Create an online dropshipping store

Dropshipping has become a very popular way for people to run online stores. It enables you to create a site and sell products without having inventory or even paying for the products until they are sold. Interior designers are creating their own online stores using dropshipping.

How to start a dropshipping business:

1. Find a supplier. You will need to find dropshipping suppliers to work with. Oberlo is a marketplace that allows you to find products that you can sell online with dropshipping and according to them the home décor industry will be a $664 billion dollar industry by 2020.

Other dropshippers to consider for home décor: Eastwind Wholesale Gift Distribution, Koehler Home Décor, Park Designs, Wholesale Interiors, Sage Brook Home, Aspire Home Accents, Classic Touch Décor, Designs Direct, LLC, Home Spice.

2. Build your store. You can use Shopify, Squarespace, Weebly, GoDaddy or BigCommece. If you decide to use Oberlo (mentioned above) they work hand in hand with Shopify.

3. Market your website. Create a marketing plan and post your website on social media, your blog, email subscriber list and anywhere else you can to gain exposure.

When looking at marketing your dropshipping business some trends for 2020 to consider are:

*Mobile sales are significantly increasing which means people are using their phones more than ever to purchase products. Make sure your site is mobile friendly!

*Business owners are optimizing their website’s home pages and turning them into product pages. Sell the products front and center instead of having a Shop tab.

*Video descriptions of products are going to start showing up more and more on websites.

*Another random note that may or may not help with creative brainstorming when trying to figure out what to sell on your site – subscription boxes and personalized products are on the rise. Consumers love personalizing items and millennials love subscription boxes. Stay tuned in December for a post about creating subscription boxes for the interior design industry.

A dropshipping store can be as lucrative as you like if you do the marketing, social media and get the word out there. It’s a huge undertaking and if you don’t have the time … well you know where to go :)

To learn more about all things dropshipping, check out this awesome article by Dropshipping Tutor.

https://www.dropshippingtutor.com

VA vs. OBM. What's the difference?

The post-covid world is increasingly virtual and ever-evolving. Perhaps one of the areas of expertise that has skyrocketed during this time is the remotely-based strategy professional known as the Online Business Manager. The role has been around for many years, but is increasingly popular in a virtual world. 

The more commonly known role of a “Virtual Assistant” generally works in tandem with the Online Business manager (“OBM”) but the roles are distinctly different. While a VA is focused on getting tasks done and providing relief, the OBM is focused on improving the “how” you get things done and  managing those processes so the CEO can ultimately remove themselves from the manager function. 

Some organizations are a better fit for the Virtual Assistant support, while other organizations are senior-enough (6 and 7 figure businesses) where they feel the need for a higher level of business support. There are five distinct indications that point to needing a Online Business Manager support your company:

1. You are consistently missing deadlines. If you or your team are struggling to meet quotas, provide excellent customer support, or not move your business forward as quickly as you would like, likely you are in need of an Online Business Manager. The OBM is a master project manager and holds the CEO and their team to deadlines, individual responsibilities, and incentivizes the work needed to move the mission of the business forward. 

2.You do not have enough time for “big picture” tasks. This is perhaps the most common reason business owners bring on an OBM. They find their day to day is swamped with tedious operational tasks and they do not have enough time to dedicate to their CEO role. The OBM will come into your business to implement processes and systems so that your tasks are more streamlined, clear and easy to understand. This should also provide mental clarity and peace of mind knowing everything you need to get done is clearly completed. 

3.You have a team of 2-15 people. While the OBM can still provide relevant support to a solopreneur, there is additional expertise you receive when you have a small team that the OBM can manage and support. Likely your OBM will come into your business and run team meetings, upkeep project management software, provide metrics and reporting, etc. You then can completely remove yourself from the team’s day to day function while relying on your expert communicator to provide you all relevant information that you need. 

4.You have to turn away opportunities because you are so busy! This often happens to very talented business owners. Your business is growing, while your free time is shrinking. An Online Business Manager focused on equal parts high level and granular tasks. Because they will be focused on the implementation of your visions, they can help manage the growing pains associated with more clients, expanded services and growing ventures. 

5.You’re feeling overwhelmed or are not a systems person. Especially for creatives, this seems to be a common pain point for the successful business owner. Some people are not systems-minded individuals, and that IS OKAY! That’s why you may need an OBM. They will help you create processes, implement those processes into the right system for you, and help you and your team manage that system to serve you. You know you have a good OBM when they tell you all about different functions your technology can help you with and support you (without having to do anything manually) that you didn’t even know existed!

