If bigger sales and higher profits are on your mind, Baltimore is the place to be on Feb. 13-14.

Baltimore is the site of the  Exciting Windows! annual conference, for which registration is free.

The two day event will offer programs on topics ranging from building your sales to internet marketing, and will feature such industry experts as Grace McNamara, the publisher of Visions magazine.

Exciting Windows! is a franchise organization which bills itself as “America’s only nationally advertised full service” company whose professionals “come to your home with all window products – blinds, draperies, shadings, and shutters.”

Franchise owners will be on had at the conference to share their success stories.

Speakers will discuss how to target customers who have money and want to buy NOW, and such internet marketing ideas as interactive websites, email campaigns, social networking and search engine optimization.

When you register for free, you get your choice of two online classes, valued at $300, at Window Coverings University.

For information and free registration details for the Exciting Windows! annual conference, contact Steve Bursten at steveb@excitingwindows.com.

Fred Berns is a sales and marketing coach for window fashion specialists and other interior design professionals worldwide.

An interior designer from Nigeria emerged from my  program in Dubai  this month determined to start charging for her advice and expertise.

It was music to my ears.

Titi Ogufere, the director of a design association in her country, told of getting flooded with requests for free information on design resources and solutions.

She’s overun with queries at all hours of the day and night from individuals seeking outlets for everything from flooring to furniture. Lots of questions come from other designers.

“I get all of these questions about how to get into interior design, and how to run a design business and how to charge,” she explains.

She’s given away dozens, maybe hundreds of hours of free advice. But not any longer. Now she intends to charge for her time and advice.

Great idea.

Once she starts “valuing” her time, her callers will too. They’ll pay for that time because they’ll view it — and her — as a priority.

Fred Berns is a Colorado-based trainer and coach for the world’s interior design professionals.

Dubai, U.A.E. — Many design professionals around the world are many things to many people right now – but, a “priority” isn’t one of them.

They’re interior architects and space planners and specifiers and project managers. But they’re not recipients of priority treatment.

Yet.

You know you’re not a priority when clients cut back on their interior budget. And put projects on hold. And constantly bicker about your price. And wait 90 days, or more to pay you.

Those are the challenges facing many design professionals here in the Middle East, and elsewhere in Asia and Europe.

They’re the same challenges confronting interior designers in the U.S. and Canada.

How to make yourself a priority was a major focus of my seminar here at the conference of the International Federation of Interior Architects and Designers(IFI).

I touched on the same theme a few days later in my presentation at INDEX, the Middle East’s largest interiors trade show.

Getting more respect, recognition and income in this uncertain economy involves attaching more value to yourself and your design services and products.

How?

By explaining how you make your clients money, and save them money and time.

Point out, for example, how you supply office furniture and lighting that will make their employees more productive.

Explain, too, how you provide the expertise and personnel to get projects done more quickly and efficiently.

You make yourself a priority when you identify the “pain” and problems clients have with their interiors – and then propose remedies.

And when you differentiate yourself from competitors, and establish yourself as a uniquely-qualified, one-of-a-kind expert in your field.

And when you share success stories and testimonials from satisfied clients.

Among the speakers at the IFI conference was Ross Lovegrove.

He’s the award-winning industrial designer credited for creating the walkman for Sony, computers for Apple, and other products for companies ranging from Airbus Industries to Motorola.

He told the audience that he travels around the world, and clients gladly pay whatever he charges for his products… “because they’re mine.”

Here’s a guy who believes in himself and, as a result, his clients do, too.

He’s made himself a priority.

Fred Berns is the world’s leading sales and marketing coach and trainer for interior design professionals.

Shashi Caan looks forward to the day when interior designers get more respect around the world.

Shashi, the president-elect of the International Federation of Interior Designers/Architects (IFI), hopes her organization can help establish the “intrinsic value and relevance” of the design profession.

“In every nation, there is a question of how seriously interior design is taken by the public,” said Shashi, who’s organization represents  70 member groups and 65,000 interior design professionals in 45 countries. “Too often design is confused with architecture and decorating.”

I spoke with her recently in preparation for my presentation next week at IFI’s World Interior Design Congress in Dubai, U.A.E.

