Site Visit Essentials - Must Have Items for Interior Designers

As an interior designer, you will inevitably end up visiting a job site during various stages of your design projects. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or attending your first site visit, you’ve probably found yourself asking the following question… What should I bring on to a job visit?

You may find yourself taking photos and measurements during an initial consultation or maybe you’re visiting a job site during the busy construction process when the site is filled with people working on various trades. While visiting your projects may require different tools for different phases, there are a few essential items that you can keep on hand to be prepared. 

Tape measure and/or laser distance meter

Correct dimensions are so important. Not only are measurements useful for space planning and furniture layouts, but it is also important to have a grasp on the ceiling height when planning artwork and wall decor. A tape measure is sufficient for obtaining most measurements, however a laser distance meter is helpful for capturing those wall-to-wall dimensions and creating accurate plan drawings.

Paper and pencil

Grab a notebook or pad of graph paper and your favorite pencil or pen. Create a sketch of the space and write down dimensions as you take them. You can also explore digital note taking apps but be sure that whatever you’re using allows the freedom to draw and add dimensions if needed. 

Camera (aka fully charged phone)

Needless to say, almost all of us are glued to our phones so I’m sure you’ll have your phone on hand when you visit a project or job site. Capture plenty of photos of any areas of your client’s home or furniture that you may want to reference later. Take more pictures then you think you’ll need because you can always go back and delete some later. Make sure your phone is charged, because there is nothing worse than having your phone die before you’ve had a chance to capture all the information you need. Snap a few photos that also show your tape measure capturing a useful measurement in tricky locations because this helps create a useful frame of reference.

Paint deck or other samples 

Samples are required during different phases of the design process but it can never hurt to have a few options with you. A paint deck, fabric samples, or a few different samples for various surfaces can be useful during the early stage of a project to help visualize how a design will come together.

Bonus “I’m the Person to Talk To” T-Shirt

It can be intimidating to jump into the middle of a busy construction site. Command attention and make it clear that you're in charge with the "I'm the person to talk to" T-Shirt. No more confusion, we all know you're the boss! This t-shirt is one of many fun designs for interior designers that we’ve added to our online shop.

Organization Tips that Stick

Happy Saturday!

It’s no secret that being organized can make day-to-day tasks easier to manage and lead to happier moments. With the high energy that is focused on goal setting and changes in the new year, why not make this the perfect opportunity to fine-tune your systems and get organized. Let’s get started with a few suggestions.

Get a planner

It doesn’t matter whether you use a paper planner or a digital calendar but it’s essential that you are using some sort of planner for both your professional and personal life. Recording meetings, tasks, and priorities can help you feel prepared for the upcoming days, weeks, and months. It can be helpful to review your schedule in advance. Consider setting a specific time each week or each day, such as in the evening, to review upcoming activities and prepare accordingly.

Color coordinate

Not only is color coordination visually appealing, but it can also help you find items quickly. Organizing your books or pantry in rainbow order may be a popular trend right now, but this system is also functional. If color coordination isn’t your go-to organization method, consider keeping items in alphabetical order or using another system that makes sense to you. The key is that having a specific system will allow each item to have a spot it belongs, making items easier to find and use.   

Time block your organization time

Chances are that you’re already implementing time blocking strategies in your work schedule and personal life, but I’d challenge you to time block specific time to maintain your organizational systems. Try scheduling a short session each week to organize your email inbox or dedicate time to one of your other organizational goals. A small, intentional block of time can translate to a large impact with maintaining your systems.

Declutter, declutter, declutter

This one doesn’t need much explanation. Decluttering your mind and environment can go a long way to help you feel more relaxed and focused. However, you don’t need to declutter everything at once. Start my doing a “mind dump” at the end of the day by creating a list of tasks you didn’t get to. Empty your purse once per month or clean up one drawer per week. Start small to avoid overwhelm, but know that decluttering even the smallest of spaces can create major results.

