Design Cues from the Pros: Marketing Yourself to Success
As the trend of celebrity designers continues, interior design students and graduates of design school can take a few self-marketing cues from famous designers.
For instance, Kenneth Brown is the star of reDesign on HGTV. He is also an interior-designer-to-the-stars in LA. He is partnering with MSN Shopping to provide interior design tips to online shoppers. Compared to starring in a TV show and deciding floor plans for the mansions of movie stars, posting online takes relatively little effort, yet still increases his success as a designer.
The Residential Design Market
In interior design school, you learn how to market yourself. To make it as an independent designer, marketing is half the battle. (The second half, of course, is skilled design).
Residential design is a good example of a big market where self-promotion is key. Professional Remodeler magazine reports that it was the baby boomers who drove the increase in remodeling, but that now that force is coming from Generation X. In fact, 31 percent of this generation lives in homes that are 45 years old (or older). There’s a lot of opportunity for designers in this market.
Design Self-Marketing
As a designer, you have to sell yourself to these homeowners to win their business. Many homeowners do not hire interior designers because they try to save money. So how can you convince them your skills are worth the cost?
Establishing a Web site that looks professional, gives background on you and your services, and offers free interior design tips is a great way to market your business. Interior design classes teach you more about self-marketing, too, and how to build a client base, manage the financial side of your business, and grow your design career.
