Get Published - How to get your work featured in a magazine

Having your work featured in a magazine is an accomplishment to celebrate! You’ve worked hard to create a space worth sharing… so how do you go about seeing your work published in a magazine? We’re sharing a handful of tips that can help you get your work featured.

Keep it offline

This first piece of advice may seem counterintuitive. Wouldn’t a high profile project that draws lots of attention be a great project to feature? The answer is yes; however, magazines are looking for original content to feature. You can share bits and pieces of your project in Instagram stories, where they expire after 24 hours, but wait to add this project to your portfolio until after your article has been published. Once your work is out there, go crazy sharing it on social media and updating your portfolio. This is a great opportunity to mention the feature as well. 

Hire a professional photographer

While this piece of advice is important for all your projects and work featured in your portfolio, it is especially necessary to hire a professional photographer to capture photos of your projects that you’d like to send to magazines. High quality photos make all the difference.

Keep it exclusive

Focus on reaching out to one magazine at a time. It can be tempting to reach out to many different journals and magazines to increase your odds of getting published in at least one, but an exclusive feature is much more appealing. Be patient, it may take time to get your project featured in a magazine that is the right fit, but persistence will pay off.

Focus on the story

While beautiful photos are essential, an interesting story will captivate the audience. What made your project unique? Did you use different materials or experience any particular hardships during the design or construction process? What was your inspiration? Did the client have a good story you can share? Focus on the story behind the design when you pitch your project. 

Have you had your work published? Share your publication with us – we'd love to hear from you!

Marketing Ideas to Attract Clients

As an interior designer, you’re in the market of creating beautiful spaces, but you can also use your creativity to create effective marketing for your business. Here are a few ideas to try!

Build a beautiful portfolio

Capturing photos of your projects are essential. Consider hiring a professional photographer. Keep your website updated with your latest projects and share your photos on your social media accounts. Photographs of your finished work will help attract clients that resonate with your style.

Get featured

Reach a greater audience by getting your work featured in a magazine or journal. This is a great way to feature unique projects and share your work. You can also reach out to other design blogs or websites and offer to do a guest post. These guest posts can feature your work, design tips, and much more, while getting your name in front of a larger audience.

Offer tips to potential clients

Blog posts aren’t the only place to share tips and tricks that benefit your audience. Grow your newsletter or following by posting useful tips and tricks on your social media or in your newsletter. By sharing information that your audience can put into use, you’re gaining their trust and potentially opening the door to future projects.

Showcase testimonials

Have you received praise for your work? Showcase testimonials on your website or other marketing material. This is another way to gain trust and show that you’re the expert in what you do.

Market yourself with branded products

Take a fun and creative approach to marketing by offering branded T-shirts, coffee cups, client gifts, bags, and more. Physical products can be a great marketing tool and a fun giveaway during project kick-off, after the completion of a project, or during the holidays.  

Not only can T-shirts be a great option to market your business but you can also market your profession. Are you interested in winning our Created to Create T-shirt, visit our Instagram page here to enter our giveaway! The winner will be announced on Friday.

View more fun t-shirts for interior designers by visiting our online shop.

Three Go-To Breakfast Recipes to Try This Week

Your weeks are busy, but why not slow down this weekend and try something new? You don’t need to be an expert chief in the kitchen to master these recipes. We’re sharing three go-to breakfast recipes today that are sure to kick off your weekend right. Even if you’re a grab-and-go type of person, these recipes are simple but good!

Avocado Toast with Kale Pesto

Camille Styles shared her take on a trendy breakfast staple, avocado toast. This recipe combines kale pesto and with the bonus of saving some cash by making this dish at home instead of heading out to a restaurant and splurging. 

Bonus, avocados are good for you because they are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.This recipe even includes tips for adding additional protein or other swaps that can be made to this recipe. 

Be sure to give this recipe a try by finding all the details here.

Strawberry Yogurt Bowl

If a quick and refreshing breakfast is the option you’re looking for then this strawberry yogurt bowl is a great choice! Jenny from the Nourished Kitchen shares this dish that combines protein, fat, and carbohydrates with the fresh taste of fruit. 

You can find this strawberry yogurt bowl recipe at the Nourished Kitchen Blog here.

Protein Packed Pancakes

Our third recipe recommendation is another one brought to you by Camille Styles. These protein packed recipes are filling and delicious. Pancakes are always a fun breakfast choice that gives plenty of options to customize the flavor with different toppings. 

This recipe even includes a few recommendations, including blueberries, mashed bananas or chocolate chips for a fun twist on traditional pancakes. 

Check out this pancake recipe on Camille’s blog here.

Give these recipes a try and enjoy a slow morning with a hot cup of coffee. I hope you have a great and enjoyable weekend!

XX Danae

Collaborating with Builders

As a designer, you love being your client’s go-to for design and referrals, but have you considered being your local builder’s go-to designer as well? Building relationships with builders and general contractors can lead to new clients and more projects. We’re diving into ways that you can add value to your relationship with builders and grow your business. 

Bring value to the project

Ask yourself, what can I do to add value to this project? Not only can you create beautiful spaces, but you also possess knowledge and experience that a builder may not. Is a local builder simply sending their clients to a showroom to tackle selections on their own, or are they even taking time out of their busy schedule to attend these types of meetings? Let them know how you can help by sharing your knowledge with their clients and making the process run smoothly. Think about your strengths and how you can leverage them!

Have a great team or system

Fine-tune your systems so that your design processes not only create a great experience for the client but so that your builder can have an exceptional experience working with you as well. Processes and systems are always evolving and there are so many ways to improve and grow as a designer and team. Maybe you need to hire additional help to take on these new projects.  

Communicate

The first step to working with builders is to network and introduce yourself. This task of sending emails, attending local events, and reaching out to contacts can be a smooth process when you’ve thought through the topics above. Work on a pitch that clearly communicates your strength and the value that you will provide.

Once you’ve established a relationship with builders, be sure to communicate often and clearly during your projects. Discuss what options work best for communicating with the client and clearly define responsibilities related to project completion and client expectations. 

Be willing to learn

You may hear a lot of “no’s” before you find the right builder to work with. Don’t give up! Once you’ve established a good relationship, be open to change and be willing to learn. Builders may have a system that works well for them so it is important that you’re flexible and able to work with their processes. This can also be a great opportunity for you to learn and improve your client experience. 

No matter what, be confident. Designing beautiful spaces is your superpower and you may be the super hero that your local builder is looking for to improve their client experience.

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