Starting Your Career as an Interior Designer: The Business of Interior Design

Jean (Jeanne)

Blog # 101  Jean (Jeanne)  09/02/2009

This past weekend accomplished all I desired from my travels.  I met the crew at INS (International Speakers Network) and a slew of professional speakers.  Many of us presented to the group of about seventy-five and were recorded for use in promotion.  We worked from about 8 AM on Friday and Saturday until about 5 PM both days.  Many of us also participated in an additional seminar about marketing and public relations for little or no money.  That seminar presented by Michael Hart, a media and marketing expert, speaker and talk show host, was worth every penny of the price of admission.  He presented us with one idea after another of how best to garner local and national press without spending a ton of money.  As a matter of fact almost everything he talked about is free.  You will have to spend time doing the work but there is no cost to most of his ideas.  He also gave solid, real, stories of success with each and every idea he presented.  www.MichaelHartSpeaks.com  

David Wright, Greg Wright, Jeanne Baach, Dona Merritt, Jamie Boyle, Joanna, Brian and the rest of the engaging and professional team from INS created a two day workshop that proved to be very valuable to most of the participants.  I am very encouraged by my participation and believe INS is now more able to place me as well as help me market my speaking products.  They all proved to be very responsive to what I thought my needs might be and were also able to direct me to other options I might not have considered. 

If you are thinking about writing a book contact Joel Orr, who believes there is a book in each of us. He has concrete and workable ideas that will help you get going and creating the book of your dreams.  www.joeltrainsauthors.com  

The group of speakers was just the very best assembly of passionate, sensitive, interesting, creative and intelligent people I’ve seen put together in one place in a long time.  I am looking forward to continued contact with a number of those people and I will, from time to time, reference my conversations with them.  There is definitely more to come.  And, Jeanne, I told you there was a song out there with your name in it.

On Top of Old Smokey

I leave tomorrow for a speaker’s conference and workshop in Gatlinburg, TN.  As some of you may know Gatlinburg is the gateway to the Smokey Mountains Nations Park.  As a kid my parents took my brother and me on a driving trip from Memphis, TN to Washington, DC and along the way we stopped at the Smokey Mountains.  I remember vividly the glorious mountains and particularly the black bears.  Yes, in those days everyone would stop their car, get out and watch the bears just cross the road.  Well, maybe it was just because we were young that my parents stopped the car.  At any rate I have fond memories of the area.  So, you ask, why Gatlinburg for the workshop.  The International Speakers Network is located in Sevierville, TN and Gatlinburg offers hotels that can accommodate a small conference.  I’ve been a member of the ISN for a number of years but this is the first time I’ll have the opportunity to meet the people with whom I have spoken from time to time. 

So, how does this enhance my professional position within the design community?  As many of you know I believe strongly in positioning your business and your persona as an expert in the field of interior design.  What better way to gain that position than to speak often about our profession?  With the publication of “Starting Your Career as an Interior Designer” I have a wonderful opportunity to speak at venues all around the country.  To be invited to do that I also need a few tools to help me along.  During this workshop I will be able to present to the attendees a short talk.  I have chosen to present a piece I done for the past year and a half called The Seven Deadly Sins and Eight Heavenly Virtues of Interior Design.  The talk can be as short as I will need but will also allow time at the end for a few questions and answers.  The whole point is to let the audience feel a part of the presentation and ask those questions they will be dying to ask.  The nice part is this group isn’t all interior designers.  As a matter of fact I believe I will be the only designer there.  The presentation will also be filmed.  Now I will have the book, a tape of me speaking to a group and what is called a one-sheet that describes the type of speaking I do.  This will all make it easier for ISN to promote me as an appropriate speaker at various meetings, seminars and conferences across the country.  I think it is a great opportunity for me and I plan to make full use of all the learning experiences that will be available there.  I will also get to see other professional speakers in action and ask them questions about the world of motivational speaking and conferencing.  I’m only there for three days and nights but they will be action packed.  And, I’ll get a chance to enjoy those lovely mountains.  As they say, getting out is such fun.

