Start offering E-Design Services

2020 and 2021 have been....interesting to say the least...

With spending more time at home, designers have been forced to adapt the the changing world. With e-design being one of the safest options during the pandemic, it has become more popular than ever.

Are you offering E-Design services?

Marketing your e-design service should be an easy sell at the moment. Sign up for my weekly e-mail at www.elitedesignassistants.com and I’ll send you a FREE client/prospect email you can send to your current clients, prospects and email subscriber list regarding your e-design service.

Need more information on e-design for your own business? Here you go!

How does e-design work? (This is a very high-level overview of the process.)

1.       Offer your clients/prospects an intro call and/or zoom meeting to see what their needs are and review your e-design packages. Be sure to explain that in e-design everything is done remotely, so it will not include on-site visits, installation, construction, etc.

2.       Once they choose to work with you, email them your LOA (you may need to adjust this for e-design services) and once it’s received email them a modified version of the questionnaire you normally would in your business. Ask them to include inspiration photos as well as pictures and measurements of the space they want you to design.

3.       Let the designing begin. You can create concept boards, 3d renders and a shopping list for your clients. The shopping list can include links to your affiliate sites for self-ordering or you can offer trade options that you’ll place orders for them as you normally would.

4.       Send your clients the package (concept board, render, shopping list) along with instructions on how to order products and install the design.

5.       Once they’ve implemented your design, ask them to provide after photos so you can use them in your before/after portfolio for e-design. I know a lot of e-designers struggle with getting the after photos so maybe offer some sort of incentive to get those. 😊

6.       Send them a thank you and let them know you’re happy to help them again in another space.

Pricing – Just like in regular design, pricing is very different for all e-designers. Many of them offer a variety of packages. Some ideas of pricing and options I’ve seen are as follows:

1.       Full design per room includes concept board, floor plan, paint palette, shopping list, render, written instructions for installation and a 60 day follow up. Priced anywhere from $700 - $1,000.

2.       Design per room includes everything above EXCEPT render. Priced anywhere from $500 - $650.

3.       Refresh per room – this would be refreshing what they have and styling it, you could still offer a small shopping list of items. Priced anywhere from $300 - $450.

4.       You can also offer online consultations, furniture layouts or shoppable boards for specific styles. And honestly, you can charge whatever you want, of course. This is just what I’ve noticed is the most popular pricing.

There are a lot of resources now on e-design. You can try the Facebook Group called edesign Tribe as a great place to start.

As always, please let me know what you need as I’m happy to help!

XX, Danae

Client Processes For Interior Designers

It’s going to be a crazy, busy summer so let’s get organized!

I’ve heard from many of you that are getting very busy which is very exciting but can also be very overwhelming so I thought I’d give you some ideas on things you should consider to help you get and stay organized!

First of all, take some time to write down everything you need to do in the coming days, weeks and months. Then crumple up that list and throw it in the trash. I’m so sorry! I’m totally kidding. Please dig that list back out of the trash and from here on out I promise I’ll be serious. J

Block out some time and let’s get to work!

Guidelines

Do you have an operations manual? Have you written down or typed out your business process from start to finish? Creating processes help you stay organized, prevent important details from being overlooked and are very beneficial when delegating tasks.

Write down your business processes and create a manual or guideline that you can use as a reference for all clients you work with and assistants you hire. Include processes for working with clients, marketing, hiring, purchasing, bookkeeping and anything else that is a major part of your business that you feel needs a detailed guide.

I have found that interior designers organize their businesses a little bit differently. Some of them are paper, binder, folder people and others are computer, software, techy people. Do what works best for you!

Today I’m going to write more about client processes and what you should consider having in place, if you don’t already.

Create binders or folders either hard copy, on your computer or in your favorite software program for each client. Now create a To-Do list and schedule for each client. Color code each client and merge the schedule into one master calendar so you have a clearer picture of what needs to be done. But before any of this can be done perhaps you need to take a look at your client processes.

Communication:

Do you have an outline for how communication is handled with clients? Do you have email templates ready to save you time since you most often are sending some of the same emails, whether it’s a response to an inquiry or a welcome email, next steps email, update email or invoice email.

