The Business of Blogging and Interior Design
When it comes to the business of blogging and interior design, there is no better way to reach potential clients and develop your expertise than publishing regular blog posts. Churning out content can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Your business is your passion, so do what it takes to get the word out about your skills and expertise. A blog post is so much more than just a blog post when it comes to good business practices in the twenty-first century.
Taking the Plunge
Thinking about starting a business is great, but ultimately action is required to get things up and running. Everyone has a perfectionist streak, yet the reality is there is never the perfect time to start any business. Mistakes will be made. It’s all part of the learning process. However, it’s best to start any endeavor with a solid business plan in place to create the most sustainable business possible. One of your first steps will likely be registering your business with your state and also taking steps to gain certification as an interior designer (as opposed to a decorator) if you live in one of the 25 states or 7 provinces that require certification.
Establishing your online presence begins with obtaining a domain name and signing up for a web host. This choice can be impacted by whether you plan to start an e-commerce store now or in the future. Next, you will customize a theme with your brand design in mind. Next comes deciding on a posting schedule and the categories you will cover. Always keep in mind your target income as while proceeding accordingly to make it happen.
Honing Your Niche
In the beginning, you will likely take on a greater variety of tasks to gain experience as you learn the basics. Even then, always be refining who your ideal customer really is. This process can be a great teacher in deciding what direction you want your business efforts to go. A specialty allows you to customize post content, not to mention your efforts to seek customers who are the best fit. Are you going to focus on interior design or redesign, or perhaps being a professional organizer or on the preservation or restoration side of things? Faux painting is yet another avenue of focus.
Developing a Marketing Plan
Marketing is what will get your name out into the world, but the tactics used to do so are going to be constantly changing as you continue to hone your niche and up your level of expertise. The most important element of any marketing plan is your email list, but don’t underestimate the power of direct mail campaigns either. In addition, consider what will happen when visitors arrive at your website. Do you have a solid call to action in place to funnel new visitors to where you want them to focus first on the website?
Implementing Streams of Income
Client work is going to be your bread and butter whether you charge by the hour or by the project, but a blog can bring in varying amounts of income as well. Will you accept money for product reviews or sponsored posts related to interior design? What sorts of affiliate links best serve your business goals? What types of ads make the most sense for your website? How much are you willing to spend to help drive traffic to your site? As you gain momentum, also thinks about if it makes sense to become a coach or consultant along with what type of online course or webinar you could offer on a regular basis.
Repurposing Content
One hard truth about the business of blogging and interior design is that blogging is incredibly time-consuming when done well. Once a post is written, look for ways to repurpose the content. Where would it be most beneficial to repost it? Perhaps on LinkedIn or on Medium to direct potential clients to your site. It also doesn’t hurt to pitch guest posts of significantly re-worked original material to high-traffic, authoritative sites in your niche. Or if that doesn’t appeal, you could always post a guest post of yours that appealed elsewhere on your own site a few weeks later. Just be sure to familiarize yourself with some duplicate content myths first.
Ultimately, consider how to repackage the content that populates your blog posts into an ebook that can be sold on your website or offered in electronic or print format speaking engagements. Producing a book is a great calling card for your interior design business.
Above all else, your interior design blog should reflect your core principals. Yes, you want to succeed, but just make sure you do so by striving to be your most authentic self. When you can align your values with your business practices, customers will indeed take note.
What other tips or advice can you offer when it comes to the business of blogging and interior design?
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