Best Bags (and more) For Interior Designers

Let’s talk BAGS…and some other fun organizational tools! I know for those of you that do in-person consultations and project installs, it’s important to have a bag that really works well for you.

Having everything you need when you need it, may be one of the most important things when you’re an interior designer.

Here are some common items you may want to have on you during a consult or installation day.

-Tape measure

-pencil, pen, sharpie, furniture staining pens

-paint deck (Benjamin moore, sherwin, Behr, whatever paint you love to use!)

-Design samples (flooring, tile, etc)

-“emergency” supplies like cleaning supplies, bleach pens, etc.

-Ipad/tablet/laptop

-painters tape

-Business cards

-Tools (Hammer, drill, nails, hanging utensils, safety pins, etc)

-Steamer

-Furniture moving pads

-notebook

Can you say prepared? You’ll have everything you need! 

Here are 8 of my favorite bags (and more) that I think may work well for you as an interior designer…

The Bellroy- I love this bag! Not only does it look nice but it’s so functional. You probably won’t be able to fit most of your tools unless they are miniature, but this is still a great bag.

Tumi Bag- This one is a splurge, so keep that in mind. But, it has every pocket you could ever need. Perfect for tools

Toyo Steel Toolbox- This one is pretty self-explanatory. Just a cute little toolbox for all the things! 

Better together pouch- This pouch will not hold your tools, but it can get you organized enough for a client meeting! This bag is perfectly designed for something like that. 

The Canvas Tote-A simple canvas tote with great little storage pockets.

Weekender Bag- A great weekender bag that comes in so many colors and patterns! (The way to my heart)

The Kaya- If you’re more into backpacks

The Rachhel- If you want something that looks a little nicer

View these below!

6 Ways To Keep your Cool as an Interior Designer

Life can get really overwhelming when you’re trying to thrive in your interior design business AND manage your personal life. It feels like there’s just so much going on and it never gets any easier. 

Well, enough is enough! It’s time to feel better. Less anxiety, better health and improved productivity. 

Doesn’t everyone want this? 

I put together just a few tips here to make your life easier and find a little more balance in your life. 

1. Plan Plan Plan -remember this point from my email last week? The more you plan, the better off you’ll be. I suggest google calendar to add both personal and business engagements. You are welcome to put this on separate calendars, but I find it better to keep everything on one, so that I have a full picture of what’s going on in my life. You can also do things like prep meals in advance, get your bag ready for your next client consultation, 

2. Multi-task-sometimes this is just what I have to do to get everything done! I’ll give you an example. Every morning I walk on the treadmill and answer emails. It’s important for me to get my exercise in and of course it’s also important for me to check my emails. So this is a way that I can get both done. And to be honest, it makes walking on the treadmill significantly less boring. 

3. Exercise and meditate-I’m sure both of these things have been suggested to you before. These are probably two of the best things you can do for your health. Exercising is magnificent for both mental and physical health. Adding in even just 15 min of exercise per day and you’ll start seeing the benefits. If meditating overwhelms you because it’s something you haven’t tried before, don’t stress. There are several meditation apps where you can start with something as simple as a 3-minute meditation. Fyi, this will feel like a long time when just starting out. But the more you practice, the easier it gets. Also wanted to mention that meditation is just breathing. That’s the most simplified way I can explain it. You can’t do it wrong, and having thoughts is very normal. It’s a common misconception that the goal of meditation is not to think, but we are humans and being completely devoid of thought is unlikely. The goal is to let those thoughts move through you. And the more you practice, the quieter those thoughts will get. 

4. Stop working at a specific time-I suggest picking a time each night to stop working. I know that can be hard, but it’s absolutely necessary. Every once in a while is fine of course, but you should really try and create some more work-life balance by shutting your computer and walking away early enough to actually have a life, or at the very least, get a bit more rest. I am really good about this, and even stop working at 3pm on Fridays when I can manage it. I do not check emails or work on the weekends. This is a boundary I always stick to and am so glad that I do. I have a family and it’s important for me to spend time with them. I’m a mom! But whether or not you are a mom, you are a  human. And humans need breaks. 