Consultations:

Do you have guidelines on how quickly you need to respond to inquiries and set up consultations? Do you have certain days/times blocked off for consultations only? Do you have a client qualifying process you go through before booking a consultation with an inquiry?

Proposals:

Once you’ve qualified a candidate, had a consultation and are ready to create a proposal, do you have proposal templates on hand? Do you use a formula for figuring out a project timeline and budget? How long do your clients have before they need to respond to your proposal?

Working with Tradespeople/Vendors:

Do you have a list of your go-to contractors, tradespeople and vendors? Do you have a process for connecting with them and lining them up for projects and/or placing orders? How do you schedule installations? Communication and follow up is key and guidelines on these processes are going to eliminate time, headaches and costly errors in the future.

Site Visits:

These processes may have changed due to COVID-19 whether it be the frequency of visits or the manner in which they are conducted. Be sure you have a clear idea of how to schedule and coordinate these as well as how many of these you need for each project. Do you block out time on certain days for site visits?

Reveal Day:

Do you have a checklist and processes for the completion of the entire project? Do you also do styling or take photographs? How do you then present your client with the final invoice?

Running an interior design business is no easy feat! There are multiple moving pieces and a lot of things to coordinate, order, install and consider when working on one project let alone several at one time. Writing down every process and procedure may seem like an overwhelming task but spending a little time now will save you loads of time, money and headaches in the future.

Hopefully, this has given you some things to consider! If you are really struggling with your processes I do know there are courses on this very subject that you can take to really help you get your entire business organized and running in a more efficient manner! Or, I know people who hire an assistant to help get their processes in order as well.

Have a great week! Danae

Best Project Management Software For Interior Designers

I work with a lot of interior designers and they use a variety of project management software including Ivy, Mydoma, Studio Designer, Design Manager, Designdocs and self-hosted.

Which one is best for you? Hopefully the information below will help.

Ivy
Ivy’s website states - Our platform is designed to take the pain out of administrative tasks and allow designers to focus on the work they love. You don’t just get access to the Ivy platform, but also to our incredible industry resources, and the most powerful and supportive design community.

I’ve been told that Ivy has a low learning curve and is the user-friendlier version of Studio Designer. Ivy works well with direct integration with QuickBooks online including easily accepting credit cards. Ivy allows you to view project timelines without added data entry because estimated ship dates automatically go on the Project Calendar. Ivy will continue to add functionality to make it a strong candidate for the interior designer’s use.

Although it may be user friendly, it does take two programs to do what Studio Designer can do in one. Studio Designer is more customizable; however, Ivy is still very popular among interior designers.  

Pricing: Basic $59/month or $599 paid annually

Essential $99/month or $999 paid annually

Unlimited $149/month or $1,499 paid annually

Plus, QuickBooks fees $40 per month

Try it: Ivy offers a 30-day refund.  www.ivymark.com/

As of March 2018, Ivy sold to Houzz and has some designers questioning their partnership and ethics.  I suggest doing your research on this before taking the plunge into Ivy.  

Design Manager

Design Manager is an all in one software for project management, purchase order tracking, accounting, reports, inventory. Since Design Manager isn’t super user friendly it is often used by established design firms. Their website claims 70% of interior designers prefer Design Manager over QuickBooks.

Design Manager is the leading project management and accounting software for interior designers. Created in 1984 to respond to the requests of local interior design firms, it expanded into a nationwide software company and became one of the first providers of cloud-based design software. Because design firms have specific needs that cannot be answered by conventional software, it is our mission to provide a product that is dedicated to serving the design community. We deliver software that saves time, money, and frustration, while eliminating countless hours of paperwork.

Pricing:

DM Cloud $39.99/month

Pro Cloud $54.99/month

Save 10% by paying annually

Try it: They offer a free trial at https://designmanager.com/

Mydoma

Mydoma is a great organizational tool for your interior design projects.  Many designers love the systems and processes and creating automations so that your business runs easier and Mydoma helps with this.  The Mydoma platform helps with the onboarding process, a place to keep project info (ex: space info, before images, measurements, inspiration images), and a place to collaborate with your clients.  Using Mydoma you are creating an online design studio/project binder to collaborate with your clients.  You can have new clients sign contract, fill out onboarding questionnaire, and send initial payment all within the program.  Great if you do e-design or smaller design packages.

