How To Get Interior Design Clients When You’re Just Starting (Designers Share What Worked and What Didn’t)
Starting an interior design business can be overwhelming, with so many factors to consider and so much to do. Sure, you have the passion, you’ve learned your craft, and you’ve done your research, but how do you bring in new interior design clients when you don’t yet have a portfolio and are just getting started?
We asked interior designers who subscribe to The Weekly Install® to share what worked (and what didn’t) when it came to booking those first few clients. We compiled their insights, added a few of our own, and have some helpful tips for interior designers who are just launching or looking to grow their business.
Special thank you to all the interior designers who responded to the survey and shared their insights.
The Best Place For New Interior Designers to Get Clients
A majority of designers polled said they got their first paying interior design client by referral from a contact in their personal network (friend, family member, acquaintance, etc.). I’m not surprised by this at all (in fact, most established designers we work with also say their referral network is their number one stream of new clients). Personal networks come with an inherent level of trust. People know you on a personal level and, assuming they like you, their recommendations carry a lot of weight.
The second most popular source of new clients for interior designers came from professional networks, like teachers, colleagues, architects, or real estate agents. When you prioritize networking with and outreach to people in your field and adjacent fields, you’ll open up the chance of them recommending you for work.
Interior design is often just one piece of a project, so if you can connect with upstream and downstream referrals (like architects, realtors, photographers, etc.— the business your potential clients will likely work with BEFORE they hire a designer and AFTER they hire a designer), there is a huge opportunity to become a trusted referral source for those contacts. These people have had exposure to your talents and can vouch for your ability at a professional level, and their status as established professionals in their field adds gravitas to the recommendation. Take great care of their clients and, in no time, you’ll be their go-to interior designer they refer every client to.
Ninety percent of our interior designers said word-of-mouth referrals are important in the beginning, and just as many said word-of-mouth referrals remain as or even more important in continuing to land new clients as their business grows.
With close to 70% of initial clients coming from referrals, it highlights the importance of prioritizing your client experience and building and nurturing your clients and network. No matter what type of business you have, networking is the best way to let people know you’re there and have the skills and desire to take on projects.
Interior designers also shared that when they were first starting, they were able to book some of their first clients via social channels and online communities, which are still a form of networking because there is a level of familiarity that makes people comfortable trusting you. More creative ways to get the word out were joining designer networking groups, attending industry events, contributing to blogs (woop woop) and offering services for charity events.
And yes, all of this networking is vital, but every single one of the interior designers who responded said they had a website ready to go when they first started their business. Having a website not only showcases your aesthetic, it proves to prospects you are a real business. And even as their companies matured, interior designers said they use these same outreach methods and they continue to invest in their website with things like professional photos of completed projects and client testimonials (see our past blog on the importance of pro photography and what you MUST consider if the “cost” feels scary).
The Most Effective Approach For Interior Designers When Reaching Out to Contractors, Architects, and Realtors To Expand their Client Base
Many interior designers mentioned they did the (dreaded) cold call, meaning they reached out to professionals in their area they didn’t know to learn more about potentially partnering on a project or sending referrals their way.
Here’s what I want to tell you: THIS WORKS.
Don’t be shy; think of it as offering your help to fellow industry pros. Many of your services go hand-in-hand with adjacent offerings and we all know how much more streamlined the entire process is when a skilled interior designer is on the project. Some designers sent cold call emails that explained their interior design business and how their services could benefit the local businesses and their clients. They made sure their website was live and reflected the type of projects or services they were hoping to book more and then they shared the link in their outreach.
Interior designers also said another great way “in the door” was reaching out to people they had worked with in past jobs or school. Just email or text the firms and let them know you’ve started a business. Start the conversation and ask if you could take them to lunch or coffee to see how we could work together.
Need help figuring out what to say and share in your outreach to contractors? Check out our Construction Client Experience Templates & Contractor Kit.
What Interior Designers Wished They Had Done Marketing-Wise When They First Started
Some designers wished they had set better parameters and had more defined service offerings before hitting social media hard because “having a firm system in place is everything!” I couldn’t agree more and that’s why we created our signature program, The Designed to Scale® Method, that walks designers through designing a menu of profitable services they love with solid boundaries and an elevated client experience.
But most interior designers talked about the importance of social media and keeping it up to date with beautiful, cohesive, and professional images of your work. Potential clients often check you out online to see if you’re a real company and still in business. If they head to your Instagram and the last post was from a year ago, what might they think?
