The KEY™: The Designer’s Ultimate Pricing Tool

One of my favorite things is to keep interior designers abreast of what’s NEW in the industry and I found you a new FEE CALCULATOR. Check this out!

Attention: Interior Designers

Ready to maximize your profitability?

Then you need The KEY™!

The KEY™: The Designer’s Ultimate Pricing Tool was developed by well-known Business Coach, Certified Body Language Trainer, and best-selling author, Nancy Ganzekaufer.

Proven successful by 100's of designers, I want YOU to reap the benefits of this easy-to-use pricing tool!

This is the ONLY pricing product you need to realize your highest profit margins. The KEY™ lets you quickly and accurately calculate pricing estimates for your clients...

>> NO MATTER WHICH TYPE OF DESIGN SERVICES YOU OFFER! <<

Yes, you read that right. And it gets better!

The KEY™ includes a step-by-step video training that explains how to use the Pricing Tool, reducing your learning curve to almost zero. That means as soon as you grab your copy, you can benefit from it IMMEDIATELY!

The KEY™ also includes these essential bonus resources:

✔️ Project Scope Planner

Helps you think through every aspect of your project so you include each and every detail

✔️ Good, Better, Best Guide

A pricing guide to help you set expectations for your clients on the appropriate investment amounts (aka budgets) for each room

✔️ Client Proposal Templates

Four (4) fully customizable Canva Proposal Templates that align perfectly with The KEY™: The Designer’s Ultimate Pricing Tool. Go from potential to paying client seamlessly!

Grab your copy of The KEY™ today to start maximizing your profits. Click below to learn more!

The Interior Design Standard: Open Enrollment Coming Soon!

Open enrollment is coming up for the program that can help you break into the luxury market of interior design; it’s called The Interior Design Standard!

As you know, I’m here to share with you the helpful tips, tricks, and information I learn in the interior design industry that will help you succeed in running the most fulfilling and profitable business possible. Once again, I want to share with you a business program I came across that’s goal is to improve the interior design industry one design firm at a time.

The Interior Design Standard, created by East Coast interior designer Sandra Funk (House of Funk), is making a huge impact on a number of interior designers’ businesses across the country.

Why is this program making such an impact? Because the Interior Design Standard is House of Funk’s business structure. That’s right! The program includes a variety of modules with templates, processes, tools, and tech for designers to implement the structure into their own businesses. Within each module are videos explaining the ‘why’ behind Funk’s processes, with her personal experiences and lessons learned weaved in.  

The program is delivered in a friendly digital format. Designers receive lifetime access, live virtual community events and access to the ultimate design community: the Standard Inner Circle. “Our mantra is ‘Rise, Designers, Rise’. By helping one designer at a time, we hope to see the entire design industry improve,” says Funk.

I want to tell you a little bit more about the designers that the Standard will benefit the most.

• They've been in business for at least two years

• They have at least two team members

• Interior design is their calling - they've got the design stuff locked down

• They're ready to level up and break into the luxury design market

• They desire to have more confidence, joy, creativity, freedom... and profit

Of course, the Standard is not exclusive to designers that check every box, but their data and testimonials have shown that this is who has fantastic results with the Standard. 

This program is perfect for any designer who needs organized processes, wants to learn more about how a thriving and successful design practice does it and wants to bring the joy and passion back into their business.

They give you digestible video explanations accompanied by Sandra’s process, broken down into step-by-step tasks for you to download and customize for your business. Here are a few of the highlights:

• Interior Design Services Agreement

• 20+ Client email templates

• Trade Agreement

• HR Docs galore (job listings, roles and responsibilities, employee agreements with office policies, onboarding processes and more) 

• Full-Service Asana template (100+ tasks of our detailed full service and build/renovate process)

• Potential Client Asana template (detailed tasks outlining and digging into this process from initial outreach to onboarding)

• And tons of bonuses that will knock your socks off!

Plus, anyone who signs up using my link below will get our Passive & Multiple Income Streams for Interior Designers e-Book for FREE*!

Enrollment only happens twice per year and the next enrollment period is March 29 - April 5, 2023. If you are interested, you can reserve a spot now by clicking this link: https://interiordesignstandard.com/danae

*The FREE e-Book will be sent via email 60 days after payment has been made in full for The Interior Design Standard.

As always, please feel free to reach out if you have questions!

I hope you have a wonderful day!

xx, Danae

Show Yourself Some Love This Valentine's Day! Shop The Look: Valentine's Gifts for Yourself

Design Your Life: Expanding Your Skills & Horizons

As a designer, you've probably spent countless hours perfecting your craft. But let's face it, sometimes the daily grind can get a little monotonous. Adding some variety to your life can not only make you a more well-rounded person and make life more stimulating for you, but it can also lead to new creative inspiration and new opportunities in your professional life. Here are some ways to broaden your skills and horizons.

