What branded materials you need as an interior designer is a popular topic around here. Despite the talk of literally every service becoming web-based, the interior design industry is still heavily influenced by tangible client interactions—face-to-face consultations, print collateral, and physical presentations to name a few. Even designers offering e-design services find themselves in need of touchstones for their clients to hold and feel in their hands.
Interior design is a service of textural experiences. Your branded collateral should be an introduction to and continuation of your attention to detail with fonts, copy, hues, and materials that exemplify your style and resonate with your dream client.
Having a refined web presence and impressive portfolio is important, but every interaction after that is what cements your brand in your potential client’s mind and develops trust in your process and commitment to quality.
These are the custom-branded, well-designed materials your interior design business cannot live without:
Business Cards
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Your business card is often your potential client’s first interaction with your brand. Whether they receive that card from a previous client or directly from you, it gives them an idea of what to expect in terms of your style and professionalism. You might not think a business card is that big of a deal, but our experience says differently. Interior design is a creative service. If you want prospective customers to take your expertise seriously, you have to take it seriously as well. That means having branded, impeccably designed cards that make the right kind of first impression. Good branding can be the difference between what appears as a hobby or a full-service firm.
Your business card should include your business logo, name, url, and contact methods (especially email). Keep it simple, but make it easy for them to get in touch.
Thank You Notes / Stationery
A handwritten thank you note is a non-negotiable luxury. We love working with Swell Press for our letterpress stationery (tell Britt we sent you!). If you don’t have the budget for custom letterpress pieces, Moo.com is our first pic for high-quality, affordable printing. Use this link to save 25% off your first order!
Interior design services are not a necessity. Your client is investing their money with you because of an experience and outcome they want. Anything you can do to show them individual attention will encourage trust in your work and in you, leading to repeat clients and referrals.
A branded, handwritten thank you card really sets your business apart. It takes more effort than email, but is so much more memorable.
Your thank you notes or stationery should include your logo or monogram and brand hues or patterns. The copy should be handwritten. Old-fashioned, quality customer service will never go out of style. You can shop all our Stationery Suite Bundles here, which include a Business Card Template, Notecard Template and Letterhead Template.
Media Kit / Rate Sheet
Your media kit and/or rate sheet are for your customer’s convenience. Having all the information that they need about your business and services in an easy-to-read and aesthetically pleasing package is so significant. It makes you look accessible and put-together. This visual representation of your business should follow your brand guidelines as closely as possible.
Your media kit should include all the information you want a client to know about your background, business, and process. It should be clear, concise, and void of grammatical or spelling errors. It should be visually interesting and feature your logo prominently.
Your rate sheet is just that—a file containing your prices. You might be tempted to just type it out—just details, right? Wrong. This is the document that outlines their investment, therefore needs to be a reminder of your professionalism and consistency.
For reference, our media kit is available digitally here. When we have in-person client meetings, we always have a hard copy printed on matte heavyweight card stock, slipped in a pretty leather folder.
HTML Email Signature
As much as we love a handwritten note, email is an undeniably popular method of communication in most every industry. If any of your interactions will happen in this channel, it’s important that your brand extends to your clients’ inboxes.
Your email signature should be a virtual business card. It should house contact information, a headshot or logo, and social media links. All of this should be custom designed using your brand fonts and colors. Having your information at hand makes it easy for your clients and potential clients to click through to your site and social media accounts, giving them more opportunities to engage with your business.
We use Email Signature Rescue to create custom HTML signatures for our clients. We also use it for our team here at IDCO. It’s simple to use, inexpensive, but looks so much better than a standard signature.
Once your branded materials are on point, it’s time to start thinking about your digital experience and whether to use a web designer or web developer. We hope you found this list helpful as you decide what branded elements to invest in for your brand. Our inboxes are always open for questions and inquiries!