In today’s world, working remotely is a common practice. However, some industries like interior design do not lend themselves as easily to finding remote work. Although many clients prefer an in-person interaction, becoming a remote interior designer is still a viable option! The key to becoming a successful remote interior designer is to optimize your exposure & develop your client base using your work samples.
Despite the challenges that becoming a remote designer presents, the internet has all the tools you need to help you create an established portfolio of work for the whole world to see. It seems like a daunting task, but with the right guidance, you can get your remote interior design career up & run in the right direction. Continue reading to gain helpful advice you can use to get the most out of your interior design venture.
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Create Online Profiles to Increase Visibility.
As I mentioned earlier, visibility is the key to creating your brand. The key is to make yourself visible & accessible. The more you put yourself out there, the more versatility you will see in your work, thus attracting more clients looking for niche interior designs.
You could argue that there has never been a better time to be a remote interior designer. With more & more people working at home, there is more opportunity than ever to connect with others through remote channels. Most of us work online already so the key is to find ways to get people to find your profiles.
- Pinterest page
- Linktree
- Online website or portfolio
All of these are viable options to help you display your work & develop a reach to several different kinds of audiences. On Instagram & Pinterest, you can target millennials & younger audiences who use hashtags & searches to find relevant pages to the products & services you find yourself looking for.
LinkedIn & Facebook target a different audience than Instagram & Pinterest, but these websites may be your best bet for networking with other industry professionals & people looking for interior design services sooner rather than later. LinkedIn is the ultimate website for networking & finding like-minded people to work with.
Finally, Linktrees & online portfolios serve several purposes. Your Linktree will allow you to post all your social media pages & websites on the same page for a convenient experience for people looking to find your work. Your online portfolio is your best bet to display your work in a professional & customizable manner.
Leverage Your Previous Contacts.
Having contacts is a key factor for networking & finding people who may be looking for your services. Reaching out to past contacts & networking will pay dividends in the long run. Even if your direct contact does not need your services, they might be able to point you in the direction of someone who does. Whether it is contacted from your phone, family, friends, or social media accounts, make sure to make the most of them.
You can avoid overspending on an outrageous marketing strategy when you can get the same great results through referrals & recommendations from past clients. Eventually, you will have a client list larger than you can handle & you will have all the resources & funding to grow your remote business while handling more interior design work at the same time.
Your contacts can also lead to opportunities for collaboration or employment with interior design agencies. Some of these agencies may be willing to bring you on as a team member through independent contract work while also allowing you to do remote work. Just like with many aspects of life, sometimes it is not what you do, but it is who you know. Leveraging contacts can take you a long way.
The biggest key to leveraging contacts for the long run is to focus on ways to make sure you can retain them. Keep in touch with your contacts. Never let an opportunity for future work slip past you.
- Send emails
- Send newsletters
- Mail birthday & anniversary wishes
All of these small but thoughtful gestures can help you create a strong relationship with your clients. Being a great interior designer is one thing, but being a great person with whom people love doing business & spending time is even more valuable.
Previous Contacts & Employers
If this is not your first rodeo in the interior design industry, chances are you can generate some business by going back to your roots & contacting previous clients & reaching out to past employers for work. If you directly worked with a client while working at an agency, you may be able to keep their business when you go remote!
Going through your past employers may be a bit of a struggle if they are all in the interior design industry because they would technically be your competitors, but contacting non-design industry employers may lead to great success. Working with previous coworkers that you feel comfortable with can open many doors for your career.
The more people that know about your business, the more exposure you will get. With so many people still working either remotely or in a hybrid setting, there has never been a better time to reach out to past friends, acquaintances, & coworkers to help you out with your business venture.
With people spending so much time at home, the demand for interior designers has only gone up. You lose nothing by sending out a text or an email to someone from your past that may be in the market for an interior designer. You may even be able to convince your past contacts who were not looking for an interior designer to hire you anyway.
Prepare Your Website.
A clean & informative website is one of the cornerstones of a successful business. Once you acquire clients, they will likely want to do their research on you before hiring you to do their work. As good as your relationship with the client may be, your website may end up being the determining factor when it comes to working together or not.
- Consistent content
- Informative
- Appealing page
- Accessible & clean portfolio
- Strong SEO
One way to establish your brand is to consistently produce content even during the time periods where you’re not working together. Doing this will keep your brand fresh in the minds of your customers & create more opportunities for networking & potential referrals. You should also focus on the aesthetic appeal of your website as well.
The biggest keys are to make your website information about the kind of work & services you do & transparent about prices & other details of that nature. Transparency & information paired with an impressive portfolio should be all you need to secure a client going forward. Include information about yourself & experience.
All the points discussed above are obsolete if your clients cannot find your website. You need to make sure your website is easy to find & that you advertise accordingly. Strong SEO can help you take your client base to the next level, but that should only be a priority when you are looking to really grow your business & expand more.
Market Your Services.
Whether it is through social media marketing or traditional marketing, a strong campaign can help your business especially during times where you are struggling to find work. Social media offers you a great opportunity to generate a strong online presence & market your work to an audience of interested people.
I discussed the value of word-of-mouth marketing earlier, but combining that with a consistent marketing campaign will show your contacts that you are a legitimate business & a reliable remote interior designer. Remember that you do not have to spend big to market big. Take advantage of sales & discounts or use free online creating software like Canva to design great logos & promotional materials.
Sources:
https://gatherit.co/remote-interior-designer/
https://www.thenordroom.com/blog/2021/4/21/home-decor-trends-2021-a-comfortable-home
Wrapping it All Up.
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