Deciding to invest in a new website (especially when it comes to webcopy and logo design) is one of the smartest moves an interior design firm can make.
By creating a new site, you’ll have the opportunity to rebrand your interior design company and make a huge splash with new customers. Your website can feature your work in the exact way you envision it, no longer having to rely on sites like HOUZZ (although I do recommend you still have a page on it).
The problem, of course, is actually putting the site together. As a professional interior designer, you know that you should hire a pro rather than trying to throw together a SquareSpace page on your weekend off. Many decide to go to expensive branding firms to have them build their brand from the ground up, including fonts, graphics, and a brand-spanking-new logo. So, why are so many disappointed after they get the final product?
What You Get from an Expensive Branding Firm
When you go with a branding firm, you usually get a professional, polished brand logo, graphics, and a few fonts by the end of the process. And that’s great, but sometimes, their clients expect more.
I’ve had many of my past clients tell me that they’ve been disappointed by their experience with branding firms. They are usually thrilled with the logo and other deliverables, but they expected to get a website out of the deal. Instead, they only get a few necessary components of a functional site, but with no webcopy or overall design.
You need to temper your expectations when you go to a branding firm for help with your website. They are usually dedicated designers, not copywriters or website builders. While they can help you create the beginnings of your brand (the logo and some design language), they likely aren’t going to help you do the hard work of creating your full brand message, expressed through your website. That simply isn’t what they are for.
Like I said, I’ve had a lot of clients that go to branding firms expecting to get more out of them. I totally understand their frustration, but after years of working in the online marketing industry, I know the position of branding firms too. They are design specialists who, in total honesty, do outstanding work.
The graphics and logo that you’re going to get from an expensive branding firm are likely going to be incredible, and exactly what you want to see on your website. But they are only one stop along the way. When you go with a branding firm, you need to realize that you’re also going to need a copywriter to generate the copy on your website and a web designer to put it all together and make sure that you have a smooth user expensive. That’s three different contractors, all to make one website.
There, however, other options…
What You Get from Deb Mitchell Writing
By going with an all-inclusive website builder like Deb Mitchell Writing to create your website and write your webcopy, you’re going to be cutting out a lot of middle management required to coordinate the various contractors. Rather than only get a single component of your site, you’re going to end up with everything you need. And the most important part is that everything will be developed alongside each other, without you having to be the middleman.
You need your web designer to communicate with the copywriter what kind of copy they need, you need your copywriter to talk with your branding specialist to make sure that the graphics and the tone of the webcopy match… It can be a flat-out logistical nightmare, especially if you’re trying to run your interior design business in the meantime. All of those contractors likely do excellent work, but to get a coherent, polished website, you need to be the go-between to make sure they’re working effectively together.
With a single, dedicated website contractor like Deb Mitchell Writing, you don’t have to worry about coordinating anything. In our initial consultation, we get to know exactly what you want out of your website. Then, all of the webcopy, graphics, branding, and overall design are developed in tandem with each other. My collaborative partner, graphic designer Katie Saunders, and I have worked together for years and share a very high level of communication. You don’t need to act as a go-between when you go with us! We will make sure that your copy and your branding go hand-in-hand, rather than ending up with a mishmash of different website components.
Please keep in mind that I am by no means putting down branding firms in this blog. They offer an incredibly valuable service, doing much of the foundational work that’s required to put together a coherent and effective brand. All I am saying is that that’s everything they offer. You need to look elsewhere for the other components to build your site.
When you come to Katie and me, we can do that very same foundational work for the same price (or maybe even cheaper, depending on what you need). Plus, you will get copywriting and a custom-built WordPress site. And to top it all off, you’re going to be getting dedicated experts in interior design marketing. We’ve been working with interior design firms for years, so we know what works. You don’t have to get us “up to speed” like you would with some branding firms. Instead, we can go right to work, putting together a site that will speak to your clients, accurately reflecting your business and values!
If you’d like to learn more about our website services, I invite you to schedule a call and contact me today! Kate and I can’t wait to put our extensive experience building interior design websites at your service!
