Let’s face it – The interior design industry is a crowded marketplace and you need all the help you can get to stand out in it. 

When prospects come across your website, the last thing you want to be is forgettable. You want the messaging of your brand to stand out, make a big impression, and grab the attention of your ideal clients so that you can own your market and dominate the field! 

When I was in middle school, I went through a fashion phase that was inspired by the pages of Seventeen magazine. While everyone else was sporting edgy hair band tees and jeans, I was the girl in preppy sweater sets and loafers. You can imagine how much I stood out – Everyone knew who I was. Not so great in middle school, but EXACTLY what you want in the design industry!  

I see a lot of designers falling into the trap of sounding like everyone else. They feel pressure to use the same designer-y words that other designers are using, because they think this keeps them on par and professional. But staying on par with what everyone else is doing is no way to stake your claim in the industry! 

You want to show your ideal clients that you’re the absolute perfect designer for them, and that’s not going to happen by using vanilla-sounding language. You’re never going to stand out by wearing the same “hair band tees and jeans” as everyone else; you need to figure out what your “sweater sets and loafers” are, and nail that down in your messaging! 

The better your brand messaging captures the magic of your unique essence, the better it’ll match you with the clients that fit your vibe. 

And figuring out how you can authentically stand out from the crowd, is how you start to dominate the market. 

Why differentiation is the key to brand messaging that stands out

If you asked me for a tried and true way to make your messaging “YOU”, I’d tell you the key is to focus on differentiation. 

When I work with designers to create their website copy, uncovering their differentiators is my number one priority!

So what exactly are brand differentiators? They’re the features of your business that are unique enough to set you apart from the competition and resonate with your ideal clients. 

Differentiators often show up in areas like: 

• Your aesthetic
• Your background
• The client experience you deliver
• Your personality
• Your processes
• Your service offerings/specialization
• The ideal client you serve

After working with interior designers for nearly a decade, I know differentiating yourself might feel a little daunting. As much as you want to stand out, you may also feel pressure to have a website that looks and feels just like everyone else’s–especially the big names in the industry (if I had a dollar for every time a client told me they want their site to be ‘just like Kelly Wearstler’s!’).

Or, you may worry that if you differentiate yourself too much, you might scare away certain clients, and you don’t think you can afford to do that just yet.

If that sounds like you, I get it, but I also know that these fears are unfounded. You’re far more likely to lose business by failing to stand out from the crowd in the first place than you are by repelling a few potential clients (who aren’t a great fit for you anyway!) because you differentiate yourself.

When you have killer brand messaging that’s built around your differentiators, that’s when you see your business really start to reach new heights!

Every designer has differentiators–no exceptions

Think you don’t have any real differentiators? You’re not alone. I’ve worked with many designers who started out thinking they weren’t special or unique in any way. But in nearly a decade of working with designers, I have yet to meet a single one who didn’t have their very own unique key differentiators. 

Whether big or small, everyone has something that can make them stand out and attract the attention of their ideal clients. It’s just a matter of uncovering what that is and working it into their brand messaging. 

Differentiators attract ideal clients and deter wrong-fit clients 

One of the things I love most about leveraging differentiators in my clients’ brand strategies is that they pull double duty! First, differentiators put out a welcome mat for your dream-fit clients. When your messaging is crystal clear on who you best serve and why, it’s like lighting the way for your ideal clients to find you. 

Secondly, and just as importantly, your differentiators also put up a big red stop sign for the clients that are less than ideal for you.

Again, even though it may seem scary, this is a good thing because wrong-fit clients tend to suck up your valuable time and can be difficult to please. They can even wind up costing you money in the end. 

How to Figure out Your Differentiators

Because the approach I use centers around differentiation, we focus on finding all the ways–big and small–that you’re different from other designers, and how you’re the perfect designer for your ideal clients. While my process is pretty extensive as we dig deep into your background, your goals, and your talents to find your unique differentiators, it all boils down to two basic steps.