Learning a New Language

Learning a new language can be a lot of fun and one of the most gratifying things you can do. Not only will it allow you to communicate with a wider range of people, but it will also open doors to understanding different cultures, helping you to have a more comprehensive view of the world. 

Technology

Another way to expand your skill set could be learning new software or technology. As we live in the digital age, keeping up with the latest technologies gives you an added advantage. Delving into topics such as artificial intelligence or virtual and augmented reality can surprise you and even potentially complement your work.

Journaling

Keeping a journal is an opportunity to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and can help you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your motivations. It also serves to highlight which things in your life are working for you and where you’d like to evolve.

Playing a Musical Instrument

Make your own music. Playing an instrument can be a great way to wind down and help you improve your concentration. Plus, learning to play an instrument can give you an appreciation for the art of composition and arranging. And who knows, you may discover a hidden talent.

Urban Exploration

You might be surprised what you find if you play tourist in your town. Urban exploration can expose you to different architectural styles and designs, abandoned buildings, and other interesting and unique spaces.

Cooking Classes

Taking classes or dedicating regular time to more special or creative recipes can be very therapeutic and help you relax, as well as produce delicious and healthy meals. It’s one way to elevate the mundane. Learning about different ingredients and techniques, not to mention cultures, is a whole world to discover.

Volunteering

Volunteering in your community is a great way to give back to society. It can also offer you new perspectives and inspiration that you might not otherwise have encountered. It helps you develop a more empathetic and understanding view of people, which can be beneficial for both your personal and professional life.

Gardening

Watching the plants you’ve nurtured grow is extremely satisfying, and it can be a refreshing change of pace from working primarily indoors. Experiment with different plants, flowers, and landscaping techniques to create cohesive and visually appealing outdoor areas.

Yoga

It’s not just a fad. Yoga can help you to improve your physical health and to reduce stress and tension in your body. The fluid movements in yoga are especially great for aligning your body and mind after hours sitting in front of the computer screen.

Photography

Photography is a great hobby for many reasons. It's flexible, mobile and learning more about photography can help interior designers visually document and showcase their work, as well as develop a keener eye for composition, lighting and color.

Picking up a new activity (or bringing back one you’ve abandoned) can be an excellent way to stay inspired and motivated – and maybe make some new friends. So, go ahead and design your life to be as beautiful and enjoyable as you can imagine.

xx, Danae

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

Shop The Look: Books for Interior Designers

Want some more reading for the winter ahead? Check out the great titles we've collected for our Shop the Look: Book Edition!

9 Pro Tips for Effective Emails With Your Clients

Interior design is all about creating beautiful, functional spaces that reflect the personalities and lifestyles of the people who use them. As an interior designer, you are the creative force behind these spaces, and you need to be able to communicate effectively with your clients in order to bring their vision to life. One of the most important tools for communication in the design industry is email, and there are a few key tips that can help you write effective emails with your clients.

1. Get it in writing. Email is the best method of communication for discussing the terms of revisions, refunds or anything else you want to have a clear record of, both for easy future reference and to protect your company if ever necessary.

2. Be clear and concise. When you're communicating with your clients, you want to make sure that your message is clear and easy to understand. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that your clients may not be familiar with, and keep your emails as short and to-the-point as possible. Also consider using bullet points or numbers if there are several points that need attention.

3. Use a professional tone. As your clients are paying you for your expertise, make sure that your emails reflect this by using a formal, professional tone, while still friendly. Avoid slang or too-casual language, and be sure to proofread your emails before you send them.

4. Provide visual references. Visuals can be a great way to communicate with your clients. Whenever possible, include images or drawings in your emails so that your clients can get a better sense of what you're proposing. This will also make it easier for them to give you feedback.

5. Be responsive. When your clients email you, they want a timely response. Make sure to reply to your clients' emails as soon as possible, and let them know if you're going to be out of the office or unavailable for an extended period of time. This also sets the tone for clients to be more prompt about responding to you.

6. Be organized. Keep track of all the different emails you're sending and receiving, and make sure that you're addressing all of your clients' concerns. Use clear subject lines and add to the appropriate email threads as a means of sorting topics. You can also use email tags to help filter your conversations.

7. Follow up. If you've sent an email and haven't received a response, don't be afraid to follow up. A polite reminder can help ensure that your clients are keeping up with their end of the conversation.

