You and Your Business are a Brand
I don’t agree with the notion that creative types are not good business people. In fact most of the designers I have met across the country are savvy entrepreneurs who are always open to new ideas to grow and improve their businesses. I find, however, that many designers feel awkward about self-promotion and have the tendency to sit back and wait to be discovered. That attitude just doesn’t work today. It is time to be brutal, to reassess, and to think about your business as a brand. Even the timid among you need to learn some marketing basics.
1. You and your design business are a brand and you need to stand out and separate yourself from the pack.
2. You are in the style business. Your entire operation needs to reflect that: your office, all printed materials (stationery, business cards, etc.), your website, your wardrobe, the people you hire, the car you drive, how you entertain – it all matters!
3. You need to have a point of view. It is impossible to get noticed if you are wishy-washy. Create a style for yourself and stick with it. Successful designers are not all things to all people. You get clients and you get published because you have created something unique.
4. Don’t be afraid to promote yourself. Designers are arbiters of style and taste. People seek you out for your creativity and expertise. It’s time to get started!
5. Bottom line: Growing a design business is all about style, service, smart business practices, and strategic marketing.
There are numerous designers who you can look to as models and experts at the art of branding. Think about designers you admire and whom you think have created successful brands. Some of my heroes are: Barbara Barry, Diamond & Baratta, Thomas O’Brien, Kelly Wearstler, and Bunny Williams. I have known them all and they have several things in common: they are all creative geniuses, tireless workers, perfectionists, obsessed with staying true to their style, and great at connecting with people and telling their story. They may exert painstaking control over the way their brands are represented, but the results are brilliant and we can all take a lesson from them. Creating your brand cannot be left to chance, you have to take charge, and you have to give it 100%.
I also sometimes meet young designers who are savvy marketers and clearly on the path to creating a unique brand. One up and coming design star I met on my travels was Kira Krumm. She heard I was coming to Naples, FL to talk about getting published. She made a date to meet me before the presentation.
We toured her office in the Design Center, visited a room she had created in the building’s Designer Show House, and had a lovely chat about how she started her design business and how she hoped to grow it in the next few years.
I was so impressed with her charm, talent, and style I want to share them with you. Kira is a great example of how one starts to build a brand.
So put yourself out there not only as a creative mind but as a savvy self-promoter. What’s your brand? What’s the personalized point of view that will separate you from others? Any obstacles that prevent you from marketing yourself as a brand? How can you go forward and market yourself in this economy? Let me hear from you.
Carolyn Sollis
Carolyn Sollis is a respected editor and journalist, has over 25 years of expertise in the fields of Home Furnishings, Interior Design, Architecture, and the Decorative Arts. Most recently Style Director of HOUSE & GARDEN, and formerly Executive Editor of HOUSE BEAUTIFUL, Carolyn has traveled the globe producing editorial features, covering the marketplace, tracking design trends, and searching for ideas and inspiration along the way.
Her passion for design combined with her delight in sharing her knowledge, has made Carolyn a frequent lecturer, panelist, and media guest. She has appeared on national television including the Fine Living Channel, CNN, and the Today Show, been interviewed regularly on radio, and has contributed countless times to newspaper articles giving tips, advice, and an authoritative voice to articles on decorating and design. She is currently working with several top designers serving as an advisor, marketing expert, and Creative Director.
