The way many decorators find most of their clients is through word of mouth. Someone who has been thinking of getting their home redecorated visits a friend whose home was recently decorated, and the conversation naturally turns to "who did it?" As you probably know from personal experience, a recommendation from a friend is perhaps the most powerful form of advertising that exists.
But don't despair if you want to sell your decorating services to a market you have no previous experience with (for example, if you want to work with the wealthy, but haven't yet decorated any multi-millionaires' homes). In this article you will find a variety of ideas to help you attract clients. And once you have done a great job for those first few clients, you can start attracting more through word of mouth.
Before you start trying to sell your services to prospective clients, you should decide which types of clients you want to decorate for. These are your "target" markets. It can be tempting for a new decorator to say something like "I want to decorate for anyone who'll pay me!" Avoid the temptation. It is costly and time-consuming to try to market your business to "everyone" and the truth is that some people will be more interested than others in the services you have to offer. In fact, people are more likely to hire you if they see you as an expert who specializes in what they need. When you are just starting out, of course you might take whatever business comes your way. However, you can focus your marketing efforts on the target markets you most want to work with. Once you start getting more business, you may be able to give up work you find less rewarding, and spend your time on decorating projects you find most rewarding.
People who own their own homes are an obvious market for interior decorators. A recent American Express Retail Index study found over 30 percent of homeowners were planning several home improvement projects within the next year. However, there are many different types of homes. "Homes" may include houses, apartment condominiums, townhouses, cottages, estates, recreational vehicles, "manufactured homes" (also known as "trailers"), and even yachts. There are also many different types of homeowners you might target, including:
Any of these groups might want to hire someone for a major redecorating project. Or you might target people who simply want their furniture rearranged. You could also specialize in redecorating particular rooms, such as kitchens, bathrooms, or home offices. You could even target renters instead of home owners. As you can see, there are many different areas you can focus on if you want to work with home owners. Spend some time deciding which markets appeal to you most.
Companies that build new houses or develop condominums often hire interior decorators on contract to decorate model homes. Every new home development has model homes that are beautifully decorated with furniture, linens, art, etc. Everything is color coordinated and arranged to make the home as attractive and comfortable as possible. The purpose is to sell houses or condominiums by making visitors feel this is a home they want to live in. The builder may have a warehouse full of furnishings for you to choose from, or they may give you a budget to go and buy what you need. If you decide you would like to work with home builders, you can narrow your market down further by focusing on either houses or condominiums (apartments or townhouses).
There are many businesses that might want to use the services of an interior decorating firm - from doctors' offices to car dealerships. However, some types of businesses are more likely than others to use a professional decorator.
You might find work decorating for a wide variety of other types of businesses. You can narrow down your market by focusing on businesses that attract upscale clients. So instead of targeting "doctors offices" you could target plastic surgeons. And instead of targeting "car dealerships" you could focus on luxury car dealerships.
As you get more experience you may decide to go after new target markets, or your business may naturally evolve to focus on particular types of clients. However, starting with some specific target markets in mind can help you focus your marketing efforts most efficiently - saving you both time and money.
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Note: This article was sent to us by: Victoria Liann at 03012010
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