Create Signature Processes in Your Design Business
Lack of Industry Practices
One of the hardest things about running an interior design business is that there really are very few standards and practices in the industry. Interior design is a super-specialized business and extraordinarily personal. Many designers (and clients) find frustration in the lack of industry standards and business practices.
However, because there aren’t industry standards, each design business owner is able to create their own standards and practices based on their strengths, their special sauce, their specialty, and their ideal clients.
And this is a wonderful thing - because it creates a deeper level of specification and we all know that specialties are what attract clients. If you can create signature processes you will stand out for the way you perform your job. Any time that you can stand out and demonstrate competency you will win clients. And utilizing signature processes is a great way to stand out.
Signature Processes to Stand Out
The key is to be intentional with creating your signature processes; just because there aren’t industry standards or processes doesn’t mean that you should “wing” any projects that you take.
Clients want to see that you know what you are doing and have a process to complete their project. You are going to want to create processes that make your job easier and more streamlined and also that clients relate to.
For example, maybe you are an innovative person and want to attract clients who want a designer who thinks outside the box. When you create your signature processes to highlight that, maybe you produce an extraordinary onboarding video that highlights this aspect of your business and include that in your new client onboarding.
Or perhaps you are a collaborative designer and schedule regular client meetings into the design phase. Alternatively, if like me, you’re not as collaborative you make sure to gather all necessary client and project information in the beginning and let clients know you’ll be back with the design plan in three weeks.
If your specialty is unique art, you could have a special art questionnaire for your client or schedule a day to visit your favorite artist studios with your client. You know that meeting the artist and seeing all their work creates a deep emotional connection to the art that they can then bring home with them on purchase.
Maybe you are much better at in-person sales and so your signature process is to do free consultations. If you’re terrible at selling in-person, you create a strong website and new client packet that will do the selling for you.
Maybe your special sauce is your discretion and you work in things that make your clients feel protected and that their privacy is your utmost concern. Could be the way you prep trades to work on-site or sharing a “Protecting Your Privacy” document in the new client packet.
Not every design business is going to need to include a “Protecting Your Privacy” document in their new client packet because it may not be their special sauce or their client’s priority. Therein lies how you are going to stand out. Each process and procedure that you can create that takes into account who you are as a designer and business owner, your special sauce, your business specialty, and who your ideal clients are is a way to stand out and be seen as an expert, thus attracting more of your ideal clients.
How to Create Signature Processes
When you are creating your signature processes, you should know who your ideal clients are - the more specific the better. Also, who you are as a designer and business owner - your strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. This is your special sauce. Your business specialty will also impact your signature processes - again the more specific the better. Essentially, this is about knowing who you are and knowing your client and incorporating that knowledge into the way you run your business.
Your signature processes will support and highlight your work. This article discusses how to design business systems and to go a step further consider the points below to make them your signature processes.
Special Sauce
Communication style
Collaboration style
Work style
Specialty
Ideal Client
Likes
Dislikes
Zone of Genius
Branding (especially identity branding)
You should run your interior design business the way you want to run it - as long as you run your business with clarity, transparency, integrity, and confidence the “this-or-that” doesn’t matter as much. Remember, you don’t need to know, trust comes first.
Go easy on yourself and start with one signature process, or start by adding a little more of YOU into your processes. This is the positive to not having to do things based on an industry standard. You can be more of YOU and have your signature processes reflect that.
Share in the comments below how you incorporate more of YOU into your processes.
About The Author
Hi! I’m Capella and I’m an interior designer who helps fellow designers build their businesses. Forget secrecy and competition, I believe designers should support and uplift each other. By helping and boosting one another, we can elevate the business of interior design together! Hang around a bit and I’ll share all the business “secrets” no one else wants to talk about.