I present a program entitled “Supersize Your Success! 8 Steps to Peak Profits in Challenging Economic Times” on Monday, than serve as emcee at the event for the next two days.

Shashi pointed out how the economic slowdown continues to take its toll on design professionals the world over.

“Designers in many countries are hard-pressed to sustain their business,” said Shashi, a design professional for more than 20 years and the former chair of the interior design program at Parsons.

The most successful dealers of  the most expensive window treatments do little things to make big sales.

That was a key takeaway from an award-winning research project I conducted in behalf of Hunter Douglas on the sales of  Luminette Privacy Sheers.

In the project, I discovered that the top 100 top North American dealers of Luminettes do the little things better.

Little things, like displaying Luminettes  prominently in their showrooms, and presenting them with enthusiasm and confidence. And cross-selling them with furniture and carpeting.

And offering 24/7 customer service and extended showroom hours. And following up quickly and regularly with customers. And asking for referrals. And promoting Luminettes in brochures and at home show.

Here are ten strategies that the top dealers rely on to sell Luminettes.  Can you apply any — or all — of these techniques to sell your highest end design products and services?

1/ Save the Best for First – Show ‘em the Luminettes first time, every time. Introduce the best, before exposing them to the rest.

2/ Be Dazzling in Your Display – Make it big and make it motorized, and watch your sales grow.

3 / Call them a Bargain – they’re more valuable than verticals, more affordable than draperies, and they give you the benefits of both. Is this a great deal, or what?

4/ Call them an Investment – they boost resale value – and help reduce energy bills.

download 1999 mambo no sex e rotic

5/ Banish the “B” Word – most customers don’t know their budget anyway, so why press the issue?  Show them your Luminettes, and let them decide if they’re affordable.

6/ Share your “Only” -  Nothing differentiates you more. Finish this sentence: “We’re the only Luminette dealers in the area who…”

7/ Cross–Sell – “Now that I’m doing your carpeting, want me to do your windows?”

8/ Build a Buzz – Install Luminettes in a new building, or a new neighborhood. The word – and the “Wow” -  will spread fast.

9/ Follow Fast – Call tonight the customer you saw today. Offer to help him or her “talk it over” with their spouse.

10/ Sell Yourself – The most important sale you’ll ever make is the Personal one. Communicate with confidence and present yourself with polish.

The research project, entitled Profits by Design, received a Best Trade and Education “honorable mention” award recently from the Window Covering Manufacturers Assn.

Fred Berns is an award-winning sales trainer in the interior design industry.

Think like this, and talk like this, and your success is guaranteed:

The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold move

“I’m not taking part in this economy.”

Those words of wisdom came from San Francisco artist Ann Rea (annrea.com)  prior to my seminar  this weekend to ASID’s California Peninsula chapter.

It was a passing comment Ann shared moments before my “Million $$$  Marketing on a Shoestring Budget” presentation.

Year of the Comet move A passing comment, but a very powerful one.

buy rogaine

Powerful, because it demonstrates that Ann,  a specialist in California vineyard painting, “gets it. “

She gets that industry partners need not take part in gloom and doom discussions about the economy. 

• Surviving the Game download

She chooses instead to accentuate the positive about her business of creating and selling paintings, prints and custom canvasses.

While the media is busy painting a dismal picture of the economy, Ann paints a bright one about her business. She’s quick to point out, for example, that she recently sold five major works.

Storm Warning move

How delightful it is to meet a professional who,  in “this economy”  believes now more than ever  in her product — and her ability to sell it to designers and end users.

David Shepherd shared three ideas at the Business of Design Conference earlier this month that have really stuck with me.

• The Ten Commandments move

Shepherd is president of DPI (www.designingprofits.com),  the company which produces financial conferences for interior designers and runs a best practices network for 100 premier firms nationwide.

Jacknife ipod The Last King of Scotland trailer Evan Almighty rip

His observations:

Crossroads hd

1/ No one will ever dictate price in the design industry, the way, say,  Steve Jobs and Apple Inc. determined that all songs on the Internet should cost $.99.

2/ There are no barriers to entry in the design business — except those that a designer creates, such as project management skills

3/ Architects and builders can’t live without designers, because they either can’t or don’t want to provide the details that designers do.

