18 Proven Ways to Get More Interior Design Clients

Imagine a limitless pipeline of ideal clients, just waiting to work with you. It’s the dream for every interior designer, whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned expert. But how do you actually find and secure those clients? No matter where you are in your design journey, you’ve probably at one point or another experienced the anxiety of not knowing where your next job is coming from. These tips will be your safety net. In this post, we’ll explore proven methods (complete with step by step guides) to attract—and land—more interior design clients. 

Let’s dive in.

1. Identify and target your ideal client

The first step to attracting more interior design clients? Clearly define your target audience. Is it young families looking to remodel? Creative entrepreneurs in coastal areas? Empty nesters who appreciate fine art? Understanding the preferences, needs, and demographics of your ideal client is crucial. By tailoring your marketing and messaging to resonate with this specific group, you’ll increase the chances of attracting clients who are the best fit for your services. 

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of figuring out who your ideal client is, don’t worry, we’re here to help. This guide to discovering your ideal interior design client dives deep into the topic, and includes a worksheet that will walk you through the steps.

Get our guide to discovering your ideal client.

2. Find your zone of genius

What is the unique promise that sets you apart from your competitors? Is it that you have a signature style or niche? Are you known for historic home restorations? Do you provide an incredible customer experience? If you don’t already know what your x factor is, invest some time into figuring it out. Once you’ve pinpointed your zone of genius, and showcase it throughout your marketing materials, you’ll stand out from the crowd and get more clients.

Not sure how to identify what makes you different from your competitors? This post breaks it down in more detail, with examples from some of the top-earning designers.

Get our guide to specializing and charging more.

3. Build a cohesive brand identity

A strong and consistent brand identity sets you apart in a competitive market. Your logo, color scheme, overall design, and brand messaging should all reflect your unique style and values. Consistency across all marketing materials brings you credibility and helps reinforce your brand in the minds of potential clients.

4. Create a website that converts 

Your website is hands down your most important marketing tool!

It’s your prospective client’s first impression of you and the state of your website could mean one of two things for your business.

Designed right – it can be your 24/7 salesperson, filling your voicemail and inbox with high quality leads.

Designed wrong – it can turn away clients faster than having no website at all.

So if you know your website’s in need of a little TLC but you’ve been putting it off because you’re not sure where to even begin, I have a little gift for you.

In this in depth guide I cover:

• The key pages that are essential for a high converting website
• Detailed templates for each page (think of it like paint-by-numbers but for your website)
• What content to include and how to write it
• Plus loads of great examples from actual designer websites

Get our website guide and templates.

5. Send more engaging email newsletters

Engaging email newsletters that showcase your portfolio, and offer valuable design tips and industry insights will keep you top of mind and foster deeper connections with both existing and potential clients. This way, when a project arises, you’ll be the first one they think of to hire.

To increase your email open rates and responses, try addressing the concerns that clients have when hiring a designer. 

Here are some prompts to help you get started:

• The secret to a great designer-client relationship
• What you need to do before hiring an interior designer
• 3 ways I make sure clients will love the finished look
• What I take off of client’s plates
• The hidden costs of DIY interior design
• 5 questions to ask your interior designer before hiring them
• Never work with a designer who [red flag]
• The secret to a great designer-client relationship

6. Create an automated email nurture sequence

Above, we discussed how important it is to keep in contact with your email subscribers and send them content that addresses their pain points. 

But what about the process of getting on your email list? If you’re just collecting email addresses and sending the most recent newsletter to all subscribers, you’re missing out on an important opportunity.

Try creating a lead magnet (some sort of free guide, recommended paint color list, etc.) and setting up an automated nurture sequence. This will boost your email subscription rates and give you a chance to introduce yourself, your design perspective, and your portfolio. 

Do you know those pop-ups that ask for your email address when you land on a website? They might be annoying sometimes, but guess what? They actually work. In fact, adding an opt-in to your website can improve your conversion rates by up to a whopping 50%, so don’t be shy. 

This guide walks you through exactly how to create a lead magnet (including great examples from other designers) that entices site visitors to sign up. It also includes 11 key emails to set up your email newsletter campaign and how to write them. Check it out to get started.

Get our email nurturing guide and templates.

