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If people are treating you like an order taker, it is because you are presenting yourself like an order taker. There are so many situations in business where we would like to blame our bad clients for how they are treating us. And in some cases that is absolutely true. But we have a lot of control over the type of clients that we attract and over how we teach them to treat us. Or if you are being treated like an order taker, it's worth asking yourself, are you acting like one? If you're not deliberately crafting your brand as a tastemaker, you are defaulting to order taker. Status differentiating factor between being a taste maker. Hello everyone, I'm Kate the socialite and welcome back to the Kate Show. Today I'm talking about being a tastemaker versus an order taker. And. And I am confident that after you hear this episode, you will know exactly which category you fall into and how to change categories if you need to. So if you've been in the home industry for more than two minutes, you've likely encountered clients who haggle over every penny or drag their feet on payments, or treat you like an assistant rather than a skilled professional. And not only is it frustrating, and not only does it prevent you from really being able to focus on the areas of your business that matter, but these are really classic signs of being seen as an order taker, someone who is more fixated on closing the deal than delivering transformative results. Now, I want you to just ponder that for a second. If people are treating you like an order taker, it is because you are presenting yourself like an order taker. There are so many situations in business where we would like to blame our bad clients for how they are treating us. And in some cases that is absolutely true. But we have a lot of control over the type of clients that we attract and over how we teach them to treat us. If you are being treated like an order taker, it's worth asking yourself, are you acting like one? An order taker is someone who is like, all right, we're going to make a sale, we're going to get a project, we're going to do it and we're going to move on. But a tastemaker is different. Taste makers are expert guides. They are not bullied by their own clients because they have firm boundaries and they have no problem communicating that to the client while also knowing when to bend to meet a client's needs or expectations. Tastemakers are the go to confidence who prioritize the client's best possible outcome tailored to their Unique situation. And this is true whether you're a designer or stager or an organizer. Now, the people who attract clients, who respect them and appreciate their expertise and value their recommendations and are willing to invest well, these are the tastemakers. Tastemakers that have suggestions that carry weight and they can sway decisions in their clients because they are rooted in the understanding of being helpful rather than in pushy pitch and sales psychology. Clients can smell it from a mile away. If you're just trying to make a sale, and if in your heart of hearts you know you're not really about the sale, but it's still coming across that way, then consider this to be your invitation for some self reflection to figure out whether you are putting out some vibes that say you're an order taker, when really you're a tastemaker in disguise. Because the truth is, if you're not deliberately crafting your brand as a tastemaker, you are defaulting to order taker status. And you need to start with getting some clarity around who you are and simply ask yourself, do you anticipate client needs and communicate those solutions proactively or do you simply react to the requests, the questions, the concerns, the same way a vendor would? Being proactive is really the key differentiating factor between being a tastemaker and an order taker. As a taste maker, you lead the conversation by presenting options, explaining outcomes, and of course, listening intently. You need to repeat your client's words back to them, even in your own marketing materials, not just in your conversations with them. Because it shows that you're tuned in, it shows that you understand them and it builds instant rapport. This is a very client centric approach and it's not just nice, it's actually profitable. Because when clients feel heard and guided, they're more likely to trust your vision over over other people's and they are more willing to invest in a bigger project with you. So how do you do this? How do you build a client focused brand that resonates, that really showcases the fact that you are a taste maker in your industry? Well, a couple things. Your brand should mirror your clients aspirations, not just showcase your work. So that means everything from the fonts to the color palettes, to the logo design, the messaging, do the business name. It needs to be all about the client and not necessarily about you. And I know that is hard because especially if you were new in business, when you got your branding done, you kind of felt like you had to make it all about you because you was all you had. And that is why a lot of businesses, when they've been in business for a handful of years will do a partial or even a full rebrand because they have finally figured out who they are. And who they are is all about their client, not them. But let's go to the very, very first thing you probably had to pick for your business, and that was the business name. Here's the thing. You need to base your business name on the feeling that you want to evoke as a professional. Something tranquil, something elegant, something sophisticated, something bold and crazy. There's no wrong answer as long as you understand the name you pick is always going to create some sort of emotion in the people who hear about it. And you want to make sure that it's creating the right emotion, because all buying decisions are emotional at their core. Now, some of you might have named your business after yourself, and that's not a bad strategy, especially if your name is brandable and memorable, like Coco Chanel. But if your name is tricky to spell or pronounce, like my last name, then you need to consider using a different word. It could still be a name, just not yours. And you'll need to think, is this Is this giving Chanel vibes or is it giving Walmart vibes? Is this giving the aura that I want to present so that when people hear the business name or see the logo or see the website without having met me yet, will they be met with an accurate representation of the company? And will that representation of the company match with the client needs? It's kind of tricky business. Pun intended. So on that same vein, when you are figuring out how to present your Tastemaker