Over the past few years, the field of interior design has experienced significant growth, partially because of the growth in the real estate market, awareness of modern interior design concepts, and an increase in discretionary spending.
With the introduction of technologies like 3D rendering techniques and virtual designing, the interior design industry has managed to evolve.
Whether they are looking to add some furnishings to their home or planning to remodel their entire home, homeowners now want to hire the services of an interior designer to ensure that their home’s design best matches their style and preference.
If you run an interior design company, you have access to this big market. And, if you want to take advantage of it, read on.
Key Takeaways
- Interior design marketing is a way to get your name out there and in front of the right people.
- There are several ways you can advertise your business to gain more clients, such as using social media platforms, email marketing, or even being a part of trade shows.
What is interior design marketing?
Interior design marketing is a collection of techniques and strategies that help an interior designer’s services reach potential customers.
Marketing plays an essential role in every business, and interior design is no different. It helps:
- Reach potential clients,
- Differentiate your business from competitors, and
- Increase revenue.
As such, marketing is an important aspect of an interior designer’s business and shouldn’t be overlooked – especially if you’re a beginner.
This doesn’t mean that experienced designers don’t need marketing, because they do. The only difference is that some strategies, such as getting good reviews, might be a bit easier.
Do interior designers need marketing?
If you’re an interior designer, then you know that marketing the interior design services that you offer is the key to success. But what is the best way to market your interior design business?
There are many different ways to market your services and products, but some of them will work better than others.
Marketing is a way to get your name out there and in front of the right people. It can also be used as a way to get more clients and referrals, which will increase your revenue.
A marketing plan for interior design businesses that you can try includes:
- Posting on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
- Using search engine optimization (SEO) techniques such as creating high-quality content that ranks well on search engines.
How big is the interior design market?
The interior design market is expected to reach $255 billion by 2027. In the US, the interior design industry’s market size is around $23.8 billion. It is expected that this industry will continue to grow at a fast rate over the next decade.
In addition to being a major employer and contributor to our economy, this sector has considerable influence on retail sales and consumer spending habits.
Just think about how many people purchase household goods from big-box stores like Ikea or Home Depot because they’ve seen something similar on Instagram or a magazine (or even just watched an episode of HGTV).
How do interior designers get clients?
If you work as a freelance interior designer or have your own business, you are also tasked with the responsibility of getting new clients and keeping them engaged.
This can be done through a variety of tactics including word of mouth, marketing automation, content marketing, and SEO. The most effective way to do this is by using multiple channels at once.
Here are some interior design marketing ideas:
- Word of mouth – When people like a brand, they are more likely to share that information with people in their network like their family members and friends. People trust word-of-mouth recommendations the most. So, when you get the work done for a client, make sure that you tell them to recommend your services to people they know. Once you have enough people talking about your service, your business will start blooming. This is also why networking is such an important part of any successful business strategy. Networking can be done through face-to-face conversations at events like conventions or through email newsletters sent out regularly throughout the year.
- Email newsletters – Sending personalized emails can help drive traffic back towards your website from visitors who’ve already made contact but haven’t yet converted into paying customers.
- Social media sites – You can use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube for marketing interior design services.
What is an interior designer’s target market?
The interior designer’s target market is the people who need their services. It’s not the same as your market size, or your market segment or niche. Your target market is individuals who want to make their home look great, but don’t have the right skills to do it themselves.
Check out our guide to Interior Designer Website Design Checklist to learn how to make your business stand out.
How do you market an interior designer?
Marketing is a process that’s always evolving and continues to be an essential part of any business.
An Interior design marketing plan is about communicating with your audience, building trust and relationships, and ultimately making money from those interactions.
It’s important for you to understand how marketing can help you build your interior design company because it will give you the tools necessary for success.
For example, you can read our guide to Interior Design Keywords to learn more about optimizing your website.
If you want to learn how to market an interior design business, here are some ideas that will help you with the same:
1. Social media – Specifically Instagram and Pinterest
Social media can be used to market interior design services. You might want to promote your services on social media, but how do you find clients?
If a potential client has never heard of you before, they’re probably not going to come knocking on your door. Social media allows you to show off the quality of your work and connect with potential clients who might be interested in working with you.
Social media can also help build brand awareness for interior designers by giving them an opportunity to share their stories with others who are looking for similar types of services or products.
You can also promote events like workshops or seminars where attendees can learn more about what it takes to be successful at running an independent business.
Some of the best social media platforms for this include:
- Facebook,
- Instagram,
- Pinterest,
- YouTube, and
- LinkedIn.
Finally, social media is great for building relationships with other professionals within your industry.
Clients may contact you through various channels such as email or phone calls.
However, this method requires some time investment from both sides which isn’t always feasible depending on how busy each person is during certain times. So, social media can be a lifesaver.
2. Host workshops or lectures
Hosting workshops or lectures for your interior design business can be a great way to market yourself as an interior designer.
