The most common branding mistake interior designers make
If I ask you what you do for a living and your answer includes “I help others,” “I help people”, or “I help everyone,” then no matter what you say after those words, you’ve just made the most common branding mistake interior designers make.
Why?
Because “others,” “people,” and “everyone” is the equivalent of no one.
If you are determined to have a brand that stands out, you need to get specific.
This probably isn’t news to you. Branding experts say it all the time – “find your niche,” “go deep not broad,” “get specific.” They say to describe your ideal client, build them an avatar, give them a name.
But *how* do you get specific?
Well, if you say “people,” I’m going to ask you “what people.” People who live in luxury homes, have second homes, and drive Teslas? Or is it people who live in small homes, are first time homeowners, and prefer public transportation? What people?
If you say “others” – others who? Other interior designers? Other solo-preneurs? Other creative-minded people who actually wish they were interior designers?
And if you say “everyone”… well, no. Because maybe you *can* help anyone, but that is a hard group to market to. If you want to get a facebook ad in front of “everyone” you’d better have a helluva budget.
Still not getting it? Let’s think outside the interior design industry to get a better handle on this idea.
How many real estate agents have you met? Rooms full of them, right?
They all want you to refer them, but they all blend into each other. But what if one agent introduced themselves as “the expert agent for downsizing seniors who need help both finding their new home, and emotionally letting go of the old one,” and another introduced themselves as “the expert agent for new homebuyers in Seattle who need a lot of handholding through the process,” and a third that says they are “the expert agent for investors who want a fearless negotiator to help them buy their next multi-family property on the cheap.” That kind of intro gives your brain something to sink its teeth into, something that helps you remember them when it’s time for a referral.
How many business coaches have you met? And how many of them “help others realize their full potential” or “help people be their best selves?”
Snooze.
Why not “I help ex-corporate slaves turn that corporate knowledge into a thriving small business” or “I help stay-at-home moms develop systems that let them be both a great mom and a great business woman” or “I help residential interior designers have a profitable business without fear of being shopped” (that last one is me 😉).
Does that mean the real estate agent, or the business coach, or you, can’t help folks outside their niche? Of course not. As a SCORE small business volunteer I’ve coached everyone from a nutritionists to a gal who maps global health epidemics. But if I were to say I can coach “anyone” then I’d just be white noise. Same for you. If you just say you’re an interior designer, then you really haven’t said anything.
Good branding does three things:
- It sets you apart so you are memorable and referable.
- It filters out the bad-fit-for-you clients, and draws in the great-fit-for-you clients.
- It focuses and targets your message, which in turn lets you have an affordable marketing budget.
Sure, you can help anyone, but you are GREAT at helping certain kinds of people. Don’t be afraid to say it!
What if you don’t know your niche?
If you are a newer interior designer you may not yet know who you best serve. So try on a couple niche ideas and see how they land at a networking event. You’ll find that certain ones will make people pause and say “really? tell me more.” For example:
- If your spouse is a doctor so you really get the daily life of a medical professional, try saying “I’m an interior designer for doctors – I make sure their home is a place of rejuvenation and restoration so they do their best work healing others.”
- If you used to work in HR in the corporate world, try saying “I’m a residential interior designer for HR professionals who spend their day putting out other people’s fires – I make sure their home is a place that doesn’t demand anything of them at the end of the day.”
- If you have special needs child, then you have an opportunity to share what you’ve learned and put it to good use for others in the world. You can say “I help moms and dads of special needs kids create family spaces that make it more fun and easy to raise their kids, while still feeling like they live in a grown up, non-hospital space.”
Don’t get me wrong – I am *not* saying this is easy. But I promise that if you do the work you *will* be more memorable, you *will* be more referable, and you can even collaborate with your fellow interior designers instead of competing with them. All in all, put the work into good branding and a clear message, and you’ll have a more successful interior business that you enjoy. Doesn’t that sound great?
Want to know how your message is coming across right now? Why not have me send you a website first impression evaluation? For just 250 bucks you’ll have a professional evaluation of your website based on five key branding attributes. My fresh eyes can give you the feedback you need to help elevate and focus the first impression you make on your clients. 😀 Click “Seriously Happy Website Eval” on the contact form and let’s get this party started! 🎉
May your interior design business always make you happy!
❤️ Rebecca
Hi! I’m Rebecca!
When I closed my design biz to move to Paris I discovered how hard it was for me to refer my clients to other designers because I couldn't tell what the designer did, who they did it for, or what they delivered!
Now I'm on a mission to help designers nail their niche and set clear client expectations.
It's all about being able to clearly communicate what you do, who you do it for, what they should expect, and what they'll get, and it's the #1 key to getting hired by clients you love to work on projects you're proud of!