8. Use a signature. A professional signature with your name, title, and contact information will give your emails a polished look and make it easy for your clients to get in touch with you.

9. Be flexible. Remember that every client is different, and you'll need to adjust your communication style to suit their needs. Be open to feedback and be willing to make changes to your emails if your clients suggest them.

Effective communication is crucial to the success of any interior design project, so it’s worth spending time crafting well-written emails. By following these tips, you'll ensure that your email conversations flow as smoothly as possible and ultimately facilitate better client relationships and more successful projects.

For even more help with client emails, check out this Mastering Client Emails Business Toolkit + Mini Guide!

Discover why email communication remains the preferred method in the industry and understand the importance of crafting each message precisely to foster strong client relationships.

We cover everything you need to know about emailing, including:

• Tailoring Communication to Client Types

• Anatomy of an Effective Email

• Email Tone and Style

• Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Establishing and Nurturing Client Relationships

• Simple Proofreading Practices

• Mastering Inbox Management

• Utilizing Effective Email Templates

• Action Checklist

Streamline your client communication, improve your organization, and establish better email systems with this must-have toolkit. Whether you're a seasoned designer or just starting out, Mastering Client Emails provides the solutions you've been looking for to enhance your professional interactions and boost your productivity.

Mastering Client Emails: A Business Toolkit + Mini Guide for Interior Designers

$25.00

Happy Emailing!

xxx, Danae

Bright Accent Pieces to Wash Away the Winter Blues!

It's time to brighten up your home and wash away your winter blues! We have compiled the best and brightest home decor accent pieces to change dreary to dreamy.

Using Scent & Fragrances in Interior Design

The use of fragrances in interior design is an underrated tool with the ability to influence our emotions, memories and overall mood in a way that visual elements cannot. They also impact how our brains interpret the elements we can see. By carefully selecting fragrances and incorporating them into a space, we can create a specific ambiance and enhance the overall experience of a room. And as interior designers, much of the information you will have already gathered about the personality of the clients and the mood of the space will guide you.

There are numerous forms of fragrances that can be used in interior design. Some of the most popular are candles, diffusers and room sprays, but there are also HVAC scenting systems that diffuse fragrance throughout a home or business. Scents can tell a unique story, and companies like Aroma360 create custom fragrances for both residential and corporate use.

An important rule to keep in mind is to keep fragrances subtle so that they are not overwhelming. This is especially important in places like an office, where not everyone has the same preferences, and harsh synthetic fragrances can even trigger allergies.

Another point to consider is longevity: how long the fragrance will last. Some fragrances are longer lasting than others, so you may choose a lighter base fragrance for a reed diffuser and reserve stronger fragrances for more controlled release formats, such as candles, which will be used occasionally.

When choosing scents for specific rooms or spaces, it’s essential to think about the desired ambiance and the activities that will take place there. Here are some examples:

Bedroom: calming scents such as lavender, chamomile, or jasmine can help to promote relaxation and restful sleep. Another option is a peaceful ylang ylang scent.

Living room: a warm, inviting scent such as vanilla or a cozy, woodsy scent like pine can create a welcoming atmosphere.

Kitchen: invigorating scents such as citrus, ginger or mint can energize the space and stimulate the senses.

Bathroom: refreshing scents such as sandalwood or peppermint can help to create a spa-like atmosphere. You could even add a eucalyptus branch in the shower area as a natural and decorative element.

Office: scents that promote focus and concentration, such as peppermint or rosemary, can be helpful for boosting productivity. Other options include an uplifting lemongrass or a refreshing tea tree scent.

Outdoor space: fresh, natural scents such as pine or cedar can help to create a cohesive and inviting atmosphere.

If you are thinking of incorporating scents into an interior design project, sit down with your client to find out what they like. This is a very personal preference, as much as the style of their home, so it's important to involve them in the selection or creation process. Use your own sensibilities to help narrow the options down to one or a limited collection of fragrances that will complement each other in the home.

Scent can make a real difference in how your clients feel when they step into their new space for the first time, as well as how they feel when they walk in the door at the end of each day after that.

xx, Danae

It's Reading Time: 10 Books Interior Designers Will Love!

Sometimes you just need a break from staring at the screen and to put your feet up with a good book. We’ve rounded up a selection of some favorite coffee table books, which can serve as inspiration, decoration, and conversation starters, plus a few dreamy novels if you want to get away for a little while.

100 Interiors Around the World

How could we not start with an interior design book? This compact coffee table book is a carousel of stunning snapshots from different countries and stylistic influences, from minimalist to eclectic and Brazil to Indonesia. It's a great way to get out of your bubble and admire the work of other designers.

