What forms do you need to help your business?

I often get requests for templates of business forms, so I am putting together a binder of every form you could ever need for your design business - from COM contracts to repair policies. If there are any forms you would love to have, please "post a comment" below to let me know - so that I can include them.

How to Get More Business from your Website

When I made some simple changes to my website, I got more business. Here are some quick, easy tips to make your website more effective:

• Use a great headline
  An effective headline will intrigue your potential customers and compel them to read on. Make sure you place the headline at the top of the web page, so visitors see it before they have to do any scrolling.
• Avoid blinking or scrolling text
  Although it is sometimes tempting to use these "gadgets," animated text is distracting and can appear outdated.
• Make sure your home page is not too "heavy"
  If you include photos, keep them small in size so they load quickly. If they take more than three seconds to load, you've lost visitors before the photos appear.
• Make it easy to find information
  Put as much information as you can on your home page. Don't make visitors click around to find what they are looking for. If they get frustrated, they will leave.
• Use a light background with dark text
  You want your site easy to read, and it is much easier to read dark text on a light background (contrast).
• Put your contact info on the top and bottom of every page
  Make it as easy as possible for people to find and call you.
• Use a spell checker and check your grammar
  When I see typos and obvious mistakes on a website, I immediately think less of the company. Don't let that happen to you. Don't let your website be a fanny pack! (read Are You Wearing a Fanny Pack?)

Adult Communities - a gold mine for you?

My mother-in-law moved into an Active Adult community a few months ago, and I was recently invited to her house for a dinner party. When I arrived, she was chatting with three neighbors about her new furniture. An hour later, the four women were still discussing home design issues – paint color choices, where they could find the best area rugs, who they used to install their lights, and on and on. I found it fascinating that they could talk for so long about this one topic, but I realized it wasn’t unusual. When someone buys a new home, they are often interested in decorating it, and since EVERYONE in this community is a new homeowner, home decor is a common topic of discussion.

Active Adult communities are popping up all over the country. The new residents are in desperate need of our services! Here are 4 great reasons to target these communities:

• These are new homes, and the fact is: homeowners spend the most money on their homes within the first few months of moving in.
• Seniors are the most affluent demographic with the largest disposable income.
• Seniors have more free time to spend on hobbies and passions, like home decorating.
• Once you penetrate a senior community, referrals spread like crazy.

Okay, now that you're convinced of WHY you should target Active Adult communities, I bet you want to know HOW!

Here are a few great tips on breaking into this market.

1. Advertise in their newsletters
   Rates are usually very reasonable, and the newsletters are read thoroughly by most members of the community. Contact the newspaper commitee.
2. Conduct a design seminar at the community clubhouse
   This is so effective! Many seniors enthusiastically attend these presentations, which are widely promoted within the community. You can also contact individual groups and clubs within each development (singles club, theater group, game group, etc), as they often look for guest speakers and theme nights. Once you make a contact, it is easy to become "THE" designer who is referred by - and used by - most of the community.
3. Send "New Home Flyers"
   Don't get me started on New Home Flyers! Those of you who have read my earlier e-zines or my e-book on New Home Flyers know how passionate I am about this marketing tool. You can get addresses and labels fairly inexpensively from direct mail companies. The company I use is Homeowners Marketing. (You can go on the site, but it's much better to call. Ask for the owner, Barry, and mention my name: 800-232-2134.)
4. Take a walk
   Beware! Most of these communities are gated, which means you can't get in unless you are visiting a resident. My mother-in-law and I walked around her neighborhood knocking on doors, and it worked out very well. But you can only use this method if you are friendly with my mother-in-law (she won't walk around with just anyone, you know!). Seriously, once you've established contact with someone in the development, ask them to introduce you to the neighborhood.
   
   One designer I know saturated a neighborhood by walking around with flyers as the homes were still being built - before there was a guard gate. This activity made her the main designer for the community. She decorates almost every home there.

Some of these techniques may take you out of your comfort zone. But if you truly desire to expand your business and become more successful, don't be afraid to explore new ideas. The results will be worth it!

