Easy
Life-changing
Impossible to sell
Isn’t profitable
It’s not that their budgets are low, it’s that they simply don’t care to invest in it. And when all of a communitiy’s wealthy clientele is being serviced by more successful designers, the middle class is all you have left to serve, meaning… When demand is low, the liklihood of achieving profitability becomes low.
Interior design is dead
Notes:
UMS Flow Chart:
Content Components:
Ad Components:
Speaks to their anger and frustration about how amateurs are taking over the industry.
Speaks to psychological and physical benefits of interior design.
Speaks to their personal weaknesses and insecurities.
Speaks to their financial and quality of life fears.
Speaks to fear of industry collapse.
…is easy.
DIYers: They’re everywhere, naively thinking they can design an interior just as beautifully as you can. Why? Because some interior design poser told them they could on HGTV.
…isn’t life-changing.
Face it: Interior design is an overlooked aspect of life, and it’s destined to stay that way. Why? Because people are narrow-minded and reject opportunities to become more enlightened.
“It’s how rich people’s homes get to lookin’ so purty” is what most people would say when asked to explain what interior design means to them. Never do they explain how pyschologically therepeutic and physically empowering it is. And you know what? Their perception isn’t going to become enlightened about its most important purposes any time soon.
If you ask someone to explain what interior design means to them, they’ll tell you it’s about making a house look pretty. Never do they go on and on about
People are stupid. And sad. And unhealthy. In other words: Your profession is riding landslide that’s soon to hit the rocks’ bottom, because people don’t realize that the interior design of their home does more than make it look pretty, its psychological and physical benefits cause the people living within its pretty walls feel happy and strong. Yes, interior design changes lives! It’s just too bad the rest of the world, the people you depend on to make a buck from as their interior designer, don’t think so. And P.S. Good luck on trying to educate them, because they ain’t listening.
…is impossible to sell.
…isn’t profitable.
Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
They say interior design is easy.
Anyone can do it!
They are The Maker Generation!
Hear them roar!
This is the
This is The Maker Generation, don’t you know.
Where men and women double as interior designers and decorators.
Oh my! Haven’t we come a long way!
Revisions: They say interior design isn’t life-changing.
They say interior design doesn’t change lives.
It’s nothing more than a luxury.
No one really needs it.
There’s a reason you hate selling:
You’re not any good at it.
You know it.
Everyone knows it.
It’s painfully obvious.
The middle class.
They’re all you’ve got.
(Unfortunately, they don’t want what you’re offering)
Obviously, they’re not your preferred demographic.
Working for the wealthy, affluent families, with large homes and even larger interior design dreams, is what your best case scenario looks like.
But those jobs…
They’re few and far between.
Or they don’t exist at all.
And if you they do,
you’re certainly not going to land them.
Either your competition is already servicing them,
or you’re not mingling enough in the elite social circles where tips on potential gigs seep into casual conversation.
It’s just that when the wealthy
There aren’t any mansions to design.
Those homeowners already have go-to designers to help them.
Rewrite all this shit…
They say the middle class is an interior designer’s worst nightmare.
Why is that so?
Because they are.
And you, too, know this to be true.
Their budgets are low.
They micro-manage you to death.
Their projects always take longer than they should.
Nothing good, nothing beautiful, ever comes from doing design work for a middle class family. NOTHING.
The moment your front tires touch the lip of your client’s 1,700 sqft black hole of opportunity, anxiety begins to set in.
You get out of your car, walk up to their spiderweb infested front door, and, suddenly, you have a mini-stroke.
“They’re going to be so disappointed,” you say to yourself.
“There’s no way I’ll be able to meet their high demands with such a low budget.”
You’re right. You won’t.
You’ll spend way more time on their home than you should have and, in-turn, make less money than the miniscule amount you originally projected yourself to earn.
Why do you even bother?
Why do you agree to work with middle class families when you know their budget won’t allow them to be satisfied?
Because you so passionately want them to live in a beatufiul home?
No, of course not.
Because you can’t seem to land wealthy clie
And on another note…
Why do they even bother?
Every family you’ve worked for pinches their pennies so hard that it becomes painfully obvious that hiring you was not a good idea.
Not profitable forced to work with middle class.
The middle class:
They’re forever your target demographic.