Wild Interiors by Hilton Carter

Hilton Carter is an author and plant enthusiast who shares his personal plant journey and his top ten favorite house plants, and also profiles the beautiful homes and plant collections of 12 other plant enthusiasts around the world. He provides tips on how to decorate with plants in different types of spaces and offers advice on plant care.

Wonderland by Annie Leibovitz

An absolute legend in the photography industry, Annie Leibovitz shares striking moments in fashion spanning five decades in her coffee table book, Wonderland. It includes her most famous photographs featuring celebrities and style, as well as otherwise unpublished gems that can only be found within its pages.

Eat Drink Nap

Soho House is a chain of exclusive hotels, restaurants and clubs that has developed a reputation for its approach to hosting events and making guests feel at home. The company has compiled this book featuring insights and advice from its experts on how to recreate the Soho House experience in one's own home, including tips on design, lighting, cooking, and cocktail mixing.

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Breakfast: The Cookbook by Emily Elyse Miller

This book is one of Phaidon’s many gorgeous cookbooks and is a compilation of hundreds of easy-to-follow recipes for breakfast dishes from around the world, including notes on the cultural background and culinary characteristics of each dish. Breakfast includes recipes for a variety of sweet and savory dishes, including Egyptian Ful Medames, Mexican Chilaquiles, Chinese Pineapple Buns, American Scones, and Scottish Morning Rolls, among others.

Gold: The Impossible Collection (Special Edition) by Bérénice Geoffroy-Schneiter

If you’re looking to splurge, this premium Assouline book (which comes with complimentary white gloves) presents 100 examples of gold's use in art and artifacts, ranging from ancient civilizations to modern creations, and is packaged in a luxurious gold-covered case.

Remote Experiences by David De Vleeschauwer

A new gem courtesy of Taschen, Remote Experiences is a book that takes readers on a journey to 12 of the world's most isolated destinations, from a hidden kingdom in the Himalayas to the plains of Botswana. Photographer David De Vleeschauwer and writer Debbie Pappyn offer a tour of the people and places that remain untouched by modernity, from the North Pole to Antarctica.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

A cozy yet thought-provoking novel about a Tokyo back-alley cafe that has something very unexpected on the menu: time travel. Customers come hoping to get the most out of their visit - confronting and meeting people they didn’t have the chance to - but the experience doesn't come without certain rules and risks. And they must get back to the present before their coffee gets cold.

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Transit by Rachel Cusk

In Transit, the second book in Rachel Cusk's Outline trilogy, Faye, a writer, embarks on a challenging flat renovation after divorcing her husband. As she works on the project, Faye observes her neighbor's seemingly perfect family and deals with difficult neighbors. The renovation becomes a symbol for Faye's own struggles to rebuild her life.

Summer Crossing by Truman Capote

This younger, less polished novel by the author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s features Grady, a 17-year-old who belongs to 1945 New York's high society. She manages to escape from family plans and stay alone in her family's Central Park apartment. This apartment is an accomplice to the chaos of teenage passion over the summer while Grady's parents are distracted.

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Happy Reading!

xx, Danae

SideDoor: Transform Your Design Business

A Sourcing Tool That Makes Life Easier!

Monetizing an interior design business with products is a conversation that is ever evolving in the design industry. Between vendor accounts, affiliate links, buyer clubs and sales tools, at times it can be hard to decide what’s best for you and your business. Using a variety of these options can be very beneficial to your business and today, I’m going to share more information about one sales tool I came across that has become a real game-changer for many independent interior designers.

SideDoor is a sales tool and platform where interior designers can curate shoppable collections of products from their favorite vendors to share with their clients and/or social media followers. This tool gives you the option to create collections and invoices specifically for your clients AND it allows you to create collections in your style and brand to share on your website and social media platforms.

With over 150 popular vendors and average commissions of 30% this sales tool allows you to monetize your business in a much simpler way. There are over 4,000 creative professionals that use the tool everyday to simplify and monetize their business in all states.

So how does this work? Follow the steps below.

1. Request Access – you can go to www.onsidedoor.com and request to be a part of the program. SideDoor will review your request to see if you’ll be a good fit. Once you are accepted, you will get in on the early access program, which is currently FREE.

2. Curate Collections – After you are accepted, you can start creating collections using products from a vast array of vendors at vendor direct designer net pricing. You can share these collections in client proposals or directly online with your followers.

3. Share – Once your collections are curated you’ll be able to embed shoppable links on your website, blog and other social media platforms.

4. Earn Commission – When your clients or followers purchase products from you, you earn the spread between designer net and retail. SideDoor takes care of the rest.