What Should I do with Video?

I'm wondering about video. If you've been to my website (www.WealthyDecorators.com), you've probably heard the audio I put on my home page. But I recently purchased a system that allows me to put video on my site, and I've been wondering what to do with it. Do you have any ideas? Is there anything you'd like to see that could help with your business? I'd love to hear your ideas (and if you'd like to use audio or video yourself, you can go to www.decoratoraudio.com)...

Click comments to leave your ideas.

Using Testimonials to Get More Clients

Testimonials can increase your business dramatically. But they need to be done correctly for them to be really effective. Here are some tips:

Testimonials should be "results oriented." Which testimonial is more enticing? "Jane was really good to work with."or"Jane saved us over $800 on our furniture, and she always called us back within a few hours, even when she was on vacation! What a delight to work with." Make sure your testimonials include specific results gained from using your services.

Use your client's full name and a photo, if possible. Don't you hate when you see testimonials like:"I loved working with ABC Decor. They are the best!" JP, California.Who is this JP? Does she really exist? Using a full name, town, and photo lends credibility to your testimonial. If you can take a photo of your client smiling in front of your work - even better!

Sprinkle testimonials throughout your site. Many times I see websites that have a separate page for testimonials. But a lot of visitors to your site won't spend time going to this page. (It's just not as important to them as we would like to think.) Spread your words of praise throughout your entire site. This forces visitors to read them as they look through your photos and services.

Ask for testimonials! If you're not getting as many unsolicited testimonials as you would like, don't be afraid to ask your clients. Help them out by asking specific questions, like: Did you appreciate the extra details I added? Were you happy with the personal service I gave you? Most clients will be happy to help you with some kind words, but they don't think of writing them down on their own.

Five Simple Things You Can Do
to dramatically increase your design business

There are dozens of ways to increase your design business, but here are my favorite five. They are all simple things that have resulted in amazing results - for many designers I work with, and in the growth of my own design firm.Which ones are you doing? Print this out and check them as you do them - this week!

___Call a past client. You may have heard me tell many stories about how calling a past client (for reasons unrelated to selling my services) resulted in a big sale. This has happened so many times - and it's so easy to do - that you must put this into your weekly routine. Call one or two clients this week (to ask if you can come take photos of your work, to tell them about an item you saw in a store that would be great in their home, etc.). And don't forget to do this weekly!

___Send regular e-mail newsletters. This may sound scary, but it's so easy to do if you do it correctly. The easiest way (and most effective, actually) is to write a simple tip that your readers can use right away. Don't waste hours trying to come up with stories and promotions; don't try to make it look "pretty;" and don't make it about you and your company. Just write a quick, useful decorating idea. Your readers will love how helpful you are, and when the time comes that they need your services, they will think of YOU first. (for more info on how this tripled my business, see www.enewsletterblitz.com)

___Apply an e-mail signature, with your name, a short description of your services, and a link to your website. How many e-mails do you send each week? Ten? Hundreds? Well, even if your mailings are more modest, you really should remind everyone who gets a note from you what you do. After applying my own e- mail signature, I realized how powerful it was. I often get an e-mail back from a friend or acquaintance saying something like: "I didn't realize you provided that. My neighbor/mom/cousin needs you!"

___Have the best portfolio possible. There are too many stories about designers who lose jobs because of their portfolios. Make yours sell for you! My business shot way up after I revamped mine. If you don't want to invest in a professional photographer, make sure your photos look professional. Learn a few photo techniques. Display only your best work. Use large pictures(8x10). If possible, show before and after shots.

___Start a goal group. Meeting monthly with 3 other business women for the past few years has been the single most motivating force in my life. My business has increased significantly from the ideas and resources I've gained from this diverse group of supportive women.

Ideas for Decorating NICHES

Having a niche makes decorators rich! Here are a few ideas for defining your niche:

• Green Design
• Ethnic Decorating
• Historic Homes
• Adult Communities
• Targeting Working Moms
• Doctors' Offices
• Baby's Rooms

Post your creative niche ideas.