A Simple Guide to Processes for Interior Designers (SOPs)
Friendly reminder: When you’re running your own business, time is money—
In other words, the better you manage your time, the more profitable your business becomes. And the more profitable your business becomes, the better equipped you are to scale it to your heart’s content.
What I’ve come to learn is that time management is one of THE most challenging skills to master, which is why we sometimes feel like we’re in a reactive pattern when we’re always playing catchup. One huge time-suck I hear about all the time is the process of bringing on staff or a contractor.
If you’re looking to hire support, but aren’t quite sure how to onboard a new team member, how to train them as quickly as possible, or what to delegate, you’re in the right place.
Because it’s not always a matter of what you’re doing.
Sometimes it’s about how you’re getting things done instead.
(This is one of those times!)
This is exactly where SOPs (or standard operating procedures) come in ohh so handy.
By leaning on SOPs, you can streamline and document all the necessary and repetitive tasks in your business. You can free yourself from the kind of busy work that bogs you down by delegating those tasks to someone else who can excel in that department. Then, you’ll have more time to focus on the type of work that lights you up, with complete confidence that nothing is slipping through the cracks.
If you’re not quite sure how to implement SOPs, let alone write them, I’ve got you covered. (It’s kind of my thing).
Read on for all the juicy details of what putting SOPs into practice can do for you and your growing design business.
The Perks of Using SOPs in Business
You see, SOPs are the documented version of your signature framework, and the living documents that serve as the backbone of your daily operations.
They give structure to your business and help keep your team on the same page at all times. Not to mention they help you set the foundation to communicate with your team and clients proactively about what to expect.
Most importantly, though, they kick ambiguity to the curb so everyone knows exactly what, when, and how to complete tasks, all while minimizing errors and doing things juuust the way you like.
The cherry on top is that the work you put in on the front end is something you can benefit from for years. (Literally!)
When you carve out time to write and implement SOPs that are goal-oriented and support your company’s signature process, you can rest assured that every detail can be refined and improved over time. This is what you’ll reference most when you’re looking to optimize your workflow.
That means no more hodge-podge procedures or one-off wins.
Instead, whatever changes you make WILL save you time and bring you one step closer to the smooth-as-butter, scalable business of your dreams.
And you can crank them out in 7 simple steps. Easy as pie.
The SOP Writing Process
Decide on the Process & Define Your Goals
If you don’t know which SOP to start with, I recommend doing a “Zone of Genius” assessment to figure out the processes in your business that are difficult to remember, or the ones that need to be outsourced. Those should land at the very top of your priority list.
If you asked us what has been the most useful set of SOPs I’ve created for my biz, I would say it’s client onboarding. (Get the low down on client onboarding processes for interior designers if you’re ready to craft a client experience that wows.)
Next, clearly state the purpose and goal of the SOP.
For example:
The purpose of this SOP is to outline what happens after a client has signed their contract and paid their initial retainer.
Outline Each Step in the Process
The more complicated the procedure, the more detail you should include so that it’s easier to follow. My suggestion is to make it skimmable, there are going to be times when someone needs to read everything with a fine-toothed comb, (a new hire, for example) and there are going to be times when the info will just need to be glanced if it’s a process that hasn’t been done in a while. A refresh my memory sort of thing.
Consider using bullet points, and relevant graphics to up readability, and break up large blocks of text. Try to keep the wording specific and use bold formatting to highlight action items.
Define All Roles & Responsibilities
Include any info that clearly states who’s responsible for handling each step of the process. That way you know that the right members of your team are accountable, which is incredibly useful if you’re using your SOP to set up a project management template in a tool like Asana or ClickUp.
Hint, hint, I recommend defining the assignee by role instead of employee name. For example, “Admin” or “Junior Designer” — If there’s ever a shift in an employee’s position, things can transfer over smoothly for the new designated person.
Include References & Attachments
Make your SOP deserving of a standing O by including everything else your reader (or you!) would need to start the process.
This can be links to any other internal documents (like templates, folders, or files), virtual credit cards with company billing information, or the contact info for anyone you’ll need to get in touch with to get the task done, like photographers, contractors, or outsourced VAs.
And don’t underestimate the power of a quick Loom video! I find this to be especially helpful for visual learners, and also to walk someone through a software system, like your project management tool. Trust me, going the extra mile will save you a headache or two later down the road.
Proofread, Edit & Share
Once you’ve taken everything out of your head and put it on paper, it’s time to polish that baby up!
I like to keep all work-in-progress SOPs labeled “WIP”, so that everyone is on the lookout for what they can add or any details that could be missing. Like I mentioned before, these are meant to be living documents that are constantly being updated.
That being said, I looooove using Grammarly to check for any grammatical errors. I’ve been using it for years and love how easy it is to proofread not only internal docs but also client and vendor emails, consultation reports, etc.
If possible, get a second pair of eyes on your work too. They’ll be able to spot any inconsistencies or tough spots that are hard to follow.
Once you wrap up, all you’ve got left to do is distribute your shiny new SOP and get ready to answer 50% less questions. Ta-da!
Sometimes we’re intimidated by the idea of writing an SOP but the process doesn’t have to be difficult. My biggest piece of advice is to start before you’re ready. Start with the big picture first, and break it down into smaller achievable steps. It’s just one of the ways we can reduce overwhelm and make it easier to run our business.
Since helping you build your dream business is what gets me out of bed each morning, I’ve got something to make SOPs even more of a no-brainer.
Click here to download your FREE SOP template & Delegation Toolkit and get your business sorted ASAP. It’s on the house!
