Book the Green Flag Design Clientele of Your Dreams

We’ll be real with you, everyone is looking for a way to book more dream interior design clients.

And one thing many designers get wrong is believing that working with “dream clients” means working with “rich clients.” 

But not everyone knows what a dream client *actually* looks like, sounds like, or how to start a convo that leads to conversion.

The truth is that your dream client doesn’t HAVE to be rich.

Designers think they want to work with people who have buckets of cash to throw at their projects because they were told by the seasoned pros ahead of them that’s what they should be shooting for. But we don’t think it’s true.

There are some things that matter more—to your business goals and to whatever motivates you to keep pushing—than finding people with the biggest budgets around.

If you’re feeling stuck, doomed to work with red flag clients, and can’t find the path forward, we’re here to do more than just cheer you on.

Check out our step-by-step guide to attracting more of the clients that fit your aesthetic, personality, and target demographics to a T.

Start With Your Brand Strategy

A strong foundation that clearly communicates what you’ve got to offer is a must-have—especially if you want to build the kind of reputation that draws in green flag clients and projects on the regular.

This foundation is known as your brand strategy and it bridges the gap between your design business and the people you’re working hard to attract.

Your brand strategy is how you promote your brand to the portion of your audience you’re hoping to work with. It takes into account the message at the core of your business, your brand voice, preferred marketing methods, and the values that drive the work you do, so you can find (and work with) others that have the same ones.

A strong brand strategy allows for your brand identity to remain consistent across all your socials, in email, on your website, and through every interaction you have with a loyal fan or tentative client. And that’s exactly how you can build a rep that is professional, inviting, and ohh so irresistible to the people your business was MADE to serve.

So yeah, the plan that goes hand-in-hand with your branding is abso-freaking-lutely essential to your approach to lure in dream clients!

Read more on how to craft a show-stopping, purpose-driven brand strategy here.

Optimize Your Portfolio

If you’re doing what it takes to get your business in front of the people you want to partner with, you better have the kind of portfolio that seals the deal.

That means doing whatever it takes to optimize it so you look your very best to whoever happens to be looking because it IS a designer’s most powerful marketing asset!

You should start by investing in professional photography that reflects your preferred aesthetic and hones in on your most impressive projects. Use clear, high-quality images that make sense grouped together. Each photo and each project showcased should demonstrate your unique design style so no one has to guess what it is you’re THE best at.

Then, think about how to organize your portfolio so it’s easy to navigate and is a visual treat from start to finish. If you don’t have a portfolio with strong images, you have options!  Consider having a photoshoot in your home—even with small vignettes—or rent a small space to style in collab with a stager.

No matter what, remember that you want to highlight your areas of expertise to help future clients understand your strengths and show ‘em you can meet their needs. Keep in mind that ONE strong project is worth more than 3 outdated crappy ones. 

After you hit “publish,” make sure you keep your online portfolio up to date with recent work so anyone who stumbles across your work knows you’re still alive and kicking. You want to make it suuuuuper obvious that you’re crushing your design projects left and right!

Prioritize Your Copy 

We talked about how every image in your portfolio should highlight the best you’ve got to offer, so let’s tackle the words you use next. 

The quality of your copy WILL determine whether you land the sale or if you end up playing second fiddle to your competition.

Yes, the images play a massive role in getting green flag clients to sign the dotted line.

But without the words that speak directly to their needs, wants, and dreams, you risk losing the people who need that extra little push to take the leap and sign on to work with you. Plus, how else can you stand apart from the other designers that they might be considering?

Hiring a copywriter should be on your list of priorities because they are masters at communicating with your audience in a way that CAN win them over.

They can get to the heart of what motivates, intimidates, and frustrates the folks you’ve got design solutions for and craft copy that inspires them to make a move. (A.K.A. Fiiiiinally say “yes” to working with you!) 

If your portfolio is already top tier but you have trouble pulling in more leads, maybe it’s your words that are falling flat.

Get with a copywriter ASAP to whip your copy into fighting shape and watch the buzz around your brand build over time.

Tap Into Your Network

As a business owner, this next part should go without saying… Your network is THE backbone of your design business.

If you cultivate the relationships within your circle,  you’re more likely to connect with clients that hit every mark on your list.

So be intentional about staying in touch with your contacts!

Attend industry events, join interior design groups on social media, and focus on ways you can add value to the lives of people that are on parallel paths with your career.

When networking, be clear about your goals and what right-fit projects look like to you. Ask for referrals and be quick to give them out when they’re requested of you in return!

But most importantly, DON’T skip the follow-up. After meeting new people and connecting with other businesses in your industry, make it a point to reconnect with ‘em so you stay top of mind.

When it comes to networking, you should focus on building up your community instead of competing with them. That way your network is primed and ready to dish out word of mouth recs for your design biz when the right opportunity pops up. (And let’s not forget that word of mouth is the BEST source for scooping up new interior design projects.)

One last thing: As a part of your client offboarding process (Get into the nitty gritty of what that should look like here), make sure to ask for referrals if your experience working with them was good as gold!

Up Your Content Marketing Game

The last thing you’ll want to get up to speed is your content marketing game.

If you’re dead set on reaching a new audience and enticing a new kind of clientele, the effort you put into content marketing should reflect that.

When you complete a project you know will be a hit, make sure you post about it EVERYWHERE.

On your socials, on your website, to your email list—you name it. Your recent and most impressive projects should appear wherever potential clients could be looking!

The content you put out on a regular basis can sway skeptics IF you use it as an opportunity to address their concerns, touch on their desires, and add value to their lives on top of showing off what you do best.

Once your content marketing game is on point, you can speak directly to the clients you’re targeting instead of to whoever happens to be listening.

Trust us, it’s a game-CHANGER.

Different results demand a different strategy. If you want to work with different people, you’ll have to switch up the methods you’re using to reach them.

Everything from your brand strategy, to your copy, to your content marketing plan is an opportunity to connect with the dream clients you’re hungry to serve.

If your current branding is standing in the way of your business and the people you’re trying to get to, W&J is here to help.

Get with us and we’ll revamp your brand design so you quit getting lost in the crowd and lure in MORE of the people you’re hyped up about working with.   

Email us today and we’ll get the ball rolling!