Creating new design services can be a challenge, especially if you’ve never executed virtually before. It’s a whole new system with different workflows, onboarding, and execution. Virtual design services generate a whole host of new questions.

The questions about virtual services:

How do you get accurate measurements if you’re not there? Who should you market virtual design service to without diluting your brand? How should you price virtual design? When should you send the questionnaire? When should the client sign the contract? What apps and programs should be used to deliver virtual design?

Virtual design ≠ budget service.

I realize that many designers consider online design a low-cost service, but while creating a virtual design package may be less expensive, it doesn’t have to feel any less valuable, luxurious or upscale as your current offerings.

The key to virtual services:

But the key is if you’re creating a new virtual design service, is that it should be packaged up. Self-contained with clear scope and deliverables. You want to make it as fun and easy for you to perform the service as it is for the client to receive it.

A message for you:

Benefits of virtual design services:

• It’s the main option for design services in the time of COVID.

• Never in our lifetime have so many people been stuck at home and this presents an opportunity for interior designers to help.

• Multiple revenue streams in your biz!

• Once you create one virtual package, others can be quickly put together.

• It can be an entry-point for clients before they hire you for your full-service design. When you get people to invest a little with you, they’re more likely to invest more later.

• Margins can be better than full service design.

• Virtual design services are more design and less admin than full service (in-person) design.

• First Class: May 19 / Types of Virtual Services and Workflow

  • This is when you will determine exactly what type of virtual service that you want to offer to clients.

• Second Class: May 26 / Determining Virtual Design Scope and Deliverables

  • I'll share what you should and you shouldn't be including in your virtual design offering. We'll talk about how to manage scope and deliverables to prevent mistakes and still provide excellent design services to clients.

• Third Class: June 2 / Tools and Tech for Virtual Design

  • Knowing which apps and which programs to use to not drive your clients and you crazy is very important. Tools and tech will actually help streamline and give efficiency to your virtual service, which means less admin work and more design time, which actually translate into more profits.

• Fourth Class: June 9 / Virtual Design Service Contracts

  • We want to talk about how to protect yourself when working remotely and also how to set up client's expectations for working virtually.

• Fifth Class: June 16 / Pricing Virtual Services

  • So since pricing virtual services was one of the most popular questions in the survey that I sent out, I've set aside a whole class for this topic. By the end you will know exactly how to price your new service.

Video Transcript:

Hi!  Capella here.

To survive right now interior design businesses need to have virtual design services. But it’s not only good for designers, it’s good for the clients as well.  

Right now, people are spending most of their time at home and that means that they’re likely hyper-focused on their surroundings.  They’re much more in tune with their home than ever before.  They know what is working for them and their family - and what is not.

After months inside they’re likely going to be ready to make some changes.  They’ll want some refresh ideas, perhaps what was tolerable before is no longer ignorable when you’re home 24/7.  The needs of client’s homes are a lot different than they were months ago.

Never in our lifetime have so many people been stuck at home and this presents an opportunity for interior designers to help.  

But, there’s a problem, many designers have never provided virtual design services and don’t know where to start.  They try to quickly pivot and conduct their regular services virtually.  

Let me ask you this - how long did it take you to develop your current offerings - to get them just where you want them?  Months or even years, I’d guess. 

We don’t have months or years right now, with Virtual Design Gold, my new training, you will have a virtual design service up and ready for clients to book in just a couple of weeks from today.

A lot of in-person design can be translated directly into a virtual service - but a lot can’t.  What I’d like you to start considering is the possibility of a different kind of design service, one that’s different from your current service, but just as profitable and fulfilling.

I’ll show you how to use the limitations of virtual design to your benefit.  Virtual design doesn’t have to be seen as an inferior or low-cost.  

In Virtual Design Gold, we will determine exactly what type of virtual design package you should be offering to your clients and once you have one package in place, others can quickly come together if you’d like to expand into more virtual offerings. 

In the very first Live training, I will help you determine what one virtual design service you will work on during Virtual Design Gold, but don’t worry if you don’t know where to start, I will be sharing a lot of ideas so you can find the one that works best for you.  

I know many designers have questions about how to provide value and avoid project creep for virtual design - and the good news is that packages with defined scope and deliverables are perfect for that limitation.  In the second live training, we’ll dive into exactly what scope and deliverables you will be including in your virtual offering.  

The third live training will talk about what tools and tech you need to provide virtual services - the good news is that you can go with the completely free options or by investing in a few programs - that will benefit your business in general - not just for virtual design, you can actually have systems in place that run themselves, making your life easier and allowing you to focus on servicing clients and not the admin work. 

I’ve also heard from you that you’re concerned about accuracy of your design if you can’t be there in person, we’ll talk about these limitations and how to minimize those in the fourth live training when we focus on what a virtual design service contract looks like.

Finally, in the last live training, I will help you determine what you should price their virtual service at.  Should it be the same as your current rates?  Lower?  The good news is you’ll likely be able to get better margins with a virtual service.  That means more money and less work.  And as an added bonus, with the money you make from your virtual design services, you will likely recoup the cost of this training.

Virtual Design Gold is perfect for you if you already have an established residential design business.  Unless you’re a super-achiever, this isn’t for total newbies.  But if you have an established business and have been wondering how to best go virtual to keep your company in business - this training is for you.  

This is also only for designers who are ready to get to work now, because by the end of the training, you will be ready to take virtual clients, but to do that you must take action now and get it done.  I don’t want you to overthink creating a virtual design service for your business.  Getting started with virtual interior design services isn't complicated and I know that with just a few hours every week you can get this in place. With a deadline, it will ensure that you get it done and out there to your clients who need it. No dawdling, no delays, no waiting until it's perfect.

Virtual design services don’t have to be a fleeting offering, once implemented you will be able to create a whole new revenue stream that still attracts the clients you want to work with.

It can also be used as part of a springboard to your full-service design by giving clients an introduction to your work now and then expanding the scope later when things open again.    

It’s a win-win. 

Virtual Design Gold includes 5 live trainings, that are based on what you need to know - this will be a very interactive and collaborative process.  By the end, you will have a new service.

Our first training is May 19th, next Tuesday and then we’ll have 4 more calls, every Tuesday  until you have your virtual service live on your website (or social media).  I want to see your business provide for you during this pandemic, so I’m offering this at a price I feel confident you can recoup with the knowledge and offering you create in Virtual Design Gold - it’s just $497.  Click the button on this page to get started.  Like everything I offer, it’s 100% guaranteed.

In addition to the five live trainings, I am also putting together some done-for-you forms.  Probably a virtual design contract, client questionnaire, how-to-measure instructions for clients.

To get those 5 Live calls and the done for you forms, click the button now and I’ll see you Tuesday in Virtual Design Gold.