5. Hire a design assistant-were you waiting for this one? A design assistant takes things off your plate. And how could this not be a blessing? A design assistant is also great for those whose businesses’ have grown tremendously but are not quite ready for a full-time employee or long-term commitment. Choose how many hours you want your assistant to work for you and what tasks they can take off your plate. This is a great way to add more balance as an interior designer. 

6. Eat a balanced diet. Research has shown that gut health directly correlates with mental health (including stress). What you put in your body is important. Take some time to pin some healthy recipes on pinterest, plan your meals and build a shopping list each week. This is a game-changer. I suggest putting up some sort of meal-planning board on your refrigerator or on the wall in your kitchen so everyone knows what’s for dinner. Note on meal prep: even just cooking only the protein or only the veggies can save you a lot of time and stress. You can also prep things like rice, quinoa, and oatmeal in advance. Take a look at your meals each week and ask yourself which of those things would be helpful to prep. Also wanted to say, always make time to eat. I know life can get stressful and you forget or you prioritize other things, but seriously, eat! Your body needs it so that you can feel amazing and full of energy. 

Note:    Remember to START SLOW. Just like a crash diet, going too hard all at once is not a sustainable life-change. I like to implement a new habit for a week or two and then add new ones as I feel comfortable. A walk can change your mental health and gets you some exercise. Maybe start with a walk 5 days a week and do 15-30 minutes. Then the next week start planning 3 meals for the week, and make sure you are getting 3 meals a day. Then the next week you could add in something else you’ve been wanting to add, or maybe make your walk or other exercise routine a little longer. What can you commit to this week? 

Would you be interested in more health-related posts? Respond to this email and let us know! Another way to offer your feedback is to take our 2-question survey here. 

XX, Danae

So you’re busy? How to avoid turning clients away by adding them to your pipeline

From what I’ve heard lately, designers are incredibly busy and feel like they need to turn away work. This can be hard, especially if you are sometimes feeling starved for business. And, we’ve all been there. 

So, let’s talk about a few things you can do when a client wants to work with you and you just do not have the hours available to squeeze them in.

1. Walk them through your processes. Go ahead and walk them through the process of working with you, even if you can’t get started right away. If they really love you and want to work with you then they will wait. Let them know how long each typically takes place once you get started. They’ll want to know how much time their project is going to take. And as you know, it’s almost always longer than they think. 

2. Be specific. When you let them know about the delay, don’t say 12 weeks or 6 months…let them know a specific date. For example, “we can start this project on October 1st”. 

3. Do something for them. Get part of the project started, if possible. For example, have them send their inspiration photos to you or have them go ahead and fill out any questionnaire or other necessary paperwork. Just to get things started. Do something for them so that they can start to get excited about working with you. 

4. Send them something. A lot of designers wait until the end of the project to send the client a bottle of wine or some sort of small thank you gift. But if your client is waiting on you, it might be cute to send them something that lets them know that they are on your mind, and that you can’t wait to work with them! A few ideas could be a little card or note with a bottle of wine or some fun swag with your business name on it. Maybe even a cute little goodie bag that has a note saying “I can’t wait to get started on your project on October 1st!” Maybe even add something about what they can do to prepare in the meantime. 

5. Hire a design assistant (Not so shameless plug). Design assistants can help you with whatever you need help with. Think of them as your personal assistant. If it can be done virtually, your design assistant can help you with it. Some of our clients choose to just have social media taken off of their hands. Some need help with a variety of tasks from sourcing to project management to admin work. A design assistant is a tool and you can use them in a way that works best for you. Think of all the time you could save and how many more projects you could add to your plate if you didn’t have to worry about weekly subscriber emails, social media posts, order tracking, and client style boards! I mean….wow! You are paying them and whatever you can take off your plate - travel plans, online shopping, scheduling hair appts, ordering flowers, holiday cards, etc. 

6. Work on your processes and tighten them up. If you’re wasting time printing out materials for your client meeting when it’s the same for each client, take a Sunday or another day off and PREPARE yourself for your week. Just as people that are in-shape meal prep and set out their workout clothes, you can do this for your business. If you do client binders, prep those binders as much as you can so all you have to do is grab a new one on your way to see a new client. What can you do right now to prepare yourself for next week? Or next month? You NEED to have a system to set yourself up for success. If you want to have time for more clients and also experience less anxiety, plan plan plan plan plan plan plan plan. Are you getting what I’m throwin’ down?