Step 1 – Understand your ideal clients on a deeper level

It’s not enough to know that your ideal clients have the budget to afford your services and that they want stylish, functional spaces. You need to understand your clients on a deeper level so you can better speak to their needs in your marketing. When you’re able to connect in this way, showing them you really understand them, you get hired.

Things like what your ideal clients are looking for in an interior designer, what scares them about hiring a designer, and what makes you the ideal designer for them, are what you’re looking for here.

Another important thing to think through is how your process and services match with what clients in your area are looking for. For example, is there a lot of new construction underway in your area, or is remodeling existing homes more so what’s happening? Do other designers in your area advertise a fast-tracked, wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am approach to design while you offer a true white glove, concierge-level service clients there are clamoring for? 

The last thing you want is to lean on differentiators that your market simply won’t support so make sure you’re leading with what clients near you are looking for. 

Step 2 – Determine what makes you unique

Sometimes designers assume that if they want to stand out, they have to create a super specific niche.

But I’m here to tell you that even if you don’t specialize solely in designing playrooms for children of rock stars or using your Ph.D. in astronomy to create designs that capitalize on night sky views, no worries. 

Differentiating yourself doesn’t have to mean niching at all. You can still stand out based on what’s authentic to you. 

When I’m brainstorming with my clients about their differentiators, I’m asking questions like: 

• Is there something unique or counterintuitive about your designs? 
• What do you give your ideal clients that they wouldn’t get with another designer?
• What do your ideal clients have in common with each other? 
• Is there something unique about your background or experience? 
• Is there one project type you prefer over others?  
• What part of your business’s client experience are you most proud of?
• What positive feedback do you consistently receive about your work?

This 2-step approach works because it relies on who you actually are, and what you really want for your business; not what other designers are doing. It’s rooted in getting you in the room with the right kinds of clients who’ll value and appreciate you–and most importantly, who believe you’re worth every penny! 

Some Dos and Don’ts of Interior Design Brand Differentiation

After years of experience working with interior designers, I’ve got differentiation down to a science. Here are some tips for using it in your own brand strategy. 

The Don’ts

• Don’t try to be different just for the sake of being different. This will only lead you down a path of focusing on the wrong things, leading to inauthentic vibes that won’t feel good to anyone. Your clients will be turned off, and you won’t be proud of your messaging. 
• Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. The terminology you use for your services and processes can and should be similar to the market standard so clients can have an apples-to-apples comparison. This is one area where trying to look different can actually diminish your credibility. Potential clients may get confused, or worse, conclude that you don’t know what you’re talking about because you’re speaking a different language from other designers they see online. 

The Dos

• Do keep your ideal clients in mind at all times. It’s all about the client. I’m not joking. Keep them at the heart of your messaging at all times, including choosing your differentiators. What differences matter most to them? What do they care about? If you think you have a differentiator but it doesn’t make any difference to your ideal clients, it won’t be valuable in your messaging. 
• Do communicate your differentiators with confidence. Don’t be afraid to really shine. Your confidence is what makes you stand out, commands the attention of prospective clients, and makes them feel like they’re in the capable hands of a trustworthy professional. Many of the designers I work with are lovely, humble people and they struggle with feeling ‘braggy’ when highlighting their uniqueness in their messaging. But if there was ever a time to toot your own horn, it’s in your brand messaging. Plus, being worried you might be bragging is a sure sign you have absolutely nothing to worry about! 

When you use my “Differentiate to Dominate” brand strategy, you stand out in all the right ways. You position yourself to get in front of your perfect-fit clients and lay the foundation for a lasting connection with them. I believe in this method for good reason–I’ve seen it help my clients dominate their market of the industry again and again for over a decade.

Are you ready to uplevel your brand messaging by uncovering your differentiators, but don’t want to go it alone? We need to talk! Contact me to chat about working on it together! And in the meantime, check out my Easy Guide to Finding Your Brand Differentiators.