There are some skills that you may not realize are important to running a successful interior design business - and sadly, many designers actively avoid mastering these skills. But if you can improve these skills you’ll improve the success of your business. Keep reading to learn more.

Clients are very familiar with the fact that interior designers get designer discounts. Here is how to have that conversation with clients about this privilege and how to prevent clients from ever asking for discounts during the project.

Everyone wants to know they aren’t being taken advantage of by their interior designer. And unfortunately, because nothing is standardized in interior design this can lead to client distrust. That is why I am a big proponent of being super-transparent about your pricing.

Time to start treating your business with a little more respect, it’s more than a hobby. In this article, discover some simple boundaries to start building into your interior design business. Take back your life and add a little more balance.

It’s important to set your business off on the right foot. That begins with your very first interior design project. Read this article to learn how to not give too much of yourself and make sure that you are also benefiting from all the hard work you do on your projects. Too often independent interior designers sacrifice themselves for their clients’ projects. Here is how to make it a win-win.

Here are five quick website tips for your interior design website. Make sure that your website is working for you. These aren’t tips you’ve heard before - and they can change your business.

One major thing I don’t see enough on interior design websites is pricing. Pricing should be on your website. Pricing must be on your website. You’re probably losing good clients without it. Read Should You Put Pricing on Your Website to know all the reasons that you should include pricing on your website. #capellakincheloe #interiordesignbusiness #interiordesignpricing #interiordesignwebsite #interiordesignceo #businessofdesign

I am a huge proponent of new client packets (aka welcome packet). It shows you you know what you’re doing, it sets client expectations, and it educates. A new client packet prepares clients for working with you and helps them understand your process.

There is something that could be called our dirty little secret - many designers feel like they don’t know what they’re doing. Sure, they can design, but the running of their business feels overwhelming, beyond their expectations and capabilities. Many designers end up winging most parts of running of their business.

There is one thing that can help provide a bridge between visitors to your website and those that become clients - a call-to-action (CTA). It’s important to lead people to the next step. Tell them what to do. It’s amazing to me how much this little instruction makes a psychological difference.

Designers can be obsessive about pricing. As you probably know, I write about things that I see designers struggling with. And pricing is probably the number one issue that designers THINK they have trouble with. But pricing isn't the problem. Trouble usually comes from the issues surrounding pricing like confidence, billing, and time.

You must have a specialty. Your specialty, or niche, will either be something you’ve figured out for yourself or if you don’t choose, sometimes it’ll emerge on its own just because of your natural talents and personality. Who you are, what you do, and who you attract all come into consideration for your specialty. Uniqueness is a beautiful thing.

Democratizing design. Making design accessible for everyone. Every time I hear a designer claim that this is their mission or reason they are in business it makes me cringe.

I cringe, not because I’m a heartless, elitist, design snob, but because these designers are setting up unprofitable businesses.

How do you support your creativity? Creativity is a muscle, it’s a gift, it’s energy - it will weaken if unused and overused, will retreat. As an interior design business coach, I don’t delve into the design/creative side much. But I see so many designers become burned out because they aren’t honoring their creativity.