It is, she says, “the biggest issue in interior design today.”

“It” is whether to impose licensing, and “she” is Lynne Ford Breyer, the former IFDA president, writing to ask why I’ve never addressed the issue in my writing.

If any of you have any thoughts on licensing, please share them.

In the meantime, I’ve included Lynne’s comments below:

 I was the first to actively oppose licensing when it raised it’s ugly head in my state of Arizona. 

No other state had ever developed any opposition to licensing, primarily because in all 26 states where there is some type of licensing, it was done quietly under the radar outside the view of the design community.  I made this an issue in 2003 and believe me, I was a voice crying in the wilderness!

• New in Town aka Chilled In Miami divx

Starting Out in the Evening psp But I did considerable research, speaking with licensing law administrators in about half the states as well as speaking with designers in states that had licensing and came to the conclusion that licensing, due to it’s extremely proprietary nature and form, was a predatory attempt by ASID to control the design industry.

Now, six years later, there is a huge opposition movement growing in this country with many opposition groups forming.  Where these groups have formed or where there has been a strong opposition to licensing, lawmakers have refused to enact such laws.  In fact, since 2005, no such laws have been put on the books although the state of New York does have a law sitting on Gov. Paterson’s desk awaiting signature.

He Was a Quiet Man movie download  If you are committed to doing a piece on this issue, I would like to be the person you interview on the opposition side.  And I urge you to select a knowledgeable person on the pro-licensing side. 

Designers will come to their own decision about licensing when presented with the facts. 

To get you started, you can review the ASID website on the pro side and go to www.ij.org and search Designing Cartels for their study on licensing and also you can go to www.reason.org 28 Weeks Later… psp and search Adam B. Summers for his study on occupational licensing in general but it refers specifically to interior design licensing. 

Also, you might want to read The New Unions published by Forbes earlier this year and the George Will column, Wallpapering with Red Tape for their views.  I would refer you to pro-licensing articles but there have been none except those put out by ASID, which you can find from them.

Those against licensing: NARI, AIA, IDS, NKBA, the Institute for Justice, National Homebuilders Assoc, the governors of Indiana and Colorado, multiple grassroots organizations including ours in Arizona, www.azidalert.org with links to others. 

And you might want to read the opinion of the Alabama Supreme court from November 2007 which strikes down their Practice Act as being unconstitutional.  Another law in New Mexico took all the teeth out of their Title Law and there is currently a suit pending in Texas against their Title Law with others to come.

Again, I appreciate your response and your interest.  Licensing is the major element that will affect the practice of interior designers and the ancillary businesses that depend on those designers for their business.

Memento Vivere (Remember to live),

Lynne

That headline sounds like something out of Sesame Street, doesn’t it?

Actually, the following is brought to you by Bruce Knott, the director of WFCP/Media Relations at Grace McNamara, Inc.

Snow Angels buy I used to present sales and marketing programs as part of the full day new product presentations Bruce delivered around the country for Springs Window Fashions.

I never met — nor probably never will meet — someone so knowledgeable about color.

Each of Bruce’s monthly columns in Window Fashions Magazine focuses on a different color.

Here’s his latest article, from the May issue:

Black is on a power trip. It’s all about black. Black is authoritative and powerful. It carries weight – it is perceived as the “heaviest” of all colors. Like white, black makes other colors stand out and be noticed.

Black is formal and elegant. Coco Chanel took that “little black dress” and turned it into a fashion statement, making it haute couture – it could be worn for day or for evening; all depending on how one accessorized it. It’s still considered a classic.

Black tie, black patent leather shoes, and arriving at the function in a shiny black limousine also support the elegance and formality of black. Black and gold as a combination is the ultimate expression of luxury and sophistication.

• Demon Hunter movie

Throughout the history of Western Civilization, the wearing of black clothing has symbolized a denial of the sensual life. It was the color worn by priests, monks, and mourners. In 15th century France, when the beloved wife of King Louis XII died, he declared that the court would dress in black, perhaps giving it the status as the “official” color for mourning.

In 16th century Spain, black gained elegance as clothing. Black was favored by the king and queen of Spain, and as the court imitated the royal couple, black became fashionable and sophisticated. Maybe the royals knew that black makes most people look slimmer.

