Interior Design Business Resources

Should Interior Designers Accept Credit Card Payments?

As more and more of the world becomes digital, whether or not to take credit card payment has become a hot topic for interior designers.

For me, taking credit card payments has always been off the table, mainly for one reason: disputes. It is easy to dispute a charge with your credit card company for really any reason and this can cost the designer time and money to prove the charge. For me, it has been best to create a blanket policy of checks or cash only.

However, since I started my business, taking credit cards has become much simpler for small business owners with services such as Square and Payscape-Studio Webware integration. It is also quicker.

ClientsCapella KincheloeNovember 9, 2016interior design pricing, payments, credit cards Comments

Getting Shopped by Clients

One of the biggest challenges facing interior designers today is getting shopped by clients. This means that a designer proposes an item to a client, only to have them find that same item cheaper somewhere else.

I hear designers encountering this with clients all the time. But getting shopped by clients is not going to go away because I'm pretty sure the internet is here to stay. It is human nature to want the best price and the best deal and the internet makes that a lot faster and easier.

So what should we do about the inevitable? Here are some options and ideas to help you overcome this challenge.

ClientsCapella KincheloeNovember 2, 2016pricing interior design, pricing, vendors, getting shopped Comments

How to Turn Down a Project Like a Pro

There are many great reasons that you should turn down a project. And it is perfectly okay to turn down a project. We don't have to please everyone. You want to pick projects that you love, that give something back to you, not drain you. Here is how to politely say no.

ClientsCapella KincheloeOctober 26, 2016saying no, interior design projects Comments

Do you work for your clients?

Do you ever find yourself venting about your clients? Do you find yourself complaining that they found that chandelier cheaper after you emailed a tear sheet? Have you ever lamented that they changed their minds after touching, approving, paying, and installing the rug?

While client woes are all part of the job, there is a fine line between normal complaints and downright hostility.

And lately, I have seen too much hostility towards clients and what has started to feel like a battleground.

ClientsCapella KincheloeOctober 19, 2016pricing, working with a client Comments

How to Transform a Client from First Contact to Signed Contract

Signing clients shouldn't be hard. Learn how to sign more clients.

Wouldn't it be amazing if more of your inquiries ended up as signed clients?

Wouldn't it be great if you had to do less work to get your ideal clients to call you?

How about if they were practically ready to sign before your first meeting?

ClientsCapella KincheloeOctober 12, 2016 Comments

How to Find Clients

I get asked all the time how to find clients. But, I know where to find my clients, but I'm not sure where you'll find yours.

And that is good news. Because of your unique business you need to spend some time rooting out your unique clients.

You want clients that are going to love what you do and love how you do it. Ideal Clients. Dream Clients. Awesome Clients. There are clients out there that want to do business with you right now. How are you going to find each other?

Developing Your Brand for Interior Designers

Over the past few weeks I've written about developing your brand and today we're going to wrap that all up into this comprehensive post. Because branding isn't just a good logo anymore. It is the language woven into your website or the layout of your newsletter. It is the fonts you use and where you use them.

Essentially anything that you're putting out should have your brand stamp on it.

Make More Money by Specializing

Niche. 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.

How to Communicate Your Value + A Giveaway

Sometimes it is hard to communicate your value, to articulate to a client why they should hire you. Why you are the best person for the job. Sure you have the skills required of an interior designer, but a client should hire you for your unique talents and what you bring to the project.

Figuring out how you are different and special is the key.

I read a book a few years ago that changed my business. Before reading this book, I was trying to figure out how to mold myself into a person that I thought clients would want to work with. Easy-going! Compliant! Cheerier!

Branding for Interior Design Business

Raise your hand if you started your interior design business without considering branding. When you start a small business there are so many other important tasks (finding clients! resale license!) that usually branding for interior design is not addressed until much later.

Which is fine. You can't do everything at the same time. But it should be something that is on your mind and on your must-get-done list.

I know that the word "brand" or "branding" can sometimes feel a little insincere or inauthentic. But you are not creating a large Brand (with a capital "B", like Coke or J.Crew) and you are not going to run your business as anyone but yourself.