It Takes Two

As with the selection of fine wine, luxury automobiles and great cigars the selection and placement of fine art is a choice which requires a discriminating eye, a knowledgeable vocabulary and an educated experience to make the best choice.  The appreciation and collection of fine art involves, for many, a visceral reaction to the pieces being viewed.  The overwhelming and breathtaking beauty of the creation will also impact any decision about purchase.  It becomes a challenge to make selections that will become part of a collection designed to endure and expand.  Although gallery owners and artists often include themselves in the decision process the collector often needs an eye less focused on sales and more in tune with the overall objectives of the purchase and the life style of the collector.  For many, working with an interior designer is part of the process.  Most professional interior designers are conversant with the many facets of fine art but would never try to assess what purchase would be the best investment for their clients.  The designer will, instead, work to balance the mix of fine art purchased and determine what pieces are needed to round out a particular collection.  The interior designer will not try to make purchases match an existing interior but will make suggestions that will augment the collection and expand its range and, if needed, diversity.     

For most savvy collectors the inclusion of a professional interior designer is part of the creation of a team of professionals he or she employs to add a well rounded perspective to the collection and to define particular selections.  This team, comprised of the gallery owner, the artist, the interior designer and possibly an architect, will supply a measured response to the art in question and help to ensure the pieces purchased are appropriate for the spaces involved.  All members of the team should have a working knowledge of the existing collection and be conversant with the owner as to type and style of new acquisitions sought. 

New construction and renovation add another layer to the selection process not found at any other time in the life of a collector.  In many instances the interior design professional will be called in to consult long before any final architectural drawings are approved for construction.  In fact, many designers create the space before an architectural engineer or architect is consulted.  The interior designers will work with the collector to ascertain exactly how the collection will be placed and what, if any, new pieces are required.  The designer will also bring into play his or her knowledge of style and type of interiors needed to best present the collection.  Whether contemporary art or traditional European oils, the professional designer will have the training and education necessary to make selections for the spaces involved that will live in harmony with the fine art of the collection.   Owners of an existing collection are particularly anxious to make decisions on placement of pieces before the walls start going up.  A consultation with a professional interior designer will help define space requirements and his or her interior architectural training will ensure the space is appropriate to the collection.  The interior designer’s skill as a project manager will also ensure the proposed work moves forward in a timely manner.  Selections will be made long before the construction begins and the art collection will be ready to mount once the space is completed.

The renowned American interior designer, Mark Hampton, worked closely with his clientele to expand and display collections in some of the most superb interiors in the world.  Mr. Hampton started as a student at the London School of Economics before switching gears to earn a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from New York University.  His education and superb trained eye helped many clients create or expand collections both here and abroad that are recognized as some of the most important private collections in existence today.  In working with his client and gallery owners Mr. Hampton defined what pieces were needed to augment a particular collection.  Mr. Hampton’s role was not as a fine art expert but as an arbiter, in collaboration with his client, of selection and style.

In the rarefied and exclusive arena of the fine art collector decisions must be made that will impact a collection for years to come.  Investment is always part of the equation.  Most collectors are also true connoisseurs and would rarely make a decision based solely on projected return on investment.  The beauty of the piece is what first draws a sophisticated and educated collector to the art.  The team that works with the collector brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to compliment the requirements and wishes of the owner.  As part of that team a professional interior designers also brings a sense of the milieu in which the art will be displayed; an important requirement for any serious collector.  Collectors are among the most interesting and educated group with which interior designers work.  Designers appreciate the true love of fine art their clients bring to the equation.  By working with interior designers a collector is able to assemble a team of professionals that will ensure a balanced and diverse world-class collection. 