5. Sit Back – Once your client makes a purchase, SideDoor will fulfill the order, get it to your client and deposit your earned commission.

If you are interested in learning more, you can visit the SideDoor website at www.onsidedoor.com to check out their current vendors, frequently asked questions and apply for access. You can also book a consultation with them to get more information.

SideDoor is a simple and easy to use tool but we know you are busy and actively growing your business. Whether you are currently using SideDoor or you decide to sign up now, we are here to help. There are several VDAs on my team who are able to help you manage your SideDoor account to make sure you are using the tool to its full potential.

As always, feel free to reply to this email with questions.

Have a wonderful day!

XX, Danae

Shop The Look: Winter Gear for Interior Designers

Dress for success - and to stay warm! Here is our curated collection of the perfect winter gear for interior designers.

Are You Thinking About Trying a New Interior Design Niche? Unique & Interesting Design Niches

Interior designers come in all shapes and sizes and I’m sure many you know, like yourself, may specialize in kitchen and bath or whole home. But what other niches are out there? The most recent niche to emerge is what I call the quarantine niche. Designers are designing homes with more recreational and entertaining space, more separation and sanitation and more comfort for those quarantined at home either alone or with other family members.

I thought it would be fun just to research other design niches that we often don’t think about on a day-to-day basis and this is what I found.

Aviation Design – There are interior designers who specialize in private jet design. This type of design is very challenging an extreme as you must be great with working with small spaces and working with all the codes that aircraft interior design entails.

Yacht Design – Although you could be working with more space than a private jet, this type of design is still challenging and requires knowledge of naval architecture and marine engineering.

AirStream Design – The other day I came across an interior designer on Instagram who specialized in AirStream interior design. Again, another change in our economy was the number of people who purchased RVs this spring and summer. Some of them have great bones but need an interior designer to create the luxurious and comfortable environment the owner wants.

She Shed Design – There are people who specialize in She Sheds, Man Cave, Playhouses and all sorts of room away from the home type structures. There are so many interesting options when it comes to this type of design.

Limo Design – Yes, there are people who design the interiors of limousines! I didn’t realize it until I did the research how crazy and luxurious limos can get. There are some that have narrow pools in them.

What other fun design niches can you come up with?

xx, Danae

How To Make Your Website More Accessible

“An inaccessible website can exclude people just as much as steps at an entrance to a physical location.” This is a reminder from the Americans with Disabilities Act website (ADA). As an interior designer, you probably frequently consider different types of accessibility in your designs, and that consideration should extend to your company's website.

While it’s not a legal requirement for all websites (see here if it is for you), complying with the standards laid out by the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design means a more inclusive and welcoming first point of contact with your business. Read on for examples of what this could look like on your website.

Colors & Contrasts

Comb through your website to see how color is currently used to highlight or distinguish content. People who are visually impaired will find it easier to navigate your website if there is greater contrast between text and its background, or if selected items are highlighted with other markers besides color, such as bold or underlined letters.

Headers & Labels

Understanding your website’s layout is much simpler with headers at the top of each page and titles introducing different sections on a page. And when it comes to forms, such as a contact form, there should be a brief description of what it is for and how to fill it out. Ideally, the settings would alert screen reader users if and how they’ve entered information incorrectly.

Alt Text

Text alternatives, also known as alt text or an alt tag, convey the purpose of an image, including photos and videos. Visually impaired people can use screen readers to hear the alt text read aloud. A useful alt text is brief yet provides a relevant description. One example would be: A bright minimalist kitchen with wooden cabinets and marble countertops, and an island with leather bar stools and brass pendant lamps. Bonus: alt text is good for SEO.

Captions

Apart from alt texts, one of the most obvious - yet too easily forgotten - ways to make videos more accessible is to add captions. For example, you may have a video presentation of your studio or a project walkthrough that you can update. Just try to make them as well synchronized as possible so that the experience is smooth for the hearing impaired.

A few final tips:

● Analyze your website with an accessibility checker such as accessibilitychecker.org.

● Find more ideas on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines website.

● Remember to apply these tips to your social media posts as well!

xx, Danae

Does Your Business Card Suck?

The team at Financially Wise isn’t sugarcoating it. “Your business card sucks” is their bold message, and they’ve got a revolutionary solution to bring the most classic business accessory up to date.

A traditional business card is printed on paper in large minimum batches, with information that is likely to change at some point. When handed to potential clients or business partners, it’s easy for them to lose it or never get around to taking the step of looking you up online. The result is that the card is often wasted, and opportunities fall flat.