7. Leverage social media

Social media is the ideal medium for designers to establish their image as the go to expert in their specific field or niche. It allows you to build a following and foster deeper connections with an audience of ideal leads that you can nurture into paying clients. Here are a few tips for how to make the most of it:

• People want to know the person they are hiring so be authentic and give your following little insights into who you are as a person and what it’s like to work with you.
• Focus on platforms where your target audience is most likely to hang out. Instagram and Pinterest work well for our visual industry, but don’t ignore others like Facebook and LinkedIn. 
• Ensure your profile clearly states your zone of genius and reflects your brand.
• Share high-quality images and videos of your completed work, as well as before and afters, and behind-the-scenes stories.
• It goes without saying but engaging regularly with your audience is the best way to foster deeper connections with them.

If you want to learn how to really leverage social media to get more clients, be sure to check out our detailed guides to Instagram and Facebook Marketing for Interior Designers.

Remember, building a strong presence on social media takes time and effort, so don’t expect overnight results. Don’t get too hung up on the number of likes or comments. Stick with it and the results will be worth it.

Get our guides to Instagram marketing for interior designers and Facebook marketing for interior designers.

8. SEO optimize your website

Make it easy for people to find you on the internet. You can hire someone to boost your SEO, or if you want to go the DIY route, I recommend using a tool like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to conduct keyword research and identify relevant keywords and phrases that potential clients might use to find interior design services. Then strategically incorporate these into your content. Check out this step-by-step guide for learning the basics about SEO for Interior Designers.

Creating high-quality content, including blogs, articles, project descriptions, and design tips, is a great way to get in those key words and phrases (but never at the cost of clear messaging!). A high-ranking website will increase your visibility and attract organic traffic—and if your site is set up correctly to receive that traffic (see #4), you’ll see an uptick in booked calls on your calendar.

Get our guide to SEO for interior designers.

9. Network

Building a network is a key aspect of growing your interior design business. Attend industry events, join design associations and online groups, and connect with fellow professionals. Creating relationships within the industry can lead to valuable collaborations, referrals, and new opportunities. And don’t just focus on other interior designers. Your network should include general contractors, builders, local high-end boutiques, real estate agents, artisans, architects, and anyone who might be a potential future collaborator.

Learn more about how to maximize your networking and referral opportunities here.

Get our guide to networking for interior designers.

10. Deliver exceptional results

Doing a killer job on your current projects is one of the most effective ways to secure future clients. Word-of-mouth referrals often result from satisfied clients who sing your praises to their friends and family. Always aim to exceed expectations on every project. 

As you start implementing these strategies, remember, it’s not just about getting more clients; it’s about getting the right clients who appreciate your unique talent and expertise. 

When it comes to building your brand, fostering relationships, and marketing your services, the most important factor is consistency. In many ways, it’s a long game, and the players who stay consistent, through the ups and downs, are most likely to succeed. 

11. Take the client experience to the next level

Doing a killer job on your current projects is one of the most effective ways to secure future clients. Word-of-mouth referrals often result from satisfied clients who sing your praises to their friends and family. Always aim to exceed expectations on every project. 

You won’t know how to improve the client experience if you don’t ask. Kate Bendewald of Designer’s Oasis recommends that all designers send a quick questionnaire mid-way through the project. “For full-service projects, wait to ask for feedback after the client has approved most specifications,” says Kate. “For virtual design, send the feedback questionnaire right after the concept design presentation.”

Include no more than three questions and make sure they’re all focused on the experience of working with you, not the designs. 

You can use this information to continuously improve your client experience before it’s too late to implement changes with current clients. 

Be sure to check out our workshop with Kate Bendewald, which offers tons of ways to improve the client experience for high-end and virtual design projects. 

12. Deliver meaningful transformations

“It is easier to sign an old client than a new one,” says Kate. “When you make it rewarding to work with you, your clients will come back for more.” 

In our client experience workshop, Kate explained how important it is to not only deliver spaces that are visually appealing, but meaningful. 

Now, of course, we’re not recommending you become your client’s therapist. But…is design therapeutic? Absolutely. Should you dig into the deeper motivations behind why clients want to overhaul their space now—and what parts of themselves they want to bring to light? Definitely. 

Here are some questions you might ask early on in the process to help you deliver a final result that’s truly transformational:

• Where did you grow up?
• How did the two of you meet? (couple)
• Where have you lived?
• Where have you traveled?
• What does home mean to you?
• What kind of music do you like?

13. Get more online reviews to boost your rankings

91.54% of internet searches take place in Google, making it the top search engine and the best place to get more interior design clients. 

