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 businesses.

Special thank you to all the interior designers who responded to the survey and gave us permission to share their insights.

The Best Place For New Interior Designers to Get Clients

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Welcome back to the first 2024 edition of Dakota Design Company’s Guest Expert Interview series on the blog. We’re thrilled to share expertise from female business owners and leaders in the interior design industry—from interior photographers to social media managers, financial advisors, and branding experts.

Each of our expert guests was selected because they can share their unique insights and perspectives on a range of topics that will help any interior designer take their trade and business to the next level. These experts are Dakota Design Company insiders, and many of them have worked directly with us and our clients in the past. We hope you enjoy this series and that it brings you new insights and confidence as you grow your business!

We asked certified public accountant Caroline Van Wassenhove, Founder and President of CVW Accounting, to share three numbers every interior design business owner should know to ensure success.

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After my restorative and impactful solo business getaway in January, I decided to make it a tradition to get away for a few days every quarter to focus on the business and reset. I just wrapped my second “getaway,” and once again, it was amazing. 

A little backstory before we dive into my takeaways:

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If you’re spending hours writing custom proposals, struggling to price your services, or getting ghosted after you send them—something isn’t working. A streamlined scope of work and proposal process can save you TONS of time, increase your close rate, and eliminate frustrating back-and-forth with clients.

In this article, I’m sharing the nine biggest mistakes interior designers make when preparing their proposals—and how to fix them. You’ll learn:

• The one thing you should never include in your proposal (hint: it’s costing you time and credibility).

• Why sending a contract too late in the process is hurting your close rate—and what to do instead.

• How to structure your proposal so clients are excited to sign (without asking for endless revisions).

• A simple tweak to your process that helps you send proposals in a day or less—without stress.

If you want to stop over-customizing, over-explaining, and overthinking your proposals—and instead create a seamless, professional process that leads to faster client sign-ons, join The DTS Files today to unlock my advice and read the full post.

Dear Dakota,

What should I do when a client doesn’t provide timely feedback on their interior design presentation?

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Dear Dakota,

How do we protect ourselves from a contractor's mistake or hold a contractor accountable for a portion of the cost?

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