This software is limited if you run a full-service interior design firm.  And the accounting is in QuickBooks, so it requires double entry for products.  

Pricing: $59 per month for Pro, plus QuickBooks fees $40 per month

Try it: Free 30-day trial. www.mydomastudio.com

Studio Designer

Studio Designer claims to be the leading application for interior design professionals. It provides project management and accounting systems for its users. In 2016, it created a Vendor Portal and Client Portal. In 2019, version 2.0 is a new streamline look and efficiencies.

It is a very robust and extensive program for every operation a design firm could face.  This is a one-stop-shop for all your interior designer application needs.  Because of this Studio Designer can feel overwhelming for a novice designer.  It is an accounting program and project management program wrapped up in one.  You can manage your entire business from this program.  Accounting, Expediting, Ordering, Timelines, Reminders, Logistics, Inventory and so much more. 

This program is very technical, and you may need an accountant that specializes in the program.

Pricing: Basic - $35/month

Professional - $45/month

Try it: Studio Designer does not offer a free trial, but they do offer pro-rated refunds, if you wanted to try it for a few days for a few bucks.  www.studiodesigner.com/

DesignDocs

DesignDocs is a total project management and online accounting solution for the interior design industry. Founded by a husband and wife team (a Chartered Accountant and a Designer), DesignDocs provides a full suite of business management tools for interior designers. Additionally, the system gives access to valuable financial reports so designers can gain a strong understanding of their profit margins and identify areas in their business where they can increase revenue. 

The software is ideal for full-service design firms who are looking to increase profits, improve their operational processes, and/or scale their businesses. Pricing: Solo $69/p month or $708 paid annually

Professional: $98/p month or $1,056 paid annually (minimum of 2 users)

Try it: Free 14-day trial. www.designdocs.com

Self-hosted

I know more and more interior designers that are going to a self-hosted type of program. They use landing pages on their websites, Pinterest, spreadsheets and processes to stay organized and on top of their businesses. This isn’t for everyone but if you are looking for a cost-effective way you may be interested in checking out a self-hosted system. Next week, I’ll be writing about how the self-hosted system works and why it might be beneficial to you!

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

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

5 Interior Design Tools That Will Make Your Life Much Easier

Hello and Happy Wednesday from Elite Design Assistants! 

We’ve said it before….as an interior designer you wear a lot of hats. It can be quite overwhelming, but I don’t have to tell you that!

The following tools are going to help you manage several major facets of your business. We have tools for everything from visuals to communicate your design ideas to social media management and in between. 

1. Canva: Canva is an incredible tool. You can create any kind of graphics you want and can even make videos! Anything you make can be saved as any file type you want and you can even have it printed. The best part is that there are really great templates so that you can put things together in a pinch. Just find one you like, customize it by changing color or text, and save! Easy as that. It is free for the basic version and it’s only $9.99 per month to upgrade. Totally worth it for everything it can help you do

2. A floor planning tool:  There are many options for this based on exactly what you’re looking for. If you are putting together detailed floor plans regularly, CAD could be the right option for you. If you don’t have experience with CAD or just want to build basic floor plans, check out Floorplanner, Smart Draw, or RoomSketcher. These are all free options. 

3. Planoly for Instagram + Facebook: Planoly is a free social media scheduling tool for Instagram. To also post on facebook, you can set it up to automatically send it over at the click of a button. Planoly allows you to view what your feed will actually look like visually, and you can easily add captions and hashtags, and schedule your posts in advance. There is an upgraded plan if you want to schedule more than 30 posts at once. $7/month.

4. Tailwind for Pinterest : Tailwind is a social media scheduler for Pinterest! It has several great features, allowing you to schedule in advance, create and check popularity of hashtags, and other awesome things!

5. Photoshop: Edit photos, create moodboards, create other types of visuals for your business.

6. Some kind of note app for your phone: Many designers like to keep notes on their phone. You can create a separate note for each client, so you can write down thoughts, ideas, or requests as they come up throughout the day. If you have an ipad you could keep them there, and there are even sketching apps where you could draw out your floor plan at the consultation. 

