How do interior designers find clients?

As an interior designer, all you want to do is just that, design! But being the owner of a business there are other elements that must come before this.

Marketing yourself to attract new clients is an important step in achieving your business goals and is often one of the biggest struggles faced by designers. 

Here we share some of the top ways to find and connect with your ideal clients.

1. Drive referrals through word of mouth advertising and testimonials

Referrals can be the lifeline of an interior designer’s business. What better way to know if someone’s service is impeccable than hearing it from a trusted friend or family member. 

How can you drive more referrals in your business?

Firstly, if you are already working with clients and they are appreciating your talent, just ask for a testimonial. Many designers often do not ask and hope they are simply sent stellar feedback. The more you ask, the more you get. If people love your services, they will gladly share their words of admiration.

Let your clients know that you enjoy working with them and ask if they have any friends, family, or acquaintances that might benefit from your interior design services. Make the client feel truly valued by mentioning you’d like a few more clients just like them. 

You can maximize your referral process by offering a reward scheme. This it’s a great way to thank them for sharing your services. 

For more ideas n how to get raving reviews, click here. 

2. Create a magnetizing stand-out portfolio

Your portfolio is a vital part of your marketing. Before and after photos drive sales more than anything. Potential clients want to be wowed before working with you. This is also important to attract clients from your chosen design niche. Make it very clear what type of work you offer and the transformations you provide. Keep your ideal clients in mind when creating your portfolio.

Get strategic and plan out your photoshoots. Download our free Photo Shoot Guide here.

3. Build your email list

Building your email list is an important part of building your interior design business. It’s also a great way to land more clients.

Email lists can be a source of high-quality, repeat clients who love your work. You don’t need a huge investment to begin creating your email list either.

You can begin with ConvertKit which is free for the first 1,000 subscribers.

Send monthly newsletters providing real value, and share your work often. People need to be reminded that your services are available. 

Ways to attract potential clients to your email list include pop-ups on your website, landing pages, social media marketing, and offering a ‘freebie’ for subscribing. 

Once they’ve subscribed ensure you create a warm and inviting thank you sequence and begin providing value right away. You can do this by:

• Showcasing your work

• Educating them on your services 

• Inviting them to follow your social media platforms

• Sharing a free infographic, guide, or checklist

4. Social Media Advertising

Take full advantage of social media, especially with imagery-based platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest. 

Social media is an incredibly powerful tool to increase awareness of your business, it allows you to freely share your designs with potential clients all over the world. 

Consistency is key in the online world, so be sure to share your work often! Allow your style to emanate from your images and get creative. Ensure your images are high resolution and make people want to click that ‘follow’ button. 

Don’t forget to utilize hashtags in your post, create a set of tags that your ideal client would search for.

Ensure you are engaging with your audience, send warm welcome messages to new followers, and respond to comments on your posts. You are then on your way to creating a community that people want to be a part of. 

You can also take advantage of paid advertising, boosting certain posts to gain more attention.

If you are interested in growing your business on Instagram - which we highly recommend - take a look at our pro tips for interior designers here.

If you need help finding clients, contact us! Let’s get you to design more and worry less about growing your business!

Click here to schedule a Complimentary Brand Consultation.

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