture this year with the addition off curved sofas, more four-poster beds and acrylic furniture. Acrylic furniture doesn’t appear to take up space and complement a neutral or bold palette.

Shades of Light Coffee Table $1,199.00

Lamps Plus Coffee Table $599.99

Some design experts are saying that matte black will be the new grey. You’ll find matte black on everything from furniture, accessories and pendant lighting.

Matte Black Pendant Light from Rejuvenation $449.00

Matte Black Pendant Light from Build.com $65.90

Bold patterns are going to be on everything from bedding to throw pillows, wall paper and rugs.

5′ x 7’6″ Rug from Payless Rugs $417.60

5′ x 7’6″ Rug from Overstock for $197.37

Along with more bold patterns you’ll see less monochromatic kitchens are more pattern and color in kitchens including cabinets, appliances, darker counter tops and graphic back splashes.

Graphic tile from The Builder Depot $18.45 sq. ft.

Graphic tile from Overstock $9.04 sq. ft.

Just remember, design trends are ever changing but the one thing that’s always in style is exactly what you love. Design your home with the pieces you love and value most. Decorate with what makes you happy and your home will be a place you cherish for years to come!

Unique Home Offices

I love working from home and I love interior design. It’s a scientific fact that you are more inspired, motivated and productive when you are working in a space that you enjoy spending time in. Unfortunately at times our home offices can be the last thought we put into our careers or business. They can be dark and stuffy and disorganized. They can be a crazy disaster that cause us to roll our eyes or sigh every time we step foot in them. In an effort to inspire some creative home office design for the new year I thought it would be fun to research unique home office designs. This is what I came up with!

Don’t have enough space in your home for your home office? Take your home office outside. These home offices are made out of garden sheds and other unique outdoor structures.

Archipod – an eco-friendly home office that takes up minimal space and is semi-portable.

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Sheryl’s She Shed makes a great option, too!

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This is a very unique, portable option as well.

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Aren’t able to have an outdoor structure and still no room in your home? These are closet offices!

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Need more space saving ideas? Put a library in your ceiling.

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You can use literally anything to create a unique office space.

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Some people have a treadmill in their office, others have a hammock for napping!

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If these home offices don’t inspire how about more traditional home offices? Below are a few I designed on my computer. You can be creative in a traditional office space without being too over the top. Either way have fun with your office space. It’s most likely the one space you have in your home that offers you the creative freedom to do whatever you want.

Need help deciding how to redesign your space? Shoot me an email – I'd love to help you create the office of your dreams. When you feel good about the space you’re in – you work harder and have more fun!

Home Office Décor

I absolutely love helping clients design home offices! It’s the one space in a home that a person can truly have the creative freedom to make it exactly what they want. A home office should be a space that inspires, motivates and energizes. You should be excited to work in your home office. Today, it’s very common for most people to either work part-time or full-time from home and the trend is growing fast.

Working remotely is highly desired and so is a home office.

Decorating a home office should reflect your goals, ambitions and personality. There are endless possibilities and depending on your style there are various price ranges. You can outfit your entire office in a budget that suites you. Below are just a few examples of price ranges for just a couple of pieces.

*Some of the links below are affiliate links.

Modern Black Desk at Target for $429.99

Executive Desk at Wayfair for $1,479.99

File Cabinet at Target $123.99

File Cabinet at Wayfair $677.38

The beauty about the home office is you can decorate it however you want! A modern black desk with a zebra rug, a large starburst pendant light and a teal blue file cabinet. Or you could have a farmhouse desk with a large candelabra, a fluffy neutral rug and a navy blue file cabinet. The possibilities are endless. Stay tuned next week when I share some of the most unique home office designs out there.

If you are interested in working with an e-designer on your home office design, please feel free to contact me at bvstaging@gmail.com. There are a lot of fun things coming, my website and social media will be updating soon! www.danaebransondesign.com.

Rugs, Gorgeous Rugs!

I love rugs! You can have a neutral palette in a room and instantly had color and pattern with a rug. Or you can have pattern and color in a room and add a solid neutral or color with a rug. Rugs are versatile and can be used in dining rooms, living rooms, hallways, entry ways,  bedrooms, offices and more! You can layer rugs, hang them on the wall for decor or switch them out for a simple refresh in your design. If you are looking for a new rug or even just some inspiration for your home decor, I've included some of my favorite rugs below. These are affiliate links, so if you click the link and make a purchase I do make a small commission. I appreciate your support!

I love blue, so naturally I LOVE this rug. It's gorgeous and affordable!

Chelsea Rug

When you want to add color to a room this Harput rug is my absolute favorite! It comes in many shapes and sizes to fit any space in your home.

Harput Rug

Everyone needs a neutral option and here is an elegant rug that can be dressed up or dressed down depending on your style.

Jute Bleached Rug

Black & white works with a variety of styles as well. This beautiful rug is classic and fun.

