By Patricia Rogers - Newlywed, blogger, interior designer
When you’re searching for great new design features to include in your next gig, social media may seem like a daunting place to turn. It’s all too easy to think, “Oh, I’ll just check out a couple of ideas on Pinterest,” and find yourself browsing three hours later without any concrete plans. Despite these potential pitfalls, social media for interior designers has emerged as one of the most important places to gather
Create a Strong Professional Social Media Presence
You’re not likely to feel inspired if your social media feeds consist of random friends, family and a handful of designers you admire. Instead, consider creating a separate professional social media presence. Set up a Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter account with your company name and begin making professional associations.
To start, make a list of your top 10 favorite designers and interior design magazines. For example, House Beautiful often cross-posts its magazine articles to its Facebook and Twitter feed. Follow your favorites on Pinterest and Twitter or “Like” their pages on Facebook. Soon you’ll have social media feeds filled only with professionally relevant contacts. This also provides a great way to score deals on unique design features. For example, Joss and Main offers exclusive deals and up-to-the-minute sale information on its Twitter feed.
Crowdsource Ideas from Your Designer Friends
Random Internet searches often fail to hit the pulse of what’s happening now in the interior design world. Instead, put crowdsourcing to work for you. After building a network of professional contacts, pose questions on Facebook or Twitter to seek opinions, suggests the International Interior Design Association. This could be as simple as, “Dark, glossy walls: still in or on their way out?” Alternatively, posting pictures of an unfinished space you’re struggling to decorate is a great way to get helpful suggestions.
Use Pinterest Strategically
When used strategically, Pinterest can be a great asset for the visually-minded. When working with clients, encourage them to create a Pinterest board that they share with you, like Heather Cleveland does with her design clients. This gives you a better idea of their desired style and goals than relying on verbal descriptions that can get lost in translation. Then, you can share your own ideas as well as pricing information to ensure you and your client are on the same page.
Using Pinterest to promote your own business is also a savvy strategy. Include a clause in your contract about using images of the finished work for promotional purposes. Then, pin those images to a “Professional Work” board to give potential clients an idea of your style.
Give and You Shall Receive
Too often, professionals think of social media as a cold-blooded way to self-promote and get information from others. However, the most effective strategy is to reciprocate, according to social media professional Ryan Hanley. After connecting with other professionals, answer their questions and meaningfully contribute to online conversations. This is a great way to build your professional network, get referrals and learn about different perspectives. Actively sharing in the social media presence of other professionals increases the likelihood they will meaningfully contribute to your business.
