While you were busy preparing the financial statements of your company, you overlooked a very important factor. Don’t worry because this doesn’t refer to any miscalculation of your revenues or assets, rather you had skipped an integral part of your success: the interior design of your office. Don’t roll your eyes thinking that designing an office is a negligible and an irrelevant expenditure because getting some interior design ideas for your office is important.
Decorating your office is as important as decorating your bedroom or your drawing room. It can have a very positive impression on your customers as well as your employees. Plus, it could be an indirect way to boost your revenues. The minute ‘revenue’ was included, your interest must have developed, so before you lose it, let’s have a peek at the corporate side of interior designing.
Designing the interior of your corporation includes designing your offices, work rooms, boardrooms, and other spaces inside your office premises. It may cover everything starting from your office bathroom to your conference room.
Interior designers who specialize in designing commercial interiors usually work with corporate clients to create professional yet tasteful environments. An office will give a professional touch with appropriate office furniture, carpeting, flooring and lightening, along with the regular office items such as proper electric systems for computers and other office equipments.
Sometimes, you don’t just need to fill in your office space. Rather, simply arrange the existing furniture in an appropriate manner to give it a different look. Before you decide on how your office should look, review your company’s goals and objectives. You can’t close your eyes and bring your office some casual furniture when your work requires you to act formally. It is important to have a clear idea on what type of visitors or clients your company is expecting or hoping to attract.
Clients are like company guests who can bring either profit or loss to your financial statements. So, if you make your clients happy, surely they will please you by contributing to the profits. To take extra care, make them comfortable. This can be done by having a waiting area which is decorated perfectly to match the corporate environment, but is riveting enough that it doesnít allow your clients to move unless they sign a contract or close a deal.
After you have dealt with your client’s needs, you must also consider your employee’s preferences. They are the ones who will make the deal work out for the clients, thus compelling them to visit the company’s waiting room again to close some more deals. A deal or contract which was induced by a pleasant corporate environment ends well only when your employees are given a comfortable environment. The goal of professional interior designing is to provide a perfect corporate environment that is cozy yet conducive to efficient working habits.
Lighting is included in your corporate interior designing. Lights too bright or too dim can affect their productivity and can be the result of your company’s doom. Depending on what’s most suitable, add some pendant lighting, wall sconces, or ceiling lights.
As interior designing can influence efficiency and productivity, it should be considered closely rather than being classified as an extra expense.
After deciding to go to Tucson for Thanksgiving, and extending my trip into the earlier part of the week, I decided it would be high time to visit those nice designers and knock on some doors. I typically do not consult for just a few hours, but I wanted to reach out and introduce our company to an area that I felt we had not yet built much brand awareness.
How did I find the interior designers in Tucson?
I looked online…much like potential clients would. LinkedIn was a valuable tool for me to search by and, when I came to the second designer in my LinkedIn search list, I found that her website didn’t link properly. This led me to run a search on her name and up popped trouble. Trouble was in the form of a very negative online review about this designer’s professionalism and abilities from a potential client. This negative review was not emotionally written but carefully cited objective details, including a lawsuit. Yikes. Now I realize that there are two sides to every story and we have all had our share of bad experiences and bad clients.
However, what worried me more is that this designer may not know that this review is out there. If I were a client, there is no way that I would contact her when there are so many others in the list. As someone who works with designers, I was even unwilling to call on this woman because I figured that I did not “need the trouble”.
The sad truth is that we are all much more willing to write a scathing review when we’ve had a bad experience than we are to write a review if the experience exceeded our expectations. That reality is not going to change.
Are you monitoring what people are saying about you online?
See my next two posts about tools to monitor your online reputation and what to do about a bad review.
It’s no surprise that the dirty martini, a symbol of refined revelry and exceptional taste, is also Gibson Design Management’s chosen symbol for a reward of member excellence. Each month, the Dirty Martini award is presented to one of our members, honoring the innovative, devoted and impressive achievements of the people we are so fortunate to work with. And what better way is there to applaud a job well done than by unwinding with a cocktail?