Black is also associated with the dark side – with evil, malevolence, and violence. The bad guys in the movies always wore black. Blackguard, black sheep, black market, blackmail, and blackball are some of the common expressions using black in a negative way. Think about Darth Vader.

In nature, the combination of black and yellow is a warning sign. We learn from an early age to be careful when black and yellow insects are buzzing around us.

Does black have a scent, or a taste? For some people, it might be licorice; for others, black leather. Black pepper is used in almost every recipe, and black tea accounts for most of the tea consumed in western society.

Black has always had an important place in design and decorating. Too much black can be overwhelming, and, with improper lighting, can even be hazardous, as we might miss seeing that slight step up or down as floor levels change from room to room, or getting in or out of a booth in a restaurant.

The combination of black and white has made a comeback in the last year in fabrics, taking a retro color mix and giving it a fresh update. Both black and white reside on the Classic Color Card for Color Marketing Group, indicating their importance to many industries.

Many of us in the design world believe that every room should have something black in it somewhere, because it helps “settle” other colors. I’m one of them.

That “something black” can be as simple as trim on decorative pillows, a favorite black vase, or black matting on a framed picture. It makes a statement. In our home, that “something black” is a little black toy poodle named Bentley that we recently adopted. He’s definitely into a power trip. Just ask the cat. Color in motion.

Thumbsucker psp

Staging is hot, and there’s no one more qualified to provide you with staging training�than Sandy Dixon.��

http://www.interiorarrangements.com/

• La bomba dvd

Sandy teaches a variety of staging courses at her Evergreen, CO. studio, and I had a chance to address some of her “graduates” this Fall.

Thanks, Sandy, for sharing your article, entitled: �Dressed to Sell�: Staging Makes the Difference!

Black Robe the movie

Within seconds of walking into a house, prospective buyers form an impression and know whether they want to buy the house or not.� In some cases they won�t even get out of the car after looking at the outside of the house.�

�This initial reaction can make the difference between a swift sale and a house that languishes on the market. To gain the advantage the home must be look superior to the competition.� It needs to be in �showcase� condition, with all the architectural features shown to the best advantage.�

Home staging is a unique �decorate to sell� technique using furnishings, artwork and accessories to create a visual experience and a feeling of emotional warmth that will appeal to the widest range of buyers.

Prospective buyers only know what they see, not the way it�s going to be—which makes staging or �setting the scene� even more critical in marketing properties.� They want to imagine themselves living in the house, to clearly see the house and its� features and not be overwhelmed or distracted by the current homeowners �stuff�.

Staging has become the secret weapon of real estate agents and their savvy clients because the ultimate goal of staging is getting the house sold at the best possible price in the least amount of time. Any house, regardless of price or location will show better when staged.

Homebuilders and retailers have been successfully using this technique for years.� Creative window and store displays generate interest, as well as increased sales and research shows model homes sell faster than vacant homes and typically sell for more.

Indecent Proposal divx

Two fundamental things to remember when preparing a home for sale: #1 �The way you live in a home and the way you sell a home are two very, different things� and #2 �You don�t get a second chance to make a first impression�.

A simple Internet search highlights the huge visibility, as well as career opportunities in the field of home staging or preparing homes for sale.� The process is also referred to as restyling, redesigning, house fluffing and home enhancing.

�No matter what it’s called, the purpose is basically the same�de-cluttering, depersonalizing and decorating homes to sell faster and for more money. Today there are over 34 shows on television relating to home staging and redesigning which is prompting designers all across the country to add these income generating services to their businesses.

Sandy Dixon, owner of Interior Arrangements, Inc. is a Professional Redesign and Staging Trainer, National Speaker and Published Author of Insider’s Secrets to Skyrocketing Your Real Estate Staging Business; Vacant to Vibrant: Giving Empty Properties the FULL Advantage. She teaches a variety of redesign and staging certification courses at her state-of-the-art training studio in Evergreen, Colorado. She is often featured in redesign industry and real estate publications and is frequently an expert guest on television and radio. Sandy can be reached toll free at 1.877.674.8667 or visit her website at www.interiorarrangements.com