Anatomy of an Interior Design Agreement 2.0

A couple of years ago, I wrote The Anatomy of an Interior Design Agreement. It became one of my most successful posts. Today, I am refreshing and revitalizing that post because my interior design agreement has been updated with all that I have learned over the past few years. Not just what I have learned in my own experiences, but in my fellow designer's experiences as well.

This is the first lesson. You should be continually updating and revising your interior design agreement. Each project will be a new lesson and you want to record those lessons in your design agreement.

This article also has a bit of a different perspective than the first. The first was geared more toward helping clients navigate a design agreement. This article, 2.0, is for designers to help clarify their interior design agreement.

Insurance for Interior Designers

I so adamantly tell interior designers to get insurance (DO NOT WORK WITHOUT IT!!!) that I also get a lot of questions about what insurance to have. I'm not an insurance professional and do not know your specific situation so I can't tell you what insurance is best for you. However, here is a primer of insurance for interior designers so you can talk to your agent about what may be best for your business.

Get as much coverage as you can, the more the better. You may think it's overkill until you need it.

A few reasons you must have insurance: protect yourself and your business, to avoid a lawsuit, computer crashes, server explosions, natural disasters...

Legal & Tax Structure for Interior Designers

Did you know that how you structure your business now could have long-lasting legal & tax benefits or disadvantages?

These are basic and simplified descriptions of the business structures. This article is not a substitute for professional legal & tax advice. If you have not set up/chosen a structure for your interior business yet OR you could benefit from a possible change in structure find a professional to discuss your specific situation. You create an entirely new business (in the eyes of the government) when you change business structures. It's best (so much easier) to start with the business structure that fits your (future) thriving business rather than have to get new bank accounts and start new records later.

How to Get Sued

No matter how great you think your clients are if you are in business you can get sued. Unfortunately, anyone can file suit for almost anything and you'll have to defend yourself. Whether you're at fault or not. This is the scary reality of running a business. But, the good news is the likelihood of facing a client or vendor in court is probably pretty minimal. It is important to have good communications with your vendors and clients and it is important to protect your business and yourself.

Here are 5 ways to get sued:

Interior Design Business Start-up Costs

So you want to start an interior design business? When I first started my business, I was pretty broke. I had just moved to another city and was using savings to live on because I didn't have any clients (aka income). I remember my mom sent me a hundred-dollar bill and I was so relieved that I cried. True story.

If you're starting like I did, don't dismay. You can do it. These things are all very important and I truly wish I would have slammed down my credit card and set this all up before I started my business because it would have been easier than the diy hacking that I did for a while.

What to Know Before You Start an Interior Design Business

I can be my own boss! I can make my own hours! I can do what I want! These are probably the thoughts that are at the forefront of any fledgling business owner's mind.

But before you go down that path, here is what you really need to know about starting an interior design business.

Why Your First Hire Shouldn't Be An Assistant

Often, when you start an interior design business and begin approaching the threshold of too much for one person to handle, the first person interior designers want to turn to is an assistant. Naturally, they want to clone themselves and have another doing the work they are doing. This could be a mistake.

You have an interior design degree, now what?

You have two options when you have that fresh interior design degree in hand, either you work for someone else or you start your own business. (Or a third option: you could also think what the hell am I going to do with an interior design degree? and go into banking.)

In my experience, it is always better to gain real-world experience from someone who is established and “pay your dues”. Working for someone else allows you time to grow less green. You'll see the current state of the business of design and learn how your employer runs his or her business. Ultimately, it is a good way to decide if you can or want to go out on your own.

Creating Core Values for Interior Designers

You're adrift in the sea and you find a floating log to hold on to.

This is what creating core values can do for your business. If you're adrift you can grab hold of your values and hold on. Values keep you on course, but if you've strayed or have suddenly looked up and realized you don't know where you are and have no idea how you got there, values can get you back on course.

So the reason to define your core values is to keep or get you back on course.

How to Discover Your Business Mission & Vision Statements

I think most small business owners skip creating mission and vision statements because they are just too damn busy doing the day-to-day work of running a small business. Who has time to create a mission statement? My mission is just to service my clients and make a living. While that mindset may sustain you for the first couple of years, down the road, it is advantageous to get out of the day-to-day work IN your business and start working ON your business.

So here is my special plan for creating your own mission and vision statements for your interior design business.