How To Find The Perfect Niche For Your Interior Design Business
A niche means your services offer a solution to a specific client. This could be in terms of location, design style or the type of project. It’s based on what you want to be known for in your industry. This is how you can position yourself as an expert and build a reputation as the go-to person for your type of services.
Here’s some examples:
Kitchen Design
Mid-century modern
Interior Furnishings
Art Deco
Hospitality Spaces
Biophilic Design
Apartments
In this article, we’ll talk through the benefits of having a niche, how to find the perfect niche for you and the best way to implement a niche into your brand strategy.
How your interior design business will benefit
Choosing a niche will benefit your business in many ways. If you’re in the early stages of your business it’s a great way to connect with clients so you can build a reputation you want to be known for.
Strong brand direction
We want to know the type of person you’re looking to attract. That’s why when building a brand we talk a lot about your ideal client. A niche means you’re specialising in an area that will resonate with a particular client. Without defining your ideal client it’s difficult to have a clear vision for your brand.
We create brands to connect with people and if you’re too vague about who this person is, there won’t be enough focus to stand out from your competitors.
For many entrepreneurs they see defining a niche as limiting their market. They think this approach will lose clients. But when you think about all the possibilities that come from focusing your marketing, you’ll begin to see how your business will connect with clients who will really value your expertise.
Attract clients who best-fit your skills
Choosing a niche means narrowing your market. This means you can deliver more of a targeted message that will have more impact on your ideal client. Your brand will speak directly to this person as you’re acknowledging the root of a specific problem. This will make it difficult for them to overlook you, as it will be clear that your services are what they need.
This will also benefit the nature of how you approach your work. If you focus on specific services, you will continue to develop your skills that are invaluable to your clients. If you can show them the quality of your services, you will attract loyal clients who know what they can expect from your business.
Build a reputation as a specialist
A reputation as an expert in your particular niche will position you as a leader in your field. You’ll save time chasing down leads or being approached by clients not suited to your services and instead become known for your expertise. This will help build a reputation where your services are considered to be of a higher quality than more generalised businesses.
Increases brand equity
Lastly, let's talk about what this means for pricing your work.
Positioning yourself as a specialist will help you stand out from your competitors. If you can show your target market the quality and value of your services, they’ll be keen to work with you no matter what you charge.
Potential clients will recognise your brand as money worth spent because you’re a specialist after all. You know how you can help them. They will more likely pay more from an expert than from a business offering a broad range of services.
Finding your niche
What are you passionate about?
You started your business because you love what you do. If you’re going to specialise in a niche, it’s got to be something you genuinely enjoy. We believe this is important. Your passion and commitment will shine through, helping you build stronger relationships with clients.
Clients are investing in you. You want to create a brand that’s authentic and true to your values. That’s why you should specialise in a niche that makes you excited about going to work everyday.
Reflect on projects that you’ve enjoyed and choose an area that interests you and fuels your passion for interior design.
What are your strengths?
From your client’s perspective they’re looking for results. They want to know how your expertise will make a difference to them. To do this you need to show them why they’ll benefit from working with you. This means you need to be good at what you do.
Define a niche that combines your passion with your strengths. Remember this doesn’t need to be immediate because if you’re passionate about what you do, you’ll be willing to learn and develop these skills.
However, don’t choose a niche until you can deliver the level of expertise expected of you. Misleading clients will only negatively impact your business.
Who is your ideal client?
An interior design niche is not just about your design style but about the client, whether they’re an individual or business. You want to build a special relationship. Define what their budget looks like, where they’re located and why they're looking for your help. Without identifying who they are, how will you connect your skills with the people you want to attract to your business.
If you haven’t considered this before, take a look at past projects and see if there’s a pattern in the clients that you’ve worked with. How have they benefited from working with you? How has your expertise made a difference to them?
Who are your competitors?
You can learn a lot from your competitors so consider who they are. What services do they provide? What do they focus on? Not only will it help you identify gaps in your market, but if there’s a need for your services. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of these businesses will help you find a niche that will help you stand out.
How to communicate your niche
You have to give potential clients a reason to choose you. A niche will position your business in a unique space but how you communicate your brand will determine how you reach ideal clients. It’s important to show them what you offer, who you are and why they will benefit from working with you. Here’s how:
Free information is an easy way to demonstrate your expertise. You might think you’re giving away too much, but it’s actually a great way to market your business and communicate your strengths.
You will not only increase brand awareness but show ideal clients that you genuinely care. If they’re not ready to work with you, content such as educational podcasts, blogs, videos or free PDFs. will show potential clients that you are here for them when they need you.
Your website is vital for any business. It’s a space where you can give clients an insight into what you’re about and how you can help them. A portfolio page as well as testimonials should be included on your site. It will show potential clients that you’re a viable business and is a great way to build trust.
Social Media is a free way of marketing your niche. Online apps are a great way to connect with clients. It’s about having a consistent presence with clear messaging. Paid ads are a good way to target where your posts land in terms of the type of client you want to reach.
Trials or free enquiry calls can help potential clients get a taste of what to expect. This approach will help build stronger relationships with clients as you’re giving them the opportunity to get to know you with no pressure of committing to your services. It’s also a great way for you to get to know the client to see if you’re a good match.
Final Note
Although your market is narrower, your ability to connect with clients on a deeper level will benefit your business in many ways. If you would like help building your brand and establishing your niche, get in touch.