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Welcome to The DTS Files for Interior Designers

The DTS Files is a library of expert insights for interior designers who want to grow their businesses. Articles are human written and based on real-world consulting experience, strategies I've personally implemented in design businesses across the US and Canada, and a perspective most business educators can't offer: I've been on both sides of the table, as a business consultant and as a luxury design client. Read more below.

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ACTIONABLE BUSINESS STRATEGIES

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ARTICLES PUBLISHED WEEKLY

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EXPERT INSIGHTS & ADVICE FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS

| ACTIONABLE BUSINESS STRATEGIES I ARTICLES PUBLISHED WEEKLY | EXPERT INSIGHTS & ADVICE FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS

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SYSTEMS & OPS, HIRING Katie McFarlan SYSTEMS & OPS, HIRING Katie McFarlan

What If I Don’t Have Time to Train Someone To Help My Interior Design Business

You Need Help—But You Have Zero Time to Hire or Train. Here’s the Solution.

You know you can’t keep running your interior design business alone. The client load, the admin work, the back-and-forth—it’s all too much. But the thought of hiring, onboarding, and training someone? That feels just as overwhelming.

The good news? You don’t have to figure this out alone.

In this article, I’m sharing:

  • The biggest mistake designers make when hiring (and how to avoid it)

  • Real stories of two interior designers who resisted hiring—until they saw the ROI

  • How to bring on the right person without spending hours on training

If you want to get the right help in place without wasting time, join The DTS Files to unlock my advice.

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CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan

How to Set Up a Client Waitlist for Your Interior Design Business

Nervous to Move to a Waitlist? Here’s How to Do It Without Losing Clients.

Worried that putting potential clients on a waiting list will send them straight to a competitor? You’re not alone. Many designers hesitate to implement a waitlist, fearing it will slow business down—but in reality, a well-managed waitlist increases demand, prevents burnout, and keeps your schedule full.

The key? You need a strategic waitlist process that keeps potential clients engaged while they wait without extra effort on your part.

In this article, I’m sharing how I’ve helped 6 & 7 figure interior designers with:

  • How to know when it’s time to move to a waitlist

  • What to say to potential clients so they’re excited to wait for you

  • Implementing the must-have email sequence that keeps clients engaged before their project starts

If you’re ready to implement a high-converting waitlist without losing leads, join The DTS Files to unlock the full post.

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CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan

Ouch! How to Recover After Making a Mistake on a Client’s Interior Design Project

Made a Mistake on a Client Project? Here’s How to Recover—Without Losing Trust (or Your Reputation).

It happens. You drop the ball on a client’s interior design project, and now you have to own up to it. The difference between keeping that client’s trust—or losing them forever—comes down to how you handle the mistake.

Most designers panic, shift blame, or avoid the conversation altogether. But the right approach? It actually strengthens client relationships and sets you apart as a true professional.

In this post, I’m breaking down:

  • The 8-step framework for handling mistakes with confidence

  • How to prevent a small error from turning into a major issue

  • What to say (and what not to say) when owning up to a mistake

Mistakes don’t define your business—how you handle them does.

Want to know the best way to recover from a client issue and prevent future problems? Join The DTS Files to unlock the full post.

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SYSTEMS & OPS, HIRING Katie McFarlan SYSTEMS & OPS, HIRING Katie McFarlan

Who to Hire First in your Interior Design Business

Feeling Stretched Too Thin in Your Interior Design Business? Here’s How to Hire the Right Help—Without Wasting Time or Money.

You know you need help. Your projects are dragging on, marketing feels overwhelming, and the thought of taking on more clients makes you panic. But hiring? That feels just as impossible.

Who do you hire first? How do you afford them? And how do you find the time to train them when you're already maxed out?

In this post, I’ll show you:

  • How to figure out exactly what tasks to outsource

  • Why most designers waste money hiring the wrong person—and how to avoid it

  • A step-by-step breakdown of roles, responsibilities, and pay rates

If you want to hire with confidence so you can free up your time for the work you love, join The DTS Files to read the full post.

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CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan

Elevate your Interior Design Client Experience Process: Nail Your Sales Calls

One of the benefits of having a streamlined client experience process for your interior design business is that it will help you to feel confident during sales calls so you can book more dream clients. In this post, I’m going to share tips for how to structure your sales calls with potential interior design clients.

Join The DTS Files for my advice and insights.

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CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan

How to Qualify your Interior Design Leads (and screen out the tire kickers)

Stop Wasting Sales Calls on Potential Clients Who Expect Free Advice

Ever hopped on a call, only to realize the potential client thought it was a free consult or assumed they could start the project immediately?