7. Business Management Software: there are so many options for this one, so it’s best to do some research and see which one is best for you. If you want to read about some great options, check out our blog post from October, 2020 called Best Project Software for Interior Designers

When it comes to your business, anything you can do to make it run a little more smoothly is a win! Try out some software and tool options for yourself and see which are the most helpful in your day to day!

Have a task you would like to outsource in your business? Contact us today!

XO, Danae

How To Market Your Interior Design Blog

Hello and Happy Wednesday from Elite Design Assistants! 

So last week we talked about How To Start Your Interior Design Blog. And now I want to help you get it out into the world! Here are a few steps for marketing your blog. 

1. Social Media: I encourage marketing your blogs on any social media platforms you are currently on. You’ll want to choose a photo from the blog post to use as your post photo, or something from your portfolio. Special graphics are also an option (see below). We suggest sharing on at least facebook and instagram, but bonus points if you add them to Pinterest ;)

2. Visuals: You can now take that photo you chose and add the title of your blog post. This is something simple that you can whip up in Canva! If you don’t know what canva is, definitely check it out. It can be an extremely helpful and user-friendly business tool that can help you to create beautiful graphics for your social media/blog posts.

3. Share your link: In your social media profiles, it’s best to add a link to your social media bio every time you share it! That way, potential clients can easily access the content without having to go to your website first.

4. Timing: People are on the computer more often on Wednesdays so this has become the best day to release them. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what day you want to post. Posting any day of the week is better than not at all. Side note: Pre-scheduling your posts in advance will take the worry off your plate. Most site builders will allow you to schedule them so that they go out automatically, just like you use a scheduler to post on social media.

5. Email Subscriber List: If you have an email list for your business, you can send out your blog post to them whenever you post one. You can copy it directly into the email and send it out like that like I do, or you can send them an email letting them know it was published and they are welcome to check it out. If you do it this way, you might want to add an incentive for them to read it or provide a teaser so that they are more likely to go to the site. I prefer to add it directly in the email so that they don’t have to follow any extra steps and can just read it right then and there.

6. Call to action: I encourage you to add some sort of call to action at the end of the email, encouraging them to sign up for your new freebie, book a consultation or phone call with you, or simply respond to the email so that they can ask you any questions they may have about the blog or your services. 

Need help writing, scheduling, or marketing your blog posts? Contact us today. 

XO, Danae

How To Start Your Interior Design Blog

Hello and Happy Wednesday from Elite Design Assistants! 

A few weeks ago we talked about the importance of having an interior design blog! So today I wanted to do a follow up and talk about how to start one.

Here are a few things to do to get started. 

1. Frequency: Decide how many times per month you would like to post. We suggest once a week, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with starting slow. Even once or twice per month is a great place to start and you can add on as you feel comfortable, or not!

2. Topics: What do you want to talk about? This is a great time to sit down and write down why you became a designer and what you’re passionate about. What do you love talking with your clients about? What are your favorite services? If you could get paid to write about anything, what would it be? Make a list that you can access when you’re ready to start writing.

3. Images: You’ll want to incorporate images into your blog posts. You can use your own portfolio photos or renderings if you have them, or you can use stock photos from a site like Unsplash or Pexels. 

4. Location: If you have a website, you can host the blog there. There are also special blogging sites that are designed only for blogs so that’s an option too, but if you already have a website, it’s probably easier to just add a page to that! 

5. Time: Now it’s time to set some time out of your schedule to write! I like to set out at least an hour per week to make sure I have time to find a topic, write, and get it scheduled to be sent out to you on Wednesdays.

6. Name: Now that you know all the details, it’s time to name your blog. If you don’t know what you want to name it yet, that’s ok! You can just call it “blog” on your website and if you want to brand it later with a special blog name, you can do that.

Next week’s blog will be about how to market your interior design blog once you have it up and running. See you next week!

Do you want to write a blog but don’t have time in your own schedule to handle all the details?

Contact us today! 

