Congratulations! The mere fact you are reading this means you have survived. The Great Recession resulted in more than a quarter of designers simply folding their tents. The financial meltdown did more than decimate the building industry. For Interior Designers the effect has been devastating. Nothing less than a paradigm shift, conspicuous consumption was deemed ostentatious. Making due with less became a virtue. Now with many more housing starts, clearly the pendulum is swinging back. But one thing for sure, the Interior Design trade has forever been redefined.

Requests for consultations increased as requests for design services declined. Clients were choosing to refurbish and repurpose what they already owned. They were in the driver's seat and negotiated lower fees and discounts because they knew they could. Designers that survived did so by adapting to the new economy. They adopted new business models like staging services and getting by with less. Gradually this became the new normal. They didn't stop being designers, but redefined their role. What those survivors learned can benefit other struggling designers.

Stay Lean 

Design firms recognized they were more focused on the revenue coming through the door than on their overhead. Many eliminated costs by moving or reducing the size of their studios, some even moved to home offices. They eliminated obsolete sample libraries and turned to internet providers like Resource Partners. Designers seriously cut ad budgets, especially in expensive vanity magazines where return on investment garnered no quantifiable results. Many took advantage of social media. More than ever they networked networked, and networked.

Go Green

Make sure your firm is LEED accredited and promote sustainable design services. Walk the talk: conserve, recycle, repurpose, reuse. 

Get Picky

Be more strategic about your choice of projects and clients. That 80/20 rule is chiseled in granite. Still 80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your clients. The other 20% will consume 80% of your time and will always cause grief and aggravation. Focus your energies on your most profitable clients and keep in touch with them frequently so that when the time comes they will call you. Charge according to the contract or letter of agreement. Keep better track of your time. Think like a lawyer. Those frequent 15 minute phone calls add up.

Offer Expertise 

Become a better listener and communicate by reiterating clearly that you understand their expectations. Then and only then propose solutions that address the issues and visions.

Sell Solutions 

More than half (56%) of a typical firm's revenue comes from product sales, less than a third (32%) from fees for interior design services. Change buying behavior. Never pay retail. Stores like Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel, have greatly reduced your profitability. Use online to-the-trade providers like Resource Partners for the same products.

Shop Smarter

If you haven't registered already, simply click "Register" on our home page and take a minute to sign up. There is no cost, and there is no minimum order requirement. Resource Partners is exclusively to the Interior Design trade. Once we confirm your registration, we will send your password to login. Once registered, you have the keys to our showroom, and you are free to browse all of our products, sizes and our "to-the-trade only" pricing. Login today and discover the Resource Partners difference. You'll never want to shop any other way!