Designer Discussions : Remodeling Business Marketing

Are you ready to revolutionize your design business's digital marketing strategy? The landscape is changing rapidly, and staying ahead means embracing sophisticated tactics that your competition hasn't mastered yet. Jason dives deep into three game-changing marketing approaches that are reshaping how successful designers connect with clients in 2025. First, discover the critical differen...

Struggling to generate consistent leads for your design business? The answer might be sitting right in your existing marketing toolkit.  Email marketing has the potential to become your second most powerful lead generation tool after client referrals—even outperforming expensive SEO and PPC campaigns. Yet many designers watch their promising email efforts fizzle out as open rates plummet from 40%...

Unlocking the power of regional publicity could be your design business's greatest untapped marketing resource. Many designers dream of national magazine features while overlooking the goldmine in their own backyard – local publications that reach the very clients who might actually hire you. This episode shatters the common misconceptions about media coverage. Getting press doesn't requ...

When economic uncertainty looms, most businesses make the critical mistake of slashing their marketing budgets first. But what if that's exactly the wrong move? In this illuminating episode, Jason shares battle-tested strategies to keep your design business visible and thriving during economic downturns—without breaking the bank. Drawing from his wealth of marketing expertise, Jason walks thr...

Facing a business slowdown? Your first move shouldn't be panic—it should be strategic competitor analysis. Jason shares a powerful yet underutilized approach that helped one Dallas designer develop an entirely new revenue stream matching or exceeding her design business income. The conversation begins with a sobering reality check about social media reach. With Facebook delivering only 2% org...

Ready to break free from the social media hamster wheel? This eye-opening episode tackles the uncomfortable truth about social media marketing for design professionals. Maria delivers a refreshing perspective that will transform how you approach your digital presence. For years, designers have been chasing viral moments and follower counts, hoping to attract high-profile clients, television opport...

Feeling like your social media growth has hit a wall? You're not alone. Design professionals everywhere are experiencing diminishing returns despite increased effort—low view counts, minimal engagement, and the constant pressure to pay for reach. The Designer Discussions team dives deep into this common frustration and introduces an exciting alternative: Blue Sky. This emerging platform opera...

The digital landscape is shifting rapidly, but contrary to popular belief, SEO isn't disappearing in the age of AI—it's evolving. Jason breaks down exactly how to make your website discoverable across all platforms, whether through traditional Google searches, voice commands, or AI-powered tools. At the heart of modern searchability is the E-E-A-T principle: Expertise, Experience, Author...

What happens when design trends come full circle? In this illuminating conversation with kitchen designer and educator Jan Rutgers, we explore the fascinating evolutions and throwbacks dominating KBIS 2025. Having toured the show for three consecutive years, Jan shares how today's cutting-edge designs are actually sophisticated reimaginings of elements from decades past. The reign of hard, an...

Are you ready to abandon minimalism and embrace a future rich with color, texture, and sustainability? Discover how home design is evolving by 2025 as we, Maria, Miriam, and Jason, unpack the findings from the ASID trend report. We're shedding light on the shift away from monotonous gray and white palettes to spaces that celebrate wellness and complexity. Prepare to learn about the rise of la...

Unlock the secrets to mastering your digital life as we uncover the best apps for design professionals in 2025. Miriam, our app connoisseur, guides us through a journey of productivity and scheduling tools that promise to enhance your life without overwhelming it. We'll discuss the importance of conducting an app purge to maintain balance and wellness, and the growing integration of AI in iOS...

Unlock the secrets of edutainment in design as we explore its evolution from classics like Sesame Street to modern platforms like TikTok and Instagram. With special guest Maria, we unravel how storytelling, engaging visuals, and interactive elements can not only captivate audiences but also build brand loyalty for designers and remodelers. Discover how to navigate the challenges of social media an...