People

On Monday Robert and I met with a small group of design professionals who are all also members of the Best Practices Network and part of the larger Designing Profits, Inc. group.  We wanted to meet before the large September conference to discuss where we all are in terms of the current economic climate and what types of things we would like to see addressed at this very important meeting of some of the most influential interior designers in America.  The names of those attending read like a Who’s Who of design.  Mark Cutler and his office manager, Anna, hosted the event in their design studio tucked away just around the corner from the “Blue Whale” in LA.    Phil Norman and his new FIT design graduate associate, Elif.  Debbie Baxter from Texas flew in from her summer vacation.  Connie McCreight from LA, Bill Miller and his partner, Matthew, from Palm Springs, Bozena Chorazewicz from the LA area, Marcy Simmons from Santa Barbara, Carol Parra-Little also flew in from Roseville, CA, Corinne Brown from Mammoth Mountain attended and, of course, the two of us.  This group is a formidable team of business and design professionals if ever there was one.

I must admit I was overwhelmed with the openness of the discussions.  We talked about the current state of design, how to acquire new clients, how to get past clients to come back and do more work.  We envisioned ways to develop projects with architects, builders and construction teams.  We talked about the very hard choices needing to be made with employees and tightening the purse strings.  Each of us had “war stories” to tell of the past eighteen months.  Each of us also had inspiring stories of successful marketing campaigns, new projects in the pipeline and ideas for better and more effective marketing. 

I was particularly impressed with the idea that what was old just may be new again.  I’m talking about person to person contact.  With so much attention going to social networking, direct marketing campaigns, advertising and email blasts it just might be possible we, as a group, have forgotten what most of us knew from day one.  Referrals, referrals, referrals.  Mark Cutler made a point of saying now just might be the time for each of us to remember how we started.  Debbie Baxter pointed out that the most important type of communication we do is person to person.  Yes, we all began with just talking to people about who we were and what our business was.  Now could be the best time of all to resurrect that old warhorse of a public relations campaign.  It’s very affordable and all it requires is some of your time.  Start attending those old-fashioned art gallery openings, go to any and all ribbon cuttings and store openings.  If it’s in the budget, attend the theater and other gatherings.  Don’t forget the art of conversation.  You just might be surprised at the responses you get.  Tell people who you are and invite them to your studio.  Ask them about their work and how it is faring in today’s environment.  Don’t dwell on the negative and always be sure to end the conversation in an upbeat manner.  Imagine, even our group of high-powered influential designers believe, to a certain extent, that going back to basics might be a very valuable tool in today’s world of lean and mean marketing machines.  The techniques may be old-fashioned but most of us agreed they aren’t, necessarily, out of style.  Spruce your style up and get out there and meet some future clients.

Thank you, to each and every member of BPN and especially those who attended Monday’s workshop.  Your experience and support are invaluable to Hale-Williams Interior Design. 

Easy To Be Hard

There are times when I believe we are too hard on ourselves and what we perceive as failings or faults.  Running a business and creating beautiful interiors is not as easy as the television shows make it seem.  We are under constant economic and creative pressure to be the very best we can be.  Sometimes, though, we just have to relax a little and take stock of what we are accomplishing and what more can be done.  Now is not the time to beat yourself up over what might have been, what could have been or what shouldn’t have been.  Now is the time to review what you have achieved over the past eighteen months.  Most of us knew and acknowledged we were in a recession about that long ago.  So, what did you do to prepare for the tidal wave of bad news from the media and the markets around the world?  All of us began to cut back on overhead and tried to find ways to market our business in a more hands-on way.  We looked at the things we had done in the past that didn’t cost as much as some advertising and found ways to reduce our rent and other expenses.  So, you see, there are things you have accomplished and you should pat yourself on the back.  It has not been easy to stay in business the past year and a half.  As a matter of fact it is estimated more than twenty percent of the interior designers and wannabes in America closed shop.  It’s not for me to try to discover where they went I just know that now is a great time to think about expanding your reach within your particular region or area.  While you take stock of what has happened be sure to be kind to yourself.  I know you may have had to let people go whom you felt were almost like family.  You reduced your rent by moving to a smaller space.  There are fewer hands to do some of the same work.  In the process, though, you have achieved a trim and mean fighting machine of a business.  You learned the lessons of outsourcing and found ways to use resources within your community that you had overlooked in the past.  In good times we often let expenses and less than perfect performance slide along without real pressure to keep fit and trim.  You’ve learned a lot over the past time and it hasn’t all been pretty.  Still, you are the one in business even as we speak and you are the one who will prosper as the days go by.  How do I know?  I’ve seen it before.  Oh, not as bad as this has been but the dynamics of any slow down or full-fledged recession are similar enough to see what is about to happen in this country and within our profession.  It’s also falling into place at just the right time on the calendar.  Within three weeks everyone will get into the “back to school” mode of the late summer and early autumn.  If you don’t believe all of us brought up in this country don’t secretly live our lives based on the school system on which we were brought up I have news for you.  The pent-up demand is about to reach a mini-frenzy.  Trust me, your phone will ring and you will get busier.  We’ve already seen just a glimmer of what I’m talking about.  So, be kind to yourself and those who still work with you.  It’ time to look to the future and the many possibilities out there for all of us.  Ain’t life grand?

