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Happy Independence Day! I’m getting ready for a big reunion party at my house this evening, but I wanted to write to you today about “freedom.”
As we celebrate the birthday of our country, many people are feeling extremely grateful for the freedoms we have. And as designers and business owners in this country, we have the incredible opportunity to create anything we want.
As your own boss, you can choose to design your business to support whatever lifestyle you desire. You are completely free to run your business and live your life on your own terms.
Are you doing that?
Imagine...
Imagine if you were able to leverage your talent and your time so that you could give value to more people – without working any more hours.
Imagine if you could work when you want, how you want, and where you want – and make more money!
(You can.)
This is what I’ve been doing over the last few years, and it’s what I’m going to personally teach to 25 of you over the next year.
Will you be one of the lucky ones to join me?
If you are ready to transform your business (or start a whole new one) and begin living a truly extraordinary life, I would love to work with you.
Get all the details of the Extreme Designer Makeover program here, and join me as we expand what you thought was possible for your business. But hurry – early bird pricing ends when Independence Day is over.
Extreme Designer Makeover
Transform your business... transform your life
To your success, P.S. Enjoy your holiday weekend. I wish you the freedom to express yourself and love your life!
Inspiration from Maggie Keenan's class, "5 Ways Giving Makes A Difference for Your Design Business"
Having a Giving Program is a great business strategy. It creates Win-Win. You get involved in social issues AND boost your image.
How does "giving" helps businesses? - enhance your business image
- increase sales
- build client loyalty
- improve employee retention
- create / boost / enhance your brand
COOL TIP: Giving Program does not have to be about YOU giving money. Get creative. Hold a contest. Raise money. Donate time or knowledge.
Don't treat "giving" as side project. It should be an integral part of business. Otherwise you won't reap the benefits AND neither will the charity!
First thing to do is define your Giving Goals. Then develop your Giving Budget. Then create your Giving Story. Use your Giving Story in all your marketing.
If you are a local business, why not give to LOCAL causes. Help your community & boost awareness of your own business among ideal prospects.
INTERESTING STATISTIC: If price and quality are equal, consumers will switch and recommend a new company based on a Giving Program or Cause. Wow!
Make sure your Giving Program is "authentic, not opportunistic."
Maggie F. Keenan, Ed.D., is the author of Small Businesses Give Big… why charitable giving is a great business strategy. You can find her book at: www.smallbusinessesgivebig.com
Here are some notes and ideas from Craig Schiller's class, "Everything Designers Need to Know about Staging"
When staging, designers need to know that the HOUSE is the star. Not the design. Not the designer. The HOUSE.
What designers need to give up is the need to add flair, drama, personality, ego.
What designers need to ADD is speed.
Staging design is disposable, it's quick, it's all about marketing.
Craig Schiller is the founder of Real Estaging, Chicago’s premier home staging company. He has staged 100’s of homes in the greater Chicago market. His staging work was highlighted in Home Magazine. He writes the #1 blog in the country on home staging. Craig has spoken to numerous audiences about staging. And in November 2006 he founded www.StageItForward.com - with over 2,400 members nationwide it is now the largest FREE home staging industry site providing home staging tips, marketing ideas, and success stories on home staging.
Today's post gives you a summary of notes from Debbie Green's class, "It's All About Attitude"
"A good attitude is the foundation for a successful design business."
The more you ACT happy, the more you FEEL happy.
Attitude Improvers: - create and stick to a budget for your business
- clean your desk
- smile
You must earn a prospect's trust before you can ever expect to get a sale. Even after you earn someone's trust, they may not buy from you. But if you don't start with creating a trusting relationship, there will NEVER be a sale.
How to earn trust: - Never violate your integrity
- Always be on time
- Share your knowledge
- Send a regular ezine
Do what you say you will do. Deliver what you promise. This seems obvious, right? Unfortunately, it's not often done! (If you go beyond this, you really stand out.)
Thanks for an uplifting class, Debbie!
Debbie Green is the founder of Minutes Matter design software. You can find out more about Debbie and her products at www.minutesmatterstudio.com
Do you ever have these types of thoughts? - I wish I didn't have so many challenging customers.
- Why can't I find higher-end clients?
- My customers don't spend that kind of money.
- The market is really slow right now.
"What you focus on... expands."
When you instead start feeling gratitude for the business you NOW have, you will start to attract more of those things you are grateful for.
Do you have clients who pay you (even if it seems like a small amount)? Be grateful for them.
Are you able to arrange your schedule to have a little quality time with your loved ones? Feel gratitude for this blessing.
Are you doing what you love for a living? Remember to feel thankful everyday for this opportunity.
"The daily practice of gratitude
is one of the conduits by which
your wealth will come to you."
- Wallace Wattles, author of The Science of Getting Rich
Earlier this year, I created a Gratitude Experiment for my clients and ezine readers. For seven days, participants wrote down 5 things they felt grateful for. After just a few days, we got comments like:- "It's amazing how well it works and how much inspiration there is in this simple exercise."
- "This exercise has taught me to be appreciative of all things, regardless of how small they may seem."
- "I feel a warm fuzzy and think this is a great way to end the day or begin it!"
- "This is the best exercise, I am feeling so happy! Let's not stop."
***Well, after seeing how powerful Twitter is for bringing conscious, happy, helpful people together, I decided I should bring this Gratitude Experiment to my tweeps. If you want to see some miracles occur in your life, join in. Just post what you are grateful for at least once a day, using the hash #gratX.
Looking forward to sharing in your happiness, appreciation, and gratitude.
I'm grateful for you!