Need your own OBM? Contact us today…

XX, Danae

Clubhouse For Interior Designers

Have you heard about Clubhouse? If not, I’m honestly shocked! It has really taken off since its debut in 2020.

This invite-only platform is an auditory-only app that is for iphone users only. You can hardly scroll social media these days without hearing about it. 

I believe it’s a bit easier to find invites now but when it first came out, you really had to hunt. Rumor says that Clubhouse will be creating a version for Android phones and potentially won’t require an invite but we’ll have to check in on that in a few months and come back with an update.

You can find live conversations on Clubhouse from topics ranging from Health and Fitness to Interior design and anything you can think of in between. Some of the most popular conversations I’ve found are about business, manifestation, and basically any talk given by a celebrity! 

If you have no idea what Clubhouse is, don’t stress. We’ll give you a brief breakdown here:

-Think of Clubhouse as a live podcast system. Nothing is recorded but presenters show up audio only and discuss their topic in front of a listen-only audience.

-Presenters (called Moderators) can invite audience members onto the virtual stage, giving them the opportunity to share their own experiences or ask the moderators any questions they might have.

So how can you utilize Clubhouse as an interior designer? 

1. Collaboration is key: Similar to a podcast, Clubhouse is a great place to grab a few fellow designers or tradesmen and do a podcast about a specific design subject. So put out your feelers and find someone who wants to join in an online convo with you! The more moderators you have, the better the potential turnout. 

2. Create a great profile: Put time into this! You have quite a bit of space to tell about your story. Who do you serve? What kind of projects do you like to work on? What subjects around interior designer do you love to talk and teach people about? 

3. Add a great picture to your profile: Pretty self-explanatory, right? Always pick a professional photo that shows your personality! 

4. Engage in the app! Join other rooms and participate as much as you can. Share your story in other rooms that are not related to interior design. Share valuable and helpful information whenever you can. I’ve joined rooms before and have had people follow me just for being inside of the room. If you get on stage and talk, everyone will be able to easily access your profile. 

5. Start your own room: Just use the “create a room” button and then click “add a topic”. Pick something broad so that you can host chats based on many topics. 

Play around with the app and discover all it has to offer! This is the best way to get to know how to use it and all the knowledge you can share through it. 

Have a fantastic day! 

XO, Danae

How To Build Stronger Relationships With Your Clients

Happy Wednesday!

There is nothing more important than your relationship with your client.

There are several reasons why you should strive to build the best possible relationship with your client, from the experience being awesome for both of you, to them possibly hiring you again when they have a new project or get a new home. And also, referrals! Referrals are the best!

Sometimes it can be hard to call in the right client and if you’re struggling with that, please read our blog from a few months ago called 3 things you can do connect with your ideal client online.

We all know the horrors of having a nightmare client that you just DON’T mesh with, and I do not want that for you…

I want you to be SO excited to work with them and even just spend time with them. They respect you and see you as the expert, but also really just want to hang out with you too!

Here are a few tips for building stellar relationships with your clients.

1. It’s possible I’m repeating myself here but that’s ok because it’s so important. Find aligned clients that you want to work with! People you would want to spend time with outside of their project. If you don’t like who they are as a person it’s probably not going to go well...hard truth! If your personalities clash, then you are setting yourself up for a tough project with less than stellar communication.

2. Be straightforward and honest in the beginning: Be very upfront about your strengths and what you will be hiring out for their project.This is a good time to explain all of the rules and boundaries about working with you. If you don’t want your clients texting you, make sure you communicate that you only respond to emails and how long it will usually take you to get back to them. Boundaries are important.

3. Explain the process and pricing in detail: Explain how pricing works with them. There are lots of opinions on whether you should disclose product markups and no matter what you decide to do that’s completely fine, but make sure to let them know how you do things in as much detail as you feel comfortable. If you will be doing the buying, make sure to inform them that items will be bought through you and should not be purchased outside.

4. Get a clear budget: I know I’ve had clients express that they don’t know what their budget is. If that’s the case, give them an idea of what it might cost to furnish their space. I suggest giving a range and explain that you will keep them updated, but getting a firm number from them is really the best for everyone involved. If their budget is too low, be honest and clear about how it won’t be enough for the quantity and look they are going for. The last thing you want is a misunderstanding involving money.

5. Talk to them about their style: And get to know it well. If you only do a particular style then you’ll want to let them know upfront so they know what to expect. Most likely if you are an established designer then they probably hired you because of your style and this won’t be an issue. If you do all styles and just need to know what they like, make sure you are both on the same page with that and you fully understand their style. If you don’t understand or if their inspiration photos are all over the place, let them know that you need more clarity.