A Ccard is a durable plastic digital card with a QR code that can instantly be scanned by anyone you’d like to share your information with, or used through the tap function on newer smartphones. This takes them right to your “mini website,” which is part of the package and works as a landing page that includes things like links to all your social media, portfolio images, and call-to-action buttons. This means your information will already be open on the other person’s phone, bringing them that much closer from the first point of contact.

This gives prospective clients and collaborators a chance to check out your work, and gives you the opportunity to address any questions or concerns they may have when considering working with you.

The pricing and features are available in three tiers. The Basic package gets you 1 card for which you can choose from a number of style options. You can also opt for the Custom package, which gives you 2 custom-designed cards to reinforce your brand image. And if you need a few more, the Team package includes 6 cards.

All packages, starting from the most basic, include a professionally designed mini website, which can serve as your main website or a bridge to your existing website. And all packages also provide Analytics, so you’ll have insights into visitors to the page. The Custom and Team packages additionally allow you to have e-commerce functions on your website.

As your business grows and evolves, you can always update your information via the dashboard or reach out to their team of specialists to edit your linked website.

It’s details like these that can help make a great impression when it comes to making new contacts…and keeping them!

xx, Danae

Start Creating Design Packages for Your Interior Design Business

For interior design studios that are able to provide the full spectrum of services, it might be tempting to lay out this extensive list of possibilities in order to wow potential clients or reach a broader client base. However, this approach has proven to be overwhelming and cause decision fatigue as clients look for options they can easily understand and choose with confidence.

Limiting the selection to about 3 or 4 design packages makes the exploration process clearer and more concise. In general, these are tiered, both in terms of scope of work and price points. This way your services are accessible to clients with a range of budgets, and they are able to get a quick overview of what to expect from the very beginning.

Each design package should have a name that reflects its level. Some designers like to present their packages with names like Silver, Gold, and Diamond. Others are more descriptive, such as Refresh, Transform, and Renovation. Take inventory of the services you want to promote, group them, and then decide on the most suitable name. Here are some examples of popular package concepts to get you inspired:

• Designer On Demand: Hourly Video Call Consultations

• Vision Boards: Clickable Shopping Lists

• E-Design: Complete Virtual Service

• Color & Material Selection: Fabric and Finishes

• Home Styling: Art and Accessories

• Custom Curation: Furnishing & Decor

• Full Service Design

• New Construction and Remodels

• Home Staging: Prep for Sale

Some design packages can be offered on a flat fee basis, per room or square foot, and many clients feel more comfortable knowing exactly how much the total investment will be. On-site services, especially those that include construction work, require a more thorough study in order to provide a realistic quote.

Bundling services into packages also guarantees you a worthwhile amount of work and allows you to establish practical processes for you and your team to execute. And the more you repeat these processes, the more streamlined they’re going to become, which translates into higher profits.

Remember:

• Design service packages that best represent your studio’s specialties or niche

• Be clear about what deliverables, formats, and revisions are included

• Charge an additional hourly rate for client requests outside the package scope

Let prospective clients know you’re available for a discovery call in order to assist them in determining which package best fits their needs. You may wish to offer online booking for a free 15 minute initial video call consultation.

Finally, as with all aspects of running your business, it's a good idea to occasionally analyze the results of the design packages you're offering, see what's working and what's not, and make adjustments as necessary.

xx, Danae

Top 10 Ways to Fully Enjoy & Experience the Holiday Season

As the internet begins to make jokes about Mariah Carey starting to defrost and holiday songs play overhead, it’s the perfect time to prepare for the season ahead. With a bit of intention and forethought, you can make the most of your holiday season. Here are ten tips to do just that!

1. Plan Ahead

Do your future self a favor and lock in your major plans ahead of time, outlining any prep work you need to do and creating lists, so you don't feel frantic as the dates approach.

2. Have Fun Decorating

Few things get people into the holiday spirit like seasonal decorating around the house. Get inspiration from Pinterest and other blogs, starting with our post on Simple and Elegant Holiday Tablescape Options!

3. Make Room for New Traditions

It can be liberating to remember that you're not bound by all the old holiday traditions you don't care for, and it can be a lot of fun and meaningful to create new ones with family or loved ones, such as new recipes or activities.

4. Choose Thoughtfulness Over Price

Not only can it benefit your wallet to not try to impress with the most expensive gifts, but the most memorable gifts are the ones that tell the person that you've paid attention to their interests and that they’ve been on your mind.

5. Be Intentional About Sharing

Sometimes it takes extra effort to arrange games to play together or create a space to share stories. If that's important to you, be sure to take the initiative and make time for it. Let your enthusiasm be contagious and allow others to add to the holiday bucket list!