XO, Danae

10 Tips to Attracting More Clients

Our world is changing and as we work from home, we are trying to figure out new ways to navigate business. People still want to live in beautiful spaces, they still want to purchase new items for their homes and they still want to live their best lives. It’s times like these that force us to pivot and create new innovative ways to continue to push our business forward. Below are some ways I’ve seen other interior designers continue to stay in front of clients and continue to offer services that will keep their businesses thriving in our current climate.

1. Nurture that email list! Spend some quality time creating some really heartfelt and genuine emails to send to your contact list. Create emails that let your subscribers know that you understand what they are going through, you are here for them if they need anything and outline the ways you can still help them. Start an email series right now that will help them during these times.

2. Offer virtual consultations. Let clients know how they can still work with you during these times. You may be surprised how many people just need a consultation right now. They are spending more time in their homes than ever and they are sick of looking at it. It’s time for a refresh!

3. Create shoppable concept boards and renders. Share your favorite products and make money using affiliate links. People who shop your style may be more inclined to work with you.

4. Share your portfolio. Start inspiring people with your work and share what makes you happy about what you share.

5. Update and share. Now is the time to get caught up on housekeeping issues like updating your portfolio, creating content, organizing your processes and share what you’ve learned. People connect to you and your story … use this time to share your story and how you are growing and changing during quarantine. What silver linings have you found in this pandemic?

6. Share your e-design services. Share how people can work with you during this time, outline this process and make sure your target market is aware that you are still working with others. Perhaps you have a remote only service and perhaps you have a remote hybrid service. However you are working with clients at this time, share it!

7. Create interest. Write a blog post about why now is a great time to update your home, or how interior design can affect your mood or about the psychology of color. Write intriguing posts relevant to the times to get people interested in your brand.

8. Continue to educate yourself. Now is a great time to start listening to an interior design podcast or to get continuing education through interior design platforms. Many of them are offering free video conferences and webinars at this time. Use what you learn to attract more clients.

9. Create videos. People have time to watch stuff now so create some fun videos about refreshing a space, your process, choosing the right rug or something else that you know your target market will love.

10. Be real. You will attract the clients you are looking for just by being yourself. Stick with a positive message, share a sneak peek into your quarantine life and use humor if that’s your thing. Sometimes we are afraid to be ourselves but it’s only when we are ourselves do we find growth.

Our world will forever be changed so we have to adapt and grow. We will be stronger and our industry will thrive.

Stay safe & well!

XX, Danae

Services you may not know that we offer...

Hello and Happy Wednesday from Elite Design Assistants! 

I don’t want to brag or anything, but we have some of the BEST design assistants out there.

I’ve had a lot of requests lately for services like blog writing and social media….but did you know we offer services that are more in the realm of actual design work? 

I know you’re busy and sometimes all the client work on your plate can be overwhelming. That is why my team offers the following services so that we can help you as much as possible!

1. 3D Renderings: These are HUGE in our industry right now, as they are a beyond amazing way to show your client exactly what they will get, before any furniture or accessories are ordered!

2. Drafting: CAD floorplans, detail drawings, etc. 

3. Mood Boards: We’ll take this step over so you can focus on other things that you love in your business

4. Floor plan services: Space planning for your clients or creating CAD drawings, like I mentioned above. 

5. Sourcing: the process of finding, compiling and recommending finishes, fixtures and furniture. My team will help you find the perfect piece for your project. 

To view examples of some of these services, check out the Portfolio section of our website!
My team and I really want to make your life easier when it comes to your business. When you focus on things you love and let us take care of the rest, your business will flow better and you have more time to focus on bringing in new clients and giving them the best experience possible!

Ready to get help on some of these tasks? Contact us today!

XO, Danae

The importance of having a blog in your interior design business

Hi, folks and happy Wednesday!

Do you have a blog for your interior design business? Yeah, yeah...I know! You don’t and you may not want to. I’m not typically a believer in doing things for your business that you don’t love….BUT, a blog is an important part of most businesses, especially for interior designers.

We’re gonna talk a bit today about why it’s important to have a blog and how you can get started creating one today.

A Blog….

1. Positions you as the design expert. Blogs are a great way to show that you know what you’re doing, showing your credibility with each post. 

