6 Easy Marketing Scripts for Interior Designers & Other Home Industry Pros
Whether you've just started your business, have recently moved to a new state, or are looking to break into a new market, getting your first few clients can feel like an insurmountable task. How do you find those new clients when no one knows your name yet? I'm sharing the strategic referral alliances you need to make and exactly how you can make them.
In this post, you're getting actual scripts that you can implement in real-life situations, from how to share your services on a live stream to sending an email to a potential brand partner and even picking up the phone to call your next big referral source. These situations can be scary at first, but you've got this!
Your goal should be to save these scripts and modify them for various circumstances within your business. Being prepared will do wonders for your confidence - and your level of confidence has a direct impact on how people view your brand and your value.
How to More Easily Generate Referral Business
Do any of these sticky, stressful business situations describe you?
You launched your business two minutes ago and feel like the newest nobody in No Man's Land...
You just moved your business to a new geographic area...
You recently started serving a completely new demographic...
All of your existing referral sources have dried up...
You know you should be actively pursuing referral partners or collaborations to generate leads, but you aren't sure where to start. From growing your mailing list to simply making sure people know who you are and what you do, the marketing tasks you could create for yourself might feel like too many to count. However, you are savvy. You want to work smarter, not harder, and while you know there are no shortcuts in business, you have a feeling that there has to be a better way to go about this. There has to be!
And, you're right. You might have low-hanging referral fruit right in front of your nose. Plus, your business and your future clients will likely be better served by you pursuing just a few high-quality referral sources versus many mediocre ones. First, however, you need to determine your primary targets. Who do you want to refer you and what will your specific offering be?
Why You Need a USP Before Asking for Referrals
Your unique selling proposition (USP) is a fancy term for exactly why someone should hire you rather than your competitor who might, at surface level, offer the exact same service. How do you serve clients differently? What is your specialty?
Whomever you end up partnering with to refer business back-and-forth will appreciate having a specific reason for referring you. For example, if you are a home stager who offers a variety of staging services - vacant, occupied, short-term rentals, consulting, redesign - you'll want to pull out whichever service makes the most sense to offer. Perhaps it's the service you want to grow the most or the service that is easiest to scale or the most enjoyable to provide.
Whichever service you choose to highlight is what you'll become known for offering, and while you won't be hindered from offering those other services as well, you'll be able to at least set yourself apart in some way. You need to become known as a specialist in one of your services in order for your referral partners to more easily send you new leads.
If you are an interior designer who does everything from full remodels and new builds to the one-off powder room makeover, you have the same strategic decision to make. Which service do you want most associated with your name and reputation? And also, who is that service primarily serving? Avoid the temptation of saying you'll be all things to all people who have home improvement needs, as that can make you sound like a Walmart Supercenter instead of the high-end, bespoke brand that you are.
Do you want more new build projects? Plan to ask your future referral sources to share that specific offering with their people. The same concept is true if you are a professional organizer, workroom owner, window treatment seller, etc. You can still continue to offer all your regular services but make sure you highlight one in particular on which to build your brand.
I can use myself as an example here. While my agency offers website design, website templates, and marketing templates, the primary service we are known for is email marketing. Not only is it a streamlined service for us to provide, but it also tends to create the most timely return on investment for our clients. This fact creates a repeating loop of....services, happy clients, new referrals, more services, and more happy clients. Plus, it makes it easier for my referral partners to send us the right leads. They know exactly what we offer and are familiar with our specialty. That gives them succinct, easy talking points to help them send us the right new clients. Becoming a specialist has also generated a significant amount of publicity, speaking engagements, interviews, and partnerships that would not have otherwise been possible.
Specificity sells. Make sure your USP is specific and that your ideal client is clear. You won't deter new business. You'll attract more of the right business, and you'll help your referral partners in their efforts to promote you as well.
Before we dive into the 6 marketing scripts that you can use to generate leads for your home industry business, let's go over a quick list of things to avoid:
Avoid approaching any referral partner with what they can do for you; always lead with what you can do for them, even if your offering is small.
While you might not be able to refer business to them yet, you can certainly offer to provide education or value to their clients at no cost to them. Your payment? You get in front of their audience and you get that partner's stamp of approval. Their payment? They are able to better serve their people without having to lift a finger.
Don't leave your PR to chance. Pick one medium of marketing and work on it consistently.
Create consistency around a regular media release to make you more enticing to both referral partners and actual leads. Your business will look more attractive on all sides if you have a track record of content production. This could be as simple as doing a weekly, 5-minute IGTV video or sending a monthly newsletter to an engaged mailing list, or as elaborate as hosting a podcast. With this medium in place, you can interview referral partners for the benefit of your audience, or you can simply talk about and promote them.
6 Easy Marketing Scripts for Home Industry Professionals
Marketing Script #1: How to Approach Potential Referral Partners
Use: Phone call or direct email
Hi [Actual first name of a real person],
My name is_________ and I am the owner of _________________. It looks like we both serve [describe your mutual client].
[Pick an option below to complete your script.]
[If you have an existing audience] Would you be interested in getting in front of my audience? I run a weekly / monthly [blog, podcast, video type] and would love to have you as a guest.
[If you don't have an existing audience] Would you be interested in letting me provide your clients with complimentary training about how to _________ [topic should align with your USP].
[If they or you have a brick-and-mortar location] Would you be interested in partnering with me to offer an event for our mutual clients? We could co-host a [describe event] at my studio or at your location with the goal of cross-promoting each other.
I see you as a company who could really help my clients with _________, and I don't want to refer them to just anyone. I'd like knowing that I'm sending them to someone I can trust to provide the same level of care and expertise that I do.