6. Indulge in Moderation

When it comes to eating during the holidays, find a balance that makes you feel good. It's a time to enjoy, so indulge guilt-free, but pay attention to when your body tells you it's time to stop or introduce more nutritious foods.

7. Pick Your Battles

When certain relatives tend to stir up tension every year, don’t let it surprise you anymore. Brace yourself, set boundaries where you feel it’s important, get comfortable saying no, and try to let the rest go.

8. Tap Into Your Generosity

The holidays are a time when sharing and abundance are missed even more by those with less. Consider local volunteer opportunities or invite people you know who don't have family to celebrate with.

9. Get in Touch with Nature

Embrace the season by appreciating how the natural world changes and what winter has to offer. Whether it's playing in the snow, enjoying outdoor sports, or picking a sprig of holly berries or pine to make a wreath.

10. Take Time for Yourself

While one of the highlights of the holidays is the opportunity to spend more time with loved ones, it can be intense and exhausting. It's healthy and good to allow yourself some relaxing time alone to recharge your batteries in the midst of it all.

Happy Holidays!

xx, Danae

Tips for a Smooth Client Onboarding Process

Onboarding is the process of welcoming and familiarizing your new client with your company and the project journey ahead. After signing the contract, it's the first point of in-depth contact, so it's time to anticipate needs and exceed expectations. The onboarding process is all about forging a relationship with your client. They want to feel heard, informed, and taken care of, throughout the project process. While many interior design clients may not be repeat customers, their experience with you from the earliest phases will define your company's reputation and also unlock the potential of word-of-mouth marketing.

At a glance, a successful client onboarding process:

• keeps competitors at bay

• gives you the opportunity to upsell or cross-sell services

• helps you set expectations and avoid scope creep

• allows you to build a loyal client community

• provides insights into how to keep improving your business methods

Now, let’s look at several ways you can ensure a smooth client onboarding process.

Get to know the client and personalize their journey

Ask your client to answer a short online questionnaire to identify their pain points. Organize a meeting with the team to introduce yourselves. This is a personal touch that will facilitate future communication and demonstrate your commitment to the project. Follow up with a welcome email to your client to tell them how much you are looking forward to working with them and briefly outline the next steps that were discussed in the meeting.

Avoid information overload

While it’s vital to be transparent and make information accessible to the client, the goal is to streamline the process and facilitate the experience. So walk them through the main points and give them access to a Client Dashboard, where they can refer back to information like the contract, process outline, design options, and anything else that may be relevant. This will reduce unnecessary back and forth, give clients peace of mind, and prevent oversights that can lead to unmet expectations as the project progresses.

Include visual and interactive material

In the same spirit as the previous point, you can make the experience lighter and more enjoyable by incorporating different forms of media and interaction. Having videos on your website and social media allow clients to know you and understand better how you work. Consult a UX Design pro to fine-tune the format and functionality of things you send to clients: questionnaires, documents, inspiration images for feedback, or furniture options.

Stay available

Although you need to have a defined scope of work that includes a limited number of site visits and meetings, it’s important that clients can count on you to respond in a timely manner and resolve their concerns. That excellent service is one of the aspects that will have the greatest impact on the overall feeling and memory of the client’s experience. And it's what they’ll talk about when they recommend you to their family and friends.

Train and communicate with your teammates

The first step of onboarding is to be clear about who will be responsible for each step of the process. Everyone on your team should understand their role in order to keep things flowing, avoid redundant work and communications with the client, and so that no detail falls through the cracks. This kind of professionalism shines through to clients.

Celebrate small victories

Even if clients are well-informed, the interior design project process often turns out to be more complex and stressful than one might imagine. That's why it's so important to point out and celebrate project milestones with them along the way. This good energy will come across in your communication and site visits, helping to make the journey more enjoyable and convey confidence in the progress.

Review your onboarding practices

Be sure to write down all the steps you want to include in your client onboarding process. It should be detailed enough to be able to hand this process off to someone who is able to execute it. Put the process in a neat document, so that you can make any revisions over time and simply go through the steps each time a new client comes on board.

The chances of maintaining a positive relationship with a client are infinitely higher when you conduct a thorough onboarding procedure. While creating a successful onboarding plan may require some work upfront, it will ultimately save your team time and make your business run more smoothly.

xx, Danae

New Courses Available at Elite Design Assistants!

As a successful business owner, I’m sure you realized early on that in order to grow, scale and be successful you really need to be a lifelong learner. We are always learning and growing and strengthening our skills. If you are looking to polish your skills and/or learn new ones we’ve updated our courses page with some amazing new courses offered by industry partners.

