Break Into the Luxury Market with The Standard!

As you know, I’m here to share with you the helpful tips, tricks, and information I learn in the interior design industry that will help you succeed in running the most fulfilling and profitable business possible. Once again, I want to share with you a business program I came across that’s goal is to improve the interior design industry one design firm at a time.

The Interior Design Standard, created by East Coast interior designer Sandra Funk (House of Funk), is making a huge impact on a number of interior designers’ businesses across the country.

Why is this program making such an impact? Because the Interior Design Standard is House of Funk’s business structure. That’s right! The program includes a variety of modules with templates, processes, tools, and tech for designers to implement the structure into their own businesses. Within each module are videos explaining the ‘why’ behind Funk’s processes, with her personal experiences and lessons learned weaved in.  

The program is delivered in a friendly digital format. Designers receive lifetime access, live virtual community events, and access to the ultimate design community: the Standard Inner Circle. “Our mantra is ‘Rise, Designers, Rise’. By helping one designer at a time, we hope to see the entire design industry improve,” says Funk.

I want to tell you a little bit more about the designers that the Standard will benefit the most.

• They've been in business for at least two years

• They have at least 2 team members

• Interior design is their calling - they've got the design stuff locked down

• They're ready to level up and break into the luxury design market

• They desire to have more confidence, joy, creativity, freedom... and profit

Of course, the Standard is not exclusive to designers that check every box, but their data and testimonials have shown that this is who has fantastic results with the Standard. 

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 joy and passion back into their business.

They give you digestible video explanations accompanied by Sandra’s process, broken down into step-by-step tasks for you to download and customize for your business. Here are a few of the highlights:

• Interior Design Services Agreement

• 20+ Client email templates

• Trade Agreement

• HR Docs galore (job listings, roles, and responsibilities, employee agreements with office policies, onboarding processes, and more) 

• Full-Service Asana template (100+ tasks of our detailed full service and build/renovate process)

• Potential Client Asana template (detailed tasks outlining and digging into this process from initial outreach to onboarding)

• And tons of bonuses that will knock your socks off!

Plus, anyone who signs up using my link below will get our Passive & Multiple Income Streams for Interior Designers e-Book for FREE along with a FREE t-shirt from Elite Design Gifts*!

Enrollment only happens twice per year and the next enrollment period is March 23-30, 2022. If you are interested, you can sign reserve a spot now by clicking this link https://interiordesignstandard.com/danae.

*The free e-Book will be sent via email 60 days after payment in full for The Interior Design Standard is paid. The free t-shirt will be mailed 60 days after payment in full to The Interior Design Standard is paid.

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

I hope you have a wonderful day!

xx, Danae

How to Enhance Your Creativity as an Interior Designer

Do you ever feel like you lose your creative drive when you're in the middle of a busy week? We've all been there. Today on the blog, we're sharing tips to enhance your creativity as an interior designer. 

Visit somewhere new

Sometimes, it’s all about perspective. Whether you're looking for a distraction-free space, or simply looking for inspiration for your next project, changing your physical location can be the key to getting in the zone.

Visit a local coffee shop where the decor gives you plenty of ideas, or try a new spot to work for a while and draw inspiration. Forget your to-do list completely and head to a museum or historical building. 

Go on vacation simply for enjoyment (and not just for work). New cultures, music, and architecture can help boost creativity and let your imagination take flight. You’ll return feeling ready to dive into the projects that require your most unique ideas. 

Spend time outdoors

It’s no secret that nature can boost your creativity. The ever-changing landscape of a sunrise or sunset can be the perfect muse for a new color palette. Visit a local park or simply walk outdoors near your home. Bring a camera with you and take photos of the scenes that speak to you. Reference these photos later when you’re in the middle of a big design. 

Collaborate with others

Do you have a friend that you love to bounce ideas off of? Give them a call! Sometimes just talking with someone else can be instrumental in boosting your creativity and giving yourself a confidence boost for an awesome idea. 

Each individual’s unique experiences allow them to have a different perspective, which can help validate and spark new ideas. Grab a drink at happy hour with a friend or go for a walk to not only stimulate conversation, but to also draw inspiration from nature. 

What inspires you? We’d love to hear from you. 

xx Danae

Meal Planning - The Secret to a Successful Week

Happy Saturday! Today we’re chatting about meal planning and how prepping your meals in advance can help set you up for a successful week. 

We’re sharing tips and tricks from Kitchenda’s blog post, Why Experts Recommend Meal Planning for Every Home. You can read more here.

You’re busy running around to client meetings and running your business, so consider setting yourself up for a great week by following these simple meal planning trips. 

Meal planning can help improve health, save money, and increase weeknight downtime (I’m sure we can all use more of that).

Here are a few meal planning steps to help set you up for a successful week.

Understand your schedule

The first step is to open up your planner. What days do you have back to back meetings? Which evenings will you be home late? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you decide which meals and food should be planned for each day. Your meal prepping routine can include options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner or just a few meals each day if you have other plans, such as a networking lunch. The key is to plan ahead and be aware of your schedule.

Know your inventory

Do you have a fully stacked pantry or is your fridge empty besides some leftover takeout? No matter where you’re starting, it’s important to take inventory of the ingredients you have on hand. This helps you become aware of your starting point and make grocery shopping so much easier. 