6. Listen: Listen as closely as you can to everything that they say and find out what is important to them. This goes beyond just filling out a questionnaire but really listen to their emotional needs so that you can fulfill them.

7. Mid-project check in: Check in frequently and ask them how they’re enjoying the process and if they have any hang ups, address them so that you are on the same page before continuing on. The last thing you want is to find out they are unhappy about how the project progressed when you’re at the end and it’s too late.

8. Exit-interview: Similar to someone leaving a corporate job, it’s a good idea to do an exit interview with your clients to tie up any loose ends and ask them what they liked and didn’t like. This is not only great for them but you will know what went smoothly and what didn’t which can help you with future projects.

9. Client gift: Give them a special gift at the end. It can be the same thing for each client, but the more personal you can make it the better. What would be most meaningful for them? For ideas, check out a past blog, 20 fun and unique client gift ideas.

I can’t wait to hear how your client relationships improve!

XO, Danae.

Tips for creating video for social media

Whenever I talk to clients about getting on video all I get in response is pure panic...

And I get it! It can be scary to get on video and share it online.

BUT, I want you to understand the importance of showing up on video if you can. Do you HAVE to in order to be successful? NOPE! Will it help? Absolutely!

Videos are watched way more than posts are read, therefore, social media platforms are prioritizing videos with the algorithm. If you want to be seen more than you are now, try video!

Video is a great way to let clients get to know who you are and what you believe in and establishes you as THE EXPERT. Which is something we really want.

We all know it’s probably not the best idea if they do things by themselves and creating videos is going to show them that you are definitely the one (or not) for them. I mean… we also want to weed out the clients that are not a good fit for you. Am I right?

Here are a few tips for dropping the fear and creating videos that are great for your brand, how to get started, and types of videos you can create.

1. Baby steps: I’m not asking you to go live on Instagram because I think that can be intimidating for even people who make videos all the time! So please don’t freak out and think that’s what I mean :) Maybe start by just sharing a couple of tips with your followers. Create a short 3 minutes (or less) video on your smartphone. Feel free to make edits if you need! Example: Share your tips for helping them nail down what their style is..

2. Be confident! There is nothing to worry about. You are a professional! You help your clients in consultations and you can share those same tips online. And before you say it, no you are not too fat, no your voice is not annoying, and NO you are not going to embarrass yourself. Yes, I’m calling you out because I know we all tell ourselves these ridiculous things that are not true! Put on an outfit that makes you feel fierce, write a script and give it a shot. I don’t suggest reading from the script or even memorizing it, it’s just a great way to organize your thoughts and remind yourself of the things you would like to talk about. Keep it in front of you in case you need to take a peek.

3. You don’t have to be fancy: Don’t feel the need to go out and buy a bunch of fancy equipment. You totally can, but clients are going to be just as impressed if you just film something on your smartphone. You are a human, afterall! Another thing to mention is you don’t have to have the perfect face of makeup on or the perfect outfit. Show up messy vs. not showing up at all.

4. IGTV: This is a type of video offered on Instagram. It must be less than 60 minutes and can be filmed vertically or horizontally, whichever you prefer. As soon as your clients open it up it will start to play. This is a good space to provide tips and tricks.

5. Reels: I’m sure you’ve heard about reels as they have been all the rave on social media for the last year. These are 15 or 30 seconds long depending on what setting you put it on! If you haven’t watched any of these yet, I suggest going to this section of Instagram and checking a few out for reference and inspiration. Great spot to share tips, tricks, and styling videos.

6. Go live: If you feel comfortable, try going live! Pick a specific subject and talk about it freely online. The consultation requests will be rolling in!

7. Add a video to your website: Adding an about me video or a video to the page with your list of services could be a great way to showcase your personality and talk a little bit about how working with you would work. Walk them through the process so they can get to know you and see what working with you is all about.

8. Make a plan: No matter what type of video you decide on, definitely make a plan like I mentioned earlier. Pick a topic, write a script, and share freely about it!

9. Content: Browse the internet for content ideas, or better yet, repurpose your own content! For example, if you made a post about your favorite paint colors and it did really well and got lots of responses, maybe make a video about how you like to select the best paint colors. You can also ask your audience what they want to learn! Make a feed post about it or add a question box to your stories and let people input topics.

Were these tips helpful for you? I would love to hear!

XO, Danae.

Exciting News! The Interior Design Standard is OPEN

I am so excited to share this with you!

As the interior design industry continues to explode, a common theme I’m hearing from interior designers is “I need to get organized. Do you help with processes and systems?” For those of you needing help getting organized and developing your systems and processes have I found an amazing resource for you!