7. Add them to your email list so they continue to hear from you while they wait! This is another great way to keep them excited and engaged.

8. Breathe. From a manifestation perspective, you can actually energetically propel clients when you feel like you may not have time for them. Why not create a pipeline that will be there when you’re ready? That way you feel prepared and available for more clients. Do yourself a favor and GET ORGANIZED and prepared for all your future clients. You got this. 

Next week we have a follow up to this post coming called “5 Ways To Keep your Cool as an Interior Designer”, so stay tuned for that!

Need to contact me about a design assistant? You can sign up for a time to chat by visiting the contact page of our website. I can’t wait to hear from you!

XX, Danae

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Have you taken our 2-question survey yet? I would love if you could share any wants or needs you have for this blog! You can take it below.

How To Use Instagram Ads To Get Business

Have you ever considered using Instagram ads for your business?

I’ve heard from several designers that they’ve been interested in trying Instagram ads to bring in some more business, but that they are overwhelmed by the task. I had one of our assistants write this up for you guys!

Instagram:

>Gets your name out there and helps you to build a following

>Gets your offers in front of more people

>Attracts your ideal client

>More

Check out how to build your ads below!

UPLOAD

When starting your Instagram promotion, you want to select an image or short clip that sends clear message, don’t leave anything open for interpretation.  Make sure to leave your caption short and sweet.  When creating your ad strategy, the goal is to capture the attention of your audience, keep in mind social media has become an outlet for mindless scrolling (aka, unconsciously scrolling through your Instagram feed out of habit, not out of interest).  With that in mind, there is that fine line of attracting attention but you don’t want to overdo yourself!  It’s important to stay true to you.  Social media trends come and go, it’s fun to partake in the current hypes and trends through posts and stories.  But when it comes to running ads, remember to stay authentic to your brand and your brands messaging.

GOAL

So now that you have selected your ad media, it’s time to launch your promotion!  The first thing Instagram is going to ask is to Select a Goal, giving you three options.  While they may seem limited, these three options do have their benefits.  What you select depends on you, your brand, and you messaging. 

Goal Option 1: More Profile Visits.  This option is great if you are looking to get more views, more likes, more follows, and to bring people to see your insta-stuff! 

Goal Option 2: More Website Visits.  This is a great option to bring people directly to your business.  You want to view your website is your online “home base” for your business.  This option virtually brings your audience directly to your business. 

Goal Option 3: More Messages.  If your ad is sparking conversation or seeking feedback, this is the option for you!

AUDIENCE-

Instagram will give you two options to help Define Your Audience. If you select Automatic it will target your followers, plus similar users who follow them, etc.  For a more successful Ad Campaign it is sometime more beneficial to select Audience Option 2: Create Your Own. This allows you to pick a target location, pick the age group of your audience, and pick the interests of your audience (This is key!) You can pick as many interests as you want.

For Example: Interior Design • Interior Design Pro • American Society of Interior Design • International Interior Design Association • VDA, Designer • Home Design • Home Décor • Design & Interior • DIY Home • Etc. –There is no such thing as too many interests.

BUDGET & DURATION

The next step is to select your budget and the duration of the ad campaign. 

Side Note: If it’s your first time running a promotion on social media, don’t be afraid to run a “Test Week.” Give your ad campaign one week to run with your selected ad graphic, goal, and target audience.  Once the test week is up you will have analytics and feedback to either continue with what you have, or to change things up!

LAUNCH

Instagram will ask you to review everything before launching your promotion.  Make sure to double check everything! From spelling and grammar to the resolution of your ad graphic. 

Then press Create Promotion!

WATCH

Watch analytics and feedback.  Breathe! Don’t forget to enjoy the process!  

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Need help creating ads for Instagram? Reach out today.

XO, Danae

Have you taken our 2-question survey yet? We would appreciate your answers so that we can better serve you!

Sourcing Made Easy

As you are aware, being an Interior Designer means juggling a multitude of things from client meetings, to sourcing, invoicing, proposals, dealing with contractors and the list goes on and on. Streamlining processes are crucial to building and maintaining a successful interior design business and so today I’m going to write about sourcing.