How do you stay organized? Do you use any of these tactics? I hope these ideas are helpful!

Have a great weekend!

XX, Danae

Implementing Sources of Passive Income as an Interior Designer

With the new year comes new opportunities to grow your business, and the best part is that you don’t always have to trade time for money to generate income. It’s possible to sit back, relax and make money while you're sleeping, eating, or on vacation. With a little work upfront, you can implement sources of passive income in your interior design business!

There are many ways that other interior designers are making passive income from digital downloads, online shops, courses, design workbooks, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, membership sites, and even art. 

Here are a few tips to consider if you’re interested in implementing various sources of passive income in your interior design business:

• Figure out what you enjoy creating. Do you love teaching? Then maybe a course on a subject that you’re an expert on is a great opportunity for you.

• Listen to what your clients and others are asking you. Are people always asking you where you source your products and decor from? Maybe it’s time for you to create an online shop with your favorite products.

• Network with others. If you’re interested in creating a corporate partnership, sponsorship, or licensed products, it’s essential that you build relationships with these companies.   

• Focus on a consistent social media presence and marketing. If you’re interested in affiliate marketing or creating digital downloads, it’s important to get those products in front of your audience. Don’t get overwhelmed by the number of ways you could market your business. Instead, focus on consistently showing up on a platform that will have the biggest impact for you. 

Do you want to learn more about passive income for interior designers? Check out my ebook, Creating Passive & Multiple Income Streams for Interior Designers, to learn more. This ebook contains 37 pages of tactical advice and steps for creating a variety of different sources of passive income, including a bonus chapter on marketing. Learn more about digital downloads, online shops, courses, product licensing, affiliate marketing and more. Once you create your passive income stream you must market it. 

What source of passive income are you ready to implement in the New Year?

xx Danae

10 Tips to Attract More Clients

Start fresh in the new year by implementing a new business idea. 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 can start offering in your interior design business in 2022

It's always wise to offer multiple ways that your clients can work with you. The best way to do this is to create a value ladder, with services in all different price points. I suggest choosing at least one service in each price point, low, mid, and high. 

Not only does this widen your reach on who you can work with but when someone buys a lower ticket offer, they are then more likely to purchase a higher-ticket offer from you when the time comes. They'll know, like, and trust you after their first buy and they will have no hesitation about moving forward with more work with you.

Here are a few ideas for low, mid, and high ticket offers that you can create now and start selling in 2021!

Paint Color Palette (low): This is a popular one! You can do pre-made palettes that your clients can purchase or you can offer color consultations that are priced a little higher and are customized for their particular space. Either way, this is a great first offer that shows your client that you are the interior design expert that they need in their lives.

Ask a designer (mid) : Another popular term for this is "designer on call". This term means that the client is taking more of a DIY approach but you will be guiding them along the way. This typically does not include deliverables of any kind beyond design advice and/or confirming that the client is on the right path.  This can work a couple different ways. Some designers choose to let clients buy a set # of hours for a specific price that they can use over a period of time and some designers require their clients to purchase weekly or monthly packages.

Turn-key and/or custom curation (high): This is a service that the majority of interior designers offer in their business and is usually placed at the top of the value ladder. This would involve working on an entire room or home, product curation/design and project management. This is a great way to make a profit on custom designer items and bring more money into your design business. 

Whatever services you decide to offer, make sure that they are aligned with what your ideal client is looking for and market it in places where they are hanging out online!

Need help to create a value-ladder for your business? We can help. Contact us today to get paired with the perfect elite design assistant for your needs. 

Holiday Traditions to Start This Year

The holidays are quickly approaching and the end of the year is almost here. While we’re sure you’re busy wrapping up projects, it’s important to take time to enjoy this time of year. 

We’ve put together a list of fun holiday traditions that you can start right now. 