They have little to no expendable income
They believe interior design is a luxury, not a need.
And you’re one of the many unfortunate interior designers faced with the challenge of having to make a living off their poorly funded dreams.
only the rich and famous can afford.
think interior design is only for “rich folk”.
the life-changing physical and psychological benefits
And with them they bring…
Low budgets and high expectations.
Because all the wealthy families…
They already have a go-to designer.
They’re practically family!
Don’t bother trying to sell interior design services to wealthy families.
They already have their go-to interior designer.
In fact, their phone number is probably on their speed dial.
So go ahead and cross them off your prospect list.
The middle class is who you’re meant to serve.
They’re the demographic you know all too well.
They’re the families who live in 2,000 sqft homes,
have very little to no expendable income,
and will probably never think twice about hiring an interior designer.
Yep. That’s the demographic you and every other designer who isn’t a “name brand” is forced to fish for.
And the pickings are slim.
And their budgets are low.
And their expectations are high
But , should you land one as a client, their expectations are high.
That’s right! Welcome to your dream job!
Your no-win situation
and think interior design is only for “rich folk who want to make their mansions look purdy.”
They’re the demographic you’re forced to work with.
Good luck trying to make a profit off of them.
As for you
So, seriously, don’t go down that road.
It’ll just lead you right back where you came from:
The middle class neighborhoods.
Areas filled with families living in 2,000 sqft homes and off of very little, if any, expendable income.
Could probably even drive down filled with families who live in 2,000 sqft homes.
each containing families who can’t afford the “luxury service” you provide.
Because it is, in fact, just a luxury.
(At least as far as they know, it is.)
It’s what rich folk invest in to make their home look real purdy.
The families who don’t have much expendable income.
The ones who probably won’t ever invest in your services unless they’re the type to spend months saving up to cover your costs.
But even then you probably don’t want to work with them.
Because even though they’ve saved some extra money,
They’re still
Psyching myself up:
Interior designers are struggling. They can’t seem to land new clients, and they fear the process of prospecting, just like anyone else would. This is why they need help. They need to be relieved of their duty to sell, and their prospects need to be sold the values of interior design in a new way.
What you’re providing:
You provide a sales machine; a system that attracts potential prospects’ attention, convinces them they should hire an interior designer to improve their life in some way; and then links the two parties together to have a conversation about making a working relationship happen
This system you’ve come up with isn’t inexpensive. In fact, it costs a lot - maybe too much for your average designer. This is why I really need to template a lot of what they receive.
Here are the components and whether or not they can be templated:
Explanation for Carla:
Copy Formula (FOR UMS):
Is there a way to have a subscription based relationship with an interior designer? Someone who would be able to design improvement to people’s life on call?
Ad #1: General interest ad
…is easy.
They watch HGTV, read Elle Decor, and skim through Pinterest getting random idea after random idea on how they can improve the look and function of their home — for how much — for a fraction of what you, an expert interior designer, would charge.
isn’t life-changing.
Ask anyone on the street what interior design means to them and they’ll tell you… “It’s what rich people invest in to make their homes look purdy.” Try to explain how an interior designer can help anyone, rich or poor, to become a better version of themselves, and they’ll call you out for dishing them a bunch of psychobabble.
Never do their eyes light up before going on on an epic rant about how their interior designer doubles as their psychologist and physical therapist who has changed their life for the better thanks to the aesthetic and functional enhancements they designed into their home. Yah — When’s the last time someone hired you for those reasons? Never? I thought so.
Interior design is an overlooked aspect of life. And that’s sad, because, by design, it’s supposed to be highly noticeable. More than that though, it’s supposed to be felt, emotionally and physically. But the public doesn’t know that. They think interior design is meant to make rich people’s homes look pretty.
…is impossible to sell.
…is easy.
Like a sucker at a time-share party, they take notes on what the “expert” says they should do, as well as believe all the bullshit “rah, rah, rah, you can do it yourself” confidence boosters this complete stranger serves them, and then they put on their pretty little pink toolbelt and begin designing something outrageously shitty… something you would have gladly designed for them had they saved and spent the money they blew attempting to do the job themselves on your one and done expert interior design services.
…isn’t life-changing.
They just don’t get it. They don’t realize that interior design not only improves the look of someone’s home, but — like a life-changing session with a psychiatrist or physical therapist — it can design happiness where there once was sadness and freedom where there once was limitation.