Let me give you a little-known secret for protecting your income - no matter what the economic climate: multiple streams of income.Let's face it. If you have income coming in from various sources, you are less likely to suffer when one or two of them is slow. As designers, most of us have ONE source of income: working with clients. Yes, we do many things for them and sell various products, but THEY are our only way to make money. Without clients who are willing to hire and pay us, we have no business. But it doesn't have to be that way! Designers are finally learning that they can make money from other sources. And I do NOT mean getting another job working for someone else or starting a completely new business. All of your streams of income can be design related. This is one thing that sets apart the designers who are thriving (and truly confusedabout why everyone is whining) and those who are buying into the overwhelming complaining about how "bad" the economy is. One of my favorite things to do when I coach designers is look at their current income stream (working one-on-one with clients), and then talk about what they really love about it. Then I help them figure out other outlets for creating income, taking into account their passions and talents. This not only helps guarantee more money for them (even in "tough" times), but they start enjoying what they are doing more than ever. For the purpose of this article, I'll share 3 examples of additional streams of income for your interior design business. 1. Writing: Put your expertise down on paper. You don't have to be a five-star writer to profit from writing. There are many possibilities for income when you write about design. Newspapers and magazines are often looking for a steady columnist. If you are ambitious, publish your own book! The quickest way to make money this way is to create an e-book and sell it on line. 2. Teaching: Even when homeowners aren't spending as much on decorating, they still want to know how to make their homes beautiful. Since you know a lot of tricks of the trade, why don't you share some of them? You can teach live classes at a local college or in your showroom. Or you can make it even easier, and use my favorite way to teach - as a teleseminar. 3. Membership Programs: Large stores have been profiting from this stream of income for many years, and it's time for you to join the bandwagon. What can you offer your clients and prospects as a wonderful convenience? Customers pay you monthly or yearly to receive certain benefits, like upholstery cleaning when needed, service calls on motorized window treatments, carpet freshening, pillow fluffing, etc.
For designers, sources of income are really unlimited. I'll keep sharing more ideas in upcoming ezines. But please get started. Add an additional stream of income now! Seriously folks. You can sit around complaining (and watch what you are focusing on become a reality in your life), or you can join me and create more streams of income. What is your choice?
I just finished listening to a recorded interview with Edie Marks - the #24 realtor in the country. She has sold over $800 million in real estate. She shared her secrets to networking and creating relationships with the ultra-wealthy.
Edie is one of the 14 experts sharing valuable techniques and strategies for thriving during tougher times - at the Interior Design Summit, October 28 - 30.
This is a first-of-its-kind Tele-Summit for the home design industry. I am giving a class - talking about how I tripled my design business using email newsletters, and showing you how you can do it, too.
If you want timely, valuable, effective strategies for creating a more successful desgin business, please join us!
http://www.interiordesignsummit.com/
To your success!
Groundbreaking Interior Design Summit unveils progressive marketing strategies and inspiration so interior design firms thrive during the Recession. 13 top marketing gurus, renowned business coaches, best-selling authors and media-savvy interior designers share success secrets in inaugural tele-summit October 28, 29 & 30, 2008. Find out why third largest design firm CEO thinks it is a perfect time to start an interior design business.
Design Success University and Wealthy Decorators co-host content-packed tele-summit event that interior designers attend from the comfort of their homes, offices or cell phones. No travel required to learn cutting-edge marketing strategies to grow and manage a successful design firm in spite of the economy. It's not business as usual.
October 28, 29 & 30, 2008
1:00 pm - 7:00 pm Eastern
(12:00 pm - 6:00 pm Central / 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Mountain / 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Pacific)
Top speakers teach powerful, innovative, proven strategies: - "How to Get Free Publicity" with Kathy Peterson, national design expert, host of Lifetime TV's The Balancing Act and best-selling design author
- "Book Your Design Practice Solid" with best-selling author & speaker Michael Port
- "Go Global with Social Networking" with David Bassett-Parkins, founder and CEO of Ava Living - social networking site for interior designers and interior design enthusiasts
- "Identify Your Passion and Become a Design Celebrity" with Keith Granet, top consultant to architects and interior designers
- "Affluent Client Psychology - What You Need To Know" with nationally known "Design Matchmaker" Karen Fisher of Designer Previews & author of six books
- "Building a Great Team" with Beth Silfer, CEO of Slifer Designs, third largest design firms in the United States
- "Attracting Dream Clients Effortlessly" with Fabienne Frederickson, millionaire creator of the Client Attraction System
- "Build Powerful Relationships & Watch Your Business Grow" with Edie Marks, #27 Realtor in the US with over $800 million of residential real estate sales
- "Branding for the 21st Century" with Liz Pabon, CEO and Branding Maven of Liz P. Communications
- "Boost Your Design Business with an Email Newsletter" with Nika Stewart, Designers' Success Coach
- "Connecting the Dots" with Gail Doby, ASID, Author, speaker and Chief Vision Officer of Design Success University
- "Five Laws of Stratospheric Success" with Bob Burg, Author of The Go Giver and Endless Referrals and International Speaker
- "Simple Profitable Systems for Designers" with Debbie Green, Systems Expert, national speaker, & creator of Minutes Matter Solutions, Inc.
Hear 13 world-class speakers in the first Interior Design Summit with no travel required. Early-bird tuition before October 14th is $249.99. After October 14th, tuition is $299.00 for the three-day event. Designers who register for the tele-summit also receive downloadable audio recordings after the event and several free bonuses.
For more summit details visit:
www.InteriorDesignSummit.com
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