Sandra Funk (House of Funk), is making a huge impact on a number of interior designers’ businesses across the country with her course The Interior Design Standard.

Why is this program making such an impact? Because The Interior Design Standard is composed of modules that outline Sandra’s entire business. Within each module are resources that you can start using right away.  She walks you through how to implement all of these templates via videos along the way. Enroll here now!

This program is perfect for any designer who needs organized processes, wants to learn more about how a thriving and successful design practice does it and wants to bring the joy and passion back into their business.

Highlights of the Standard include:

-      The design fee calculator - finally a formula that removes the fear of flat fees

-      The design agreement that both clients and designers love

-      The exact process that each interior design project follows, from the first potential client contact to completing photo worthy projects

Enrollment only happens twice per year and is open now starting TODAY April 21st thru April 28. The program begins on May 3.

If you are interested, you can enroll here. The Standard is only open for enrollment twice a year so that they can create the most amazing experience possible for the current members who are currently transforming their businesses.

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have questions!

XX,

Danae

What to do when you're running out of photos for social media....

Has this happened to you? You post like crazy for a few months and then all of a sudden…..OOPS! I’m running out of photos!

Even when you have a lot of projects it can be hard to have enough photos to be showing up on social media every single day...and not run out.

So here are a few tips for what you can do to stretch your photos longer.

1. Use 3d renderings: 3d renderings look SO realistic these days, that people are using them on their social media. They are a great way to add to your portfolio. If you don’t know how to create renderings or don’t have the time to put them together, just gather a list of items you want to use in a space, and send them over to one of our assistants

2. Share more of your process: As busy designers, you’re always surrounded by paint samples, materials samples, or you’re in furniture stores. Share these things with your audience. Not every photo you share has to be perfection. People want to see the behind the scenes! If you want your photo to look better on your feed, just add a filter. They are inexpensive and will make your photos look great.

3. MoodBoards/Concept Boards: You’re probably already making these for your clients to express your design ideas, so why not share them on social? And if you don’t make these for your clients, you can just throw a few pieces of furniture or accessories on a board and share it. If you offer personal shopping or buying for your clients, this can be a great way to get new people to reach out to you so they can purchase one-of-a-kind items through you!

4. Color Palettes: Take your favorite paint vendor and choose 5 or 6 colors you want to feature. Write a cute little caption about why you chose those colors and BAM! New post.

5. Construction behind the scenes: As I mentioned earlier, clients want to see your process and it can be exciting for them to see the construction process and how things come together. Share photos or video of a kitchen renovation mid-process, or a video of construction.

6. Before and after: Take the photos you’ve already shared and share them again but do a before and after post where they swipe from the after to the before. You want the best photo to be showing on your feed even if you have used it before. Your clients will get to see what the space looked like before which, as you know, can be very exciting!

7. Product features: Instead of a whole product board, just share photos of one photo you like. It can be a professional photo from the vendor’s website or it can be something you found at market and snapped a photo of. Market is a great place to collect photos of things to share throughout the year on Social. This helps clients get in touch with your style and gets them excited about buying cool products through you.

8. About me: Share a photo of you and a little about you! This is a great time to talk about how you became a designer, your background and experience, what inspires you, what kind of projects you like to work on and what kind of client you serve!

9. Share install day: You know install day is the most exciting part of working with a client. Why not share the process? Stories is a great place to do this but you can absolutely create a swipe-able post where you share part of the process, before photos and photos and/or videos of you pulling everything together. This will get clients excited about the possibility of working with you and having their project come together.

10. Share photos again: There is absolutely nothing wrong with sharing photos you have shared before. You will have new followers and new eyes will be seeing it. Even if someone has already seen the photo, I don’t think anyone is going to be upset about seeing it again ;) Try and make sure you don’t use the same post within 18 posts

Were these tips helpful for you? I would love to hear!

If you need help creating content or curating a beautiful social media feed, reach out to us today!

XO, Danae.

7 Hot Affiliate Vendors

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to make money just because people purchased products from links you placed in your blog posts and emails? That’s how affiliate marketing works. It’s great passive income and a lot of interior designers are looking for more ways to make money. Affiliate programs are a great way to make money in your sleep. Quite literally, your clients and followers can purchase items you are promoting 24/7.

The companies below have great affiliate programs that your fellow interior designers use and love! I did my own research and am not receiving any compensation from these companies to have them listed here. After visiting with several interior designers these were the Top 7 hot affiliate vendors they shared with me. They are listed in no particular order.

