Podcast Summary: The Kate Show

Episode: 5 Ways Your Interior Design, Staging & Organizing Brand Needs to Change in Order to Stay Relevant
Host: Kate (Socialite Agency)
Date: June 24, 2024

Overview

In this episode, Kate addresses home industry professionals—interior designers, stagers, organizers, and window treatment pros—outlining five essential changes every brand should implement to stay relevant in the current market. Sharing practical advice drawn from her agency experience, Kate focuses on internal systems, pricing, photography, marketing, and offers actionable steps for continual improvement. The episode carries a motivating, no-nonsense tone, encouraging listeners to embrace change for long-term business growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Update and Streamline Internal Systems

Timestamps: [04:52] – [13:45]

• Inbox Management

  • Importance of a tidy inbox: "If we can't handle the communications coming into our business, that's going to take a toll on the business itself." ([05:16])
  • Tips: Turn off email notifications, set specific times for email, aim for Inbox Zero by week's end.
  • “There's nothing more satisfying than clicking on a dozen or more junk emails and hitting the delete button and then seeing how tidy your inbox becomes.” ([06:04])
  • Delegation: “You might want to hire a VA…It's worth it to your business and to your mental health to be organized.” ([06:30])

• Discovery Calls

  • Advocates for the business owner personally conducting discovery calls to establish a relationship and gain direct feedback.
  • “You should be the first point of contact after the discovery call. You can hand them off to an admin or VA...But it is so important not to outsource one of the most crucial steps in your sales funnel.” ([09:42])
  • Streamline scheduling with online tools (Acuity, Calendly), embed on your website, collect qualifying info, and enable upfront payment for consults.

2. Rethink Your Pricing Strategy

Timestamps: [13:45] – [18:15]

• Price for your ideal client, not yourself—especially if targeting a higher-end demographic:
  • “If we are not our own ideal clients, then we are completely missing the mark.” ([15:32])
  • Match your service level and pricing to client expectations (e.g., high-touch service for luxury clients).
  • Avoid overwhelming clients with too many specialized service offerings; keep packages broad but niche-focused:
    • “Keep your services a little bit more broad while remaining niche focused.” ([17:40])
    • Eliminate redundant or confusing services that create decision fatigue.

3. Invest in Great Photography and Organize Your Portfolio

Timestamps: [24:15] – [32:30]

• Overcoming Reluctance

  • Kate gives a pep talk: “It is okay for you to do things that you do not like...It kind of removes the element of entitlement.” ([25:15])
  • Share personal anecdotes about resilience from clients in their 60s and 70s still thriving in business.

• Brand & Project Photography

  • Professional brand photography is crucial for websites, email marketing, social, and print.
  • Encourage shooting your best projects professionally, and use smartphone photos with editing apps like Teza for others:
    • “Get your best projects photographed and with all the other ones that you still like…but maybe they're not like the creme de la creme. Just take pictures with your smartphone.” ([28:50])

• Centralized Portfolio Management

  • Keep all project images in a single, organized cloud location to facilitate sharing and marketing.
  • “It's a disorganized mess…putting them all in the cloud and keeping them organized makes it so easy for you to share.” ([30:57])
  • Use your own images whenever possible; supplement with stock photos, but don't let lack of perfect images paralyze your marketing efforts:
    • “Done is better than perfect. If you wait around on trying to get the perfect photos out there, you are hurting your business.” ([32:07])

4. Elevate Brand Messaging, Visuals, and Experience

Timestamps: [32:35] – [40:30]

• Align Brand Touchpoints

  • Ensure that your brand visuals, copy, and client experience are aligned and reflect your business maturity and target audience:
    • “If any of those elements are out of alignment, you can still have effective marketing, but it's going to feel harder.” ([33:03])
    • Consider a rebrand if your logo, business name, or visuals no longer represent your business correctly.
  • Shout-out to Jill at Joola Paper for brand refreshes: “She's also the one who rebranded my business at the beginning of this year, 2024 and she's so wonderful to work with.” ([35:50])

• Client Experience Consistency

  • Speak your ideal clients’ language; don’t use unnecessarily “fancy” language.
  • Aim for consistency in every client touchpoint for a seamless, professional journey.

5. Concrete Steps to Stay Relevant and Effective

Timestamps: [40:35] – [45:30]

• Effective Email Marketing
  • Email newsletters should go out every 2-4 weeks, focused on clear service-related content—not just a collection of unrelated updates or personal travel.
    • “There's no clear call to action. There's no actual benefit being provided...from a sales and strategy standpoint, it's flat.” ([42:18])
  • Include all interested contacts on your mailing list to maximize reach.
• Tracking and Analytics
  • Don’t rely on gut feelings; use Google Analytics and Search Console to make data-driven decisions:
    • “We cannot make strategy decisions based on our emotions. You need to actually use Google Analytics.” ([44:06])
• SEO Blogging
  • Blog at least once a month, pick topics optimized for your audience’s needs and search behavior.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Inbox Management
  “How much better will you feel when all the tiny details of your business are organized too?” ([07:30])

• On Client Communication
  “People want relationships and they don't like feeling like those relationships have been farmed out to other people.” ([10:50])

• On Pricing Strategy
  “The best thing you can do is keep your services a little bit more broad while remaining niche focused.” ([17:40])

• On Resilience and Growth

  • “Anyone who starts a business because they want an easy life is living in a pipe dream. Like, it's not easy, but it's meaningful and it's fun and it's exciting…and you'll be glad you did the hard things.” ([26:24])
  • “I have a little wooden plaque...it says, 'I can do hard things.' And that was from my business coach.” ([26:58])

• On Perfectionism in Marketing
  “Done is better than perfect—if you're trying to find the perfect photo, it truly does not exist.” ([32:07])

• On Business Evolution
  “You will know if you need to rebrand and also you'll know if you need to change your business name. Now that is a little bit harder…but if you need to…then do it. Think big.” ([36:09])

• On Data-Driven Decisions
  “If you don't have Google Analytics, how do you know you're not getting any traffic?” ([43:19])

Practical Takeaways

• Organize your business side as rigorously as your client-facing work.
• Step up and own key client interactions, especially inquiry or discovery calls.
• Price with your customer’s mindset, not your own.
• Invest in professional photos and centralize your portfolio.
• Revisit your branding and messaging regularly for relevance.
• Email marketing and blogging are non-negotiables for ongoing relevance.
• Track what’s really happening with your website, don’t rely on your gut.

Closing Thought

Kate ends with encouragement for listeners to embrace discomfort and change, emphasizing that durability, willingness to adapt, and clarity in marketing are essential for staying relevant and successful.

“If we're willing to take risks and bend in ways that are uncomfortable…we are going to see beautiful results from that.” ([45:10])

For more practical marketing advice for home professionals, visit katethesocialite.com