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If you are a driven entrepreneur with dreams of starting your own interior design business, you can do really well for yourself in this field. But first, you need to be prepared for all the curve balls life as an interior design business owner will throw you. How can you prepare for business challenges at a business you have not opened yet? You can learn from the experts! Find out the top things owners wished they knew before they started their own interior design business in this post to help you sidestep the expected.
Own Your Personal Esthetic
The first piece of business advice any successful interior design business owner will give you is to own your esthetic. Do not try to be whatever a particular client wants you to be. Do not try to recreate interior design ideas you see Joanna and Chip Gaines using on TV. Discover your own personal interior design esthetic. Then, make sure you to stick to it. Incorporate client wishes and tastes into their home design, of course. But, remember to always keep your designs in line with your esthetic. This is what will make you successful, not hopping on board all the new interior design trends as they crop up.
Make Social Media Work For You
Social media is an integral part of business marketing in today’s digital age. Make sure you take advantage of its widespread availability for your new interior design company. Create business profiles for all the top social media platforms, like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. You should also consider creating business accounts for other industry-specific marketing tools, like LikeToKnowIt Home or Pinterest. This is the best way to get your name out there and into the public arena for interested interior design clients. It will also help you form industry connections that can be a huge help. As long as you post regularly, creating social media accounts for your new interior design business can make a huge difference.
Forget The Business Cards
Business cards seem to be the first business expense for beginner interior designers and owners of all types of business. This could prove to be a waste of time. Business cards will not be necessary until you plan to attend industry events and interior design trade shows. Before then, you will find little need for your business stationary and business cards. Instead, save that money and spend time generating leads on social media. This will prove to be a more effective marketing strategy for new businesses with a limited budget.
Administrative Tasks Are A Necessary Evil
Remember to keep business administration responsibilities as a top priority when starting your business. Interior designers are artists. Tedious administrative responsibilities are definitely not your forte. However, they are a necessary evil when you own your own business. Running a successful interior design business requires marketing, strategizing and less-interesting administrative tasks like scheduling and emailing. Taking care of these tasks as your number one top priority will help you reach financial stability. That is what the success of your interior design company will hinge on. Make sure you remember this, as it is one of the most important interior design business lessons you could possible learn.
Being Genuine Should Be A Priority
Interior designers work closely with their clients and partners. You will not get repeat customers or referrals if you are not personable and genuine. Form genuine relationships when providing interior design services for the home or office. As an interior designer, you are responsible for delivering happiness. Being friendly and genuine with your customers will help you do just that. It will also help you establish a credible business that customers can trust. This will help you to start an interior design business that is sure to reach success.
If you are an entrepreneur who hopes to open their own interior design business in the near future, you want to be prepared. Starting an interior design business will be a long road full of plenty of potholes and wrong turns. Thankfully, you can learn from the experiences of the interior design professionals that have come before you. Expert interior designers have cited the five lessons above as some of the most important lessons for future interior designers. Soak them in, and then incorporate them into your practice to achieve the success you have always dreamed.
Photo from http://www.raffles.edu.au/courses/interior-design.html