This month, we’d like to congratulate Ciao Interiors from Kalispell, Montana for their award-winning participation in the 2010 Flathead Parade of Homes! This year’s Parade of Homes featured 14 homes – two remodels and twelve newly-built structures – all exemplifying the finest architecture and design in the Flathead Valley area. Ciao Interiors had the opportunity to design, project manage and furnish a new home for the event – emphasizing detailed craftsmanship (by hand) and locally-produced stone and materials.
With enthusiasm and excitement, Ciao designer Les Bernabi and his wife Linda kept fans (including the GDM team) clued in on the construction progress with updates on everything from art selection to lighting locations. As the “Stunning Lakeside Club Retreat” took shape, we became more and more impressed with the home’s rustic integrity and seamless placement amidst Kalispell’s picturesque beauty. We find Ciao Interiors’ dedication to such an enormous task praiseworthy to begin with, but we are even more thrilled to announce that Ciao won the top three awards for their home – Judge’s Choice (overall best home on the tour), Best Architecture and Best Craftsmanship. Ciao’s Lakeside Club Retreat also had the most foot traffic and was incredibly popular with visitors who toured the properties.
The "Judges' Choice" banner proudly displayed in front of Ciao's masterpiece.
We’re proud and impressed with Ciao Interiors’ finished project, and in total agreement with all the praise they’ve received for their beautiful work. After many months of managing, planning and preparing for the event, we hope Les and Linda of Ciao Interiors have an opportunity to sit back, relax and take pride in this accomplishment – while enjoying a refreshing martini, of course! Congratulations again to Ciao Interiors, and cheers!
A series to get your creative juices flowing for your interior design firm’s blog. [Link to earlier posts: Introduction/first set, numbers 6-10, numbers 11-15, numbers 16-20, and numbers 21-25]
A front door wreath for each season.
Using a stair runner. Using patterns or solids. Why you might want a runner.
Review of a recent hotel/resort you visited (from a design perspective). What you liked and/or didn’t like. Interesting pieces or uses that your readers could translate into their lives.
Tempo Miami. (Photo: Elle Decor)
A plug for your favorite charity and why you support it. Show your readers what you care about.
Pictures of your holiday table. Show them your personality and a glimpse into your life.
Check back next Monday for the remaining ideas in the series! (Are we saving best for last?)
A definition of trims. Educate your readers and expand their vocabularies (tape, braid, lipcord, etc.).
Your latest project and an interview with the client. This could even be a video.
Multiple arrangements for the same living room furniture. Show 5 or 6 basic pieces and how they can be arranged in a basic room to show a very different look.
Interesting furniture arrangements create new life in a living room. (Photo: Elle Decor)
Appropriate height to hang art.
How to choose a tile grout color. When to use contrasting grout. What to think about regarding maintenance.
Stay tuned for five more blog post ideas, coming next week!
With all of the shiny new tools out there, many of our small business clients ask whether they still need use email marketing to reach their communities and audiences. A few months ago, I would have said “yes”, but not as emphatically as I say it now. A few months ago, I would have spouted off something about how your clients, influencers, and potential clients like to receive their information in different ways. Not everyone is going to be on Facebook, reading your blog, etc. but they might actually like to hear from you by email. I believe that this is still the case, however now we have some metrics to back it up.
Last week at the Word of Mouth Marketing Supergenius conference in New York, Olivier Blanchard from The BrandBuilder not only gave an incredibly robust presentation on determining ROI from social media efforts but he also gave a REAL LIFE (these exist!) example of a small business who used different digital and print avenues to promote his business.
From Olivier’s presentation:
Example of spend justification — A retailer suspected his print advertising wasn’t helping. 90% of spend was on print, 10% was on email, blog, and in-store. We embedded unique promo codes in each channel. We did sales as tests. We didn’t need to measure all the time, just slivers of time. Of all promo codes, 4% of sales came from print, 69% came from email, 17% came from Facebook, and 10% came from web and blog.
