Client Acquisition Strategy: Establish Yourself as an Expert
As I talk with people who are in the early phases of their e-design business, the most common question that comes up is, “How do I get clients?”
It's a valid question for sure, because you can't have a business without clients(!), but I think the more nuanced, actionable question they should be asking is, “How do I get people to know, like, and trust me so that they can't wait to hire me when the time is right?”
See the difference?
The latter question is more about relationship-building and playing the long game so that you can create a sustainable business that's set up for success. Hiring a designer isn't like hitting “buy” on a new sweater - it's a big decision! Developing that know, like, and trust factor will help nurture your relationship with a potential client so that when they're ready to get started with a project, you're the one who gets that call (yay!). It can happen in a ton of different ways, but the one I want to talk about today is the idea of establishing yourself as an expert.
Get More E-Design Clients by Establishing Yourself as An Expert
This is all about about showing people what you can do, offering free tips/advice, and consistently showing up without being salesy. It's about creating content that's easy to consume and keeps those potential clients coming back for more. When people see you as expert and fall in love with your talent, paying clients will naturally start to come your way.
There are three main digital avenues that I think are perfect for e-designers to showcase their expertise:
A blog. I truly think this can be the central hub for creating content. Having a catalog of posts that offer “how tos” or guides on different decorating topics, a peek into projects, round up furniture and decor recommendations, etc. is a great way to show off your talent without having to explicitly “sell.” The fact that it lives on your website is key - you own it, and people can always come back and find it later. They'll also be able to quickly hop from the blog to your services page.
Instagram. Your potential clients are hanging out there all the time, so why not show up for them? Post consistently, provide valuable content (repurpose some of those blog posts!), share behind-the-scenes looks, and add a more personal side so people can get to know you better.
Pinterest. Think of Pinterest as a visual search engine, NOT social media. Pin your content and others', make it easily searchable by including relevant keywords, and have call-to-actions on the image itself and in the copy so that people click over to your website to engage further with your content. And here's a hot tip: automate your pinning using the Tailwind app so that you can grow your Pinterest account in your sleep! Bigger reach = more opportunities to reach potential clients. Here's a $15 credit* if you'd like to try it out.
So, are you actively working on establishing yourself as an expert in the e-design world? How are you going to do that in your business? Tell me about it in the comments or over on Instagram!
