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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.
For the next few weeks, I am going to post inspiration from the Interior Design Summit. Using just ONE of these ideas will boost your design business. If you implement a whole bunch, you will be so far ahead of the pack!
We had 12 amazing experts sharing powerful, valuable ideas for skyrocketing your design business in this market. What I loved is that there were many commonalities. When you hear the same thing from so many experts, you know it's gold!
The Most Important Success Strategies for Designers:
1. Blog, blog, blog. You MUST have a blog. Even if you don't have a website, please go start a blog. It is free. It is easy. Do it now!
Then make sure you post at least twice a week. Search engines love updated material, so the more you blog, the more potential clients will find you.
2. Marketing is all about connections and relationships. Don't try to promote yourself or sell your products. Just join a conversation online, share valuable information, or help someone out. It's amazing how much better this works to boost your bottom line!
3. (to be continued...)
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?
Can you personally affect this economy in a positive way? Absolutely! Don't think for a moment that one person can't make a big difference. And it doesn't take a lot of hard work or time.
I have been studying what makes some designers successful - wildly successful, despite what the outside world / media / friends are saying about the economy. Many of them have doubled or tripled profits this year. They are enjoying the dream businesses that they've worked for, and feeling fulfilled and happy.
And the best part about being successful is that you actually make more people successful - just by being successful!
What do I mean?
Think about it. Designers and decorators who are complaining about the economy, talking about how they don't have enough business, and reacting to their worries and concerns are affecting the economy in a negative way. Negative talk leads to more people worrying and reacting - and spending less! Which, of course, leads to more worry, more complaining, and LESS spending. A vicious cycle.
The opposite is also true. Designers who have made the decision to think positively and focus on what is good about their businesses (okay, I know I'm sounding a bit Pollyanna here, but just go with me), are noticing that they are NOT being affected by the so-called slow economy. They are investing more time and energy into improving their businesses in creative ways, which leads to more publicity and more clients, leading to more positive energy, more profits, more improving, etc.
I have designer clients who have worked with me over the past year on improving their businesses - starting with their mindsets - who say to me," I don't get what everyone is saying. My business is doing better than ever."
Imagine if we could recruit more designers to start thinking more positively? At some point we would reach what is called "The Tipping Point."
Then:
- more people would feel positive and optimistic,
- people would relax and release their worries,
- more money would be spent,
- the economy would improve!
Can you imagine? I know I want to be a part of that! Join me, won't you?
If you want to have more success, model the designers who are having wild success right now. The most important thing to do first is focus on the positive. What are you most grateful for? Now, I am NOT saying to bury your head in the sand. No, you should not ignore what is going on in the world. You NEED to keep current with business and design trends. Which leads me to the second thing you must do...
The second thing you must do is learn how to run your business in the most effective way to create prosperity in current times. Creating success in business is a learned skill. Learn a few techniques, put them into action, and you WILL see improvement.
If you know anyone who needs a boost -in their mindset or in their pocketbook, please let them know about the upcoming Interior Design Summit. This Summit is designed to help designers in both areas - attitude and profits! The more designers who attend, the quicker we will see an upswing in the economy.
You can make a difference. Let's do it together!
Join me next week, and invite everyone you know:
http://www.InteriorDesignSummit.com
To your easy success,
Nika
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!
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