Thursday's stock market meltdown should serve as a wakeup call for interior design professionals. It's should remind you that your biggest challenge in this challenging economy isn't just to get customers to buy. It's to get them to buy now. You simply can't afford to let prospects stand
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If you're based near Chicago or New York, I want to talk business. Your business. I'm offering 1-on-1, in-person coaching sessions Sept. 1-3 in Chicago, and Oct. 19-21 in New York to interior design professionals and design industry partners. I'll be in both cities on other business. So wha
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I don't like your website home page. And you shouldn't, either. If you're like most interior design professionals, your "landing page" isn't working for you. You don't need all those photos, and all those tabs. And you certainly don't need that vague verbia
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When high end customers aren’t coming to you, go to them. That’s the strategy that worked for some luxury car dealers, according to Jack Canfield. The question: how can it work for design professionals? Canfield, the co-creator of the Chicken Soup for t
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Some excellent Summertime business-building ideas here from my friend Gail Doby, an author, speaker, writer, interior designer, and Chief Vision Officer of Design Success University: How are you doing so far this year? Is your business up? Are you getting calls?
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"The most effective way to create visibility, enhance your credibility as an expert ... AND to generate more revenue is to speak in front of groups." So says Sandy Dixon, a home staging trainer who is presenting a program entitled "Speaking Your Way to Success" from 2-5 p.m. on Sun., July 31 in L
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Too many design professionals earn too little. The 2011 median income for U.S. interior designers with at least eight years experience is only $68,683. For those with 4-6 years experience, it's $51,962. For designers in business for two years or less, the median is 37,647. My source for
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Bill for your time. All your time. Every time. If you earn too little income, you probably give away too much time. A key reason why many design professionals fail to achieve their financial goals: they give away their expertise. They donate too much time, too often. They don't bill
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Is this an amazing month -- and year -- or what? Something is happening this month that takes place only once in 823 years: July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This year we're experiencing these four unusual dates: 1/1/11; 1/11/11; 11/1/11; and 11/11/11. Finally, check this out:
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When I think of good “time managers,” I don’t think of interior design professionals. Many of the designers, window fashion professionals, kitchen and bath specialists and others I know, in fact, make poor use of their time. They work hard, but they don’t work smart. That’s why th
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