Unleash the full potential of your 2025 marketing and PR strategies with our latest episode, where we guarantee insights that will transform your approach. Learn how to effectively reverse engineer your annual goals by tapping into the power of your ideal client avatar, as we link back to the foundational guidance of episodes 24 and 76. Join us as Jason shares innovative tactics for optimizing you...

This episode focuses on essential digital marketing trends for designers in 2025, emphasizing the significance of AI, SEO evolution, and personalized content. With insights gathered from market research, the hosts outline how these elements will shape the industry's future and offer actionable strategies for growth. • Exploring the role of AI in marketing for designers • Understanding Search...

Explore how to transform your design business for the better and unlock the secrets of successful collaboration in our special year-end review of Designer Discussions. Join Jason, Maria, and Mirjam as we highlight the most captivating moments of 2024, including Katie Decker's expert insights on optimizing design operations for profitability and her memorable tips from High Point. Relive the i...

What if you could streamline your business operations and boost your profitability with a few key strategies? Join us as Katie Decker Erickson, a multifamily and commercial designer turned business coach, unravels the secrets of implementing effective processes that keep your business running smoothly, even when team members are unavailable. Discover how establishing well-defined processes allows...

Discover the key strategies for transforming your website into a powerful conversion tool with insights from seasoned marketing expert, Jason. His extensive experience highlights the crucial role of maintaining an updated, engaging website as the central hub for your business, rather than depending solely on social media platforms. Jason shares practical advice on tailoring your website's con...

Can consistency in your brand's voice make or break your design business? Join us on Designer Discussions as Jason, Maria, and Mirjam unravel the secrets to building a digital brand that resonates with reliability and professionalism. Discover the art of crafting comprehensive brand guidelines, covering everything from logo variations and font styles to mission statements. By maintaining unif...

Can you imagine transforming the way you manage business tasks with just one tool? Join us as we unlock the future of design office efficiency with ChatGPT's latest advancements. This episode, featuring Maria's expert insights, promises to equip you with the knowledge to revolutionize your workflow. From structuring emails and drafting presentations to handling difficult customer interac...

Discover how to transform your work environment with insights from Dr. Katie Thomas, a seasoned organizational psychologist and founder of Better Work Experience. With over two decades in the field, Dr. Thomas shares her expertise on the pivotal role of leadership as the steady anchor amidst the chaos of modern work life. From navigating generational diversity to adapting to technological disrupti...

Can digital PR platforms truly transform your business? Tune in to uncover how the evolution of these platforms, starting with Peter Shankman's pioneering HARO, has reshaped the landscape for design professionals seeking press coverage. You'll gain insights into Shankman's latest venture, Source of Sources (SOS), which aims to rekindle HARO's original accessibility. As we navig...

Ready to revolutionize your marketing and PR game? Discover the groundbreaking Designer Discussions Academy, where we break down complicated strategies into manageable, impactful actions. This episode unveils the Academy's unique approach, led by our very own "Dr. Flankenstein" (Jason), designed to help design professionals overcome the hurdles of effective marketing. Learn how our...

Can networking feel daunting, especially if you're not a social butterfly? Imagine turning casual conversations into powerful business opportunities without stepping too far out of your comfort zone. Join Jason, Maria, and Miriam on this episode of Designer Discussions as we unravel the secrets of networking tailored for design professionals. Whether it's leveraging LinkedIn connections,...

What if everything you thought you knew about copyright and AI was turned upside down? In this eye-opening episode of Designer Discussions, Maria takes us on a deep dive into the murky waters of AI-generated content and its legal implications for design professionals. Prepare to uncover the crucial distinctions between human-made creations and AI-generated images, and why the latter remains unprot...

Ready to elevate your PR game in 2024? Discover the latest must-have tools and strategies that will keep you ahead of the curve. Miriam sheds light on the shifting PR landscape, spotlighting three essential platforms: Connectively (formerly HARO), Quoted, and the new Source of Sources (SOS). Each platform offers distinct advantages, from robust paid subscriptions to a rapidly growing free service....