Sourcing can be as simple or as complicated as you like, but to simplify things I’ve got a few great tips and tricks for you below.

1.       Narrow down a list of key vendors. I know many interior designers that only work with their favorite vendors … you know the ones. They are easy to work with, offer great commissions and their shipments come on time and intact. Keep this list in your computer or better yet go to each of their websites and save them to your favorites. This way you can have tabs across the top of your website browser that you can get to easily and quickly. If you need help with a list of key vendors … let me know as this could be a blog post entirely on its own.

2.       Keep an ongoing list of your favorite products. I realize you don’t want all your clients’ homes to look the same but there are a handful of items that even the most successful interior designers’ source for multiple clients. For example, I follow a popular interior designer on the east coast who has a very popular blog and from her portfolio I can tell that she loves tulip tables, X benches, anything leopard print, trays and popular design books.

3.       Organize your favorite products in libraries on Pinterest, Excel or another area of your computer. This way when you have a client looking for a kitchen table you can go to your kitchen table cheat sheet to see if there is a great kitchen table there. I realize these lists will always be changing but it’s a great time saver if you spend a few minutes updating it as needed.

4.       Outsource your sourcing. I realize this is hard for some people but when you find someone great who understands your clients’ style and what you are looking for it can be such a huge benefit to your business. Working with a trusted virtual design assistant can be a huge asset to your business.

Hopefully you’ll find these tips helpful in creating a system for sourcing that will save you time and headaches!

Fashion For Interior Designers and how to feel more confident in client meetings

Hello and Happy Saturday from Elite Design Assistants! 

I’m sure you’re thinking “but we usually don’t hear from you on Saturday’s?!” 

Well...remember a few emails ago when we announced we are transitioning into a lifestyle brand? This is our first step. 1 to 2 times a month, you’ll be receiving tips, tricks, advice around more lifestyle related subjects like fashion, health, finances, travel, our favorite products and brands….and MORE, all coming at you via email and all specifically for interior designers. 

For those of you who filled out our 2-question survey, we appreciate it so much. It’s because of you we are able to make this transition and share even more exciting stuff with you. If you have not had a chance to fill it out, don’t worry! You can do it at any time. Just click here. 

Now, let’s get into the fun stuff, shall we? 

I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but how you dress and present yourself is important. This has nothing to do with your clients, although, of course, they are important too. But this is really about YOU feeling confident in the way you look. 

Have you ever put on an outfit, looked in the mirror...and thought WOW I look good. Then you go to your client meeting and you just carry yourself in a different way? And of course, the client starts the project. 

That is no coincidence. Your confidence is everything! And if you dress well, you will appear more competent and powerful. 

Because of this, I decided to put together this board of some mix and match outfits that I think interior designer’s will not only love, but will feel amazing in. This board is designed so that you can mix these pieces however you want. 

Beyond fashion choices, here are a few extra tips for feeling confident when headed into a design meeting. 

1. You are the expert: Never forget this! This person decided to book a consultation because they know that you know much more than they do about this subject (or let’s hope they do….we’ve all had “those clients.”)

2. You are worth the price you charge: If you’re struggling with this one, just remember those projects where you charged too little for your services and it felt like your soul was aching. We’ve all been there. Maybe we’ll do another email on how to figure out what to charge for your services. hmmmm….

3. Plan: If you are just starting out OR if you are a seasoned designer, plan out some talking points. How will you bring up your processes? In what order will things be discussed? Is there a way you can make the verbiage easier for your client to understand? Is there anything you would like to change from your last project? Can you provide visuals for them so that the process is more exciting? 

Did you love this post? We appreciate any feedback! And if you haven’t taken the 2-question survey yet, I would love it if you would do that for me. 

Survey

XO, Danae

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Need More Business? Here’s how to get it!

I realize that at the exact time I’m writing this blog … 10:47 a.m. on Thursday, July 8, 2021, (yes, I’m supposed to be on vacation but I still need to do my treadmill and checking emails and working while treadmilling is the only thing that gets me through my treadmill. Ha!) many designers out there are drowning in work. Which is why we are here – to throw a life vest to those designers and not only help them from drowning but to help them grow and scale their business – and did I mention our contract is on an as-needed basis?