Would you be interested in collaborating?
Sincerely,
You
Marketing Script #2: How to Communicate Your Specialty to Partners and Leads
Use: Direct email, phone, in-person - to be used only after you have solidified a referral relationship
I specialize in offering [primary service] to homeowners / business owners (pick one) who struggle with [biggest pain point or main reason people hire you]. The best way for your people to reach me is by going to my website, www.yourwebsite.com.
Marketing Script #3: How to Ask Past Clients to Refer You
Use: Personal email to individual past clients or to a list of past clients via a mass mailing provider
Dear [Client Name],
I need your help. I'm looking to you for the power of your influence. The work we did together on your recent project was a wonderful experience, and if I could do it all again, I would. In a heartbeat.
To be honest, I want to meet more people just like you.
Do you have a friend or family member who might struggle with [pain point or main reason people hire you]? If you recommend them, I know I'll love them. And if you refer me to them, I'll have a chance to meet their needs.
I don't just want more clients; I want the right clients. After working on your project, I saw that you have great connections and relationships in your life. People respect you and look to you for advice.
Would you forward this email to a friend or family member who needs my help?
I know this is a big ask, and I appreciate your time.
Warmly,
Your Full Name
Phone: (000) 000-0000
Website: www.yourwebsite.com
Marketing Script #4: How to Talk about Your Services
Use: IGTV, IG or FB Live, IG Story, Youtube video
Hey guys, my name is ________, and I’m the owner of ____________. Today I’m sharing some insider-secrets about one of my most recent client projects. My client was facing a few issues with her space.
Issue One
Issue Two
Issue Three
We solved these problems by creating a plan around her needs. By the time the project was complete, my client no longer felt worried or overwhelmed. She really loves her new space! Not only does it look amazing - if I don’t say so myself haha - but it also serves the needs of her family well.
The plans we create for our clients look different for everyone, but they all have one huge component in common: We specialize in helping ____(your ideal client)____ achieve their home goals through an efficient process. But why should you care about that? Well, a good process ensures that we tackle your home project with a strategy. No guesswork, no surprises. Your timeline and budget are important to me, regardless of how large or small your project is, and open lines of communication are a must.
If you’re curious about what my strategic process would look like for your situation, you can actually find out right away. Go to www.mywebsite.com/lead-magnet to grab my free guide that explains what you can expect when working with me. No surprises, just real, get-it-done methods that stay true to your needs and wants.
Can’t wait to hear from you! Go to www.mywebsite.com/lead-magnet right now.
Marketing Script #5: How to Talk about Your Lead Magnet & Grow Your Mailing List
Use: IGTV, IG or FB Live, IG Story, Youtube video
Hey guys, it’s (your name). Am I the only one who has noticed that so many interiors on Instagram use the same decor? Pottery Barn, IKEA, Target - it’s like everyone’s home is a copy and paste of their favorite Instagram influencer. And hey, if you like that, more power to you. But I know a lot of you are looking for a way to make your space truly unique. Maybe you are trying to redesign your living room. Maybe you’re trying to outfit a studio apartment for AirBnb.
Either way, you want to do something that hasn’t already been done a hundred times over. ...Because it’s always awkward when you and your best friend have the same area rug, and a third friend notices. Besides, the truth is that those big box stores aren’t big on quality. Stuff breaks, falls apart, or worse, falls out of style within a few months.
As a (insert your profession), I’m big on quality and style, mainly because that’s what my clients want. Whether they consider themselves high-end or they’ve been saving their pennies for years to do a much-needed revamp, they want their investment to go a long way and not come back to bite them.
The problem is that most of the high-quality, unique, and truly gorgeous home products - like furniture, decor, and accessories - aren’t available in stores. They have to be purchased through an interior designer. While I’m all about that, I also believe these things should be accessible to you if you DON’T want or need to work with a designer. Maybe you love DIY’ing it….but you don’t want your house to look too DIY… Catch my drift?
If this struggle for a truly unique, quality space describes you, I have a few solutions. First, I actually sell designer-quality home products on my website. You don’t need to be under contract with me. Just go pick what you like and buy it. If you need an entire room outfitted, you can do that without overthinking the design. I’ve put together entire rooms that you can purchase and install yourself. Talk about easy!
And if you don’t need an entire room but are looking for that perfect area rug, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite stylish and durable options. View, pick and buy. It’s that simple!
Lastly, if you’re just in the planning phase and not sure what you want yet, no pressure. Whether you are ready to buy or not, go to (www.yourwebsite.com) and grab my freestyling kit. It will give you all the right ideas for your space. Again, go to (www.yourwebsite.com) to get started.
Marketing Script #6: How to Ask for Referrals
Use: Direct email or mass-emailed to a list of past clients
Hi [Client Name],
I hope you're doing well! It has been a little while since we worked together on your project, and I have a quick favor to ask of you. If you enjoyed the process of working with me - or if you thought certain areas needed improvement - I would love to know.
Would you take a minute to write a few sentences about your experience? You can simply reply to this email if that is easiest. By doing so, you give me permission to display your review on our various marketing channels. (Don't worry, I'll just use your first name and last initial to protect your privacy.)
Alternatively, you can leave a review on any of these platforms:
Link your Houzz
Link your Google Business Listing
Link your Facebook page
I really loved collaborating with you on your project and appreciate any feedback you can give me.
Thank you!
Your Name
Resources
Want more scripts like this for your marketing? We offer years and years worth of email marketing templates and scripts in all of our Socialite Vault memberships. Exclusively for marketing interior design, home staging, organizing, workroom, and window treatment businesses.
