Why is Business Branding So Important for Interior Designers?

Let's talk business branding.

Branding is important for any business, but it's tenfold more important for interior designers.

Why?

I'll get to that in a little minute.

But first, let's just make sure we're all on the same page here.

What is branding?

When we think about branding, we think about colours and fonts, and what imagery we use, right?

Well, that is right, but there's so much more to it.

Branding, essentially, is the way that you communicate what your business is all about. It's about your values, what you want your business to represent, what you want it to say about yourself and the things that are important to you.

That's pretty deep right?

So why is business branding so much more important for interior designers than for other businesses?

Essentially, it's because Interior design is a visual business. People employ you because they like the look of the stuff you put out into the world.

People will judge you by the look of your website, what you post on social media, the work that you do in other people's homes.

They correlate what your website looks like with what you will do with their home.

And so your website, and everything else you put out into the public sphere has to be a living, breathing display of the style that you hold dear in your heart.

Sound a bit dramatic? Well maybe, but let's take a look at a few examples.

Examples of Business Branding:

Here is the website of one of the UK's most famous designers, Kelly Hoppen:

As you'd expect from Kelly, her website is neutral (taupe, anyone?), it is classic, clean lined and understated. The fonts are simple, the shapes and uncomplicated and patterns are scarce.

But let me say that again in case you missed it.

As you'd expect.

You see, you are already so familiar with Kelly Hoppen's brand that you know what you will get if you employ her.

When you think "Kelly Hoppen" you think "neutral", "clean lines", "minimalist".

That is her brand.

You wouldn't employ Kelly Hoppen if you wanted a loud and proud flamboyant design would you?

Talking of which...

Yep, you can guess without being told that this is the site of Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen. He's loud, he's flamboyant, he's quirky and his designs match his personality. And his brand reflects all of those qualities. Do you think if you employ this designer, you're going to get an understated scheme?

No way!

Let's look at a final example. This is the website of Sophie Robinson (she of The Great Interior Design Challenge fame)

Sophie is renowned for her use of bright colours, bold patterns and quirky accessories.

And so how does her branding look?

Of course. It's brightly coloured, it uses bold patterns and quirky accessories. It is a showcase of her style.

What Kelly, Lawrence and Sophie all achieve is congruence. Congruence between how they like to design, and how they brand themselves.

And you need to do this too.

Why do I want to brand myself?

Understandably, people get a little scared when I say that they should brand themselves in this way.

Won't it put people off?

Won't it mean that I won't be able to serve everyone?

Well yes!

It will indeed put people off!

But that's a good thing.

You want to put the wrong people off, and attract the right people.

Your ideal clients.

The Holy Grail of Interior Design.

You see, if you are a Kelly Hoppen type designer, and you are contracted to design a Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen type scheme, are you going to feel comfortable? Are you going to really "get" your customer? Get into their groove? Are you going to deliver the best possible design for them? Will you really enjoy designing a scheme that grates with your own style?

No, no and no.

The best designers set out their stall, showcasing the type of work they do, the look they achieve, what their design style is.

Here at the Interior Designers Hub we help designers achieve congruence in their branding in our membership programme Hub Insiders. If you are interested to find out a little more about it you can check it out >>here<<.

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Until next time designer!