ABC’s of Fine Design

I have been thinking more and more about starting my own interior design business, but I will be waiting until after the Christmas season as I don’t believe that anyone will have cash to do much. I may offer some decorating services, but even then I think it will be hard. Because I know it’s going to be hard to get going I have been looking into internet marketing to use for a design business. If your into interior design and want to start a business, but are not big on all the internet stuff I would recommend you check out networksolutions.com. They offer many great services to get your new design business and your name out there so that you can not only do well, but become a known expert in the design field. They do this by offering help with pay per click and email advertising.

I think anyone who is going into the interior design field, or any field for that matter should really think about getting a website and getting their name out there, even if the website is just a portfolio that showcases your work, you would really be amazed what that may do for you. I will be setting one up soon and will of course post about it here so that you can check out my school projects.

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I have been thinking of starting a decorating and house staging business. I think it may be the best way for me to get the experience I need to get into a good company. I know that sounds strange but because many states require that I take and pass the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Education) I need to have 2 years of work experience under someone who also has passed the test, so now you see where my thinking comes in.

Anyway I think if I can prove that I can handle clients and work with people it may help me land that job after I graduate. Home stageing is something I have always been interested in so it works well for me. I have spent some time thinking of ways I can get the word out once I can get things going. I thought sending Business Christmas Cards or general holiday cards to people from a mailing list might help me get some interested clients. I want to do something different and unique that will get their attention. I may even include a discount coupon or something. The good thing is that I wouldn’t have to charge a ton of money for it either. I could do a free walk though and then offer the price for my services.

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Something you want to remember to do if your starting a design business is to thank your customers for their orders, or jobs. You want to make them feel like they are the only customer you have and that you actually care about them, personaly. You can do this by sending personalized Thank you cards. I know it seems like a duh type thing but many people are not doing this anymore and if your a home based design busness that is just starting out then you want the good reputation a simple thank you card can give you.

I personaly like this card from cardsdirect.com. It has a great simple design and would work well for an interior design firm or small business. Of course there are others to choose from, this one is just my favorate and one I would use. What I like most about cardsdirect is that you can personalize them so you cover that part where you make the customer feel special. If your client referred a customer to you you can get a thank you for the referral card and send them a discount on their next job or order. Remember you want to keep a thank you card simple, but personal enough that the person reading it belives you really took the time to think about the card you sent out.

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Customization is a big thing for businesses, custom pens, stationary and other items are one of the best ways to get word out about your business. This is no different when you have an interior design business. If your just starting giving out items with your name on it will make people recognize you later on. They will think back and go, “oh I remember getting something from them once. When it comes to interior design I would recommend putting your name on something that can be used to decorate a home such as a pot or picture frame. It doesn’t have to be big and bold but something that someone who comes in can take with them and put in there home. Of course you need to make sure it reflects the type of business you do. If your a kitchen designer you could use a decorate plate or spoon.

There are many ways to get your name out there, be creative

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If your considering starting a design business you should really decide if your going to have employees. You want to have a good training program in place that will help you to succeed in your business and help it grow into something that you are proud of and enjoy doing.

There are many ways to train employees one is to use vedios or computer programs, Six Sigma Training a program that will provide great training for a good price and can be used by many business.

If you are working on your own you still will need to look into training for yourself. Go to a seminar or take some collage classes if you haven’t already. Be prepared and your business will succeed.

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Right now many people are concerned with gas prices so they are going to smaller cars and trying to get the best gas mileage they can they also look for other ways to save money like comparing online auto insurance to get the best deal. I’m all for that, but at the same time you have to look at what is best for your business.

Most of the time a designer wants a good size car or even a truck. You want something you can put all of the pots, plans and accessories you need to do your job in. Normally these are gas hogs, but now many dealers have come out with hybrid trucks and SUV’s so if your a soon to be designer or even just want to start a decorating business I would look into one of these cars if you can afford it. Not only is it good for the environment some of your clients or potential clients may like it too.

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If your just starting your own interior design business you want to make sure your logo is perfect. In class I spend hours working on one to use for my school project. It was fun and I love to use it but it won’t help me with getting the word out about my blog, my business.

Recently I tried a new website that provides logo design for you. You make it and they can put it on almost anything. It’s very easy to use and is also a lot of fun. I use business cards to promote my blogs and this is a great way to do it. LogoYes.com has a huge selection of logos and they change out there graphics every day or so that way someone else will not have the same or similar logo as you do. I’m planning on ordering a set of these just to check them out.

Having a good interior design business means getting the word out about it. You can put your logo on anything, mouse pads, business cards, mugs and hand them out to potential customers. It’s something to think about.

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