The Standard, created by Sandra Funk at House of Funk, is an amazing course that teaches you step-by-step how to streamline your process and grow your firm into a luxury design business while giving yourself more freedom, creativity, and a job. This is the only program of its kind that not only provides a proven pricing model and turkey processes, but also the strategy, and tangible methods behind attracting and retaining luxury clients. This course is only open for enrollment twice per year! You can reserve your spot here, the next enrollment most likely will be around March 2023.

Chief Architect for Interior Designers is a Teachable-hosted course series, Kelly Fridline will broaden your knowledge of Chief Architect, Home Designer Pro, Sketchup, and Enscape. Kelly is an architecturally-trained designer and holds a Master of Architecture from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and almost a decade of professional experience, with 5 years working with Chief Architect software. Finally — a course specifically tailored to the Interior Design industry! You can either take the 6-course bundle or take the courses individually. The bundle is available here.

If you want to pick and choose from the individual courses, they are:

Chief Architect for Interior Designers – this is perfect for beginners.

Home Designer Pro – learn the ins and outs, and you’ll learn more than just the basics.

SketchUp Pro Organic 3D Modeling – Advanced 3D modeling in SketchUp Pro.

SketchUp Pro 3D Modeling – A full course on 3D modeling in SketchUp Pro.

SketchUp Free for Beginners – Learn 3D modeling in the SketchUp Free program.

Enscape for Interior Designers – Learn how to render in Enscape and create renderings that will make your clients say WOW!

We also have a Passive Investing course in the stock market for interior designers who are interested in learning how to increase their wealth. The course teaches you the ins and outs of starting your own brokerage account, and how to choose which stocks to buy and when to buy them. This course is perfect for those who are interested in learning how to get their money to make more money. Check it out here.

We are still working on passive investing in real estate and hope to see more information on that coming soon!

If there is something you are looking for in particular that you don’t see here let us know. We are always eager to help interior designers grow, scale, and create the business of their dreams!

xx, Danae

SEO Tips for Interior Designers & Remodelers

Jason Lockhart From Kitchen and Bath Marketing Solutions (KABMS.com) Gives Tips and Tricks For You To Get Noticed Online

Search Intent

You must produce the kind of content that users are seeking if you want to be found on Google. Aligning your content with search intent is what is referred to as, and it's arguably the most crucial aspect of SEO. If you sell kitchen cabinets online, for instance, you might want to rank for the phrase "Efficient storage & waterproof kitchen cabinetry." Your initial thought might be to make a product category page where you can list all the waterproof cabinets and effective storage solutions you offer. But if it's not what searchers are looking for, doing this would be a mistake. Regional search shows the top-ranking pages in Google for this keyword is a listing of blog posts, as you can see here.

Image: Google Ranking Websites based on Searcher Intent

Crafting Title Tags

The primary purpose of the title tag is to describe what the website's visitors and search engines can expect from it, in the most concise way possible. The significance of title tags includes:

Initial Impressions:

When conducting a search, the potential visitor will typically notice your title tag first. Consequently, this is your chance to leave a good impression.

Leverage Your Brand:

People believe in brands. Ensure your brand name is prominently displayed in your title tag if you are a household name in your industry. Once more, this encourages the click and increases traffic.

Search Engine Bots:

Additionally, remember that Google (and other search engines) considers your title tag among other things.

Image: Title Tag Truncation in SERPs

Page Experience

In 2021, Google updated the mobile page experience. The business started rolling it out on desktops in February 2022. The following are the components it has for desktops:

• Core web vitals

• No intrusive interstitials (Intrusive interstitials and dialogs are page elements that obstruct users' view of the content, usually for promotional purposes)

• HTTPS (Network Security Protocol)

Although page experience indicators like Core Web Vitals are crucial for SEO, it's important to maintain perspective. One of more than 200 ranking factors is Core Web Vitals. They won't likely be a particularly strong signal, but if they're subpar, it's always worth fixing them to improve the experience for your visitors.

Image: Google Search Console Reports on Core Web Vitals

Want to know more? This information was provided by Jason Lockhart at Kitchen and Bath Marketing Solutions. They offer specialized digital marketing solutions for the Interior Design and Home Remodeling Industry. Kitchen and Bath Marketing Solutions offers a complete suite of digital marketing services to help interior designers and home remodeling professionals boost their brand recognition, promote their services, and convert casual onlookers into customers. Our services include but are not limited to: SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – Pay-Per-Click Advertising – Reputation Management – Customer Relations Management System (CRM) – Campaign Tracking – Public Relations (PR) – Consulting.

Visit their website KABMS.com and feel free to connect for a free consultation call.

xx, Danae