In our own experience, we have also found that our clients have highest direct sales from email marketing compared to other platforms. One of the design firms that we work with in Montana held a large sale on all furnishings from one of its manufacturers. The firm printed and mailed postcards about the sale and….crickets. For the same sale, we developed an email marketing campaign as well. At least three large furnishing purchases were attributed directly to the buyers receiving the emails (side note: margins on furniture are large). Emails are sharable too. For your list of 500, you may reach 1,000 when people forward on something good to their friends. That’s much more difficult with a hard copy mailer.
By what I’ve written in this post, I would imagine that several of you are thinking- “Well then why do we waste our time with Facebook, Twitter, blogging, and the other things that are about to make my brain explode? Why not just put all of our resources into email marketing if we want to make more money?” Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogging, vlogging, etc. are important for the new way that we, as consumers and as sellers interact; we expect that interaction and it’s an important fundamental piece of our new marketplace. On the digital marketing scale, email marketing is much less conversational. Conversations are important in building the bridges for future sales and future brand development. Don’t give up on the other platforms, but especially don’t think that email marketing is now obsolete. Just like each of the other tools, it has its place in your tool belt.
Alexandra and Amanda have just arrived in New York City to enjoy a few days of meetings, great events, and of course– fun. (Would you expect anything less?)
Kicking off today is House Beautiful’s “Kitchen of the Year“ in Rockefeller Plaza– an event full of cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs, tastings, kitchen design tips, and a fully rendered “Kitchen of the Year” designed by Jeff Lewis. After the daytime activities conclude, Alexandra and Amanda will attend House Beautiful’s “Kitchen of the Year” opening night gala! For more details, watch the video below– and be sure to check Twitter for updates and photos by Alexandra and Amanda.
They will also be meeting with ultra-talented GDM member Ondine Karady at the event, whose 50′s movie- inspired kitchen, “Bumblebee by the Beach,” which was designed for House Beautiful’s “Uncompromising Design“ video series can be seen below. Alexandra and Amanda have just updated that Ondine’s video has been playing on the big screen in Rockefeller Plaza throughout today’s event– congratulations! Tomorrow, Ondine’s kitchen design will continue its reign in the spotlight at cooking demos and more sponsored by Jenn-Air.
Credit: Ondine Karady for House Beautiful
Tomorrow, Alexandra and Amanda will attend the Word of Mouth Marketing Supergenius Conference hosted by Gaspedal for some educational nourishment. The event will feature how-to crash courses in Word of Mouth (WOM) Marketing, brilliant speakers, and real-world case studies.
If you happen to be in New York, head over to Rockefeller Plaza to partake in some of these exciting events. Even if you’re not a design enthusiast, there’s sure to be something for everyone to enjoy!
Again, stay updated on Twitter and follow Alexandra and Amanda as they journey through New York! More to follow…
It’s no surprise that the dirty martini, a symbol of refined revelry and exceptional taste, is also Gibson Design Management’s chosen symbol for a reward of member excellence. Each month, the Dirty Martini award is presented to one of our members, honoring the innovative, devoted and impressive achievements of the people we are so fortunate to work with. What better way is there to applaud a job well done than by unwinding with a cocktail?
This month, we’d like to congratulate Lane Elisabeth Oliver of LEO Interior Design for her recent media recognition, which praised her skilled design sense and innovative approach when it comes to transforming an interior. Although Lane’s work has been featured in many publications, last month’s Denver Life Magazine highlighted an LEO Interior Design project in a lengthy spread (“Tidy Transformation”)– describing Lane’s ability to “add life” to an outdated home interior by combining traditional elements with light colors, bold patterns and some impressive faux finishes. (To read the full article and see pictures of the final interior, visit the LEO Interior Design website and download a PDF version.)
After a job well done, we think Lane deserves to put her feet up and enjoy a refreshing martini. Congratulations again to Lane Elisabeth Oliver of LEO Interior Design–cheers!
Practical, judicious and well-dressed, Scarlett O’Hara embodies more than just the charm of a Southern belle. Her character gives us plenty of business-savvy lessons to work with– applicable to any time period, and regardless of proximity to the Mason-Dixon Line.