1. Deck the halls - As a designer, this one may be a bit of a no brainer, but sometimes you spend so much time designing for your clients that your creative energy can be burnt out when it’s time to decorate for yourself. Take time to put out your favorite decorations and find new ways to get in the holiday spirit in your own home.

2. Participate in a book exchange - The holidays can be a time to slow down and enjoy time with friends and family. Scheduling a book club evening or participating in a book exchange can be a great way to connect and unwind. Whether you’re reading the latest business books or enjoying popular fiction books, you’re sure to have a fun time discussing with friends. 

3. Plan a holiday meal - Maybe you love cooking in the kitchen or maybe dining at a fancy restaurant is more your style. Plan a festive meal at a new restaurant or whip up a dish that celebrates your heritage or a tradition. 

4. Throw a holiday party - Love to entertain, then this tradition is a great one for you to start. 

5. Trim and maybe even chop down your own tree - Fake or real - it’s up to you! But the tradition of trimming the tree is a fun one to do with friends and family. Decorate with your favorite ornaments or try a completely new theme this year (remember the Home Edit’s rainbow tree… goals!). If you’re looking for an even bigger adventure, try cutting down your own tree at a tree farm. 

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

No matter what traditions you love this time of year, we hope this season is filled with joy and laughter. Happy Holidays!

xx Danae

Client Gift Guide for Interior Designers

Whether you’re giving a client a gift for the holidays or celebrating the completion of a design project, a thoughtful gift can go a long way to express gratitude and appreciation for your clients. Read on for four occasions to give a client gift and four thoughtful client gift ideas.

 Four Occasions To Give A Client Gift:

1. At the start of a project.

Especially if you’re working with a new client, the start of a project is a great time to set the expectations for the experience your client will have while working with you. Think of this as more of a welcome gift to kick-off your time together.  

2. After wrapping up a project.

There is no better feeling than completing a beautiful project and celebrating with happy clients. This is a great opportunity to add value to their new design by providing a gift that can be used in their new space such as decor and other accessories. 

3. During the holidays.

While Christmas tends to be the main gift-giving holiday, any holiday throughout the year can be a great opportunity to show appreciation for your client. If you know your client loves to celebrate a specific holiday, use this as an opportunity to give them a festive gift that shows you know them well.

4. Anniversaries or big events.

Celebrate the anniversary of your business, client relationships or other big events. If you have a client that has hired you for multiple projects over the years, celebrate their anniversary with a thoughtful reminder that you are grateful for the trust they’ve put into your expertise. You can also celebrate big events in your clients’ lives, such as weddings or the birth of a child, by providing a simple but meaningful gift.

Four Client Gift Ideas:

1. Food and beverages

Food and beverages can be very thoughtful and personalized for the right occasion. This type of gift is often appreciated because it can be used or consumed. Skip the generic fruit basket and focus on items you know your client will love. If their minibar (that you helped design) is always stocked with their favorite bottle of wine, consider gifting that with a meaningful message to show how well you’ve gotten to know your client. 

2. Paper products or books

Coffee table books are a great opportunity to add to their home. You can also give books that showcase their favorite travel locations and serve as the perfect accessory for their styled shelves. Paper products such as customized stationery are also a useful gift that can provide beauty and a practical purpose.  

3. Thoughtful decor and finishing touches

You are the design expert and therefore, you’re uniquely positioned to provide accessories and decor that complete their space. Trays or candles make a great gift for a living room, while hand towels and vases can be a wonderful opportunity to style a powder room or kitchen. Have you recently renovated a bar for a client? This is a great opportunity to give fun accessories like a beautiful cocktail shaker or glassware. 

4. Branded items

You can include your logo or other attributes of your brand on customizable items such as mugs, candles, or paper products, but be sure to consider that a client gift is about providing an experience for your client and not just promoting your business. There are so many fun options available that can be customized. 

Remember to keep your gift personal. If you’re giving the same item to multiple clients, be sure to add a thoughtful note. Select gifts that will have an emotional connection with your client and that are on brand and make sense with your business. 