Elaziz Rug

This rug reminds me of a rug you'd see in a mansion. It's colorful, ornate and absolutely gorgeous.

Alchemy Rug

If you are still on the hunt for an amazing rug at an affordable price try Boutique Rugs. They've got an amazing selection and everyone I know that has purchased from them has been thrilled with their new rugs.

If you need some simple help with your interior design, check out my website at www.danaebransondesign.com.

Unique Lighting-Chandeliers

I absolutely love lighting! There are so many cool and unique lighting sources out there and I truly feel that lighting can make or break a design.

When designing a space many designers like to start with lighting first and draw inspiration from there. Lighting fixtures catch the eye and if all you do is update your lighting you’ll be amazed at how much of a difference it will make in your home.

Since there are so many lighting options out there today I'm sharing some of my favorite chandeliers based on design styles.

Scandinavian - This starburst is gorgeous and will draw instant attraction from all that see it. It instantly classes up your design.

Coastal - This beauty would look amazing in any classic coastal home.

Rustic - Need a chandelier for a cabin or mountain home? This one is amazing!

Glam - This chandelier will make heads turn. Crystals, crystals and more crystals!

French Country - If this chandelier doesn't speak to the marriage of elegance and rustic that is French Country I don't know what does!

Mid-Century Modern - This fun chandelier is unique and would be an excellent fixture above a table in a mid-century mod home.

Danae Branson is an interior designer working with clients online helping them design the spaces of their dreams. For more information please checkout www.danaebransondesign.com.

Working With An Interior Designer Just Got A Whole Lot Easier!

Have you ever dreamed of working with an interior designer to refresh your home? It seems that there’s a misconception that interior designers only do new construction or home remodels, but what about smaller projects? There are some amazing interior designers out there that do take smaller projects. In fact, with technology, there is a new way to work online with a designer without them even having to come to your home. They are often called e-designers because they work entirely online.

What does an e-designer do?

Whether you need an entire home refresh or just a corner of a room, e-designers are able to assist.  They typically communicate via email, skype or phone and work with you online to create a space that you love. Depending on the e-designer who chose to work with they do offer different services. Some offer consulting services where they’ll help you choose design elements such as lighting, furniture, paint colors or décor. Others may offer mood boards and rendering services where they can show you what your finished project will look like after you’ve implemented their design ideas. Depending on the level of service you need, determines the cost of the services.

Kitchen Before - Actual Photo

Kitchen After - 3D Render

How do I find an e-designer?

Check your local listings for interior designers. Some interior designers have added e-design to their list of services. Ask friends or family if they know of anyone. Or search the web for an e-designer that you think would be great to work with.

How do I know if working with an e-designer versus an in-person designer is for me?

If you prefer to implement your own design and just need ideas and advice, e-design is for you.

If you need someone to manage the project and hire contractors to implement the design for you, then you should work with a local in-person interior designer.

Anything else I should know about e-design?

E-designers often have quicker turn around time because they do everything online. They also may be able to work with an in-home designer if you need both services and your in-home designer doesn’t offer e-design. Check with your e-designer regarding the types of products and services they offer. Some e-designers off a lot of services and other, such as myself, only offer online consultations and virtual staging.

Before Living & Dining - Actual Photo of a Vacant Listing

Before Living & Dining - Virtually Staged Listing

For more information on Danae Branson Virtual Staging & Design, please feel free to shoot me an email at bvstaging@gmail.com.

 For more information on Danae Branson Virtual Staging & Design, please feel free to shoot me an email at bvstaging@gmail.com.

The Future of Virtual Staging & Design

Right now, real estate is hot! Flipping houses is hot! Interior design is hot! As HGTV is talking over homes across the United States the real estate, construction and interior design markets are profiting from the huge success of shows like Flip or Flop, Fixer Upper and Property Brothers.

Real estate agents are working harder than ever to sell properties and part of that is having access to tools that allow prospective buyers to visualize a space as it could be. Home staging is an effective tool to make a home appear more welcoming and stylish. Today there is an alternative to home staging known as virtual staging where furniture and décor are digitally imported into the photos. Not only is this a cost-effective alternative at sometimes 90% less than physical staging, the turn around time on virtual staging is typically less than 24 hours depending on the firm you use.

Virtual home staging's success is not only due to the cost and turn around time but due to the capabilities it has to offer. With virtual staging and design you can now show your clients what a home could look like with a wall removed, a different paint color on the wall, different cabinets in the kitchen, etc.

Actual kitchen photo

[caption id="attachment_96" align="alignnone" width="1248"] 3D virtual rendering of what the kitchen could look like[/caption]

Think of how easy it would be sell a home when a prospective buyer can actually see the potential in the property. The future will be in this technology and working with professionals who can show buyers what could be.

We all know technology is a powerful tool, so use it! Consider partnering with a virtual staging and design professional as a value add to your real estate business and watch your sales grow!