Interior Design Business Check-up! 7 Ways to Boost Your Success

As an interior designer, it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks and lose sight of the big picture. Conducting a business checkup from time to time can help you identify areas that need improvement, stay efficient and relevant, and make an enormous difference in your short-term and long-term growth. It’s a good idea to analyze various aspects of your business monthly or quarterly, and then do a more comprehensive checkup on a yearly basis. You should also revisit these points whenever your business is going through a significant change, such as a new product or service launch.

Here are seven areas to focus on during your checkup:

Technology

Take a look at all of the technology you are currently using in your business. Are there any tools or software that you could update or replace with more efficient options? For example, switching to a cloud-based project management system meant for interior designers could save time by reducing redundant work, as well as improve collaboration with team members. Apps like Canvas can save you time on site surveying.

Stay current

One of the things interior designers often enjoy the most, yet sometimes don’t seem to have (or make) much time for, is to check out other designers’ work and new vendors or items. Keeping an eye on the latest design trends, materials, and technologies can help you offer fresh, innovative solutions to your clients. Additionally, staying current with industry trends can also help you anticipate changes in the market and adapt to new demands from clients.

Streamline

One important aspect of streamlining internal business processes is to review and organize your design resources. This includes your 2D and 3D block and model libraries, templates, and other design assets. Having a well-organized system with a standardized file naming convention can save time and improve efficiency in the design process. You can also look into automating certain repetitive tasks such as sending invoices.

Accountability

Review the roles and responsibilities of anyone else on your team. Are they clear and well-defined? Are there areas where team members are struggling or not meeting expectations? Identifying and addressing these issues can lead to a more productive and successful team. Encouraging open communication with regular team meetings and a culture of feedback is also vital.

Expense reduction

Review your business expenses to see if there are any non-essential costs that can be cut. For example, are there memberships or subscriptions that you no longer need? Is there room for negotiating better rates with any of your vendors? Can video calls replace some of your face-to-face meetings, thus reducing travel time and costs?

New income streams

Consider adding a new service to your business to increase revenue. For example, many interior designers are now offering e-design services, which allow clients to work with a designer remotely. Otherwise, consider offering a specialized service such as space planning, color consulting, or even outdoor design. Look into what other new revenue streams fit with your passions and your company. You may even set up a lucrative passive income stream, which doesn’t add to your ongoing workload.

More projects

One way to boost success is to increase the number of profitable projects you take on at once. If you feel you’ve already reached your capacity, this can be done by outsourcing certain tasks that are lower paying, time-consuming, or not your area of expertise. You can hire a virtual design assistant, whether periodically or on a regular basis, to take some of those responsibilities off your plate. And finding ways to market your services more effectively, such as through social media or networking events, will help you win over more clients.

By gathering these insights, you can identify key areas of strength and areas that need improvement. Stay open to feedback from your team and your clients to help inform your decisions. Remember, even small changes can make a big difference in the long run.

xx, Danae