“Oh, I love how that looks over there in the dining area! And what you did in the living room… It’s gorgeous!”
It’s all about making homes look pretty, isn’t it? If the opinion of the majority is what makes something so, it certainly is. And according to ASID’s 2014 Interior Design Forecast, selling homeowners on why they should hire an interior designer is the number one problem you and everyone else in your industry is facing.
…is impossible to sell.
…is easy.
As much as you, too, enjoy HGTV and all the design mags you subscribe to, don’t you just wish they’d all shut the fuck up? Because every sucker they convert into an interior design idiot is one less homeowner you can service with all the god damn years of expertise you’ve developed and make a living off of over the course of no-telling how many years.
You understand the psychology of interior design. You understand its therapeutic capabilities. You understand the fact that your work helps people become better versions of themselves.
…is impossible to sell.
…is easy.
But NO… HGTV isn’t going away anytime soon; design mags may go away but their digital websites will live on forever; and there’s also all these new fucking apps that claim to make my job more unnecessary.
…isn’t life-changing.
But remember… People are narrow-minded and incapable of being persuaded to embrace anything they’re unfamiliar with, no matter how life-changing what you’re offering may be. It’s true! Ask any of your fellow interior designers what their biggest obstacle is; they’ll tell you it’s educating consumers on the value of interior design. It’s true! ASID’s 2014 Interior Design Forecast says it’s so!
…is impossible to sell.
…is easy.
I swear, it’s like — and yes, I even believe this a bit myself — DIYers are biting their own tail. Because just as soon as they take the first step in remodeling something in their home, they also poison the industry of professionals to death who would have been able to be there to clean up the ugly mess they left behind. But nope, we’ll be nowhere to be found. We’ll have all been run out of business. By whom? By the very same media influences that used to keep our business booming.
Really, I should just go ahead quit all this shit. Because that’s exactly what it is: shit.
…isn’t life-changing.
I mean really… Is there another worst case scenario for your industry that’s worse than people not understanding the most valuable benefits of the service you provide? No, of course there’s not! Until society sees interior designers as professionals who also double as psychiatrists and physical therapists, they’re going to continue seeing the product of your livelihood as a luxury, not a need. So, unless your marketing plan includes some sort of mind-manipulating component that will make them believe otherwise, you should probably reevaluate whether or not you should stick around in this business.
…is impossible to sell.
…is easy.
Or is it? Is the world of interior design professionals really as hopeless as it seems to be?
…isn’t life-changing.
Or should you? Surely not everyone is as narrow minded as they appear to be. There has to be an approach to educating homeowners on the reality of interior design; that it enables people to become more successful versions of themselves.
…is impossible to sell.
…is easy.
If looked at under a more postive light, shouldn’t the Maker Generation serve as proof that interior design has never been more popular than it is today?
…isn’t life-changing.
There’s nothing more persuasive than the promise of a more successful life. Never again should stories about interior design start off explaining how beautiful a room looks; in order to change the public’s perception of our must-have services they must understand how an interior designed with aesthetics and function in mind will make them feel.
…is impossible to sell.
Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
Interior design isn’t easy.
Interior design isn’t doomed.
Ironically, DIYers are who prove this to be true.
Because their passion for pretty is stronger than ever.
But it’s their stubborn determination to go at it alone that will have them calling you back.
For interior design is blooming!
But their stubborn determination,
to bring function and beauty into their home,
it represents the bloom of an interior design boom!
…is easy.
Sure, the probability that every homeowner will make at least one attempt in their life at improving the look and function of their home is quite high - and, honestly, I don’t blame them; I’d try too to save a buck. But, ultimately, what matters the most to me and my desire to continuing working as an interior designer, is that the job I do so well and so easily and is hard for everyone else to do is in high demand!
Revisions: They say interior design isn’t life-changing.
…isn’t life-changing.
Literally, the entire world believes they can live without interior design. Even those who can easily afford your services don’t feel they’re as necessary as food and water. But, if we can explain the life-altering benefits of our artform by showing them it can’t be lived without, there still might be a chance for you to continue working in this profression you’ve designed your entire life around.
…is impossible to sell.
Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
Yes, expert interior design is in high demand!
