In the interior design game who you know is just as
important as what you know and how skillful you are at leveraging your
connections to gain exposure and grow your business. A network of friends, colleagues and mentors
is one of the important tools for your success.
You will also find your clients are a significant part of your
networking advantage in the marketplace.
Your clients will be a large part of the old “word of mouth” marketing
you’ve heard so much about. You want to
make sure your clients hear and understand what you want them to talk
about. A clear message is important in
creating good “word of mouth” throughout your network. What they tell their friends and how they tell
it will take you far in this particular aspect of marketing. As we will discuss later in this chapter the
other components of marketing will also have in impact on your message. Understanding the individual pieces of the
overall concept of marketing and public relations is part of good client
management and promotion.
As with all
aspects of marketing it is important to create and implement a strategy that
will benefit you and your firm through networking. An excellent choice might be to align and
partner with key referral sources. These
sources might include realtors, architects, builders and contractors that
already do business with your target clientele.
In this instance your marketing will be directed at them and your
message should contain benefits for them that show how you can help them be
more successful in their business. In
some instances it might also be appropriate to offer an incentive for referrals
to potential clients. A relationship
with these key individuals based on excellent service and mutual benefit for
the client will result in the easiest and best leads. These can be invaluable contacts since the
clients call you ready to hear what you can offer because the referral partner
has spoken so highly of you and your firm.
Your network will
also include membership in numerous trade, civic and professional
organizations. Although in many
instances you will be talking to people in the same business as you it is still
important to convey as succinctly as possible your “networking” word of mouth
message. Within each of these types of
organizations are members who will talk about you and what you offer to the
specific group and as a professional.
Their clients, friends and family are an extended network to whom you
want to speak. It is the members of the
organizations you join who take your message to them. Their family and friends then send your
message out to their friends and colleagues.
Remember, good news as well as bad goes out through your network. It has been said that for every one good message
spoken along the network trail as many as six might be spoken if it’s bad
news. You never want your message to
become simple gossip. Maintain a consistent
stream of good news about you and your business for people to share. Let them know when you create a new division
within your firm, when you hire a new employee and what awards you might be
receiving. All of this type of news is
worthy of repeating and will enhance your standing in the community. Don’t inundate your network with a constant
stream of uninteresting items or true gossip.
Make sure what you share speaks to your acumen as a business person and
professional and don’t try to fill the “airwaves” with a constant stream of
chatter.
Comments