Interior designers understand human psychology really well, especially when it relates to how people react with a specific interpretation of interior design and physical space. Typically, an interior design firm works on many different types of environments that can be created inside a building. For examples office spaces, hotels, homes, museums, etc. it has been seen that, designers specialize in either commercial or residential interior design, though some firms do both. But not everyone who works as an Interior Designer knows the key aspects of this trade. MsME Interior Design, a top Brickell Avenue Interior Designer has come up with some tips for Interior Designers.
Always get the Contracts in writing
For any business, Contracts are important as they protect all parties involved. Always draw up a contract in writing so that your client can see all the services you are providing. It is advisable to ask some percentage of the pay up front, when the contract is signed. This ensures both the parties are interested in a project. When you are professional from the onset, you will be valued for your time and business sense. Also, keep receipts and all your finances in order because if a client audits you, you will have to provide all the detailed paperwork.
Hire a professional photographer to show off your project.
Your previous work is going to be displayed by its photography. You can’t expect people to take you seriously if your works aren’t displayed in a professional manner. Don’t showcase the images of your previous work taken from a regular phone camera. A professional photographer will take pictures in such a way that the impact of important elements of a room are accentuated.
Never rely on shooting it yourself unless you are super confident in this area. A professional photographer will know all of the ‘on trend’ angles so that they shoot it magazine style.
When looking for a professional photographer to capture your company’s interior design work, LinkedIn can be a great resource. You can use the site’s search feature to find photographers in your area who have the skills and experience you need. Once you’ve found a few promising candidates, you can use an email finder tool to get their email addresses. This will allow you to reach out to them directly and discuss the opportunity. By using LinkedIn and email finder tools, you can easily connect with talented professionals who can help you showcase your interior design work.
Of course, your photographer should know what you will be using the photos for.
You should have multiple skills
The people who work as interior designers need to have an in-depth understanding of color usage, textures, furniture styles, artwork, lighting, fashion trends, eco-materials, indoor plants, and a whole range of other things that can be used as design elements for interior spaces. Moreover, they need to be very good at dealing with people, including clients that can be quite difficult and workers that make mistakes on occasion. You need to be really calm. Their main talent is aligning their own view of what the interior space will be made to look like with the client’s preferences, so that both are very satisfied with the results.
How much should you charge?
Though there is no fixed way of charging the clients and it depends on the individual projects, according to the American Society of Interior Designers, the most common ways to charge for interior design services are: Flat or fixed fee , Time-based fee and Project percentage fee. Among other methods, in Retainer with balance method, the amount is paid upon completion in which an initial deposit is paid by the client, which is a portion of the interior designer’s fee that is agreed by signed written contract. The balance of this fee is paid upon successful completion of the project. In the Cost plus method, the interior designer buys things at wholesale for the project and then charges the client the retail price or a slightly discounted price from regular retail. Similarly in the Cost per square foot method, the fee for the interior designer is calculated based on the total square footage involved in the project.
How to present to clients
Whether you are meeting with potential clients in their homes or your office, you will prepare storyboards for their projects. Storyboards are visual and tactile records of the room or rooms you will be recreating. They allow you to make sure that all aspects of your interior design work together. You should offer your clients as much detailed presentation as you can as it is this level of attention to detail that will allow your business to prosper quickly.
Once you have established your name, how to grow your business?.
In this day of social media, more and more people are relying on the power of positive feedback and word of mouth. The first thing you should do is to grow your circle. Get out there and connect with as many people as you can. Join social networks. Develop personal relationships first, these will then evolve into working relationships. Start a blog or website or both to showcase your projects and style. Give future clients a sneak peek into what you can actually do for them. Social media can be a very powerful tool in this. Social media will help writers and influential bloggers find and promote your work as well. These things will help grow your business and your brand.
As far as having a website your own is concerned, find a great web designer or learn as much as you can about creating a great site yourself. Growing your business is all about spreading your name as far as possible. Apart from having your own website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram can be of great help. Moreover, on these platforms, you can also search for prospective clients in your area.
