katie [00:00:00]:

Foreign do you love interior design but can't make the business side work? You've come to the right place. Welcome to Success by Design. Mastering the business of interior Design. Whether you want to elevate in your current interior design firm, start your own firm, or move the needle when it comes to your existing firm's trajectory, this is your masterclass and I'm your host, Katie Erickson. Learn from my mistakes as I built a coast to coast multi million dollar interior design firm. I share nearly 20 years of serving as a university professor of undergraduate and graduate business courses with you. And best of all, I bring in experts in all things business and interior design. Class starts now.

katie [00:00:45]:

Hey fellow designer. Welcome back to Success by Design where I believe beautiful businesses are built just like beautiful spaces with clarity, intention and a whole lot of creativity. I'm your host, Katie Decker Erickson and today we are tackling one of the most mentally exhausting aspects of running a business. Client finding. Yeah, the never ending search. The mental loop of where is my next project coming from? It's real and I hear about it from my coaching clients frequently. This is especially true when you're on a budget and that can be tough. Maybe you're early in your journey, maybe you're in a season of contraction or you're just being wise about your expenses.

katie [00:01:27]:

Maybe you're just scared about the economy like every other American. Either way, the pressure to hustle harder and post more and pay for ads that don't deliver well, it's enough to make you want to burn your business down and start a flower farm. Maybe it's just me. Okay, today we're pressing pause on the hustle hamster wheel. And instead I'm going to walk you through seven mindset backed zero cost ways to attract clients that actually work without selling your soul or draining your energy. These are strategies that are powerful, practical. I know because I've used them and they are proven because so have my clients. Many of them are tools that, like I said, I'm coaching my clients through, especially in our monthly coaching packages.

katie [00:02:14]:

So whether you're at the kitchen table sketching mood boards or you're in your studio feeling a little stuck, take a collective deep breath. This episode is your permission slip to do less, but do it better. Let's get into it. Strategy 1 Refine your message until it's magnetic. When you're not clear on who you serve and what transformation you plan to offer them, potential clients can't be either. Refining your message is free, but it's also gold. Here's the key. It's not just what you do, it's how you talk about what you do.

katie [00:02:49]:

Stop saying full service interior design. They don't know what that means. They may have never done this before. Start saying, I help empty nesters reimagine their forever home so they feel both elegant and easy to live in. That is what sells and that is what sticks. One of the first things I do with my coaching clients is help them align their brand voice with their clients unspoken needs and wants. Because when your words match your energy, the right people start showing up. All right, strategy number two.

katie [00:03:23]:

Tap into referrals, but make it easy. Referrals don't happen by accident. They happen when you make it easy for people to refer you. Here's a quick action step. I want you to think of three past clients or colleagues. The ones that were your ideal client. They were breezy, they were beautiful. They didn't have budget crises.

katie [00:03:44]:

You probably have a couple of them popping into your head right as I'm talking. It is time to send them a kind and a specific message. Hey, I'm booking fall projects and I've got room for one more client who wants to refresh their home before the holidays. If you know someone who'd love a designer's eye in their space, I'd be so grateful if you passed my name along. Not only would I not mind receiving that message, but it would help me be a resource to my friends. What a great opportunity. It's simple, low stakes, and often it's incredibly effective. All right, number three, nurture your past clients like their VIPs.

katie [00:04:24]:

Don't spend time chasing all these cold clients. Get after taking care of the ones you've already got. Most designers forget the treasure trove that is their past client list. Look it, you've already built trust with these people, right? So why not just build the momentum that goes with that trust? Send a check in again, the power of personal touch. Maybe you offer a freestyle refresh consult. Ask how the powder bath turned out. Invite them to your newsletter. If you don't have one, we're going to get to that in a minute.

katie [00:04:55]:

Or give them behind the scenes updates. You never know when they're ready to move, renovate, or refer a friend. In fact, I just had a chance to speak to the Interior Design Society's virtual chapter about this. This is the power of a nurture sequence. It should be a part of your process. As one designer asked when I was speaking, what is a nurture sequence? And I'm so glad she had the courage to ask. This is a regular email that shows up in your clients or past clients or hopeful clients email inbox reminding them of who you are, what you do and the fact that you can make their life simple be their easy button. If you do not have one of these, let's get busy building one because you again want to stay top of consciousness.

katie [00:05:43]:

Strategy number four Getting Local but Doing so strategically I know I as an introvert do not enjoy passing out cards at every chamber meeting, but here's what you do need to do. You have to show up where your dream clients already are. So are they in the PTA groups? The wine clubs? Maybe it's the boutique gym? Have you partnered with your local realtors that are doing and selling the high end homes that you're looking to break into? Ask to give a short talk or offer a resource like 5 mistakes people make when Styling their Entryway no ads. You're getting community and you're giving away free education which sets you apart as a subject matter expert. Another key point while we're getting local in a strategic way Visibility Boost I want you to take 30 minutes this week to update your Google and Bing business listings with fresh photos, current hours and keywords that match your services. It is free SEO search Engine optimization in case you're wondering and makes a huge difference when local clients are searching. And while you're in there, give your social media bios and highlights a refresh. Are you clearly saying who you help and how? Is your contact information up to date? These quiet tweaks help convert casual viewers into real inquiries.

