Starting Your Career as an Interior Designer

Description

Starting Your Career as an Interior Designer contains all the necessary tools and strategies to successfully launch and grow a professional design business in the competitive world of interior design. Drawing on the authors' extensive experience, this book includes case studies, and personal anecdotes that help teach you how to:; Choose a design field; Obtain and keep clients; Garner referrals; Market and position your business; Bid competitively on projects; Manage sales; Organize a budget; Manage start-up costs and cash flow; Promote your business; Branch out into product and archi.  Read more... Abstract: A guide to the ins and outs of running an interior design firm. Suitable for students of interior design, it contains tools and strategies to successfully launch and grow a professional design business in the ultra competitive world of modern residential interior design.  Read more... Content: Title Page Copyright Dedication Contents Foreword Introduction Chapter 1: Designs on an Industry: It's Not a Job, It's an Adventure Birth of the Cool Early Career Tracks The Professional Organizations Case Study: Billy Baldwin Chapter 2: The State of Interior Design: Staking Your Claim in a Boom Industry State of the Industry The Designer as Modern Tastemaker The Modern Designer's Challenge Understanding the Modern Client The Glamour Complex Bad Buzz The Media's Influence on Design Chapter 3: Cutting Your Teeth in the Real World: Do You Have the Chops? Finding Where You BelongGame-Planning for Success Case Study: Applegate Tran Interiors The Bottom Line on Diving In Chapter 4: Understanding Design Segments: The Art of Interior Design Residential Design Nonresidential or Commercial Design Case Study: Auer Design Associates Product Design Designing Within a Retail Environment Architectural Design Case Study: The Trouble with Architects Final Thoughts on Choosing a Design Segment Chapter 5: Plunging Off the Designer High Dive: On Starting Your Own Business Building Your Own Yellow Brick Road The Hale-Williams Entrepreneurial Test. Final Thoughts on Taking the PlungeChapter 6: Defining Your Dream: Understanding Models, Pricing, and Fees If You Build It How Is Your Business Structured? Case Study: Tom's Business Model Education The Skinny on Business Education Understanding Pricing Methods Case Study: Designer Schadenfreude Rears Its Ugly Head The Hale-Williams Pricing Formula Billing Methods An Industry Divided Don't Panic and Lower Rates The Pricing "Triple Crown" Chapter 7: Marketing Your Business: Networking, Public Relations, and Advertising Marketing: The Big Picture The Elevator Speech. 24/7 MarketingSizing Up Your Target Market Marketing: The Holy Trinity Case Study: The Importance of a Web Site Tanya Shively, Sesshu Design Associates, Ltd. Branding Your Business Case Study: Positioning an East Coast Luxury Brand Chapter 8: How to Attract Clients: Selling Yourself in the Design World Awaken Your Inner Salesperson Designing Your Sales Philosophy Fishing for New Clients The First Client Interview How to Qualify a Client The Client Presentation Selling Is Part of the Equation Always Be Closing Case Study: Grading on a Bell Curve. Chapter 9: Setting Up Your Design Studio: Getting It Right the First TimeBorn to Run Office Space Equipping Your Studio Setting Up Your Books Human Resources Chapter 10: Building Your Village: Procurement, Delivery, and Installation Getting Your Village On Board Populating Your Design Universe Strategic Partnerships Establishing Your Village Expanding Your Network Purchasing Thinking Outside the Box Receiving, Invoicing, and Billing Delivery and Installation Chapter 11: Client Management: Game-Planning Your Design Business Client Management Nine Rules of Client Engagement Kiss the Bums Goodbye Plotting a game plan for your business Case study: A weekend in the country Managing your money Case study: Mark cutler design, Inc. Preparing the unprepared. Chapter 12: The state of interior design: now and beyond There is nothing so constant as change We're off to see th wizard The new bull's eye A thoroughly modern studio Around another corner Index.