Here are four lessons to be learned from Scarlett:
Be resilient. Scarlett did not have an easy go of it after the Civil War. She was forced to work the fields and manage the house after the death of her mother and the onset insanity of her father. Furthermore, she had not a penny to her name and was deeply indebted to the tax collectors. However, she pushed through. We’ve all lived through the last 2 years of a terrible economic storm. Even without poor market conditions, businesses will go through very tough times. Resiliency, and will power, can often be the only thing to push us through the difficulty when it seems like everything is going to mud. Sometimes it is about putting one foot in front of the other when things are really dismal.
Dress the part. When Scarlett goes to Atlanta to visit Rhett Butler in jail and ask for money to pay the taxes on Tara, she dresses the part despite being destitute (and wears the velvet drapes that Mammy fashioned into a gown). As Thomas Fuller said “Good clothes open all doors.” When you want something from someone—a sale, an investment, etc.—you need to look and act like you will survive without it. Dress the part, inside and out.
Think about it tomorrow. Some days are overwhelming. If you think about eating the whole elephant in one sitting, you will be sick thinking about the enormity of your task. Not everything has to be done today. Don’t bury your head in the sand but give yourself a break and realize that you are one person with the same 24 hours that everyone else has. As Scarlett says, “I’ll think about it tomorrow.” Some days you should do just that.
Don’t be foolish chasing after something that is not meant to be. Occasionally, we all really believe that a certain product or service is what is going to be our savior for our company. We continue investing money and time, putting other lucrative services and products on the back burner. Be honest with yourself about what areas of your business are really producing revenue. Focus a majority of your efforts there. Don’t spend your business life chasing after Ashley when Rhett is really the best fit.
Starting in 2007, the market for interior designers turned into quicksand. The credit markets tightened, and projects that typically went to designers were brought in-house both residentially and commercially.
HGTV and the Internet created more competitors in the middle of the market from the consumers themselves, and frankly, for most designers, those weren’t and aren’t your best clients anyway.
High-end projects stayed fairly steady until the economic debacle of October 2008, and then many of the projects slowed, stopped or didn’t start at all. Especially in markets tied to the financial markets like New York, the wealthiest clients lost their jobs and their sense of security if they were in jobs associated with money and wealth.
The commercial market was devastated by the credit crisis, and according to economists, the concerns aren’t behind us yet.
Even with this perfect storm, some designers were very busy. Why? They adapted to the market shifts, changed their pricing strategies, developed an online presence, spent as much as 10% on marketing, focused on a niche, learned how to differentiate themselves better, and didn’t wait for the phone to ring. They took these conditions as a challenge and they worked even harder than before.
If commercial and hospitality is your preferred area of business, you’ll want to focus on renovations. If you can show companies that an investment in renovation can lead to more dollars at the bottom line especially if they depend on consumer spending, then you have an opportunity to build a logical reason why a company should invest. The commercial designers that become a marketing partner with their clients differentiate themselves and become a valuable solution-oriented team member instead of an expense.
If your specialty is residential design, bathroom and kitchen renovation is still steady. The budgets might be smaller, but there is work in this specialty area.
A kitchen renovation featured on the Traditional Home blog
Some designers created packages of services they offered on their websites. Why did that work for them? The consumers wanted (and demanded) to know the investment required .
Other designers offered Value Based Fees because consumers resisted hourly fees. ASID surveyed consumers a few years ago and approximately 70% said they wanted fixed fees. Designers who offered this option found that it completely shifted their role from an hourly wage slave to a trusted advisor, and that helped many designers kick-start their businesses even during the last several months.
You could be the greatest designer, but if people don’t hear about you consistently, then your business will struggle. These days, you need great photography, a great head shot, articles about you in magazines, online and in newspapers (third party endorsements), a web presence including a website, blog and social media and search engine optimization of your website and blog.
And, if you don’t have a written business plan, marketing plan, vision and strategy for your business, it’s time to get busy and take action. Referrals and networking may have worked in the past, but they are less effective than ever, so that means it’s time to rethink and reposition your business.