Anyway, enough of the shameless plug, if you are one of those designers I see in groups still trying to get business and in utter shock as to why everyone around you is getting work here are some very helpful things to try!

Give your brand a good hard look. Have a friend or colleague give your website, social media, portfolio and copy a once over as if they are a potential client. Is there a disconnect in your messaging? Are you to vague? Can people easily find your contact information? What do you images look like? Your brand is you, this is why people want to work with you.

• Can people find your website? You may want to check your SEO and make sure you that are able to be searched based on your location, services, uniqueness, style, etc.

• Stay busy! You’ve heard the saying, when it rains, it pours. Keep busy improving your brand, your portfolio and your networking and the work will come.

• Create videos in your down time. I realize half the design industry is saying you MUST do video to stay relevant and the other half would rather eat liver and onions and spend the entire day on the toilet than do video but if you have time … try it. Do something quick and fun and if you need ideas for video, I’ll include some below.

• Network, network, network. Network with realtors, contractors, painters, mortgage lenders … you never know where you might get business. Try Facebook groups, hand out your business card and local business events, think outside the box and put yourself out there.

• Try niching down into one specific group. Again, the riches are in the niches, is a popular saying so maybe you are trying to reach everyone and it’s not working – narrow down your target market and go after them. Some designers have a target market of families, empty nesters, singles, luxury clients … and some break it down by style such as coastal, farmhouse, mid-century mod, minimalists, environmentally friendly, etc. who are you most passionate about working for? Who do you resonate with and most connect with? That’s who you want to target.

• Advertise. You can always try Instagram or Facebook ads. I realize this costs money and to get the most bang for your buck you’d want to work with an experienced social media ad expert.

• Try a new platform. A lot of designers notice the bulk of their business comes from one main social medium. For example, I hear designers say they are getting most of their business from Pinterest OR Facebook groups OR Instagram OR word-of-mouth referrals. Are those word-of-mouth referrals lucky! The reason they get word-of-mouth referrals is most likely because of the niche they serve. I know a few designers that don’t even have a website!!! That is unheard of and almost absurd in today’s world, however, they got in a niche and showcase all of their work and info on another platform such as Instagram and have been so busy they never had a chance to build a website … or in some cases update and old outdated one. You never know, maybe your target market is waiting for you on a platform you either aren’t spending enough time on or aren’t even on yet.

• Manifest. I know some people might think this is crazy but I truly believe in manifesting what you want. Envision yourself having all the work you want, believe it, live like you have the business of your dreams and it will come.

• Collaborate. I have always found that interior designers with a collaborative mindset instead of a competition mindset are way more successful and happier than designers who view every other designer as competition. Reach out to other designers and ask for advice or maybe partner on their overflow work.

As promised, here are some ideas on what to do in videos….

Showcase your strengths – what makes you unique? Maybe you specialize in organization for growing families or luxury items that are also practical. Showcase a few of your favorite design or products.

• Give a quick tutorial on how to style a coffee table, end table, dresser, shelf, etc.

• Give a quick tutorial on how the flow of a room should be set up in regards to focal point, etc.

• Talk about pros and cons of certain materials such as flooring, countertops, lighting

• Do a fun video about reveal day vs real life

• Do a day in the life sort of video – use a project in your own home if you have to

• Go to your favorite home décor store and pull some things together to show how to put together a look

• Be real, be honest, be yourself and just talk about your business and how you help others

• Show how drastic a look can change just by swapping out a few materials

• Review the most popular questions you get and answer them in a series of videos for example – how to choose a paint color, what size of rug do I need, what kind of window treatments should I purchase, etc.

Hopefully, by trying some of the tips above you will see an increase in your business in no time. If you are still struggling and need help, please reach out. We are always happy to help!

XX, Danae

Have you had a chance to take our 2 question survey from last week’s email? This would really help us out. You can find it below. Thanks!

Multi-Vendor Affiliate Programs

I’ve written about affiliates before. They are a great way to make some passive income. If you are already writing blog posts about your designs or posting pins on Pinterest with a ‘Shop the Look’ sort of pin then affiliate vendors are the perfect way to makes some extra money.

