I assume you’ll cut me some slack if I admit that I don’t know with 100% certainty what the world (and interior design) will look like a year from now. Or five or ten. You’ll cut me some slack because no one should be expected to predict the unknowable.
However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t give yourself every chance to come out on top. Things will change, and to tap into those changes you may need to begin getting market intelligence from sources you’ve never considered in the past.
For example, we know that sales of in-ground pools are exploding due to the pandemic. Are those contractors on your “influencer list?” They’re going to be working with scores of homeowners who are spending tens of thousands on pools. Might they need any other services?
Outdoor spa manufacturers can’t keep up with newfound demand. Indoor/outdoor spaces are going to be bigger than ever.
Sales at Home Depot are near records. Sure, that typically means either do-it-yourselfers or homeowners who are already past the design phase and into the construction phase. But…maybe there’s an opportunity for you to create some “how-to” materials to guide people through this process…and meanwhile skim the cream from among those who access your book or online course.
And furniture sales are up substantially over a year ago. Are you tied into your local retailers…at least those that don’t already offer in-house design services? And if consumers are buying record amounts on their own, doesn’t that suggest that your customers also will?
Please don’t assume that any sort of coronavirus lock-down means you should wait to talk to clients-—including former clients—about new furnishings. All evidence is that now is exactly the right time to have that conversation.
My entire “How to Catch a Whale” course is about building a network of loyal influencers who will refer jobs to you time and again. The pandemic has simply expanded that list.
Now, go be a networking fool!
