Designer Discussions : Remodeling Business Marketing

In this episode, Maria walks us through the behavioral economics concepts of reciprocity. You have to give something first before you can get or ask for anything. Two prime examples from the world of marketing: Doing PR is based on reciprocity: to get the press you want you have to first give the journalist what they need. Your email newsletter should provide 80% valuable content and only 20% abou...

In this episode, Maria walks us through the two behavioral economics concepts that perfectly explain the reason why renderings work. Loss aversion & perceived ownership - make your client see, feel and anticipate the experience, paint the picture of the end result Once the client sees the rendering, they feel ownership before they buy and they don’t want to lose it. Print media placements carr...

Surpass doubt and get the street credibility you deserve.  It is a superpower to get clients to call you and sign a contract. In this episode, we explore the concept of social proof and share some tips on how you can apply it to your business. Getting published is the ultimate form of social proof. Get client testimonials at the big reveal. Get video testimonials. Ask and manage your online review...

This episode focuses on an aspect of brand partnerships that is widely underreported. Mirjam talks to our guest Shanin Polce, a marketing strategist who runs the marketing for PPG/Speakman, about the different ways designers can partner with brands and the benefits of collaborating with smaller companies. Different kinds of brand partnerships Paid influencer partnerships (often with bloggers) Lice...

This is the first episode of a series where co-host Maria Martin introduces us to the concept of behavioral economics and explains how the principles apply to the work and business of interior design. What is behavioral economics Conscious vs. unconscious behavior Learning from big biz and applying it to your client relationship Watch for more episodes in this series! If you would like to get the...

Our own digital marketing Expert Jason explains how you can use SEO to drive traffic to your website. SEO needs to be continuous to stay relevant It’s “digital ditch digging”! Start with an up-to-date website Add content to your website - refer to episode #26 Set up a detailed Google Business Profile Name your images Use keywords Find more information on SEO and all things digital marketing on Jas...

In this episode, the Designer Discussions team discusses their experience and tips for hiring people into your design business. When to hire What to hire for Employees vs. contractors Skillset vs. personality The importance of job descriptions and SOPs Find more information on Designer Discussions.. If you would like to get the links and show notes for this episode, click on the link below: https:...

Have you ever wondered why it costs so much to hire a publicist? In this episode, Designer Discussions co-host and PR expert Mirjam Lippuner shares why that is and what options you have. In interior design, “being published” is not optional, it’s required to be recognized. Not unlike interior design, PR is a service, so publicists get paid for their time. You pay for strategic expertise, industry...

Be a go-to interior designer for writers to get your business featured. Catch the vital tips in this episode.  In this episode, Designer Discussions co-host and PR expert Mirjam Lippuner talks with Kelsey Ogletree, a freelance writer and journalist who contributes to many high-profile media outlets. How does a freelance writer work What is the difference between an freelance journalist and an edit...

Simple techniques to learn how to begin a marketing strategy for your business.  In this episode, Designer Discussions co-host and digital marketing expert Jason Lockhart shares the three most important things you need to focus on in your marketing. The three M’s of marketing success: Know your Market and who you are marketing to Also refer to episode #6 of the podcast Define your Message to targe...

Pricing is also about value. Learn about the link and how to use it in your best interest. In this episode, Maria Martin, co-host of this podcast, interior designer and Design Appy founder, is talking about how designers can approach pricing their services based on the value they provide, not the hours they spend. How to use comparison to help position you offer Most budgets are not arbitrary Chan...

Gretchen Gray has been helping people design and maintain short-term vacation rentals for many years. In this episode she shares some of the key lessons from her experience, which she also shares on her TikTok account “Gretchen Gray Saves The Day”. Best ways to prevent guest issues Limit notes Best paint color and finish choices How to choose artwork Cleanability of materials Check the foundation...

This episode’s guest is Matthew Gattozzi is the founder of Goodo Studios where he specializes in using photography and videography for effective marketing. Videos as a sales conversation Start with foundational videos on your website How video helps build trust Find an expert to help you create the main videos for your business What types of videos you should produce professionally How much it all...