How does an affiliate work? You sign up for your favorite vendors affiliate program and then you include your affiliate links for your favorite home décor on your social media. When someone clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase, you get a commission! Affiliate links are the perfect way to monetize blog posts, Pinterest pins and social media posts.

Although you will get the largest commission going directly to the vendors to get an affiliate link if you are trying to do this on your own it can get very time consuming. Another, easier way to use affiliate links is by signing up with multi-vendor affiliate programs. These programs allow you to have one affiliate account but use multiple vendors. The commission is typically at a lower rate with these programs but for busy designers the simplicity can trump higher commission rates.

Some of the most popular multi-vendor affiliate programs among interior designers are the following:

1.       Share a Sale

2.       Shop Your Likes

3.       Pepperjam

4.       Amazon

5.       Rakuten Marketing

6.       VigLink

7.       CJ Affiliate

8.       Shop Style Collective

Start making more money today! Please let me know if you have any questions or if you’d like information on how you can work with a virtual design assistant to get your affiliate programs set up for you.

What else would you like to learn from us?

Happy Wednesday, everybody! We’re doing something a bit different this week and we need your help….

Our business is growing quickly and our goal is to continue to accommodate all of our client's needs.

We are currently in the process of transforming Elite Design Assistants to be so much more than just a virtual design assistant service for busy interior designers. We are slowly becoming more of a lifestyle brand, helping interior designers with whatever they need to THRIVE in not only their interior design business, but in life. 

We are currently offering the following services:

• 3d renders

• Drafting

• Sourcing

• Admin

• Marketing

• Social media

• Web design

• SEO

• Bookkeeping

• Copyrighting

• Client management

• Vendor management

• Project management

• And help with creating courses, shop the look boards, affiliate marketing, passive income ideas, ecommerce

• Templates for e-newsletters, Client Questionnaire, Welcome Packet, etc. Shop templates

• And resources for courses, legal templates, vendors, etc.

What else can we help you with? How can we make your life easier? Our goal is to become your go-to for all things you need. Are you interested in resources and/or help with fashion, travel, fitness, wellness, recipes, finance, real estate, legal or other?

We would love it if you could take our quick survey below, so that we can better serve you. 

We greatly appreciate your feedback!

XX, Danae

Tiny Offers to Create Passive Income

I’ve been doing a lot of research on ways to generate passive income by selling digital downloads and some of the research I’ve come across has been very interesting.

One leading digital marketer has been teaching her clients NOT to offer freebies. Yes, that’s right. Even though the popular rule of thumb is to offer a freebie in order to get in front of your target market, this particular digital marketer has found that by offering freebies we are just attracting consumers who are online collecting freebies.

She suggests that we offer tiny offers, whether they be $17 or $27 or $37 … I’m really not sure why they all end in 7 but this is what she recommends. She said that we are more likely to attract our ideal client when we offer them something of value at a small price. They are more likely, than someone who grabbed our freebie, to purchase more from us in the future.

So why does she believe this? When we offer something for free we are potentially attracting way too many of the wrong type of prospects … if someone isn’t willing to spend $27 with us they most likely won’t be willing to spend any money with us. Now I realize that all interior design firms are different and depending on your target market and if you are looking to offer digital downloads this may not pertain to you.

I did find it ironic that she was teaching me about her practice on a Masterclass that she offered for FREE, but that is a discussion for another day. I do know people who have built a successful business offering freebies … offering tiny offers is just an alternative approach to generating more income.

So how does this work? Let’s say you have some valuable information that you are just giving away on your website as a digital download, now you attach a price to it and sell it. I’ve seen designers sell pdfs of design plans, choosing the right paint colors, tips on how to design a room and tips on how to manage their own construction. There are a lot of DIYers out there looking at interior design websites every day and some of them might just purchase your download. After purchasing your download they may just decide to do business with you, and if they don’t, well you still made a bit of cash from their download purchase.

For those of you looking to create passive income, creating valuable downloads and selling them is a great way to increase revenue, increase exposure and increase interest in your business.

Are you ready to start offering a tiny offer? Shoot me an email and let me know how we can help!

XX, Danae