Time of the Season

On CNN this morning there was a report on housing sales in

America.   It seems new house sales were up over 11% from the previous month.  What exciting and positive news.  The reader then, of course, had to follow up with how much sales are still lagging from twelve months ago.  Darn, can’t they leave well enough alone?  For every good news story, and there are a few out there, most news teams follow up with a comparison of how things were a year or two ago.  Now is not the time for that type of reflection.  Indeed, now is the time for some expansive future planning.  Warren Buffett, the “Oracle of Omaha” has been buying shares in some of

America

’s largest companies since last January.  Does he know something we don’t?  Not really, but now is also the time to think about reinvestment; maybe not in the stock market but certainly in your business.  As we roll into August many people across the country will be planning vacations and time away from the office.  On the East Coast, particularly, August has always been a time of slower sales, fewer client calls and less business being done.  Heck, even the people on Wall Street go to

Martha's Vineyard

for two weeks in August.  So, thing slow down.  Here on the West Coast we have the same type of energy going on.  Business, itself, slows down but there are more people in town than at any other time of the year.  The hospitality business is particularly busy in and around the Monterey Peninsula.  People flock to

California

this time of year to spend time both in the mountains and the shores.  There are even a few who love the desert this time of year.  Whatever.  This is a great time to plan for your marketing campaign for the autumn.  Be ready to start up fresh and excited come Labor Day.  Take the time over the next few weeks to reflect about your best attributes as a business and business person and incorporate those into your marketing plan.  I always find this part of the process fun and interesting.  I love to plan for what will come.  I’m tired of listening to people continually spout the words from each news cycle as if it were the gospel.  As we roll into autumn we should all be prepared to get busier.  How to prepare is part of your planning and preparation.  Now may be the time to start that direct marketing campaign.  You might consider attending a business seminar outside of your area.  You’ll meet other like-minded designers and hear ideas from all over the States you might not have heard just sitting at home.  Whatever you decide to do, invest as much as you can in time, energy and money to achieve the best possible outcome for your business.  Don’t throw money around willy-nilly but make sure some of it goes to promote your business.  All indications are there is a huge pent-up demand for our services.  We just have to let them know we are here and ready to go to work.  Now is the season for us to see new and exciting successes.  Get a positive attitude and work in a determined and forthright manner.  You can’t fail.

