How to Identify Your Design Niche and Target Your Ideal Client
By tapping into what makes your business special, you’ll find it easier to appeal to the clients you work best with
Many design professionals find it useful to specialize in a particular area in order to really make the most of their skills, or to target clients they’d like to work with. However, it can be tricky to identify just what that area should be, especially if you’re busy trying to juggle complex projects. Take a look at these tips to help you find ways to identify what’s special about your business and to communicate that unique selling point to potential clients.
Highlight Your Style
Your niche could be more of a visual one, centered on your design aesthetic. As your portfolio of work evolves, you might notice you’ve veered toward a particular style, either intentionally or by accident.
Take a look back over your recent projects to see if there’s a cohesive style emerging, whether it’s the type of materials you use, the color palette or even the feelings your designs tend to evoke. Once you’ve identified this, you can have the confidence to highlight your brand’s style and appeal to those clients who appreciate it.
“It’s key to have an individual look, feel or approach,” Erlam says. “A client may come to you for different reasons — it might only be because of your design style, but then they might find they like you and your team and feel they could work with and trust you. Not everyone will choose designers based on their unique look, but it does help to bring people through the door.”
Your niche could be more of a visual one, centered on your design aesthetic. As your portfolio of work evolves, you might notice you’ve veered toward a particular style, either intentionally or by accident.
Take a look back over your recent projects to see if there’s a cohesive style emerging, whether it’s the type of materials you use, the color palette or even the feelings your designs tend to evoke. Once you’ve identified this, you can have the confidence to highlight your brand’s style and appeal to those clients who appreciate it.
“It’s key to have an individual look, feel or approach,” Erlam says. “A client may come to you for different reasons — it might only be because of your design style, but then they might find they like you and your team and feel they could work with and trust you. Not everyone will choose designers based on their unique look, but it does help to bring people through the door.”
Tap Into Your Unique Skills
We all have specific strengths when it comes to our work, and it could pay dividends to show them off to your clients. If there’s an aspect of your craft or area of business you’re particularly adept at, embrace it and turn it into your firm’s unique selling point.
Eva Byrne of Houseology, for example, is skilled at space planning and often works with clients who need to redesign a small home. She highlights this to potential clients by investing in good photography and recommends setting aside time and resources to take good photographs of completed work. She says this can showcase how well a project functions as well as how great it looks.
And if you’re not sure whom to hire to photograph your project, consider Houzz Pro’s PerfectCapture Photo Service, which makes hiring a skilled photographer and scheduling a photo shoot easy. The service is available to Houzz Pro Essential and Ultimate subscribers in the U.S.
We all have specific strengths when it comes to our work, and it could pay dividends to show them off to your clients. If there’s an aspect of your craft or area of business you’re particularly adept at, embrace it and turn it into your firm’s unique selling point.
Eva Byrne of Houseology, for example, is skilled at space planning and often works with clients who need to redesign a small home. She highlights this to potential clients by investing in good photography and recommends setting aside time and resources to take good photographs of completed work. She says this can showcase how well a project functions as well as how great it looks.
And if you’re not sure whom to hire to photograph your project, consider Houzz Pro’s PerfectCapture Photo Service, which makes hiring a skilled photographer and scheduling a photo shoot easy. The service is available to Houzz Pro Essential and Ultimate subscribers in the U.S.
Find a Gap in the Market
Your niche could also be defined by your target market and a desire to tailor your service to their needs. Sacha Berger of Honey Bee Interiors, for instance, aims to help clients who want a more cost-friendly interior design service and is often contacted by clients who have initially spoken to design companies with a minimum budget.
It helps to do some research on your local area to find out the needs and habits of potential clients. Identify these needs and work out how you can best help those homeowners by offering something that others aren’t.
Your niche could also be defined by your target market and a desire to tailor your service to their needs. Sacha Berger of Honey Bee Interiors, for instance, aims to help clients who want a more cost-friendly interior design service and is often contacted by clients who have initially spoken to design companies with a minimum budget.
It helps to do some research on your local area to find out the needs and habits of potential clients. Identify these needs and work out how you can best help those homeowners by offering something that others aren’t.
Communicate Your Niche
Once you’ve tapped into what makes your brand unique, it’s time to show this off to potential clients. An easy way to do this is by highlighting your interests, style and skills online.
“The golden age of social media allows me to show the values I believe in and, hopefully, any potential clients who share those values will listen and relate to that,” Brosh says. “We use Houzz as a platform to show and share our work and to interact directly with any potential clients.”
Berger says the fact that homeowners have seen her projects and style of work before they get in touch makes it quicker and easier to convert those leads into actual clients.
Erlam agrees and says, “So far, most of our clients have come to us because of our aesthetics online, or through recommendations. This is great, as we don’t have to convince them we’re the right fit aesthetically — most of the hard work has already been done.”
Tell us: How has your business found its design niche and has it helped to attract clients? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Browse millions of photos for inspiration
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in pro-to-pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
Once you’ve tapped into what makes your brand unique, it’s time to show this off to potential clients. An easy way to do this is by highlighting your interests, style and skills online.
“The golden age of social media allows me to show the values I believe in and, hopefully, any potential clients who share those values will listen and relate to that,” Brosh says. “We use Houzz as a platform to show and share our work and to interact directly with any potential clients.”
Berger says the fact that homeowners have seen her projects and style of work before they get in touch makes it quicker and easier to convert those leads into actual clients.
Erlam agrees and says, “So far, most of our clients have come to us because of our aesthetics online, or through recommendations. This is great, as we don’t have to convince them we’re the right fit aesthetically — most of the hard work has already been done.”
Tell us: How has your business found its design niche and has it helped to attract clients? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Browse millions of photos for inspiration
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in pro-to-pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
People tend to produce a higher quality of work when they’re doing something they love, so it makes sense to focus on an area you’re passionate about.
Set aside some time to think about your passions and interests, and compile a list of the things that spring to mind. Go back over the list, reviewing and prioritizing each item — you might be surprised to find which areas truly interest you.
Lior Brosh of Brosh Architects says his eagerness to restore period properties came about as a result of moving to the U.K. “I fell in love with the history, features and stories of period buildings,” Brosh says. “It was almost like a mission for me to try to save and retell the stories that had been lost due to so many renovations over the years.”
For interior designer Celine Erlam of Indie & Co., it was her previous employers who inspired her to focus on mindful interiors and sustainability. “Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon at Pinch Design made me appreciate materials, particularly wood, as well as the importance of designing simple interiors with intention and purpose,” she says.