The industry’s future forecast should be blooming!
And your business, it should be booming!
But first, there is work to be done.
And only you are qualified to do it.
A new trend must be designed.
One where amateurs embrace expertise
In favor of the supposed ease going indie may bring.
What is the system that will set the trend in motion?
Honestly, it’s quite complicated.
Your prospects, they wouldn’t dare try to do it themselves.
Yet they’ll still desperately want you to design it.
Honestly, your prospects won’t comprehend it.
Only you can.
And when
But you won’t. And that’s why they’ll call for your expertise.
Because a service this significant is best
And that’s why they’ll need you and your expertise.
Because a service this significant
Here, let me explain…
he spark that will set the trend in motion
Unless it’s not.
For it’s up to you to reverse the trend.
…is easy.
Now all I need to do is leverage this interior design frenzy the media has created and has made the entire world more interior design concsious by making this Maker Generation become my cha-ching generation!
Here’s how to do it…
Revisions: They say interior design isn’t life-changing.
…isn’t life-changing.
Interior design wasn’t designed to excite our most basic senses, it was designed to enable greater successes. And there’s a way to help the general public realize this. Here’s how…
…is impossible to sell.
Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
Average men and women.
They’re doing your job.
And at a fraction of the price!
They fully believe they’re as capable as you.
Why? Because the media told them so.
Everywhere, DIYers are watching HGTV, reading HGTV Magazine, and Pinning HGTV’s Pinterest boards.
So why hire an interior designer when you can do remodel your home for a fraction of the price they’d charge?
Revisions: They say interior design isn’t life-changing.
It’s not like interior design can make you happier.
Or be the solution to a physical obstacle.
It’s something rich people invest in.
To make their mansion look purdy.
To make their home be the best on their block.
going to make anyone happier.
Or be the solution to someone’s physical obstacle.
Unfortunately though,
for the sake of your life’s work,
your life’s passion,
you can’t afford to hate selling.
You need to be great at it.
Or else.
Basically, you’re dealing with a situation where your product is in high demand but only the most unaccessible people can afford to have it.
You can’t get their attention
Someone else is probably already servicing them, and will be forevermore.
YOu might as well not even try selling them yourself.
YOu only have access to the middle class.
But who wants to service them?
They offer no opportunity for you to make a lot of money
Offer no opportunity to flex creativity.
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Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
You just want to shake them.
They don’t know what you know!
Years and years of school and experience.
It’s all making its way down the drain.
Oh how you wish they weren’t so misguided.
If only they’d call, you’d swoop in to save the day.
Revisions: They say interior design isn’t life-changing.
The general public.
The people you need to become clients.
Their perception of you,
It’s completely misunderstood.
You’re not as fortunate as the others.
You know: your local “celebrity” designers.
The ones who are better than you.
No, not at interior design.
They’re better at kissing ass.
Specifically, the asses of your city’s 1%.
Just think about it…
Let’s say you do a middle class home
You know how that scenario is going to play out
You’ll get a small budget and huge expectations
For you, that’s a no-winsituation
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Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
They watch HGTV.
They read HGTV Magazine.
They Pin from HGTV’s Pinterest Boards.
All of your skillsets are but a click away!
Hip-hip hooray!
Revisions: They say interior design isn’t life-changing.
Of course, yes, you’re an interior designer.
But you’re also a psychologist and a physical therapist.
People need to understand this!
You’re a designer of happiness and freedom where there once was limitation.
You truly can change lives!
Wouldn’t you just LOVE to be them!
New, wealthy clients
with enormous mansions,
who give you full creative control,
they’d call you up, unexpectedly, simply because…
“Cindy heard from Jules
who heard from Diane
who heard from Rebecca that…
You’re the best designer in town!”
Cha-ching!
Easy money.
No awkward phone calls
No expensive / ineffective ads
No sweat at all.
But remember!
You’re not them.
So stop your daydreaming.
You’ve got schmoozing to do.
Those who land projects because of who they are,
not how talented they are.
They mingle with wealthy socialites.
They even have a blog! (Whoopty-do!)
They don’t ever have to sell.
They lay back and wait for them to land in their lap.
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Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
But NO, you can’t.
They won’t invite you in.
They’re too confident.
No obstacle will stand in their way.
And if one does, Google will save their day.
