Why you aren't getting design clients from Instagram
If you are a designer, architect or other type of creative business owner then you need be on Instagram.
Given the visual nature of the platform, there is a very high chance that your ideal client is hanging out there - so you want to make sure you are also there and sharing helpful and engaging content for them.
But when I am reviewing and helping students in my courses with their Instagram accounts there are a number of mistakes that I see over and over again which stop designers from booking clients via Instagram.
So today I thought I would share some of those mistakes so you can try and improve what you’re doing on the platform and start bringing in a steady stream of new leads via the platform.
1: Their feed is inconsistent in aesthetic and type of content
The first mistake I see many designers and architects make is that they have a very inconsistent feed full of images that look completely haphazard and not well put together. They might have a picture of their kids in one square, a close up of a coffee table vignette in another and a screenshot of a wall light they like the look of in another. Although this might be a bit of an extreme example it's not far from the truth and many accounts I look at do lack consistency in style and aesthetic (which will put people off following).
You need to think of your feed as a living portfolio of work. When someone comes to visit your profile you want them to get an immediate sense of your design style and aesthetic.
Each time you post something you want to make sure that what you are putting up is a representation of the sort of design work that people can expect to see from you if they hire you.
If you post an image of an industrial kitchen one day, your kids the next and then a Hamptons exterior the day after, then this makes it impossible for a potential client to get a sense of what sort of design they would get from you if they were to hire you.
Visual appeal is vital to helping you improve your Instagram page and increase the chances of someone deciding to follow or engage with it.
2: They are trying to appeal to other designers instead of appealing to the people who pay the bills - i.e. potential clients!
This one is something I see all the time!
Lots of designers will have quite nicely curated feeds with attractive images. But when you start reading the captions that go with the feed they really don't say anything helpful or meaningful at all. The captions might read 'I love this exquisite green velvet lounge chair by XXX [insert all sorts of expensive designers here!!!]".
In principle there is nothing wrong with this - it's great to share new ideas and products - and if you do happen to be someone who is servicing the top 1% bracket of wealthy clients then this content is probably OK. But the reality is that most designers aren't servicing this sort of client and I would argue that this sort of post is really trying to make that designer look good in front of other design colleagues, rather than being a feed that is going to appeal to their ideal clients (i.e. the ones who are going to be paying the bills!).
In my Instagram short course we spend time helping you understand who you are curating your Instagram feed for and we work out what sorts of things they might be searching and looking for inspiration about when looking around on Instagram. This is what your feed should be all about - not about the expensive velvet arm chair that is most likely out of the budget (or practical need) for most design clients.
3: They aren't engaging on the platform
Social media is called social because people want to interact with you! Instagram is a friendly platform. If you are just jumping on and posting something then leaving the platform then you aren’t maximising what is possible.
You want to also spend time commenting and liking on people’s photos and also commenting and liking the posts of people who you admire or people who are in your niche. This is not only important because it's a social and friendly thing to do but also because it will maximise your opportunity of being discovered by the audience that the person in your niche has as well.
Other mistakes you might be making…
The above three mistakes are only a few of the ones I see on a regular basis. Other mistakes I also see people make include;
they think about Instagram in the same way they do about other social media platforms (i.e. they aren't tailoring the content to Instagram specifically)
they aren’t using stories to create a deeper connection with their community - especially by showing up face to face on video
they are sharing too many images of other designers’ work and not enough original content - you are trying to build your own business, stop sharing the work of others in order to do this
they aren't posting consistently
they aren't being authentic (their captions don’t sound like how they talk in real life)
they aren't uploading appealing, well edited images
they aren’t using effective calls to action (CTAs) to drive potential clients to start conversations with them
they aren’t using the current growth tools - e.g. at the time of writing this post Instagram has told everyone that reels is the way to grow on the platform - listen to what the platform is telling you and do more of what they say will work
Instagram is a really powerful tool for growing your design business - your ideal clients are almost certainly hanging out there - but it has to be used in the right way.
In my Instagram short course I teach my clients how to use Instagram strategically and in a way that will drive a steady stream of new leads to their business each and every day.
Courses and Templates for Designers and Architects
DO YOU WANT TO….
Improve your professionalism?
Find more clients?
Bring in more revenue?
Create better systems and processes?
Then check out my business courses and templates for designers and architects.
These courses and templates leave you with work done - not just a long list of things you need to do next. We have a really strong focus on taking action and getting things created that improve your business.
Enjoy the rest of your day!
Clare x
Dr Clare Le Roy