Lightin' Strikes

I was contacted this morning to participate in an interview for the International Interior Design Association’s (IIDA) Perspective magazine.  Sarah Robertson, the editor and writer, has asked me to speak to the current economic state and how to get ahead even in this economy.  For those of you who read this blog it will come as no news that I believe now is one of the best times to enter this profession.  There has been a massive number of dilatants and wanna-be’s leaving the ranks for greener fields and that leaves more room for true professionals who will not muddy the waters with shoddy business practices and lax morals when it comes to ethics.  So, I am looking forward to talking to the professionals at IIDA.  This is the third interview request since the book was released and I like talking to other writers about this profession.  It also helps me market my design services as well as bringing attention to the book.  Each interview helps position Hale-Williams Interior Design in the market as experts in the field.  It works for us for professionals who are seeking guidance in business practices and how to operate their business.  It also works for perspective clients who might be looking for a professional design team.  The perception being if we are recognized as experts in the field of interior design business management we are probably also very good at managing projects for clients in the field.  Both of which, of course, are true.  As our brand expands to include the current book and the book to be released in March of 2010 we will be seen as the go-to guys for business and design.  Now, we’ve just got to get that phone ringing.  And, just like the man in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” I want to be able to say, “Did I tell you I was struck by lighting seven times in my life”?  Each time we get a call from a perspective client it’s just like getting struck by lighting.  In this particular instance it’s actually a lot of fun.

More Than You Know

I had a discussion last week about what everyone was doing to stay afloat right now.  There are all sorts of little indications things are beginning to turn around but we’re not out of the woods, yet.  So, what can we do to stay afloat?  My interior designer friends around the country are trying direct mail pieces as a way to reach out to potential clients.  The feedback, so far, has been very positive and they are starting a second round of mailers.  We just sent out our first two thousand postcards beginning last Friday.  I’ll keep you abreast of what might transpire.  A designer we know in

North Carolina

, Tim Schelfe, of Schelfe and Associates, has been selected to compete with six other designers in “The Nations Next Top Model Home”.  Each has a chance to be able to select the room in the model they would like to create and we all have a chance to vote for them before the competition begins.  Go to this link, http://www.nationsnexttopmodelhome.com/  ,take a look at the designers and give Tim your vote.  Then, when the event kicks in follow what happens and who wins.  These shows are a lot of fun and a great marketing opportunity.  Other designers are creating their own event marketing events with seminars, speaking engagements, trunk shows and sale events that include other retailers.  Phil Norman, in California, actually hooked up, no pun intended, with a rug company and created sale days for the rugs with his design firm, Norman Design Group, working during the event to give advice on which rug would be best for any given home.  I should also mention the event was held in the Main Ballroom of the Trump National Golf Club, a luxury resort in Palos Verde.  These two marketing events also work very nicely from a branding point of view in that each is a recognized and impressive luxury brand on its own.  It creates a very nice tie in for your firm to be associated with names like Trump and nationally recognized brands in all parts of the country.  Think about it a while and you’ll agree.  Each of these marketing events have proven to be very effective in this fragmented economy and I know there are even more ideas out there to create attention for you and your firm.  Think about what type of marketing event would fit your style and temperament best and go for it.  People all over the country love to meet professional interior designers “up close and personal”.  So, put your thinking cap on and create the best possible event you can for you and your business.  The potential is immense and now is the time.  Go for it.    

Down in the Boondocks

We met with clients for whom we had managed a complete renovation of a home in Quail Lodge Country Club last week.  It is so nice, after the fact, to visit with clients and enjoy the space all of you created.  We had drinks and dinner and during the evening were introduced to their newest addition, a “cute as a button” 9 month old Beagle puppy.  We were also introduced to another interesting addition to their family.  A new 6,000 square foot residence to be built on property they own and have already started preparing for the new structure.  A lake is being created to be stocked with fish and a small pier will go out with a large area for picnics and sunset cocktails.  We are so happy they have chosen us again to help create a home for them.  For me the most interesting part of the evening was learning where the house is.  It’s in southern Arkansas.  Yes, Arkansas.  Now, I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and spent many summers in Arkansas at Boy Scout summer camps so I know a little about Arkansas.  The town in which the house is to be built has no airport and the closest is more than two hours away.  The great challenge about all this is being removed from an urban center to complete the work.  We will be responsible for finding competent and reputable workrooms to help create the interiors.  We are also going over the proposed plans to ensure every need of the client is met in this back of beyond location.  Why Arkansas?  One of the couple spent a lot of time there as a child with grand parents.  They like to fish, hunt and play golf and have spent a lot of time in the area already.  A number of years ago they built what they refer to as “the double wide” prefab house on the property.  So, they know the area and have decided to retire there.  The challenges we face as professionals in areas not accustomed to luxury residential design are daunting and researching the services in the area can be very time consuming.  Fortunately the clients understand the challenges and are happy for us to spend the time needed to find just the right drapery workroom and upholsterer; even if we have to go two or three hours out of town.  In this instance, also, we may decide to fabricate everything with our known and trusted workrooms and ship it to Arkansas.  Through our professional connections we also know of a very accomplished interior designer in Little Rock, which is only about two hours away.  We know she will have access to the right kind of workroom for us and our client.  So, between the connections we have with other professionals, the ability to ship across the country and the internet we’ll be able to create another interior for a wonderful couple who trust us to manage the project and bring it in on time and on budget.  There is also one very important factor about this project as well.  It’s the first large job we’ve been hired to do in over eighteen months.  I’m not about to say this is an indicator of any sort but it sure feels good to be working on a whole house, again.  We are also launching our latest direct marketing campaign at the end of the week.  Here’s hoping the phone really starts ringing.    