Do you give client gifts. We’d love to hear from you! What is your go-to gift?

 Looking for help finding the perfect gift? Don’t forget to check out our new online shop for client gifts, fun t-shirts for designers & more!

4 Bookkeeping Tips for Interior Designers

It’s no secret that running an Interior Design Business involves significant time on business tasks that can sometimes take away from the time spent creating beautiful spaces. While designers like yourself may be fueling your passion, your business is also your primary means of making a living. Successfully managing your bookkeeping can be a key part of your business process that lets you focus on the core of your business – design.

Here are 4 bookkeeping tips to help your interior design business thrive:

 Implement a system for starting each project

Prepare for each project by starting with a project proposal and client agreement that clearly presents the scope of work, design investment, and payment methods. While the bookkeeping activities occur on the back end for actions that have already occurred, organized day-to-day activities must be performed in the correct manner. Better yet, you can even enter all your preliminary project details into a project management system to help properly execute all bookkeeping procedures.

Stay on top of purchase orders and payments

Once your project is underway, you’re most likely more focused on creative goals than bookkeeping items. However, staying on top of purchase orders and payments can help alleviate a source of mistakes. In addition, be sure that necessary payments are collected before completing purchases. Whether your process involves collecting deposits or full payments, consider breaking up proposals by project phase so that all items that are ordered at one time can be completed on one proposal.

Tie up loose ends at the end of your project

Ensure that all bank statements, cash, and credit card statements are reconciled at the end of the project. Utilize reporting tools or other designer programs to run reports to ensure that all your numbers are adding up. Managing an interior design project involves many financial transactions and moving parts, but implementing a plan that you can carry through from start to finish is essential to successful bookkeeping.  

Hire a bookkeeper who knows the business

Hiring a bookkeeper can be incredibly instrumental to your success as a business because bookkeepers have a thorough understanding of business fundamentals. A bookkeeper who is experienced in the interior design industry offers specialized experience and education that allows them to navigate the gap between design and business.

Did you know that Elite Design Assistants offers bookkeeping services for interior designers? Our bookkeepers are experienced and here to help.

If you’d like to work with an experienced bookkeeper who can help with your interior design business, respond to this email and we’ll get you setup with your personal design assistant. We’d love to help you tackle your bookkeeping needs!

 Looking for the perfect client gift or a fun t-shirt for your design team? Don’t forget to check out our new online shop for fun t-shirts for designers, client gifts & more!

The 5 most popular outsourced tasks that an elite design assistant can handle for you

Running an interior design business is no walk in the park. You wear so many hats and end up juggling all of the work...including those pesky tasks you hate!

As a busy designer, you should be focusing on creating content, networking and building relationships, and planning new growth strategies.

Many clients come to us because they’re feeling overwhelmed with all that they need to accomplish in a given day while balancing all of their clients. So we wanted to make you a list of the tasks that you may be doing in your business that we could take off your plate!

These are the 5 most common things that designers hire us for:

1. Administrative tasks. This could be a variety of things but mainly procurement like placing orders, tracking shipments and dealing with vendor.

2. 3D Renderings

3. CAD drafting

4. Sourcing. This is a very common task that designers decide to outsource. Finding the perfect furniture piece, fabric, etc.

5. Blog writing/social media management

*Bonus - Bookkeeping – Our bookkeeping service for interior designers has also taken off and our professionals are experienced in the industry.

The great thing about Elite Design Assistants is that our assistants are actually designers or have design experience themselves, making it easier for them to complete even the most intimate designer tasks like sourcing and writing blog posts.

We match virtual design assistants with designers based on a variety of skillsets, talents, personality and software knowledge. So if you need an assistant to create 3d renders and you aren't choosy on the software, we got you. If you need someone to create 3d renders specifically in Chief Architect or 2020 or Revit or SketchUp or another program, we got you.