Haha, not you, silly. You aren’t who they’ll call.
After all, you’re more than a click away.
Revisions: They say interior design isn’t life-changing.
But NO. Actually, you can’t.
No lives will be changed as long as people remain narrow-minded.
“Psychobabble” — that’s what they’ll call it.
As they pop another anti-depressant in their mouth.
It’s just not fair, is it?
(Nor does it make sense.)
These designers,
They’re no where near as talented as you are.
They don’t have all the years of experience you have.
They’re robbing you of income you deserve.
They’re not interior designers,
They’re inferior designers,
Posers who wish they had an ounce of the talent you have.
Actually, you know what?
They don’t wish that. Nope, not at all.
They’re too busy making money to waste any time worrying about you.
If only there was a way.
A way you could put them in their place.
(Out of business ;-)
A way for you to take back what’s rightfully yours:
You know what you deserve:
Those oh-so-sweet high-dollar projects.
And the lucrative referrals that would, inevitably, come thereafter.
Now, granted…
Your selling approach would have to be pitch perfect.
You’d have to WOW everyone you meet!
And most importantly…
Your pitch would have to be damn-near effortless.
What? “Effortless”?
How’s that possible?
Don’t you remember?
You hate selling.
You suck at it.
Well damn…
If there’s not an easy way to winning new clients, there must not be any hope for you. After all, you have to ABC (always be closing) in order to reach greater successes.
Or do you?
Is it absolutely necessary for you to always be closing?
Someone out there has to have figured out a way to generate sales leads without a Xanex presecription to help you keep your cool during pitches.
You’re right. Someone has done just that.
Here’s the plan…
There really is no hope, isn’t there?
You can’t score success without selling.
You just can’t
Or can you?
That’s right. Because don’t you remember…
You suck at sales.
Whoa, stop right there.
Your “selling approach” —
Don’t you hate selling?
You know, because you suck at it?
Oh just give up already!
There’s no simple way
or is there?
have to be an easy way,
Because remember…
You suck at sales.
Shit. You forgot, didn’t you?
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Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
But don’t fret.
All hope is not lost.
A beautifully designed resume will bring new work.
No, not as an interior designer, of course.
Because DIYers don’t need you anymore.
Revisions: They say interior design isn’t life-changing.
As the world grows dumber and dumber,
people like you,
the miracle workers of the world,
will grow poorer and poorer.
Just like a selfless caregiver,
of someone who couldn’t care less.
You preach and you plead:
“Listen to me! I have what you need!
A lifetime of beautiful, blissful therapy!”
But they won’t listen.
They won’t give a damn.
“Shut up, you overpriced peddler of pretty!
You can’t design a better life for me.
How conceited for you to claim you could!
Now please, I ask that you see yourself out.
You offering nothing that I care to believe in.”
Not with some paint,
Not with some perfectly placed pictures.
You offer nothing that I can believe in.
So please, I ask that you see yourself out.”
Paint me a picture of something I can believe in.
Then, and only then, will I consider inviting you in.
not when
as you forever strive to get by on one last pretty penny. forever lives on their last penny.
You hold the secret
While you’re dialing for dollars,
Dialing for the middle-class scrap jobsThat’s what they are!
Yet there you
Yet you’re the one stuck dialing for design-dollars.
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Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
Or do they?
The answer is YES!
Revisions: They say interior design isn’t life-changing.
Or do you?
(Of course you do ;-)
You’re a designer of freedom and love.
Not just bedrooms and baths.
Opportunities to embrace success.
That’s what you design.
A splash of here,
A twist of there.
It all serves the same purpose:
To uplift the living
And do away with what’s dead.
Open their eyes.
Inspire them to invest in what matters most.
Their heart, their home.
The place where dreams are realized and put in place.
But thrive best only if they’re designed in a personalized space.
Here’s how you make them a believer,
In themselves,
And in you.
Read on…
So sell what they need.
Not what they don’t want.
Explain how the pretty you bring isn’t solely for their senses,
It’s for their psyche.
It’s for enabling a more successful life.
And there’s only one way to convince them of this:
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Revisions: They say interior design is easy.
The Maker Generation.
Sure, they may feel confident today.
But, when HGTV’s instructions don’t go as planned.
They’ll need you by their side with your helping hand guiding their way.
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