I'm Beginning to See the Light

I have continued to promote the very real returns networking within your community can bring but I have also been active since last September in the social networking world.  Yet, again, a segment of the internet that many designers simply are not putting to the very best possible use.  And I don’t mean lots of gossip about who did what and when.  No, I mean a campaign directed at exposing you and your firm to as many people as possible with precise information about what your firm is doing in the community.   Within the context of networking are the Web 2.0 social networking sites.  You know, LinkedIn, FaceBook, Allvoices, Twitter and more.  Each of these abounds with opportunity and each offers slightly different focuses.  There are tie-ins between most of the sites and, if you wanted, they could be your twenty-four news service.  Be aware, however, they can also use up a lot of your valuable time.  Each must be managed in a way that is beneficial to your business and not a drain on your billable hours.  As with all the other aspects of your business time management is critical to the successful implementation of these Web 2.0 sites.  Don’t get lost in the minutiae of who saw what, when and where they may be going.  As with word of mouth, your posts to the site should be about your success as a business person and professional not simple chit-chat.    

     I have found LinkedIn seems to be more directed toward business and business owners.  It allows you to tell the world about your business without a lot of personal information.  Yes, they do ask about your schooling, where you grew up and what type of organizations you belong to, but the focus still tends more toward business and business oriented sites.  This site also allows you to have your blog uploaded directly to your page and thereby shared by everyone with whom you are linked.  This gives the blog another outlet and that helps with the dissemination of your message.  LinkedIn, like most of the others, also allows you to link to your email whenever any one person, group or business posts to the site.

     Allvoices is all about what is happening right now in our country and the world.  It has major sub-topics that include Business, Politics, Science & Technology, Sports and much, much more.  As with all the other sites mentioned the “news” is all posted by individuals interested in whatever particular subject you pull up.  You are also invited to contribute.  Some of the business news is current and particularly topical for entrepreneurs and those interested in the business of business. 

     FaceBook may just be the granddaddy of them all.  With millions of members all over the world you can get connected to people you didn’t even know you knew.  Between videos, photos and links to other people and sites you could simply loose yourself in the pages of this monster social networking site.  Created by two guys in college for their small group of friends, FaceBook has expanded to include luminaries, actors, politicians and those who simply want to be noticed.  A very interesting recent development with this site is the enormous number of baby boomers and older participants who have decided to join.  This group may also be part of your optimum client base.  So, management of this site might become crucial to your overall marketing strategy.  If can’t and shouldn’t be the only way for you to distribute your message but it just might be one of the best.  It’s up to you to decide.   

     Properly managed each of these sites offers benefits for the dissemination of your message.  They are a great way to inform anyone listening just what is happening in your particular business world.  You will need to make sure the people you want to contact in this way know they have the opportunity to join all the sites.  Many will find it fun and interesting to be part of this continual feed of information.  Some may decide to drop the whole thing after a while but most will remain members and continue to get your feed when you post to whichever site you choose.