There are so many benefits of becoming an interior designer. Being your own boss means making the decisions and setting your own schedule. So, it’s no wonder you’re always striving for bigger and better! That being said, it’s not always easy to boost business. If your schedule is chalk full of back-to-back clients, then marketing will lead to you having to turn people away. Read on to find out how you can make more money without taking on more clients!
Get Educated!
If you haven’t taken an interior design course yet, then what are you waiting for? Clients searching for an interior decorator like to see credentials! Having an interior decorating certificate from a credible school not only looks good to potential clients, it also gives you a leg-up on the competition. It is a big indicator of your skill set and professionalism.
When people see that you have put time into getting an education, they’re more likely to trust you to decorate their homes. After all, choosing who decorates the space you live in everyday is a big commitment! Nobody wants an ugly space, or worse, one that’s dysfunctional! Also, for clients that don’t know much about the industry, high price can be an indicator of quality! Having more certifications means you’ll be able to charge more per client!
Add Specialty Services
Speaking of certifications, get educated on niche market trends! You’ll be able to offer specialty services to clients that are looking for something unique. And the best part about offering specialty interior design services? You get to charge more for them!
Not sure what we mean? How about feng shui? Open-concept office spaces? Professional organizing? These are all services that appeal to smaller markets. But, sometimes bigger isn’t better. People who are looking for something specific are often willing to pay a premium. If you have the certifications to back up your satisfaction guarantee, they’ll probably be happy to pay the extra cost!
Enter New Markets
Maybe you fancy yourself an interior decorator exclusively for new home owners. Or, you cater to historic neighborhoods. While this can be good for building a high-quality specialized portfolio, it also limits your options. By catering all your services to a specific market, it becomes harder to expand your business. Our advice: venture out of your comfort zone!
People live in spaces. That’s a fact. So, when it comes to interior design there’s a wide variety of clients looking for your expertise! Try taking on a type of client you’ve never had before. For example, if you mainly do top-to-bottom decorating for new home owners, try taking on a home staging client. Clients looking to sell their house aren’t picky about how you decorate since they won’t be living there anymore. Plus, they’re often willing to pay more if it means their house sells faster. There are several advantages to this: more creative freedom and less consultation time. This means you get the job done faster and can move on to the next client quickly. Cha-ching!
If you’ve never considered interior decorating for businesses, then you should now. Sometimes, big companies with big budgets pay a lot more! Have you considered decorating movie sets? There’s another option! The point is that there are so many opportunities for interior decorators. If you’re having trouble keeping up with the clients that want your service, then you’re probably good at what you do. It’s you turn to shop around. Shop around for clients, that is. Try new things until you find a client that makes your job fun and is willing to pay big bucks for your services!
Buy Your Own Décor/Furniture
Looking to increase your profit margins? Many interior decorators consider buying their own décor and/or furniture to lower costs. This is a risky decision because it requires a large investment. However, the idea is that the initial cost pays off in the long run as you service more and more clients. If you’re already having trouble keeping the clients at bay, then this may the perfect option for you. Your investment will pay off quickly!
In-house décor and furniture are especially useful if you like home staging or event decorating jobs. Clients looking for these services will see your pre-purchased inventory as an asset. The money that clients save from buying or renting their own décor or furniture elsewhere will be transferred to you as extra pay! If you have particularly intriguing or unique pieces, then clients may see you as offering a service they can’t get anywhere else. This can also convince clients to pay more!
If your personal collection of décor and furniture is truly exceptional, some clients may simply want to rent your furniture without requesting your decorating service. This means you’ll earn a new source of income while continuing to take clients and make money. Two sources of revenue? Yes, please! But, be careful! Remember that you only save money as the number of clients that use your inventory increases. So, make sure your furniture can be used in different spaces and for different clients. If furniture or décor is too unconventional, clients may not be interested.
Have you discovered innovative ways to boost you salary lately? Share them in the comments below!