6 reasons why nobody is hiring you as their designer
You've started your business, posted on social media and told your friends and family.
But nobody is hiring you :(
Here are six reasons for why that might be…
1: No obvious prior work experience
If you're just starting, don't pretend to be working with clients if you're not.
The online world is very savvy these days. They can see straight through 'pretend projects'.
You are much better off documenting the start of your business and sharing what you already know in your content in a way that is truthful and authentic. Tell them you're just getting started and share what you're learning.
This will be more interesting anyway and will build more trust with potential clients.
2: People don't really like your design style
Interior design is the same as any other market. It's supply and demand.
And if you want to earn money as a designer you need to work in a style that the market actually wants.
Trying to be 'quirky' or 'different' (for the sake of it or because you think you’re more ‘creative’ than other people) isn't generally what most clients are after and this will limit your pool of potential clients (i.e. it will be hard to make money this way).
If you want to stick with your quirky, creative style then expect for it to be hard to find clients who want to work with you.
3: Nobody knows who you are
Many designers make the mistake of thinking that if they build a portfolio, do a bit of social media and tell a few people that clients will come knocking on their door.
It almost never works like this.
You should be spending most of your time on proactive lead generation + finding new clients. The more people who know about you, the more clients you will get.
If you need help with this then check out my short course where I teach you how to be more proactive with lead generation.
4: Not understanding your target market
It's important to understand your target market and tailor your services to meet their specific needs and preferences.
For example, if you want to specialise in designing homes for a specific demographic (e.g. families or retirees), it's important to have a deep understanding of the needs and preferences of that specific group.
Make sure to tailor your marketing and content creation specifically for this market and use your content to answer common questions or problems that they have.
5: They don't trust you
When your potential clients are browsing around on your social media or website they are subconsciously thinking about whether you know what you're talking about and can help them with their project.
The content you share has to convince them that you can deliver the outcome they want.
Sharing social proof (like completed project case studies or client testimonials) helps to build trust and show potential clients you know what you're doing.
6: You're making it hard for people to do business with you
All of my projects (whether small or large) started exactly the same way - with a paid initial design consultation.
This was clearly advertised on my website and I had a booking and payment form they could use to find a time right there and then.
I booked about 3-4 consultations per week this way (and then converted most of these into further work during the consultation).
If you're getting clients to jump through hoops (e.g. set up a 'get to know you' call) you're making it too hard for them and they will go somewhere else.
For example - there are lots of people in the world won't want to talk on the phone with you before they book in for an initial consultation. Make it easy for them to just book and pay for it without having to talk to your first. Then use the paid consultation to sell yourself and your services.
TL;DR
To find more clients you need to focus on:
building trust (e.g. testimonials and before/after images)
showing you're an expert (e.g. sharing your knowledge and experience in content marketing)
developing a design aesthetic that is actually appealing to the market
deciding who your ideal client is (and creating content and solutions specifically for them)
doing a lot more lead generation than you are currently doing
making it easy for people to do business with you (lots of people won't want to talk on the phone with you before they book in for an initial consultation!)
Thanks for reading and catch you in my next post :)
Clare x
Dr Clare Le Roy
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.