Plan recipes for the week

Once you know what you have on hand and what your schedule looks like for the week, you can plan what recipes you’re going to make for each day. Pinterest and Google can be a great resource to help find recipes that use ingredients you already have. Once you’ve narrowed down your recipes for the week, make a list of any missing ingredients you need. Then you can head to the grocery store and stock up on any necessary items to begin your meal prep.

Do you find meal planning to be a valuable tool to setting up your week? 

xx, Danae

Project Management Software for Interior Designers

Project Management Software can be a game changer for your business. There are so many effective options out there… So how do you decide which software is the best for you? We’re highlighting four project management programs that can help take your business to the next level. 

Monday.com

As an interior designer, Monday.com  is a project management software that can help you manage vendors, contractors, and clients, manage inventory, and collaborate with your team, track and bill your time or create purchase sheets. You can store contact information, collaborate, and keep everyone in the loop. This makes Monday.com a great resource for a team of designers or a solo designer who wants to manage workflows with other vendors and contractors. 

Pricing:

Individual - $0 forever 

Basic - $8 per team member / month 

Standard - $120 per team member / month

Pro - $16 per team member / month

Get started here.

ClickUp

ClickUp is another great project management tool that can boost productivity. ClickUp offers spaces, where different aspects of your business or design business are stored. It also provides templates for interior designers that can allow you to store your specs, images, and proposals all in one place. This software is helpful for improving delivery times and tracking project statuses to stay on track and meet client expectations. 

Pricing:

Free Forever - best for personal use

Unlimited - $5 per month and best for small teams

Business - $9 per month and best for mid-sized teams

Business Plus - $19 per month and best for multiple teams

Try it here.

Asana

Asana is a project management tool that allows you to track and manage your work, use commenting to ask questions and provide feedback on tasks, and to easily find files related to various projects. Asana is a great tool for teams to track their projects, allowing design requests, teamwork feedback, and collaboration to take place easily among team members. 

Pricing:

Basic - $0 for individuals or teams just getting started

Premium - $10.99 per user per month 

Business - $24.99 per user per month

Sign up here.

GatherIt

GatherIt is another great Project Management tool for interior design teams that employs a visual approach to organization. This program allows teams to collaborate and have easy access to important project information. This software specifically helps visually organize projects, source products faster, stay on top of status dates and produce resorts and design deliverables. 

Pricing:

Studio $199 per month

Firm $349 per month

Start a free trial here.

Each of these software programs have different benefits and features that uniquely make them the best fit for your business. Consider trying out a free trial or continuing to research how other designers are using these programs to help decide which software is the best option for you. 

Are you looking for more resources that can help your business? Check out our other resources here.

xx, Danae

Should You Join A Buyer's Group?

Are you tired of being shopped by all of your clients? Are you frustrated that your trade discount isn’t large enough to add your markup and still be less expensive than retail? Savvy consumers are shopping everything these days and one of the biggest frustrations I see are interior designers tired of their clients shopping them online.

Buyer’s groups are hoping to change that for the industry. So what is a buyers group? A buyer’s group is a group of similar independent businesses coming together to leverage their combined purchasing power to receive better net costs and terms on the products and services they buy/use.

In the interior design industry, many buyer’s groups are comprised of a small group of designers located in the same region that all know each other. Unless you know someone in the group, they can be hard to find. This is one of the reasons why Heather McManus and her partner Tracey Taylor created The Designs Collaborative. This group is open to interior designers across the U.S. and Canada.

Another major reason The Designs Collaborative was created was because Heather became frustrated with vendors threatening to remove her stocking dealer price when she didn’t meet their yearly minimum. She decided it was time to get creative and comprised a way to not only help herself but also her fellow designers.

The Designs Collaborative started with five people and has now grown to 150 members and over 200 vendors. Interior designers need to apply for membership on the website and if accepted pay a membership fee of $370 per year, which is about $30 per month. Benefits of being a part of the group include:

*Stocking dealer price plus 10%
* A Facebook group
*Monthly masterminds
*Emergency fund for extenuating circumstances
*Discounted price on coaching

Working with a buyer’s group can not only save you time and money, it can continue to make you competitive in the industry. You will be able to take advantage of new purchasing power due to the pricing and revenue, plus instead of hiring full-time staff to help with sourcing and deciding what to charge, many interior designers can now hire a virtual design assistant at a fraction of the cost to help with their sourcing needs.

According to Heather, The Designers Collaborative is comprised of a group of kind, honest and hard-working interior designers. The members really love the group and are grateful for its existence.

For more information about The Designers Collaborative, please check out www.thedesignerscollaborative.com or contact Heather McManus at admin@thedesignerscollaborative.com.

**When considering working with a buyer’s group please do your research, get references and make sure you understand what your membership entails. There are some excellent groups out there, such as The Designers Collaborative, but there are others who may not be structured properly or are not prepared for extenuating circumstances.

Fashion Favorites for Interior Designers

Are you going through your closet this weekend? Between client meetings, running around to different projects and working at an office or at home, you’re always on the go. It’s important that you feel your best and can show up confidently. 

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 put together this board of some mix and match outfits that I think interior designers 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. 

• 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.”)

• 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….

• 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? 

How do you show up for client meetings? We’d love to hear any confidence-boosting tips that you may have. 

Click here to shop this look:

Have a great weekend!

xx, Danae

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.