1. Boutique Rugs- Boutique Rugs is one of the more popular ones I’ve come across. They offer amazing rugs, have great customer service and pay an affiliate commission of 7%. You can get more information at https://boutiquerugs.com/affiliate-program/

2. Amazon – Doesn’t everyone use Amazon, anyway? Why not use it for your business. A few of the interior designers I reached out to loved Amazon. As you can imagine you can find a wide variety of items and with affiliate commissions of up to 10% it’s worth a shot. For more information - https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/

3. Bellacor – Lighting, furniture, décor and more. Bellacor pays up to 8% affiliate commissions when a client purchases from your link. Click for more info - https://www.bellacor.com/affiliate.htm

4. Curtain Works – This company has all the window treatments your clients will ever need. They pay 10% commission and offer a wide variety of ready-made curtains at competitive prices. Here you go - https://www.bellacor.com/affiliate.htm

5. Jonathan Adler – If your target market loves mid-century modern this affiliate program may be the one for you! Think luxury, smart design and colorful optimism with a 6% commission. Check it out here - https://www.viglink.com/merchants/47931/jonathan-adler-affiliate-program

6. Lulu & Georgia – This home décor company seems to be a favorite of several of the interior designers I spoke with. They offer a wide variety of super stylish décor and offer a 10% commission. Learn more about their affiliate program - https://www.luluandgeorgia.com/affiliates/

7. Serena & Lily – This company always makes me think of a breezy California style. Their products are definitely casual coastal. They have a 9% affiliate commission and more information here - https://www.viglink.com/merchants/35595/serena-and-lily-affiliate-program

Let us know if you need help setting up your affiliate vendors. That is one of the many services we offer our interior design clients at Elite Design Assistants!

XO, Danae

Connect with Your Target Market Through Video

I imagine you’ve been a witness to the increased use of video in business today. As our world continues to gravitate to more of a virtual world video has become a great tool to connect with current and prospective clients. The form of marketing has worked wonders for many businesses including interior designers but as an interior designer how do you best utilize video to engage with your prospective clients?

Here are some great ideas for creating videos your clients will love.

1. Video a paint consult. Showing your target market your process is a great way to gain trust and start a relationship with them. People may not even realize they need you until they see you in action.

2. Showcase a finished space you recently designed. People love seeing newly designed spaces. This will showcase your talents as an interior designer.

3. Bring your target market behind the scenes. Everyone thinks they can be a designer but once they see the multiple moving pieces involved in the day in the life of a designer, they may decide to hire you instead.

4. Create videos on styling. People love to redesign their spaces so show them great ways to style a bookshelf, coffee table, dining table, fireplace mantel etc.

5. Video something unexpected and fun such as designing the perfect floral arrangement, creating a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork or adding unique updates to your switch plate and outlet covers.

6. Video can be fun, but it can also be a little scary for some. Just be yourself and remember, people love bloopers! Video is just like everything else in life … practice makes it easier and more fun.

   Please let me know if you need more video ideas. We will have our own videos coming soon!

4 Social Media Tips For Interior Designers

Hello and Happy Wednesday from Elite Design Assistants! 

We are in the age of social media! It’s everywhere and everyone is either talking about it or endlessly scrolling. Am I right?

Now, social media definitely has its place. It’s absolutely crucial these days to have a presence online. Even if you are not receiving clients from your social media platforms, having a place where your clients can go check you out is a great idea. Simply having a profile online will show them that you not only have a serious business as an interior design professional, but that you deserve to be paid well for it. Your social media feed should be a collection of your worth and should communicate your design philosophy to your ideal client.

Here are a few tips to help you strengthen your social media presence. 

1. Show up Regularly: 6 days a week is what I personally aim for and the frequency in which we post for most of our clients. If you can only show up 4 days a week, that’s fine, but be consistent about it so that your audience knows that they can rely on you and that you are in demand!

2. Seek connection, not just followers: You can have all the followers in the world but if you have no connection with them then it won’t do you any good! Having 200 dedicated and engaged followers will win over 1000 any day. Don’t be shy or be afraid to get vulnerable with your following. The more you can share behind the scenes the better. Also, interacting regularly with other designers on your platforms will bring more connections AND more followers.

3. Create helpful content: This is a big one! Any opportunity to help a potential client is great. You want them to leave with not only helpful information, but you want them to establish you as an expert so that they will not only come back to check in regularly but will want to hire you. 

4. Be mindful about how things look: As designers, you know that how something looks is important. Your potential client’s first view of your feed is important! Create branding that is visually appealing and shows your brand and your talents.

Need help creating a professional and beautiful presence online? We offer content creation, posting, engagement, and more. Contact us today! 

XO, Danae