2. .Are binge-worthy pieces of content. This means that someone could start with reading one post and they find it so valuable that they read your other posts. Before they know it, they’ll be signing up for your freebies and then eventually hiring you. 

3. Connect with your audience. Blogs are a great way to show your personality.

4. More traffic to your website. You can promote your blog post on social media, bringing them to your site to read. The more time they spend on your site the more likely they are to hire you.

5. Content that keeps on giving. You write it once and then it’s out there getting you new clients every week! No more work required after the initial writing session. 

We’ve noticed that blogging is one of the least-liked tasks for designers in their business. You’re already wearing so many hats, and blogging is not at the top of the list. Next week’s topic will be about how to start an interior design blog, so stay tuned for that! 

We love helping interior designers create a blogging presence online so that you can spend your time focusing on your clients and bringing in more business. Interested in chatting with one of our design assistants about this? Contact us today!

Client Processes for Interior Designers

I’ve heard from many of you that are getting very busy, which is very exciting but can also be very overwhelming so I thought I’d give you some ideas on things you should consider to help you get and stay organized!

First of all, take some time to write down everything you need to do in the coming days, weeks and months. Then crumple up that list and throw it in the trash. I’m so sorry! I’m totally kidding. Please dig that list back out of the trash and from here on out I promise I’ll be serious. J

Block out some time and let’s get to work!

Guidelines

Do you have an operations manual? Have you written down or typed out your business process from start to finish? Creating processes help you stay organized, prevent important details from being overlooked and are very beneficial when delegating tasks.

Write down your business processes and create a manual or guideline that you can use as a reference for all clients you work with and assistants you hire. Include processes for working with clients, marketing, hiring, purchasing, bookkeeping and anything else that is a major part of your business that you feel needs a detailed guide.

I have found that interior designers organize their businesses a little bit differently. Some of them are paper, binder, folder people and others are computer, software, techy people. Do what works best for you!

Today I’m going to write more about client processes and what you should consider having in place, if you don’t already.

Create binders or folders either hard copy, on your computer or in your favorite software program for each client. Now create a To-Do list and schedule for each client. Color code each client and merge the schedule into one master calendar so you have a clearer picture of what needs to be done. But before any of this can be done perhaps you need to take a look at your client processes.

Communication:

Do you have an outline for how communication is handled with clients? Do you have email templates ready to save you time since you most often are sending some of the same emails, whether it’s a response to an inquiry or a welcome email, next steps email, update email or invoice email.

Consultations:

Do you have guidelines on how quickly you need to respond to inquiries and set up consultations? Do you have certain days/times blocked off for consultations only? Do you have a client qualifying process you go through before booking a consultation with an inquiry?

Proposals:

Once you’ve qualified a candidate, had a consultation and are ready to create a proposal, do you have proposal templates on hand? Do you use a formula for figuring out a project timeline and budget? How long do your clients have before they need to respond to your proposal?

Working with Tradespeople/Vendors:

Do you have a list of your go-to contractors, tradespeople and vendors? Do you have a process for connecting with them and lining them up for projects and/or placing orders? How do you schedule installations? Communication and follow up is key and guidelines on these processes are going to eliminate time, headaches and costly errors in the future.

Site Visits:

These processes may have changed due to COVID-19 whether it be the frequency of visits or the manner in which they are conducted. Be sure you have a clear idea of how to schedule and coordinate these as well as how many of these you need for each project. Do you block out time on certain days for site visits?

Reveal Day:

Do you have a checklist and processes for the completion of the entire project? Do you also do styling or take photographs? How do you then present your client with the final invoice?

Running an interior design business is no easy feat! There are multiple moving pieces and a lot of things to coordinate, order, install and consider when working on one project let alone several at one time. Writing down every process and procedure may seem like an overwhelming task but spending a little time now will save you loads of time, money and headaches in the future.

Hopefully, this has given you some things to consider! If you are really struggling with your processes I do know there are courses on this very subject that you can take to really help you get your entire business organized and running in a more efficient manner! Or, I know people who hire an assistant to help get their processes in order as well.

Have a great week! Danae