Is E-Design FINALLY having it's moment?
E-Design has had a storied history for both designers and homeowners.
For Designers who’ve heard nightmare tales of clients going rogue and watering down the design by finding “cheaper” options or wondering how to compete with design agencies who offer E-Design services at head-scratching rates like $99 per room.
And the homeowners who were ill-prepared for the efforts it would take on their part and unable to “pull it all together”; left feeling unsatisfied. Sometimes hiring a designer they couldn’t actually talk on the phone with - leaving all communication at the mercy of messaging and email.
It’s no wonder interior designers have hesitated to offer E-Design services. It can feel like more risk than reward.
But in the last few months, talk about E-Design has surged among designers and homeowners, thanks to Covid and quarantine. Demand for design services has skyrocketed not only because families need to re-design how they use their spaces but also they’re tired of looking at a home that is uninspiring and lacks the functionality they really need.
So how do we make E-Design work?
How do we prevent the inherent pitfalls?
How do we actually make money and compete with the agency-model of design “services”?
Perhaps you need a mindset shift. Perhaps you’ve only been thinking about price? My friend…
“You don’t compete on price.”
WHAT YOU DO COMPETE ON:
Instead, you compete on these 3 things:
YOU - There is no other designer out there that has the special design talent that only you have. Whether it’s your genius use of color, your breathtaking ability to tell an amazing texture story, or your expert skill at incorporating one-of-a-kind vintage and antique pieces.
THE EXPERIENCE - You must to offer your clients a white-glove experience. Successful (and profitable) E-Design experiences begin with setting clear expectations for your clients, then surpassing them.
GREAT COMMUNICATION - Set yourself apart by offering a high-touch communication path from beginning to end. Your clients should know from the very beginning how to communicate with you, when the built-in meetings (i.e. touchpoints) will occur, and how to access you when they have questions or inevitable hiccups.
THE RESULTS:
The result of incorporating these 3 tenets are:
Higher-end clients who are happily willing to pay the price you set for your design expertise.
Clients who are actually able to complete the E-Design Process so they feel accomplished and proud (and you have photo-worthy rooms).
Clients whose experience with you creates natural evangelists for you and your work. They will tell all their friends and they will come back to you for years to come - perhaps for Full-Service next time!
If you’re E-Design Curious, you might want to read:
E-Design: Develop Your Pitch, Your Process & Your Price