katie [00:07:09]:

In fact, what I Recommend is going one step further and blocking 30 minutes on your calendar every single week to do this. Just like going to the gym. If it's scheduled, it's going to happen and if it isn't, it won't. Strategy number five Build Authority in Online Communities We've just went from talking about being local, but online is a great resource to get you back to your community. Maybe your people aren't local and that's okay too though community lives online. So here's a quick exercise for you. I want you to find two or three Facebook groups, maybe Slack channels or even subreddits where your ideal client again might hang out. We're not talking about other designers and collaborating in the industry, which, don't get me wrong, has its place in its purpose.

katie [00:07:54]:

It's one of my favorite things to do, but we are looking in this case for people who hire interior designers. In our community alone, we have 5,000 moms who, as I like to say, run this town. I kid you not, in a single Facebook group. Are all of them our ideal client? Absolutely not. But I know a few doctors and other ideal clients that absolutely call this space home. Then once you're there, show up with value, answer questions, share insights, and comment. Genuinely. No link Snow selling.

katie [00:08:29]:

Everyone's over that, right? But if you're a helpful resource, over time you're going to build a reputation. And reputation converts way faster than a cold DM ever will. You design with purpose. Your flooring should too. When you choose Shaw Contracts, eco Works Carpet, EcoWorks Resilient, or US Made Resilient Flooring, you're not just selecting high performance materials, you're actively reducing landfill waste. With Shaw's Return Reclamation program, Return as little as 100 square yards of used flooring for free and they'll recycle it into new products. Even flooring from competitors can be reclaimed, keeping more waste out of landfills. Serious about sustainability? Specify Smarter with Shaw Contract.

katie [00:09:16]:

Learn [email protected] strategy number six create micro case studies that sell softly. Think of this as the humble brag done elegantly. Take one room, one before and after one lesson. Then write a caption that tells the story not just of the space, but of the feeling it created. For instance, after living in their home for 15 years, my client finally had a kitchen she loved walking into. This morning. That's it. Post it to your LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, even email it to that Nurture sequence list that you have going.

katie [00:09:54]:

These small stories build big trust. But a key point here? It has to be done consistently and repeatedly. When I am coaching fellow interior designers, we call these portfolio moments. They're bite sized content that does the heavy lifting of marketing without feeling like a sales pitch. All right, on to strategy number seven. Rewire your hustle mindset. Let's get real. Sometimes what blocks new clients isn't a strategy gap.

katie [00:10:24]:

It's a nervous system on overload. If you're constantly pushing and panicking, clients can feel that. But when you're rooted, clear and calm, they trust you. They want to work with you, too. This is the work no one talks about, by the way. And it's why inside my coaching I mindset is never an afterthought. It's the architecture that's holding everything else together. So if you're doing the right things but you're feeling stuck, it might be time to pause, realign, and rewrite the story you're telling yourself about what it takes to be successful.

katie [00:11:02]:

That can take a lot of courage. I have seen so many coaching clients that measure their success by what the outside world is telling them rather than by their own intuition, their own desires, their own goals and their own beliefs. That is where true success should be measured. All right, let's recap those seven powerful budget friendly ways to attract clients. 1. You're going to refine your message until it is magnetic. Try it out on a couple friends if you are not sure if it is. Number two, tap into referrals intentionally.

katie [00:11:35]:

They're already warm. Stay top of consciousness with them. Number three, nurture your past clients with VIP energy. Reach out in a sincere and meaningful way. Fourth, get visible locally where it counts. Find out where your ideal clients are and show up. 5. Build quiet authority in online communities that tie right back into your community and six tell stories through micro case studies.

katie [00:12:05]:

These don't have to be extravagant. They don't have to be white sheets. We're looking for blips and glimpses that make others go, I like that and I want to work with that designer and finally rewire your mindset to ditch the hustle for good. Remember, this is about you building a business that works for you, not you working for it. And these strategies aren't just nice ideas, they're also movable pieces. You don't need to implement them all at once. So if this feels overwhelming, take a deep breath, go get a latte and realize you only have to pick just one today. Try it.

katie [00:12:44]:

Notice what shifts did it work? Did it not work? And if you're craving support, strategy and soul. This is why my coaching packages are designed exactly for moments like this, when you want to build something beautiful. And you also wanted to be sustainable with whatever life stage you're at. Whether you're striking out on your own, integrating kids into your life, which is a whole thing, right? Or even positioning your business because you want to retire and either close the doors or sell it. These are all stages I love to coach to to get your business where you want it to be. In fact, book a free 15 minute problem solve session with me. Bring me your stickiest client finding challenge. Whether it's messaging, momentum, maybe it's mindset, and let's start in on a solution together.

katie [00:13:34]:

This isn't a sales pitch, it really is a taste of what's possible when you don't have to do it alone. Head on over to successbydesign, Coach and click book. Now let's get to work. Until next time. Remember, your business should be working for you, not you working for it. Take care, everyone.