Today’s session of Interior Design Business School is a real mixed-bag of awesomeness.
We’ve got a discussion about online reviews and SEO, a look at residential trends for Spring 2024, the importance of being open to change and a long list of stupid stuff interior designers need to stop doing. Kind of a weird day for interior design podcasts…TGIF.
Episodes at a glance:
Designer Discussions - Jason Lockhart, Mirjam Lippuner, Maria Martin - Unlocking the Power of Word of Mouth in Your Design Business - 22 min
Dear Alice - Jessica Bennett and Suzanne Hall - Forecasting Trends for Spring 2024 - 53 min
A Well-Designed Business - LuAnn Nigara - Power Talk Friday: Sonja Capasso: Is it Failure or is it the Path to Success? - 51 min
Hot Young Designers Club - Rebecca Plumb & Shaun Crha - Just Stop VI: Judgement Day - 1 hr, 1 min
Designer Discussions - Jason Lockhart, Mirjam Lippuner, Maria Martin - Unlocking the Power of Word of Mouth in Your Design Business - 22 min
In today’s episode, hosts Jason Lockhart, Mirjam Lippuner and Maria Martin share advice about how press, referrals, and AI can construct trust with your customers, amplify visibility, and catapult your interior design or remodeling business to new heights. The digital landscape can be a minefield, so let us guide you through the intricacies of SEO, demonstrating how reviews can propel your rankings and steer the decisions of potential customers.
Stepping into the spotlight, we shine a light on how reviews can not only build trust in your business but also widen your visibility. Harness the might of social proof, use negative reviews to your advantage, and monitor your online reputation with tools like Google Alerts. The podcast doesn't stop at reviews! We venture into unexplored territories of marketing strategies for interior designers, delving into how SEO, press, social media, and AI can upgrade your marketing game. With us at the Designer Discussions Academy, we bring you monthly nuggets of wisdom on leveraging these strategies to make your business flourish.
Dear Alice - Jessica Bennett and Suzanne Hall - Forecasting Trends for Spring 2024 - 53 min
Podcast hosts Jessica Bennett and Suzanne Hall went to High Point Market this year to see what is up and coming for Spring of 2024.
Here’s what they found: The furniture makers are making new silhouettes, using new fabrics and finishes that are gonna be available for this coming Spring, and they’re just kind of seeing what’s new in lighting, rugs, furniture, case goods, mirrors, accessories, and everything across the board. They get to go and buy for this next Spring and with this episode they just want to dig into what they’re seeing in the interior trends so you know what’s coming on the horizon.
Highlights:
Host chat 1:40
Color 8:30
Brass 11:20
Candy colors 20:40
Anything goes as long as it’s in good taste 29:40
New tech 32:00
The color green 36:00
The reds 40:45
“So we saw fully upholstered sofas in it, chairs with contrast welds, we saw an artwork in textiles, this cabinet from Highland House that is so beautiful high gloss red.” 40:50 “One way that we saw it in fashion week a lot was there’s this LOEWE sandal that they did. It’s a flat sandal that laces up, it’s got these two really cute discs on the side, I think it sold out everywhere, but women would wear just like a light blue Levi’s with this red strappy sandal and get so much credit.” 42:25
A Well-Designed Business - LuAnn Nigara - Power Talk Friday: Sonja Capasso: Is it Failure or is it the Path to Success? - 51 min
In this episode, host Luann Nigara invites Sonja Capasso of Capasso & Co to the show.
About Sonja Capasso
My interior design passion started a long time ago! I have a memory of living in our little apartment in Lake Bled, Slovenia, where I shared a room with my older sister. I was an antsy child and got bored quickly - which led me to rearrange our tiny room numerous times. I am not sure how I managed to pull apart our bunk beds at that young age, move the shelves, closets, and desks - but I kept doing it and each time I found a new layout that suited me at that time.
Those were my interior design beginnings, however, I didn’t pursue a career in design until I was 35 and decided to enroll to PBSC in Florida, where I earned an AS in Interior Design Technology where I graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2016.
I worked for a local design firm from 2015 - 2017, and after graduating, I immediately opened my own design business and started working part time as a rendering and drafting professional. It soon became obvious to me that this is my true passion and calling, so I changed my specialty from an interior designer to a drafting and rendering artist.
Over the course of my design career, I also flipped and remodeled multiple houses, designed commercial interiors, and gained great on the job and first hand knowledge and experience, which has helped me create better contract documents.
During my years in school, I also obtained a Florida Realtor License and a Broker’s license (which I let pass since we moved out of state), and I also became accredited with LEED AP ID+C since I have a passion for all things organic, natural, and sustainable.
After we moved from Florida to CT, I participated in a Designer of the year contest on HGTV, where I made it through the first cut. While I didn’t make it further, this was a huge accomplishment for me, and you can now find my interior design business listed on HGTV.com. While in school, I also submitted my student designs to our local South Florida ASID chapter, where I won the first prize two years in a row.
Since I switched my specialty to drafting and renderings, I have worked with over 100 interior designers, most of which are repeat clients. I thoroughly enjoy my work and I am so happy to be able to have independence, be my own boss, and run my business from home.
Hot Young Designers Club - Rebecca Plumb & Shaun Crha - Just Stop VI: Judgement Day - 1 hr, 1 min
Hosts Rebecca Plumb & Shaun Crha are back with another installment of their Just Stop series to call out some things that just need to stop, like relying too much on trade discounts and not building relationships directly with manufacturers, being fair-weather sales reps, using a personal email like Gmail or Yahoo for business, etc.
In this episode, Rebecca and Shaun discuss:
Importance of Pinterest for businesses
Avoid using "just" when clients request tasks, like "can you help with a few items"
Relying too much on trade discounts and not building relationships with manufacturers
Frustration with national retailers' slow shipping and poor customer service
Finding quality customer service representatives in the retail industry
Reminder to stop neglecting your homes – treat your place like the showroom it is
Testing out products in your own home before recommending to clients
How private equity is involved in the interior design industry
Impact of private equity ownership on companies like Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
Debt loads and profitability pressures from private equity
Employee-owned companies vs private equity-owned companies
Making authentic connections vs. just trying to get new work
Providing food for photographers during all-day shoots
Representing your business name professionally in emails – no more Gmail or Yahoo emails
