The year 2020 was a difficult one for many businesses, with unprecedented levels of companies filing for bankruptcy or simply silently disappearing from the world of work. If your interior design business was hit hard by the effects of the pandemic, or even if it wasn’t, but you would still like some top tips on how to grow your business in 2021 and beyond, the below blog can help you. Our guide will take you through the ultimate top tips that will enable you to build up your client base.
1.  Overhaul your SEO
If your current SEO strategy leaves a little, or a lot, to be desired, then 2021 is the year that you need to vamp up your efforts. Whether you choose to learn the complicated art of search engine optimization yourself or outsource this task to an experienced SEO specialist, if you want to drive high-quality traffic to your site and increase your conversion rate, then great SEO is a must.
One of the most important elements of an SEO strategy is keyword research. This how search engines will rank your website and how customers will find your business. If you are not sure where to start with keyword research, head over to Google AdWords Planner. This is a free online tool that is invaluable when it comes to finding the right keywords for your interior design business.
2.  Utilize 3D home design software
Guaranteed to ensure you stand out from the crowd for all the right reasons, 3D home design software can help you to easily communicate your design vision with your clients and help you to sell your design projects more effectively.
Cedreo is the only 3D home design software that can draw an entire house in less than two hours, allowing you to provide fast and efficient service to your prospective clients. Furthermore, with amazing features such as an extensive 3D library of different materials, furniture, and decorative elements, you can provide your clients will a detailed and comprehensive proposal that can easily be amended whether you are on or off-site.
3.  Drive referrals with word-of-mouth
As you are no doubt already aware, referrals are crucial to the overall success and even survival of your interior design business. If these have become thin on the ground recently, don’t panic, there are several ways that you can encourage more referrals.
Starting with the simplest option, if you are currently working with a client who is clearly appreciating all your hard work and effort, why not ask them to recommend you to their family and friends?
If you feel nervous at the prospect of doing this, then a great tip is to focus on the client rather than on yourself. Tell them how great they are to work with and express your desire to have more clients just like them.
To maximize your chance of referrals, you may want to consider setting up a loyalty program that rewards customers for making referrals. It doesn’t have to anything big or costly, just a small sign of your appreciation in the form of a voucher or an invite to an event you are hosting.
4.  Start a blog
If you consider yourself an expert in the field of interior design, why not share your knowledge with your target audience in the form of a blog? This simple process that anyone can do has the ability to help you generate 67% more leads and can be just the injection your business needs to kick start the spring/summer season with a bang.
When creating a blog for your interior design business, make sure that the content you create is more informational and less promotional, as users can be put off by blogs that are purely published to boost sales.
That being said, there is no harm in including internal links within your blogs to your products and services. In fact, it is encouraged. Always include a clear call-to-action at the end of each piece so that readers know what to do next.
5.  Increase your mailing list
In terms of ROI, return on investment, email marketing is still the most effective type of digital marketing, having the unique ability to target your audience at the most effective times, such as straight after you have delivered your proposal.
If you are not sure how to grow your mailing list, try the below tried and tested techniques:
- Use pop-ups on your site.
- Create a dedicated landing page to collect subscribers.
- Make great email content.
- Encourage existing subscribers to share and forward emails.
- Create an engaging opt-in message.
- Host a giveaway.
6.  Consider paid advertising
If you have a little bit of spare cash to throw at your digital marketing strategy, then you may want to consider paid advertising. Although this method is often used by larger corporations to boost brand awareness, if used correctly, paid advertising can work for you.
As a smaller business, your best bet is Facebook advertising which is highly targeted and, therefore, most likely to yield the results you want. You can even use Facebook Custom Advertising to serve adverts to people who are already subscribed to your email mailing list.
Plus, unlike other forms of marketing, Facebook offers clear reporting so that you can see exactly what is working for you and what isn’t with elements including:
- The number of people shown your promoted ads in their newsfeed
- Cost-per-click
- The total amount you spend on your ad campaign
- The percentage of people who clicked after seeing your ad (CTR)
Conclusion
If you have started the year feeling more than a little concerned about the survival of your interior design business, don’t worry, there is still time to turn things around and make a significant improvement to your client numbers.
Although all of the above may seem a little overwhelming, try and focus on one step at a time and see what works best for you and your interior design business.
If you put in the effort, you are guaranteed to see favorable results.