Improve your client experience to make business easier.  In this episode, Maria Martin, co-host of this podcast, interior designer and Design Appy founder, is talking about her favorite topic: how to improve your client’s experience during the design process. If you would like to get the links and show notes for this episode, click on the link below: Episode 32 - Three Tips to Improve Your Client&...

This episode’s guest, Kiwana T. McClung, is an Associate Professor in the School of Architecture & Design who currently serves as Interim Chief Diversity Officer at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. A graduate of Louisiana State University's School of Architecture and Design, Kiwana is nationally recognized for her research and efforts towards increasing diversity within a school...

Fresh off of the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Orlando, we’re talking with Jan Rutgers, the president of Vestabul School of Design about the different trends she saw at the show. Here are 7 predictions from her blog post. Tune in to find out if they all became true! More food storage Beverage bars Solutions for pets Linear appliance placements Built-in banquettes More curves Changing color p...

This episode’s guest is Pamela Durkin. She spent 30 year as a high-end designer and now coaches other designers to have a business they love. She famously owns many different kinds of eye glasses as you can see in her frequent original Instagram Reels and now also TikToks. Here are the highlights of Maria’s discussion with Pam: ● The importance of storytelling ● Identify your perfect client ● How...

Our guest Rick Campos is a self proclaimed “recovering interior designer” turned business strategist and influencer on a mission to support and promote the rise of the interior design community. We’re talking to him about what designers have to pay attention to this year: ● E-commerce and how designers are starting to embrace it, reluctantly. ● Delegating tech instead of learning it all. ● Communi...

Understanding Influencer Marketing for Interior Designers with Laiza Cors, Founder and CEO of Embello Laiza Cors is the founder and CEO at Embello, an influencer & digital marketing agency focused on home and lifestyle. In this episode she sheds light on what it really means to be a design influencer: Influencers spread brand messages and have vastly diverse audience sizes. Anyone can be an in...

Search engine optimization or SEO is the process of growing visibility within the search engines by increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website. In this podcast session we discuss the basics of SEO and how it impacts the interior design and home remodeling industry with special guest Michelle Deleva of Empire SEO. If you would like to get the links and show notes for this episod...

Interior designers can learn from lifestyle brands to show up better on  Instagram. If you would like to get the links and show notes for this episode, click on the link below: https://www.designerdiscussions.com/episodes/episode-25-What-We-Can-Learn-from-Lifestyle-brands-to-show-up-on-Instagram Transform your marketing with Designer Discussions Academy. In weekly face-to-face sessions, we equip b...

The Designer Discussions hosts Jason Lockhart, Maria Martin and Mirjam Lippuner talk about strategic approaches to create a winning marketing and PR plan for the year: ● Align your marketing and PR objectives with your business goals. ● Reverse engineer your goals: annual, quarterly, monthly. ● Then determine the action needed to reach those goals. ● Focus on email marketing and our website, the o...

In this episode we recap 2021 with some of our favorite topics, favorite episodes, favorite guests, and all of the things that we've learned and what we want to give to our audience in 2022.  Jason, Maria and Mirjam discuss these topics:  Our favorite episodes of 2021  Thanking our guest and listeners for their support  An overview of how the podcast started  Our goals for the podcast in 2022...

In this episode we are joined by award winning designer Keri Petersen of KP Spaces. Keri has been featured in HGTV’s House Hunters, Domino Magazine, House Beautiful, Apartment Therapy, Rue Magazine and Seattle Magazine. Keri talks about how every problem in your business that you are experiencing right now can always be traced back to your mindset and your thoughts about those things. Keri dives i...

Our guest Troy Sandidge is an award-winning global marketing strategist known as the Strategy Hacker®, generating over $150 Million for Entrepreneurs, Startups, SMBs, and Fortune 100 & 1000 brands over 12 years in the B2B space. He is an international speaker, podcaster, and author who lives on Twitter. In this episode Troy shares the key considerations for any business owner/entrepreneur to d...