One of the biggest mistakes designers make is jumping on calls too soon—before setting clear expectations. The result? Wasted time, price shoppers, and frustrating conversations that don’t lead to bookings.

In this post, I’ll share:

  • The key mistake costing you time and leads

  • How to filter out the wrong clients before the call

  • The simple fix that turns sales calls into booked projects

Join The DTS Files to read the full post and start talking only to ready-to-book dream clients.

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CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan

Organize Your Interior Design Client Experience Workflow: Your Services and Pricing Guide

Still Wasting Time on Unqualified Leads? Here’s How to Fix It Fast.

You wouldn’t walk into a luxury store without knowing the price tag, so why should potential clients expect anything different when inquiring about your services?

Yet, so many business owners waste hours every week on calls with leads who can’t afford them, aren’t ready to invest, or—worst of all—just want to “pick their brain.” The fix? A polished, professional Investment Guide that does the heavy lifting for you.

In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to craft a high-converting Investment Guide that streamlines your inquiry process, protects your time, and makes it easy for dream clients to say YES. Want to see the step-by-step breakdown? Join The DTS Files to access the full post.

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CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan CLIENT EXPERIENCE Katie McFarlan

Organize Your Interior Design Client Experience Workflow: The Inquiry Phase

Your Client Experience Starts Before They Even Hire You—Are You Losing Leads Without Realizing It?

“It’s not worth doing if it’s not worth doing well.” That’s been my mantra for as long as I can remember, and it’s exactlywhy I help my clients refine their interior design businesses to run smoothly, efficiently, and profitably.

Because here’s the truth: If your process leaves potential clients confused, frustrated, or unsure of what to do next, they’ll focus more on their uncertainty than the results they could be getting from working with you. And when that happens? You risk losing the very people you worked so hard to attract.

Your client experience starts the second someone reaches out—not after they sign a contract. If you don’t have clear, seamless workflows in place, you’re making it harder (and less appealing) for clients to move forward with you. But with just a few simple tweaks, you can set expectations, establish trust, and position yourself as the obvious choice—before you even hop on a discovery call.

I’m walking you through the exact steps to create a client experience that makes your business feel polished, effortless, and high-end—starting with the very first inquiry. Want to get it right? Join The DTS Files to access the full post.

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HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR READERS:

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Really just here to figure out your pricing?

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PRICING PLAYBOOK for INTERIOR DESIGNERS

The Complete Guide to Pricing Your Design Services

Grab my pricing playbook, The Complete Guide to Pricing your Interior Design Services, to learn:

  • the six most common pricing models for designers

  • who each one is best for, and

  • how to know if your pricing model is broken

NEED BUSINESS SUPPORT ASAP?

SHOP TEMPLATES

Plug-and-play templates, questionnaires, processes, and guides for interior designers who want to stop reinventing the wheel with every new project.

The Design Library helps you streamline client communication, set clear expectations, and protect your time—so you can spend less time in your inbox and more time designing. Inside, you’ll find:

✔ Professionally written client emails and marketing guides for every step of the process.
✔ SOPs to standardize service delivery and create a seamless, high-end experience.
✔ Contract templates with sample scopes to protect you, your team, and your clients.

What took me years to refine can be in your inbox in minutes.

Katie McFarlan Dakota Design Company Premium Client Process templates for Interior Designers

*for interior designers only, not interior design business coaches, consultants, mentors, strategists.

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SHOP WORKSHOPS & TRAININGS

Learn from me and my team (comprised of industry experts and educators) all the things they don’t teach in design school. And we know because two of the women on my team went to interior design school and are professors!

After consulting with and doing hands-on implementation for over 100 interior design business owners, I’ve seen what works (and doesn’t) across every business model imaginable. We are familiar with various software types, team structures of 1 to 20, and the challenges that are coming, whether you’re on your way to your first $100,000 or already making multiple millions.

On-demand and live step-by-step trainings for your busy schedule.

Katie McFarlan Dakota Design Company Premium Client Process templates for Interior Designers

*for interior designers only, not interior design business coaches, consultants, mentors, or strategists.

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COMPLIMENTARY QUIZ FOR INTERIOR DESIGNERS

You don’t need to overhaul everything. You just need to fix the right thing.

This 2-minute quiz will help you identify what’s holding you back and how to fix it.

JOIN 19,000+ DESIGNERS EVERY FRIDAY

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Proven strategies and tools to streamline and elevate your interior design business.