Marketing Tactics That Won’t Work for an Interior Design Business
Not all marketing strategies work for an interior design business. One should clearly know what to use and what not to.Some tactics may not work well with niche businesses such as interior design. This blog discusses what doesn’t work for interior design business.
1. Over reliance on social media
This means anyone would think Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook – all great ways of displaying one’s portfolio. Using these alone, however, can severely limit your potential audience. Of course, not everyone searching for interior designers is going to find you on social media. Organic reach on social posts is low, and you don’t get viewed by any potential clients if you are not paying for an ad.
Why it doesn’t work:
Your target customers are not necessarily searching through social media for that specific service. Also, by nature, social media is crowded with designers offering similar services, which might make it difficult to be noticed without a paid strategy or collaborations
Alternative Better:
Use social media combined with SEO, home improvement stores at networking events or Google Ads that are sure to hit a part of your target audience actively searching for design services.
2. Generic Email Campaign
Email marketing, if not well executed, tends to have low levels of effectiveness. Sending out generalized types of newsletters or generic emails to a wider list of contacts will essentially end up with lower engagement. This is because the clients want your mail to speak to them specifically about their needs, and therefore, whenever you send such general type, they end up perceiving it as spammy and quite irrelevant.
Why it doesn’t work
Interior design is a very personal service. A prospect wants to believe that the designer knows what he or she likes and dislikes, which a general email does not achieve.
Alternative better:
At least categorize your email list and have individualized words to use in your email messages. Developing content for the client based on his or her interests, home style, or previous communication always results in better engagement with that client. Presenting the client with personalized advice or presenting works to which he or she could relate often engages the client better than something more generic.
3. Ignoring Local SEO
A weak point is likely to arise when the online presence is not optimized for local SEO. An interior design business relies heavily on a local client stream, hence does not benefit much when such a site fails to rank appropriately within search results.
Why it doesn’t work
The common keywords used by the customers are “ interior designers near me”
/ “ interior designers in city X”. There are high chances that your website won’t appear in search results if it is not optimised with local keywords, Google My Business, or local directories.
Better version
Local SEO. Add location-specific words to your web page, create a Google My Business page, and gather reviews from your local clients. All this will bring you visibility in the local search results and attract much more relevant traffic.
4. Posting only portfolio images on Instagram
Having a feed full of picture-perfect imagery of interior designs isn’t going to make your interior design business grow. Though showcasing work is essential, this method alone gives an impersonal impression and doesn’t prompt much interaction.
Why it doesn’t work
Sometimes the potential clients want to know more about your process, personality, and people behind the brand. Posting only finished projects does not do much for the needed connection, which is often crucial in choosing an interior designer.
Better alternative
Alternate portfolio images with behind-the-scenes content, design tips, client testimonials. Reveal your design process-mood boards, sketches, and progress shots-make your audience connect on a deeper level.
5. Offering too Many Services
Trying to offer too many services (from residential to commercial, to everything in between) can really dilute your brand message. You can come across as ” jack-of-all-trades,” but master of none. Clients often seek specialists in their particular design needs: high-end luxury homes, modern apartments, or sustainable designs.
Why it doesn’t work
In short, you become a jack of all trades, confuses your potential clients, and let them wonder whether you are the expert in the needed type of design. It may also overwhelm your resources, meaning that in multiple areas, the results turn out mediocre.
Better alternative
Niche down to a specialty area or to multiple closely related areas of expertise. Specializing allows you to focus on a smaller audience and become the expert in that particular field.
6. Ignoring word of mouth and referrals
Many interior design companies underestimate the power of word-of-mouth marketing and referral from customers, while putting too much emphasis on online sources. However, a service like interior design that is based on trust should be nothing more than word of mouth because recommendations made by people close to you are highly valued.
Importance of referrals:
People will more likely to believe you if the recommendation comes from a friend, a family member, or a colleague compared to an ad you see online.
Encourage satisfied clients to refer your services to others. Some sort of referral discounts or incentive, and always serve your customers to boost word-of-mouth marketing.
7. Spending Too Much on Traditional Advertising
Traditional methods of marketing will have a broader audience and they might not be your ideal clients whom you are looking for.
Why it doesn’t work:
Older traditional ads cause a wide net effect, and ROI may not be great enough to recover the cost incurred. Potential clients who want to find interior design services will search online or ask for recommendations.
Alternative solution:
Streamline your marketing budget into digital medium using Google Ads, social media ads, and local SEO where you can channel your messages to a particular section of people based on demographics, interests, and location.
8. Ignoring Professional Networking
If you think marketing is just about social media, then you’re missing a very important power play: networking. Skipping direct connections with architects, contractors, real estate agents, and suppliers results in missed good business opportunities.
Alternative Solution:
Go to industry events, share knowledge with other professionals, and join local or national associations of interior designers. Develop relationships with other service providers to let their clients know about your services.
9. Not Leveraging Client Testimonials
Not showcasing positive customer experiences on your website or social media can be a missed opportunity to attain credibility and trust from clients. Interior designing forms a highly speculative industry where clients will want assurance on whether they are choosing correctly or not.
Better solution:
Client testimonials are social proof for future customers . Have a healthy relationship with client and focus more on your service since it might reflect in your client reviews.
Refer this “Why Testimonials and Client Reviews Are Important for Lead Generation in Interior Design” blog for more information on client testimonials
10. Focus Only on Sales, Not Relationships
Interior designers do indeed focus way too much on securing that project on hand instead of how you will create long-term relationships. Hard-selling tends to be very off-putting to some people who may feel trite and sold short into the decision.
Why it won’t work
Interior design is a relationship-driven business. A client is looking to establish a connection with his or her designer and believes that this person will comprehend his or her vision. Aggressive sales pushes away potential clients who are more interested in a joint venture.
Better alternative:
Trust is an important element for any kind of business in the market. Interior design deals with high paying clients where relationship , trust, mutual respect plays an important role.