For many service-oriented keyphrases, Google displays the Maps widget at the top of the search engine results page, instead of blog posts or websites. If you want your business to appear at the top of those Maps results, then you need to get more reviews for your Google My Business listing. 

The higher the volume of positive reviews, the more likely you are to outrank your competitors—giving you a steady stream of potential clients in your area. 

Feeling shy when it comes to asking clients for their reviews? Check out our guide to getting testimonials and reviews for tips.

14. Reach out to cold leads

“Sometimes no doesn’t mean no. It just means not right now,” says Monique Nicole, a business coach for interior designers. That’s why it’s so important to track your leads and follow up with them six months down the line. Send a simple check-in to see how the prospective client is doing and whether or not now might be the right time to transform their space. If you’ve launched any new packages or offerings, be sure to describe them and why they could be a fit.

To make this process easier, you can use a CRM for small businesses like Dubsado or Pipedrive, both of which include automated follow-ups. Or, you can use project management software like ClickUp or Trello and add leads to a board. 

Check out our guide to interior design sales, or catch our workshop on up-leveling your sales techniques. 

15. Get featured in digital and print publications

Publicity is crucial for interior designers as it can significantly enhance your brand, attract bigger projects, and provide unforeseen opportunities. PR features also give you something to celebrate on social media and with your email newsletter—offering a great way to keep in touch with your existing audience.

To get featured in print and digital publications, first, identify your unique niche. Create a list of target outlets, starting with local media and gradually including larger publications and podcasts. Obtain contact information for editors and contributors using contact pages, mastheads, cold email tools, and social media profiles. Craft a media bio and pitch templates tailored to each outlet, focusing on providing high-quality visual content. 

Then, pitch a story idea consistently each week, leveraging free resources like #journorequest on X (formerly Twitter) and Connectively (formerly Help a Reporter Out). Use your initial media coverage to secure more significant publicity opportunities, continuously updating your media bio and social media profiles to reflect your growing portfolio.

For the full step-by-step process, grab our guide to PR for interior designers. 

16. Experiment with digital advertising

Running ads for your business can feel daunting, but you can start with a single campaign at a low budget (say, a couple hundred dollars a month).

To attract interior design clients through paid advertising, start by running Google Search Ads targeting people who search for “interior designer” within your specific geographical area. This ensures your services reach those actively seeking them nearby. Use precise keywords and location settings to maximize the relevance and effectiveness of your ads. 

Or, create a compelling lead magnet, such as a free design consultation or an e-book with design tips, to capture potential clients’ contact information. Run targeted ads promoting this lead magnet on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to engage a broader audience interested in interior design. Once prospects sign up for your lead magnet, follow up with personalized email campaigns to nurture these leads into clients (more on that above). Combining these strategies will increase your visibility and establish a steady stream of qualified inquiries.

17. Proactively reach out to commercial clients

Unfortunately, you can’t just cold-email homeowners in your geographic area to try to get clients for your design business. The methods for finding contact information are sketchy, and your emails will be marked as spam.

But things are very different in the B2B world, where cold email pitches are very common. You can proactively reach out to commercial clients like short-term real estate investors, flippers, buy-renovate-rent-repeat (BRRR) investors, boutique hotel owners, and others. Build a list using tools like Hunter.io and Uplead. You can also find contact information via real estate investing groups and associations. Send them information on the results your commercial clients have experienced.

Check out our workshop on AirBnb design for tips on cold-pitching commercial clients.

18. Post in relevant Facebook groups

Did you know that Facebook groups can be a great source of clients for both high-end interior design projects and low-cost packages?

To successfully market your interior design business in Facebook groups, you need to be helpful—not salesy. Join groups that your ideal target client would be in, such as a group for your city or county (or a group for real estate investors). Then look out for design-related questions and answer them as best you can.

You can also post before-and-after transformations of full-service projects, paint consultations, and everything in between. Don’t pitch your business directly in your posts, but be sure to respond promptly to comments and DMs inquiring about your services. 

Watch our workshop to learn how to get interior design clients from Facebook groups.

As you implement these strategies, remember that it’s not just about getting more clients; it’s about getting the right clients who appreciate your unique talent and expertise. 

When it comes to building your brand, fostering relationships, and marketing your e-design business or full-service offers, the most important factor is consistency. In many ways, it’s a long game, and the players who stay consistent, through the ups and downs, are most likely to succeed. 

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