If you need administrative help specifically in Ivy or MyDoma or Studio Designer or other, we got you. Let us know what you need and we will find the virtual design assistant to match your specific needs.

If you have a task that’s really weighing you down, respond to this email and we’ll get you setup with your personal design assistant. We’re here to help!

Don’t forget to check out our new online shop for fun t-shirts for designers, client gifts & more!

Online Shops For Interior Designers + A Special Announcement

Happy Small Business Saturday, designers! 

Online shops are increasing in popularity as we move into 2022, so I wanted to use the email this week to go through a few popular ones you may want to use to create for your business. Also, stay tuned for a super special announcement at the bottom of this email.

Let’s jump right into it...

RewardStyle

RewardStyle itself is not a shop, but you can create your own shop and list items through RewardStyle. For example, if you have a website, you can create affiliate links using their link creator (called Link Ninja) and then host those items for purchase on your website using the link. 

There are no fees at all for RewardStyle, since your items will all be hosted on your website. You may, however, need to pay fees to your website. Squarespace for example offers an ecommerce plan directly through your site.

Try it here.

SideDoor

Did you catch our post a few weeks ago all about SideDoor? You can check it out here.

SideDoor allows you to create “collections” on their site of things you like and want to share with your clients/buyers. You can then embed or link those collections to your website depending on what works best for you. 

Clients will buy the items through the SideDoor Website at retail pricing, and you will make the difference between wholesale and retail. 

Try it here.

Etsy:

Etsy shops are hosted on Etsy, meaning that you will pay them to list your items and they will not be on your website. You can of course link them on your website but they will link to your etsy profile. 

Etsy will collect a fee which is usually about 10cents per listing per month. 

You can also pay Etsy to advertise your listing on Google. This is an investment and is priced per listing, however, your listings are getting significantly more eyes on them than they would if you did not sign up for advertising. You can have them advertise these listings with the click of a button and can set a pricing limit based on how many people you would like to see the listing.

Etsy allows you to advertise all sorts of things and they specialize in homemade items. A few  years ago, they made it possible for you to sell digital items as well. With these, you set it up so that your client gets an instant download after paying. You can sell services, digital downloads, or physical decor items. 

Clients are able to leave a review on your item which ultimately brings you more buyers. 

Whether or not you have a listing for everything you offer, having a profile on Etsy will have people messaging you for more info on your other services. 

You are able to remove listings without additional fees if you decide down the road that you don’t want to host items on Etsy.  

Try it here.

Shopify

Shopify is a software that use a monthly subscription model and gives small business owners access to an admin panel where you can enter store data, add products, and process orders. 

Once you choose your pricing plan, you can create and develop an online store to promote your products. 

Shopify is very easy to set up and get things started, and they offer a 14-day free trial if you’re not quite ready to fully commit without trying. 

Shopify is similar in price to most websites, with plans starting as little as $29/month and the highest at $299/mo.

Shopify can be connected to card-readers to accept payments. 

You can also create email marketing campaigns and Facebook ads through the platform. It is full of templates to help you create beautiful looking emails that will sell your products with ease. 

Try it here.

This brings us to our special announcement…..drum roll please….

We now have an online shop of our own! You can check it out here.

What to expect from our shop...

Our online shop carries curated products for interior designer, including a fun selection of stylish t-shirts. Command attention at a job site and make it clear that you’re in charge with the “I’m the person to talk to” T-shirt or browse other fun inspirational designs like the “Created to Create Beautiful Spaces” t-shirt. Our line of t-shirts is available in a variety of colors and sayings.

Whether you’re selecting accessories to add the finishing touches to your client’s home or celebrating the completion of a project with a client gift, we’ve got you covered. Check out our selection of Turkish hand towels, wood cutting boards and trays, and more.

We will be adding more and more items to this shop as we move into the new year, so make sure to check back every couple weeks to see what we’ve added!

Need help creating your own online shop? Contact us so we can pair you with the perfect design assistant. 

XX, Danae