A good rule of thumb is to host at least one event each year. It’s important that you make sure the event is relevant and interesting, but also make sure there are enough people attending so it doesn’t feel like more work than it’s worth.
The topics you choose should cater to the clients you want in attendance. For instance, if they’re mostly men, then maybe go with something men-focused.
You’ll find plenty of ideas on how best to tailor these events by checking out other professionals’ websites (or even just reading up on popular titles).
3. Podcast
A podcast is one of the great interior design marketing ideas that help you connect with your audience. It’s an opportunity to share information and build trust, authority, and brand recognition.
You’ll learn how to optimize the content of your podcast for maximum audience engagement by following these tips:
- Share valuable content relevant to your niche market that will attract new listeners or help existing ones stay engaged with what you’re doing as an entrepreneur in this space.
- Create a “schedule” for episodes so they’re available on-demand at all times (or at least within 30 days). This can be done through Apple Podcasts or Spotify’s podcast app.
4. Paid advertising
Paid advertising is a form of marketing for interior designers that uses paid media (such as television, radio, magazines, and newspapers) to reach potential customers.
In other words, it’s not free—you have to pay money in order to be seen by your target audience.
Paid advertising can be broken down into three categories:
- Micro-targeting – This type of campaign focuses on a specific demographic or geographic region. For example, if you’re looking for someone who owns their home but has never purchased furniture before then this may be the right type of campaign for you!
- Mass-targeting – This type of campaign allows businesses/organizations looking for big brand name recognition or general awareness among consumers across multiple regions or geographies. However, it does not offer any customization options beyond choosing from preset options such as gender and age range etc.
- Customized messaging – This option provides detailed specifications regarding how frequently ads should run (e.g., daily), how much time each ad should last within one spot where possible (eg, 60 seconds instead of only 15 seconds), etc.
Read our guide on Interior Design Ads to learn more about this marketing channel.
5. SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s a set of techniques used to increase the volume or quality of traffic to a website from search engines.
It is an extremely effective way to get targeted traffic and build an audience, but it’s also an extremely long-term strategy. If you want immediate results, SEO may not be right for you.
However, if you’re looking for something that will pay off over time, then SEO could be exactly what your business needs!
Check out our guide to SEO for Interior Designers to learn how to leverage it for you business.
6. Email marketing
Email marketing is a great interior design marketing plan to reach a large number of people. It’s an easy way to stay in touch with clients and potential clients, as well as other professionals.
Email marketing allows you to send targeted messages directly to the right people at the right time so that they see your message when it is most relevant to them.
For example, if you run an interior design business and want more leads from people who enjoy living room designing, you could send out an email promoting your services with images of beautiful homes and rooms.
This way, those interested can easily learn more about what makes yours stand out from other designers’ work.
If someone has already signed up for another service offered by your firm (such as free consultations), then this would be ideal since all relevant information would be sent directly into their inboxes without having any unnecessary distractions.
It allows greater convenience because your customers won’t have to check your website to look at the updates. They will have all the information they need, right in their inbox – as long as you prepare a good landing page, as well.
Check out our list of Email Marketing Stats for Interior Designers to learn how to leverage it for your business.
7. Trade shows
Trade shows are great for business. They can help you get new customers and make connections with other designers in your industry.
Trade shows are also a great way to learn new things about interior design, which will help you improve your services and grow as an industry professional.
Trade show attendees may be interested in hiring you because they’ve seen your work at an event before (or maybe they heard about it from someone else).
If someone asks whether you’re willing to do something for them at home, start by offering some advice on their project!
8. YouTube channel
YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine in the world, and it’s also one of the most popular social media platforms.
With over 1 billion users each month, YouTube isn’t just a video platform; it’s a community where people can meet others who share their passions and interests.
And if you’re an interior designer looking to reach out to potential clients in your area or across the country, YouTube is a great place to start!
Here are some ways you can use this platform for interior designer marketing:
- Upload videos about your design services
- Share tips on how to choose furniture pieces that will go well together (or not) within any room setting
9. Referral partnerships with other small businesses (real estate agents, painters, etc.)
Referral partnerships are a great way to expand your business. You can do this by offering other small businesses a referral program. You can exchange services, refer them to clients, and more!
10. List on local directories
One of the best ways to get more customers is by putting your business in local directories.
Local directories are a great way to connect with potential clients and provide them with information about what you do, how to reach out to you, and more.
Conclusion
You can use these marketing for interior designers strategies to grow your interior design business. You don’t have to do everything at once, but by combining them you will be able to reach more customers and increase your income.
These interior design promotion ideas are great for small businesses because they allow them to connect with potential clients quickly and easily.
Remember that interior designer marketing will only work if you are able to provide the right service to your client. Without quality services, none of your marketing strategies will lead to long-term customers.
And if you’d like to get a free marketing plan, contact us for more information!