Don’t have pro photos yet? Here are some ideas for how to get some.
The Single Most Important Marketing Effort That Allowed Interior Designers to Increase Their Price
Three responses came up again and again as being the most important thing to do if you want to raise your prices.
Ready?
01 | INVEST IN PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Your past projects are the best example of what you can do for future clients. Investing in professional photography will help you establish yourself as a credible designer and shows you invest in your business and your projects.
We’ve interviewed a few top photographers and they share even more tips on what to consider when having your projects photographed by a professional. Read their tips here and here.
02 | REACH OUT TO YOUR NETWORK.
Get to know local contractors, realtors, and architects that align with your level of work. Help them get to know you and your work, and then take great care of their clients when they send them your way and you’ll become a trusted referral source and your business will grow from there.
One interior designer said they spoke with a real estate agent and got great insight into what other designers in their specific market charged to do the exact services this designer was offering. (another reason for networking: intel!)
When they increased pricing, their clientele changed (for the better). By weeding out the bargain shoppers, they finally started getting those higher paying projects with more ideal clients.
Struggling with the best way to price your design services? Read this post.
03 | BUILD A TEAM
Many designers shared they were able to raise their prices when they built a team because they were able to offer additional expertise and a better client experience. They also were able to focus more of their time on marketing to bring in new clients and serving existing clients while their team handled more of the backend. This allowed them to bring in more revenue.
The Advice Seasoned Interior Designers Wish They Could Give To Their Younger Selves
Know the value you bring to a project and be adaptable. “This was the hardest thing for me because I felt like such an imposter in the beginning and lacked confidence in my process. I was under-charging, so I was taken advantage of in the early days. Be able to adapt when things aren't working. Change is inevitable, make sure you're changing in ways that make your life easier, not harder.”
-Andrea Rose, Andrea Rose Design Co.
Stick with it. “Marketing is a long game, give yourself grace and trust the process. Stay consistent with your methods and only invest time into those tactics you see a return on. Be willing to take on a project or two at no cost to build your portfolio. Professional images are NON-NEGOTIABLE!”
-Ashley Poe; Ashley Poe Design
Start with what you know. “I wish I would have started with my own home to design and photograph. My first project took a year and a half to complete, and it was a long time before I got professional photos of my work.”
-Delilah Hinman, Studio Hinman
Be your own greatest cheerleader. “Don’t be afraid to share what you’re doing; people love interior design and often know someone or are themselves looking for a designer.”
-Lauren Parikh, Lauren Parikh Interior Design
Interior Designers Shared Their Go-To Marketing Resources
"Interiordesigncommunity" on Instagram
Kate.the.socialite on Instagram
Wing Nut Social (don’t miss my podcast episode with Darla)
Dakota Design Co. (awww thanks!)
Sage Marketing
Swink Social Co.
Interior Designers’ Advice To New Designers For Building Their Client List
Every quarter, I do a “Marketing Analysis” to deep-dive into analytics and establish what’s working and what’s not. After reviewing, I “feed the fast horse,” meaning I move my marketing funding toward what’s already working rather than continuing to spend my budget in places that aren't giving the returns I'd like to see.
Andrea Rose, Andrea Rose Design Co.
LEARN TO VET. Invest in your process, your operating procedures, and your brand. If you post nice photos on Instagram people will call you. That's not an issue; it's what you do with those calls and the clients you accept that makes the difference. If I could go back, I would not have taken anything and everything, I would have been more selective and made sure the projects aligned with what I wanted to put out there.
Jessi Agee, Jessi Agee Designs
Do more networking with builders, contractors, and architects. They can really feed your business.
Julie Hardridge, Architexture Group
Go out and meet people. Advice to myself now: start evergreen content and continue it.
Nicole Duttera, Hill & Highland
My advice:
Your marketing is not about you. It’s about your clients.
Think about what they need to know about working with you. What topics are they interested in? What are their pain points when it comes to their homes? Then, add YOUR story, your opinion, your angle to what you share to provide those things. Then, be consistent in sharing about your services and how you can help them in the places where your people hang out. And, if you’re a mostly referral based business, then by all means, RUN to The Design Library and grab our client experience templates so you can deliver a 5-star, high end, referral worthy experience that has them singing your praises from the moment they reach out all the way to long after you’ve installed.
Other Resources For Interior Designers Who Are Just Starting Out
Design Business Foundations, our six week program for brand new designers
