If you’re like most interior designers, you’re feeling the pinch of the economy.  You are not alone.  Some firms are facing difficult decisions about closing their businesses or reducing staff.  At the same time, there are firms that are busier than ever.  What are they doing differently?

They are specialists in eco-friendly and sustainable design.  They’ve built their brand around environmental responsibility and the consumer-driven demand for energy-efficient and healthy spaces and buildings.

In fact, 82% of Americans believe it is “important for companies to implement environmentally friendly practices.” – McGraw Hill

Do you need to be LEED certified to get this business and promote green products and services?  No, but it helps.

If you’d like to know more about how green can help you get business and build a thriving practice, please Click Here

Another study by the American Marketing Association and Fleishman Hillard International Communications shows that 63% of the people surveyed believe that the new administration’s policies will further accelerate the adoption of sustainability programs.

If you are looking for answers to help you grow your firm even during tough economic times, we encourage you to check out and attend Design Success University’s upcoming Green Design Summit – a ground-breaking virtual education program with 11 architecture and design industry experts, NY Times best-selling authors and environmental leaders including:

v  Penny Bonda, LEED AP & “the Mother of Green Interiors”

The New LEED Version 3 -What You Need to Know

v  Sarah Susanka, FAIA, certified Interior Designer & Author

“not so big remodeling” (and how to build a sustainable
practice)

v  Libby Langon, HGTV Star of Small Spaces, Big Style and author.

How to Work With Small Space Clients (plus she’ll share
some of her favorite tips that her clients love)

This is just a small sampling of the outstanding speakers you will hear during this two day virtual event on June 29 & 30, 2009.

No travel is required – you’ll be able to listen from the comfort of your home or office by webcast or telephone.  And, if you can’t listen to all of the calls, you’ll receive downloadable MP3s and transcripts of each session.  If you have employees, you can listen for the price of one ticket.  One ticket per firm, please.

If your colleagues are busy with eco-friendly projects, you don’t want to miss hearing about what you can do to restart and green your own business.

Click Here for more information:

Sign up For the GREEN DESIGN SUMMIT TODAY!!

Click Here

Tomorrow I leave for Chicago to attend Gaspedal’s Word of Mouth Marketing Crash Course.  Gaspedal’s CEO, Andy Sernovitz, wrote one of my favorite business books called Word of Mouth Marketing.  See the book here at Amazon.  I recommend the book to everyone and anyone.

Stay tuned for some great information after I return from the Crash Course.  In the meantime, take a look at the outline of the course by clicking on the button below.  Gaspedal holds the Crash Course every month at the “Catalyst Ranch” in downtown Chicago.  I’m looking forward to it!

PRWeb is sponsoring a free webinar entitled “Small Business Marketing: Use PR to Grow Your Business“.

Wednesday, October 22nd at 2:00 pm Eastern

Entrepreneur Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Amy C. Cosper and Host of Startup BizCast and EndGame PR President Steve Mullen will lead the webinar to discover powerful, cost-effective ways to build your business.

Learn more and register: https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=123560&sessionid=1&key=C199278534EE843AACD69D36A07438B6&sourcepage=register

Sorry for the short notice but if you can attend, it looks like it will be well worth your time!

Gail Doby, Chief Vision Officer of Design Success University, and Nika Stewart, The Designers’ Success Coach, are co-hosting an exciting event that you don’t want to miss–The Interior Design Summit on October 28, 29, & 30.

Click here to learn more

This three-day event is unlike anything that has been done for the interior design industry to date. They are interviewing 11 speakers (so far) that are top-selling authors, business consultants and agents to celebrity designers, and other amazing guests that are sure to help you grow your interior design business.

What is unique about this event is that you can listen to this from the comfort of your office or home during these three days. No travel expenses, just a nominal fee for the event and you will receive recordings so you can listen again at your convenience.

Here are some of the things you will learn:

How to book yourself solid

How to market so you don’t have to “sell” to get clients

How to build amazing referral partners that send affluent clients to you

How to create your marketing plan to get a steady flow of business

How to work with the ultra-affluent clients – how to get them and how to serve them…learn what they are looking for in an interior designer

How to use newsletters to stay connected with your prospects and clients …without having to write!

How to use social networking to create an online portfolio especially if you don’t have a website

How to build your personal brand so prospects and clients immediately know who you are and what your business represents

How to build a great team and manage your staff effectively

How to streamline the parts of your business that you don’t enjoy

And much more…

Save the dates and plan to make this an event in your office by bringing in lunch and having a discussion (with yourself if you work solo, or with your staff) to create a winning plan to take your business to the next level.

Click here to learn more about the event