How to Get Interior Design Clients

Aug 22

It’s August, which can be slow for a lot of industries—including interior design. Everyone is either getting their kids ready for back to school or off on vacation, soaking up the sun, and suddenly those emails you usually get flooded with seem to have taken a little holiday of their own. But don’t let the quiet fool you; this downtime can be a golden opportunity. While everyone else is in summer mode, you can use this lull to recharge, get creative, and plan your next big move.

Think of it as the calm before the storm—the perfect time to update your website (is your press up to date??), plan out your goals for next quarter, or even catch up on those design books that have been gathering dust (guilty!). It’s also a great moment to nurture your network of industry peers, laying the groundwork for when things pick up again. So, while August might feel slow, it’s actually the perfect time to set the stage for an epic fall season!

But in order to quiet the panic, we asked three design industry experts the following question and here is what they had to say:

How do you get more clients for your interior design business when you hit a dry spell?

Desi Creswell (Master Certified Life & Business Coach):

Lean into your existing relationships! First, reach out to past clients you would love to work with again via phone call, email or even a gift with a handwritten note. Ask how they are doing, inquire if they are considering a new project, and express your desire to work with them (or more clients like them) in the future. Second, reconnect with trusted referral partners who already know you and value your expertise. They might have a project you'd be perfect for, an introduction to make, or might even invite you into one of their marketing initiatives. Lastly, follow up with potential (ideal) clients who expressed interest in your services, but did not take the next step. Touch base and see if they are ready to move forward now. I always recommend relationship building as a part of a designer's marketing strategy. However, the level of trust required to engage with a designer in a project, or associate a name with a referral, can take time. This is why it's best to connect with your existing network if you're aiming to get out of your dry spell faster.

Brooke Stoll (Fractional COO and Systems Expert):

Reach out to your warm leads, which are people you already have a relationship with. These are past clients, people who have opted in to your newsletter, people already in your network (builders, other designers, architects), etc. When speaking with other business owners, feel free to be more candid about your need for business. Take them to coffee and after asking how you can support them in their business, there will likely be space for you to share how they could help you. People love to help people and are often willing to put your name out there! When it comes to past clients and your newsletter, speak to their wants and needs. Are you approaching the holidays and your clients are people who generally like to host? Is summer break just around the corner and your ideal client loves to spend time dining al fresco? Sell them what they want (ex: a home they are proud to entertain in) and give them what they need (ex: your services) by sharing a recently completed project that achieved those goals.

Melissa Galt (Private Coach for Interior Designers):

1. Send a personal email to all past clients and let them know that you've got just one project opening available and with Fall coming quickly, it's just in time to get interior design done for the holiday season.

You can also share an email with them that says “We so enjoyed working with you and would welcome a referral with a similar project and a client as wonderful to work. We have just one project opening and wanted you to have priority notice.”

2. Get out into your local marketplace to meet your ideal clients. If you know your avatar well, you know where you can meet them. Perhaps at a wine dinner, a charity event, on the golf course, on the tennis court, at the car show, at an art exhibit. Proximity can deliver more projects and profits, stop hiding in your office.

3. Connect with profit partners including quality real estate agents, builders, contractors, and architects. These are often the professionals that your client is seeking before working with you. When you form a strong alliance (referral fees optional) they can refer you directly to the client (do not work through a builder, contractor or architect.)

4. Host an event for past and current clients, and ask them to invite a friend, colleague, or family member. You can host this either in your office or at a local restaurant—or, partner with another business that shares your ideal clients. A designer I coached partnered with the Porsche dealership, she invited her clients, they invited theirs, business was done with both hosts.

5. Update your Google My Business and consider exploring Google Ads, this can take a minimum of 90 days to be effective, but can bring quality leads.

6. Consider profiles on places where clients are already showing up, many of these have a no cost or low cost option, Bark, Houzz, Angi's List (owned by Home Advisor), Thumbtack.