brand to your audience, not only should you reflect the client in the visuals, but you also need to reflect them in the messaging. So simple tips like ditch the industry jargon because it alienates people. I hate to say it, but nobody outside of your design circle cares about bespoke millwork because it sounds pretentious. You should just explain it in plain language. And if your clients do actually talk that way, then of course talk that way. But by and large they do not. They going to say, first of all, what does bespoke mean? Second of all, what's millwork again? Like, what is it? Maybe you should just say custom cabinetry and custom trim work because everyone knows what that means and the less confusing you are, the more you will be understood and then the more you will be trusted. It also ensures that your clients won't feel like you're talking over them. Because did you know one of the big reasons why more people don't hire interior designers is because unfortunately, designers have gotten this reputation, which I think is. Is fading away. But it was kind of the old guard of interior design where everyone just felt so snooty, everyone was so stuck up, and. And the designers were presumably looking upon the homeowners as ou peasants. Now, is that how you guys actually feel? No, of course not. But because there is a stigma attached to being a designer, it's your job to break it. It's your job to show them how relatable you are, how well you understand them, and how you don't need to act like you swallowed a thesaurus in order to communicate with them. Just speak in plain language the way you would speak to them in person, the way they speak to their friends. All right, so now let's, let's shift gears a bit and talk about intention and strategy, because those are two things that scare the heck out of people. Strategy. What's that? I was flying by the seat of my pants and it was very comfortable. Except for the fact that nothing ever got accomplished. Right. Okay. Well, before you can have strategy, you first need to have a clear intention. Intention is what draws your clients in because it shows that you are reliable and in a relationship driven field. And that really, that's what design, that's what organizing, that's what staging is. It's relationship driven. You aren't just creating services, you're building relationships. And the whole build it and they will come idea is truly a myth. Whether you're launching a new business or you just have a new website, build it and they will come makes no sense. Because imagine on that website example, launching a stunning new website for your design firm. Let's say you've got galleries of testimonials, case studies, videos. I mean, it's gorgeous. Only you're not getting much traffic. Well, that is because you need to have intention and then action that backs up that intention for building an organic audience. So what that would look like in a website example is, sure, you've got this amazing website, but now you need to have blog posts with SEO focus. You need email marketing to communicate with people who sign up for your lead magnet. And you need to make sure you have all your contacts in one spot so that you can continue talking to them, staying top of mind and marketing to them. You need to stay away from the business building shortcuts like buying a mailing list or buying backlinks. Because not only would a purchased email list contain outdated or uninterested contacts, it just also leads to low engagement, high spam complaints, and potential legal issues under the can spam laws. And furthermore, buying a list really damages your reputation as a business and will push future emails to spam folders as well. On that same vein, buying backlinks violates Google's guidelines. It also puts you under risk of penalties that would damage your search engine rankings, which would be a real shame because obviously you're buying the backlinks to increase your rankings and it will actually do the opposite. A recent study from ARF showed that sites with poor backlinks, which are almost always purchased, often face algorithmic downgrades, which will undo months of even your more legitimate SEO work. So this is a big deal. Organic growth and getting the right website traffic requires content, it requires networking. And that's better, that's more sustainable. It doesn't require you to rely on an ad spend strategy. It just means that if you're going to build a relationship based business, every part of that needs to be quality. Quality over quantity. Whether it's an in person interaction or or a blog post you're putting on your website, there's no shortcut to true love. Okay, if you want to think about your relationship with clients as a love story, is there love at first sight? Absolutely. But what makes it last? Intention, strategy and quality. And that is how business works. That is how marketing works. Marketing is just the relationship side of your business business. Now, one thing that I have seen people do, and I've even done it myself, especially in the early years of business, that will damage the ability for people to see you as a taste maker, is if you announce your new ideas too soon. So basically you need to hold off on announcing ideas until they're already pretty much ready for marketing because premature hype can really hurt you if those plans fall apart. And when you are ready to launch something, make sure that you have thought about the timing, that you've thought about each step along the way, that you aren't just sending out an email blast and saying, oh, you do a service, that's it. The end. Be intentional. Maybe you need a blog post for it. Maybe you need several blog posts for it. Maybe you need several emails for it over the course of two months. Maybe you need to do a video. Maybe you should have that video on your website. And if you have social media, put your video there as well, why not? Maybe you shouldn't even be spending time on social media because that's not where your ideal client is. And now you're just wasting time and wasted Time is wasted money. Okay. There is a lot to be said for being intentional and having a strategy if you want to be seen as a tastemaker. Now, the more direct and best way to build your audience is to niche down. So specify who you serve or what you offer, because a generalist will always blend into the background, and people will be very apathetic about it. You know, it's kind of like the grocery store. Very few people have strong opinions or feelings about their grocery store unless something goes south. You don't want to be seen as the grocery store or the Walmart where there's a little bit of everything and none of it's that fantastic. Sorry, Walmart, but I'm just saying you want to be seen as the brand that