Attracting and winning over customers: a marketing guide for interior designers and decorators looking to raise their profile!

In this article, we’ll explore some of the best strategies for promoting your talent and building your audience. Get ready to discover how to turn your interior design or decorating business into a commercial “masterpiece”! After all, as the legendary interior designer Elsie de Wolfe once reminded us, “the secret of good design is to capture the spirit of the age and express it in an attractive way” – a concept that, as you’ll see, applies to marketing too…

The art of storytelling: how can storytelling boost your brand image?

Storytelling, or the art of telling stories, is a powerful marketing technique that can help professionals like interior designers and decorators stand out in a saturated market. According to author and storytelling consultant Park Howell, “stories are the best vehicles for communicating ideas in a way that is both engaging and memorable” (Howell, 2018). Interior designers and decorators can therefore use storytelling to create a more emotional connection with their audience, which is a great way to increase trust. A successful example of storytelling comes from Sarah, an interior designer based in Paris’s 14th arrondissement.

She has created a series of videos sharing stories of transforming ordinary living spaces into true havens of peace.

“By telling these stories, I bring my work to life and show potential customers what I can do for them.”

explains Sarah, who has seen her sales increase by 32% in one year thanks to these films. Interior designers and decorators can also use storytelling to communicate their unique vision and style. Thomas, a decorator specializing in eco-friendly design, uses storytelling to show how he is committed to creating sustainable interiors without sacrificing aesthetics. He declares:

“I share stories about my personal experiences and my journey to becoming an eco-responsible decorator, it helps my customers understand my passion for the environment and connect with my mission.”

To effectively integrate storytelling into your marketing strategy, it’s essential to stay authentic and tell stories that truly reflect your values and personality. Annette Simmons, an expert in marketing and advertising copywriting,

“a true story, well told, creates connections and makes people more willing to work with you” (Simmons, 2007).

What’s more, it’s important to choose the right channels to spread your stories. Social networks, blogs and websites are excellent tools for sharing your storytelling with a wide audience. Don’t forget to include visual elements, such as photos and videos, to bring your stories to life. Telling a great story is therefore a powerful marketing technique that can help interior designers and decorators stand out from the competition. References: Howell, P. (2018). Brand Bewitchery: How to Wield the Story Cycle System™ to Craft Spellbinding Stories for Your Brand. Park & Co. Simmons, A. (2007). Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact. AMACOM.

Organize exclusive events to build deep, lasting relationships with customers

Exclusive and surprising events are an effective way for interior designers and decorators to build strong, lasting relationships with prospects and customers. By organizing workshops, presentations or private parties, you can offer your customers a unique and memorable experience, while reinforcing your brand image and establishing your expertise in the creative field. Sophie, a Lyon-based interior designer, regularly organizes themed workshops for her customers and prospects.

“These events enable me to get closer to my customers and share with them my passion for interior design and architecture”,

she explains.

“They appreciate this personalized attention and learning new techniques to improve their living space.”

To organize a successful event, it’s essential to choose the right theme and format.

You could, for example, organize a workshop on current interior design trends, a presentation on the sustainable use of materials, or a private party to celebrate the opening of a new project. It’s also important to select an appropriate venue and ensure that the event is well advertised and planned. Testimonials from satisfied customers can also help reinforce the impact of your events: try to get as many as possible! Éric, one of Sophie’s customers, testifies:

“The workshop on eco-responsible trends I attended not only taught me new things, but also convinced me to call on Sophie to rethink my interior. Her expertise and enthusiasm at the event gave me confidence in her skills.”

Don’t forget to promote your events through different channels, such as social networks, newsletters but also personalized invitations. You can also encourage your satisfied customers to share their experience with friends and family, which can help you attract new customers.

Start collaborating with local influencers: a win-win approach!

For a change from the world of social networking and online promotion, contacting local influencers represents a very interesting opportunity for interior designers and decorators. Collaborating with these personalities can not only help you increase your visibility, but also create beneficial partnerships for all parties involved! Take the example of Camille, an interior designer based in Bordeaux. She decided to team up with Hugo, a local lifestyle and home influencer, to promote her services. Together, they designed a renovation project for a downtown apartment, documenting every step of the process on social networks.

“Collaborating with Hugo has enabled me to reach a wider audience and get new customers thanks to his recommendation.”

says Camille, who is already thinking of doing it again! Hugo, for his part, is delighted with the collaboration:

“Working with Camille has been an incredible experience. I was able to offer quality content to my subscribers, while supporting a talented local decorator”,

he confides. To take full advantage of connections with local influencers, it’s essential to choose partners whose audience and interests match your niche. It’s also important to establish clear objectives for the collaboration, such as increasing brand awareness, acquiring new customers or promoting a specific service: we advise you to be clear about everyone’s goals in advance. Once the collaboration has been set up, be sure to monitor and analyze the results. For example, evaluate the engagement generated by publications linked to the collaboration and the number of new customers acquired as a result. This will enable you to adjust your strategy and maximize the impact of future partnerships. Camille customer Nina testifies to the effectiveness of this collaboration:

“It was when I discovered the renovation project on Hugo’s Instagram account that I became aware of Camille’s work. I was immediately seduced by her style and creativity, and decided to contact her to redesign my own apartment.”

By combining your skills and expertise with the notoriety of local influencers, you can create fruitful partnerships and develop your career as a decorator or interior designer.

Dare sensory marketing: harness the five senses to create a powerful connection with your audience!

Sensorial marketing, which involves stimulating your audience’s five senses to create a highly emotional connection, is a creative and innovative approach for interior designers and decorators wishing to stand out from the crowd. By integrating visual, aural, olfactory, tactile and gustatory elements into your communication strategy, you can offer your customers and prospects an immersive and memorable experience. Take the example of Sylvie, an interior designer renowned for her use of sensory marketing. To promote her business, she organizes interactive exhibitions where visitors are invited to touch materials, smell ambient fragrances and listen to playlists specially designed for each room. She explains that she

“wants her customers to have a unique experience when discovering her creations. By stimulating their senses, she succeeds in creating a particularly strong emotional bond with them”.

One of her customers, Julien, testifies to the strong impact of this approach:

“When I visited Julie’s exhibition, I was fascinated by the way she managed to stage her work. I was able to touch the textiles, smell the fragrances and immerse myself totally in her world. That’s what convinced me to call on her for my loft renovation project.”

To implement a successful sensory marketing strategy, it’s essential to know your audience well and think about the emotions you want to evoke. For example, you could combine soft textures and soothing scents to create a relaxing atmosphere, or use bright colors and bold patterns to evoke energy and creativity. Less well known than other marketing techniques, the art of playing with the senses is a creative and effective approach for interior designers and decorators wishing to share a memorable experience with their audience. By exploiting the five senses, you can offer your customers a unique experience while enhancing your creativity.

In conclusion… As you can see, today’s interior designers and decorators have a multitude of marketing techniques at their disposal to raise their profile and develop their customer base. From collaborating with local influencers to sensory marketing, organizing special events and exploring the power of storytelling, these creative professionals have a whole range of levers at their disposal to help them establish their reputation with the public.
However, it’s important not to neglect traditional marketing tools, such as business cards, which remain a “key” element in establishing initial contact with potential customers. By integrating modern technologies such as NFC chips and QR codes, you can give business cards a real facelift and make them more interactive. This way, customers can easily access your online portfolio, social networks or other relevant information simply by scanning the QR code or bringing their smartphone close to the NFC chip. This skilful blend of traditional and innovative marketing techniques will enable interior designers and decorators to stand out in a competitive and constantly evolving sector.