Here's What to Do if Your Interior Design, Staging, or Organizing Business Needs More Clients
Have your leads slowed down in 2024? As the economy recovers from inflation, sometimes it feels worse even while it’s getting better. I say this not to discourage you, but to let you know that you're not alone. If your business lacks leads when you previously had plenty, it might not be “all your fault.” It could just be the ebb and flow of business.
That said, control what you can control. If you want to ensure you’re doing everything you can to nurture the growth of your business in the home industry, you need to remain proactive. If nothing else, put your extra downtime to good use by drilling down on your marketing and making it worth every penny.
On the other hand, if you continue to experience a steady number of quality leads coming into your business, don’t let yourself become apathetic toward marketing. Savvy entrepreneurs who understand the requirements of building long-term success will market their businesses non-stop, though the method will vary from season to season. If you want your business to stay in its growth season, this is the blog post for you.
A significant part of my job as CEO of the Socialite Agency is to strategize. I strategize over my own agency as well as those of my clients. When a client comes to me in distress because their leads are slowing down, I typically walk them through a series of concrete action steps to get another client on their roster sooner rather than later.
Here’s what I tell them:
Ask your past clients for a specific referral to just one person they know.
Send an email that offers a specific service with a hard deadline.
Swap audiences with another local business that serves the same clients.
It’s easy to give this advice, but how should each piece be implemented? Today I’m giving you exact scripts that you can swipe and use for your business.
Tactic #1: Ask your past clients for a specific referral to just ONE person they know.
This is a “personal favor” style ask and I recommend sending it as a text or an email, depending on which method your client prefers.
Regardless of which method you use, here’s what you need to say:
“Personal Referral” Email / Text Script
Subject line if sending via email: Quick question
Hey ______,
I have a personal favor to ask. I’m expanding my business this year and want to work with more clients like you. Our project went so well, it only makes sense! Plus, I’ve noticed that people tend to gravitate towards you for advice.
Could you think of one friend or family member who might need their space (designed / organized / staged) and send them my website address?
End the email or text with that question rather than filling in the proverbial silence with, “But if you don’t want to, that’s okay!” or throw in some other niceties. You really do want them to take action, and you don’t want to make it easy or comfortable for them to ignore your email.
By the way, don’t send this as a group text or a mass email. This should be a private message between you and the single recipient. You can certainly send it to multiple past clients as long as you are sending it individually each time.
Tactic #2: Send an email that offers a specific service with a hard deadline.
This tactic assumes that you are already sending email newsletters every two to four weeks to your mailing list. If you aren’t doing that, stop waiting! Email marketing has proven to bring 40x more return on investment compared to that of social media marketing, and it would be irresponsible to not help your business in this way.
In your next email newsletter, make a specific offer for one of your services and attach a deadline to it. This email should contain no more than two images and no text other than this:
“Book a Discovery / Consult Call” Email Script
Subject line: Your interior / exterior color questions (or whatever makes sense for your offering)
Hi _______,
Do you need help choosing the right color palette for your home? I have ONE MORE opening for a color consultation this month.
Here’s what you can expect at a color consultation:
I’ll tour your home in person to better understand your color needs around the paint, fabric, furniture, exterior siding and trim, or whatever else you’re facing.
I’ll interview you to draw out your design style, even if you aren’t sure what that is.
I’ll create a custom color palette for your interior / exterior space and match you with my own trusted vendors and contractors who can get the job done well.
If desired, I can also manage the project to completion.
Before we get into any of that, however, I’d love to have you book a call with me so that you can give me an overview of your needs.
[BUTTON: Book a Discovery Call Now]
I hope you can claim my last opening for this month!
Sincerely,
Your Name
P.S. I’m also open to working with someone that you refer to me. Just forward them this email to keep it simple.
This message should be sent as a mass email and include an image that represents the service you are offering (e.g. if you are offering a paint consultation, include a project photo from your portfolio that represents the results of your color expertise).
As with all email newsletters, this email should also include a photo of you and a mini version of your bio, written in first-person voice. And just as with your regular email newsletters, don’t include links to your recent blog post or any other distracting information. Your only goal with this email is to get someone to reply or book a call.
Tactic #3: Swap audiences with another local business that serves the same clients.
The audience swap tactic comes in two phases. First, you need to find and approach a swap partner. Second, you need to give them fully prepared information about your business so that you aren’t creating extra work for them.
Phase 1: The Pitch
Showcase one of your colleagues by sending an email newsletter containing THEIR photo and portfolio image, a short paragraph, and a call-to-action that tells your audience how to contact them.
In turn, and true to the name of this tactic, your colleague will then share your info with their mailing list, too. This will give you unprecedented visibility to their audience without making you look salesy and without requiring you to do any (very sketchy) cold emailing.
Success tips you should know:
If your chosen swap partner doesn't send newsletters but still wants to swap with you, they can simply mass email their entire list from their regular inbox instead.
The size of your mailing list (or your swap partner’s mailing list) doesn’t matter. If you are asked about your mailing list size, lead instead with your high open rate. That is the data that actually matters.
Do not settle for “social media swaps,” as this will not reach enough of their audience to make it worth your time. Email is the #1 way to swap audiences.
Your swap partner(s) should serve the same audience that you do but should not offer the same services. If you don’t know of any potential swap partners, try looking in your local print media. Which companies are running ads that target your ideal client without competing with you?
“Audience Swap” Pitch Script
This pitch can be done via personal email, text, phone, or in person.
Email subject line: Audience swap?
Hey _______,
Could I share your business with my audience? I send out a monthly email to all my past clients and the majority of them open my emails every time. I would love to feature a photo of you and/or your work, a quick blurb about what you offer, and tell my clients how to contact you.
Would that interest you? In return, I would provide you with my own business blurb and photo that you could send via email to your contact list.
Word-of-mouth referral is the best way to grow, and we serve the same type of client — just in different ways. It seems like a no-brainer!
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Me
Phase 2: The Swap
Your pitch should be modified depending on the type of audience who will be reading it. You’ll likely get only one shot at this, so make it count! Tailor your message to the end reader.
Once you’ve customized the swap script, your swap partner will add the following text to the body of their email and send it to their contacts:
“Audience Swap” Client-Facing Email Script
Hi there,
I love supporting my local community of fellow business owners. Today, I’d like to introduce you to [your name] of [Your Business Name].
[Your name] specializes in [your flagship service] and serves homeowner clients in the following areas: [List the cities or neighborhoods].
Her company offers [list more services], and I highly recommend them if you are looking for a reputable [insert your business type] who really understands your needs.
You can contact [your name] by clicking here. <—— This sentence should hyperlink to your website.
You can re-use the swap script above for your partner’s info as well, especially if they aren’t sure how to structure an email. (And feel free to refer them to The Socialite Agency for more help!)
Does your interior design, staging, or organizing business need better marketing?
What parts of your business feel messy, sticky, or chaotic? For most entrepreneurs, marketing is one of their biggest hurdles. At The Socialite Agency, we specialize in helping interior designers, home stagers, and professional organizers grow their businesses without social media or paid advertising.
Book a marketing audit today by going here.
