You must have a specialty. Your specialty, or niche, will either be something you’ve figured out for yourself or if you don’t choose, sometimes it’ll emerge on its own just because of your natural talents and personality. Who you are, what you do, and who you attract all come into consideration for your specialty. Uniqueness is a beautiful thing.
Read MoreOne 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.
Read More“My own business is still young and the thing I feel like I struggle with the most is the very first client consultation. My struggle is this: how to get the client without giving away too many ideas. Clients all want to hear your ideas of their space or your inspirations but sometimes I feel like they take your initial suggestions and run away with it without me. How do I inspire confidence and trust with out giving too much away and getting the client to sign that contract?”
Thanks! Kaitlyn
How can I find good vendors is a popular question from new designers. Finding vendors takes time. It’ll take trial and error and research on your part. There is no quick fix. You can read more about finding quality vendors in this article.
So after you’ve found vendors, you need to develop good relationships with them for maximum benefit in your business. (I’m using a blanket term “vendors” for tradespeople, workrooms, suppliers, manufacturers, showrooms, etc.) These people are extensions of your business and will help you run your business smoother and more efficiently if you consider them part of your extended team.
Read MoreNiche. Specialty.
Do a quick scan of your body and feelings that come up when you read those words.
Do you feel resistance? Excited? Annoyed? Defiance? Apathy?
Despite all the years that I have been in business and have been teaching other designers how you can make more money by specializing, I still feel a little bit resistant to it.
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