What practical changes do you need to make to move your interior design business up market?

In Part 1, I talked about the mindset shift required to become a high-end designer. In Part 2, I'm getting into the practical side of making that shift happen.

I explain why you need to become intentional about the clients you want to serve, the problems you solve, and the projects you accept. Hoping for better clients isn't a business strategy. You need a clear target and a plan for reaching it.

I also discuss why staying busy doesn't necessarily mean you're profitable. Some smaller projects can consume hours of your time without generating enough revenue, leaving you too busy to market your business and pursue better opportunities.

Then I break down how to create a more professional sales process, from a focused discovery call to a paid first appointment. I explain why you shouldn't be instantly available to every prospect, why your first appointment needs to provide value without giving away too much, and how this process helps you qualify potential clients.

Finally, I share why establishing minimum design fees and product spends can help move your business away from small, unprofitable jobs and toward the projects you actually want.

Moving up market requires more than wanting better clients. You have to become intentional about your time, profitability, sales process, and standards.

In this episode, we cover:

• Getting intentional about the clients and projects you want
• Identifying the real problem you solve for your clients
• Why working harder doesn't automatically attract better clients
• Recognizing which projects are actually profitable
• Separating your design time from purchasing
• Making room in your schedule for marketing and better opportunities
• Creating a consistent discovery call process
• Turning a prospect into a paid first appointment
• Why overdelivering during the sales process can work against you
• Establishing minimum design fees and product spends

Show notes are available at interiordesignbusinessacademy.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/InteriorDesignBusinessAcademy
Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/interiordesignbusinessacademy

Are you trying to move your interior design business up market by simply working harder?

In this episode of the Interior Design Business Podcast, I explain why moving into the high-end design market isn't about working longer hours, taking every project that comes through the door, or hustling harder. That approach may help you get your business started, but it won't necessarily take you to the next level.

Moving up market requires a paradigm shift.

I break down why so much of this transition starts internally, with how you think about your value, your fees, money, success, and what's possible for your business. Before you can confidently work with a $400,000 furniture budget, for example, you have to become comfortable believing you're worth the design fee required to manage a project at that level.

I also explore the powerful role your environment plays in your success. The people you spend time with can either reinforce your limitations or help normalize the level of business, income, and opportunity you're working toward.

You'll hear the story of my granddaughter entering a triathlon at just eight years old and why her experience is such a powerful example of what can happen when the people around you don't teach you to question whether something is possible.

Moving up market isn't only about finding wealthier clients. It's about becoming comfortable with the value you provide, upgrading your mindset, and intentionally surrounding yourself with people who support where you want to go.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why working harder isn't necessarily the path to moving up market
• The internal mindset shift required to become a high-end designer
• Becoming comfortable charging higher design fees
• Recognizing your internal resistance around money and success
• Why your environment can influence what's possible for your business
• How the people around you can support or limit your growth
• The lesson behind my granddaughter's first triathlon
• Identifying behaviors that support success and personal responsibility
• Setting boundaries around negative influences
• Becoming aligned with the clients and opportunities you want to attract

Show notes are available at interiordesignbusinessacademy.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/InteriorDesignBusinessAcademy
Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/interiordesignbusinessacademy

Are rising freight costs eating into the profit on your interior design projects?

In this episode of the Interior Design Business Podcast, I break down how to handle freight, delivery, receiving, and unexpected surcharges without losing profit, or surprising your clients with additional costs they weren't prepared for.

Freight is an unavoidable part of selling furniture and products, and rising fuel costs make accurate planning even more important. I explain why you should get freight, delivery, and receiving quotes upfront and how those numbers should be handled on your purchase proposals.

We'll also talk about when freight can be included in your product pricing, when it needs to be passed through to the client, why receiving costs may be better absorbed into your furniture pricing, and why sales tax should always remain separate from your product budget.

Most importantly, you'll learn how to protect your business from unexpected freight surcharges by including the right language in your purchase proposals and completing a final freight reconciliation at the end of the project.

We also discuss tracking freight and delivery as a KPI so you can build realistic project budgets from the beginning.

High-end, white-glove service means anticipating these costs, pricing appropriately, and taking care of the details without constantly going back to your client for more money.

In this episode, we cover:

• How rising freight costs can affect your design business profits
• Why you should get freight quotes before ordering products
• When to include freight in your pricing versus passing it through
• How to handle delivery and receiving costs
• Why grouping deliveries can save time and money
• Keeping sales tax separate from your product pricing
• Protecting your business against unexpected freight surcharges
• Reconciling actual freight costs at the end of a project
• Tracking freight and delivery costs as a business KPI
• Building realistic freight costs into client budgets from the beginning

Show notes are available at interiordesignbusinessacademy.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/InteriorDesignBusinessAcademy
Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/interiordesignbusinessacademy