people aspire to. Like, oh, I hired her. I hired him. Wow, this is exciting for me. And they don't need to know this, but it's also super exciting for you. Okay, so let's then talk about how you can be realistic and consistent with how you present yourself as a tastemaker. So being consistent in your messaging, in your marketing, is what builds trust. But if you're all over the place, if your messaging changes constantly, if you always have a sale on this, that, and the other thing, and now you're offering this service, and then you're bundling that service, ugh, that's eroding trust. It shows that you don't really know what you're doing. And as a tastemaker, you need to have a core set of offerings that you repeat frequently because it cuts through the noise of everybody else who's constantly changing their offerings. Now, you might be surprised to know that there is research behind this, and it's called the Marketing Rule of seven. And it was popularized by some experts at the University of Maryland. And they said that prospects need to see your message at least seven times before it registers in their brain that they should do something about it. They need to hear about your service seven times before they'll be like, huh, maybe I should reach out to her. Okay, so it's not they hear about you seven times and then they hire you. No, it's they hear about you seven times and then they finally think about you. Isn't that crazy? So that means in order to get someone's initial attention, you need to get about seven to 10 different exposures to them. And a different study from Microsoft suggested more like 6 to 20 touches for optimal impact. So this means that you could switch it up a little bit. So if you're trying to sell kitchen remodeling. You could talk about countertops in a blog post. You could talk about appliance innovations in a newsletter. You could talk about cabinetry styles in a newsletter so that you're not constantly beating them over the head with I do kitchen remodels, but instead you're showing them what's possible. You're breaking down the various granular elements of a kitchen remodel because it keeps it fresh and exciting and interesting. But still all leads back to the fact that, hey, I can remodel your kitchen. Also, when you are getting ready to launch a new service or you're trying to relaunch an existing service that people just for some reason don't understand that yes, I do offer this, you need to make sure that you are promoting it heavily. For existing services, you need to promote something about four weeks prior to the pre launch and then weekly after that. After you've launched a service, then you need to make sure you're sending an email out about it every two to four weeks and a blog post every two to four weeks because that cadence nurtures and keeps you top of mind without overwhelming anyone, including you. Now, a few words of caution here for those of you who are aspiring to become a taste maker in your own industry, be it staging, organizing or design. Most websites out there in your industry undersell your services. They overshare information about the owner and they ignore client stories. So you need to flip that whole model on its head. Highlight the transformations, highlight how people feel before and after working with you. Don't just focus on about you, your team, and your business. And also, don't hide behind impersonal branding where there's no photo of you, no little anecdotes from you, and no direct emails from you. Because did you know that showing up in someone's inbox twice a month with your name or your business name attached to it actually builds that familiarity and trust? When you don't do those things, it makes your brand feel so robotic. You need to understand that email newsletters foster deeper connections than social media ever could because it's a direct message from you to them. Now a lot of people are starting to think that I hate social media. I personally don't hate it. It's just a tool. I and I found it to be a rather useless tool for marketing when you're trying to become a taste maker in the home industry. That said, if you choose to use social media, use it to show off your personality. Use it to show your work, sure, but use it sparingly because some higher end clients will be detoured by companies that are constantly posting about their projects when they're like, I actually wanted mine to be confidential. I'm going to go find somebody else. So just keep that in mind. All right, so let's just run through a few frequently asked questions on this topic in case you zoned out during any part of this episode. Because if you're like me, it happens. So what's the big difference between an order taker and a tastemaker? An order taker focuses on the sales and focuses on reacting to client demands. They often end up giving discounts and encounter delays. A tastemaker will anticipate needs, guide decisions and deliver tailored outcomes and maintain their own boundaries. And they earn trust. And they can charge premium prices because of that. And then a couple other things. Why shouldn't you buy mailing list or backlinks? Well, because they lead to spam complaints, email risks and damage to your reputation and long term SEO damage from the algorithm itself. That's a big deal. And then how should you promote services so that you have the attention of the right people? As an interior design or staging or professional organizing tastemaker, you need to get in front of people seven to 10 times in varied formats, but perhaps even six to 20 times. We're talking email marketing and blog posts primarily. And a few branding questions. Can you name your business after yourself? Yes, perhaps. But think about it long term and through the eyes of your ideal client. And lastly, how do you make your brand more client focused? The sign of a true tastemaker? Well, use visuals and messaging that reflect their lifestyle. Stay away from the industry jargon and use their words in your marketing to show that you're listening and that you are in alignment with their needs. All right, guys, thank you so much for watching today's episode. I will be back next time with even more to help you ponder the bigger questions in business. Because it's easy to get stuck in the weeds of like what should I say in my next newsletter? What should I say in my next blog post? It's helpful, especially at the start of the year, to step back and be like, wait a minute, how am I presenting myself here? And what I'll talk about in our next episode is how am I spending my time and why do I always seem like I never have enough of it and what can I do about it? So I'm excited to get into that one. All right guys, until next time, keep your marketing simple, your message clear and I will talk to you soon.