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Latest Episodes:

Everything You Need to Know About Instagram Creator Accounts Jun 03, 2019

Show notes

Today, Darla and Natalie are kicking off a new series called Marketing Monday Minisodes. There are no guests and no lightning rounds because the whole episode is one big lightning round of knowledge. On today’s first minisode, Darla and Natalie dig into Instagram Creator Accounts.

Instagram Creator Accounts for Designers

Instagram’s director of product development Ashley Yuki recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about creator accounts, and here’s what you’ll get: flexible profile controls, simplified messaging and more growth tools. And what does more growth tools mean? You’ll get a studio dashboard where you can see all of your analytics on all of your posts. You can see what time your followers are on the app. And you can also see follow and unfollow statistics for the very first time on Instagram.

There are a ton of other features, like better management of your direct messages (so long, creeps!) and the ability to sell straight from your profile. Darla and Natalie dissect the pros and cons of creator vs. business accounts and the good news is you can now try it for yourself.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:30] What is a minisode?
[3:30] Creator accounts provide direct shopping links
[4:05] Who gets a creator account?
[4:30] New Instagram growth tools
[5:30] Creeps all up in your DMs!
[6:44] What’s in the flexible profile settings
[7:20] The potential downside of a creator account
[7:45] How to switch to a creator account
[8:45] Is it worth it?

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

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How to Get Referrals without Having to Ask with Stacey Brown Randall May 29, 2019

Show notes

Referrals are the lifeblood of interior designers. But not only are they difficult to get, they can be awkward to ask for. On today’s episode, Darla and Natalie have Stacey Brown Randall, who literally wrote the book on Generating Business Referrals without Asking.

Stacey Brown Randall is a business coach who helps small businesses, entrepreneurs and sales professionals generate loads of referrals. And as she says, her backstory begins when she started her own small business and watched as it failed. After that, she began to think about how clients could lead her to other clients. And she eventually cracked the code, departing from the age-old advice that to get a referral, you have to ask.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[2:00] An Amish backstory
[6:15] A puppy backstory
[9:13] How Stacey got into referrals (and why she doesn’t like showers)
[13:05] When the light bulb went on about referrals
[15:08] How to get started with referrals
[20:48] The first step in generating referrals
[24:31] Turning a referral source into an actual referral
[30:30] The referral secret sauce
[41:02] How Stacey discovered who was making referrals
[45:50] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Stacey Brown Randall

Resources & People Mentioned

Generating Business Referrals without Asking

- Referral Ninja Quiz

Profit First

Wingnut Social’s services

Referrals are the Holy Grail

When Stacey looked back at her first business, she realized she didn’t get any referrals for from her clients. And when she started coaching businesses, she saw that most of her clients were actually coming from referrals. And so when she started looking into it, she saw that the standard advice is to ask for her referrals. Her response, quote: “Ew.” That’s not something she wanted to do. So she started looking at how to get referrals without asking, and pivoted her whole coaching business to doing just that.

Before you ask or get for a referral, you have to identify the client who is ready to do that because they had an amazing experience. Those people then become “referral sources,” and it’s your job to stay in touch with them and maintain that relationship, so when someone in their life says they need an interior designer, your referral source immediately recommends you.

How to get those referrals without asking

The number-one way Stacey suggests to get referrals without asking is to make sure your clients know they care about them. She uses an example of how she sent a potential referral a gift, with no logo, no branding, nothing that said: “YOU MUST REFER ME.” She just treated that client like a human she cared about, and that person then became a referral source for her.

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Be a Social Media Rock Star with Kate O’Hara May 22, 2019

Show notes

Ever look at one of those Instagram accounts or Facebook pages with hundreds of thousands of followers and think: How? How is that even possible? Well, on today’s show we have Kate O’Hara, CEO and creative director of Martha O’Hara Interiors to tell you how she made it happen.

Kate pioneered the firm’s expansion into national and international clientele. She says her favorite part of her role is in getting to speak with so many of our potential clients from around the world. She was also one of Austin’s Social Influencers and Minnesota’s Top 32 Under 32 Marketing Professionals—that’s two awards in two towns—making her a sought-after speaker on topics ranging from social media, to women in business or online branding.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[2:00] The ornery orangutan is in studio
[7:28] The overlord takes over
[10:15] How teaching informed Kate’s work
[12:32] Building online marketing from scratch
[15:22] O’Hara’s Facebook journey
[18:17] How Kate uses Facebook now
[20:44] Instagram tips and tools
[26:47] What do you do if you don’t have a lot of content
[30:30] What’s up with Houzz?
[35:30] ROI and social media
[38:37] Figure out your content before embarking on social media
[40:30] How to keep things fun on social media
[43:25] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Kate O’Hara

Resources & People Mentioned

Your social media can’t be just about you

In the early days of Facebook, businesses were told to open up their doors, peek behind the curtains, detail every little thing. And while you do want to give your audience the chance to know the real you, Kate says that you really have to think audience-first on social. That means engaging with your audience, and providing content that will help them, not help you.

Kate also offered some amazing tips on how to stay consistent and focused on social. You need to come up with a content plan for a specific platform and try it out. If it turns out it’s too much work or you don’t enjoy it, don’t embark on that one platform, because you won’t keep it up.

Create a consistent palette on Instagram

Kate has been able to grow the number of followers on her firm’s Instagram by 20,000 in just a year, thanks to being really thoughtful about how she does it. So, like on Facebook she tries to make the posts more engaging for followers, but also she ensures that what’s posted has a consistent palette. So that means using the same filters, making the images have the same feel. That way, people recognize your work right away.

Also, listen to your followers. See what people are liking and give them more of that. If you have followers you could tag on a photo, tag them. And don’t forget about hashtags.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

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Why You Need a PR Agency with Andrew Joseph May 15, 2019

Show notes

Everybody wants to get featured in a magazine or booked as a speaker, but how do you do it? On today’s episode of the Wingnut Social Podcast, Darla and Natalie turn to one of the industry’s best to get some answers: Andrew Joseph.

With over twenty years in the world of publishing and public relations, Andrew Joseph is an experienced and strategic asset for home and design brands as well as designers looking to position themselves in a busy market. Andrew started his career at Conde Nast publications in fashion and beauty with Vanity Fair and Allure, where he learned the industry from the inside out, experiencing firsthand the inner workings of the editorial side of publicity. When opening Andrew Joseph PR in 2012, he shifted gears to architecture and design, applying his southern charm and New York know-how to a career as a marketing and public relations expert.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[2:00] Wingnuts are loving the strategy doc
[7:54] It’s take two with Adam
[9:55] Why PR is important for designers
[15:42] Would a PR firm work well for a new designer?
[18:20] Trying to go DIY
[26:54] What credentials should you look for in a PR firm?
[29:46] Should you go boutique?
[32:30] PR success stories
[38:39] Working with a PR firm
[43:25] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Andrew Joseph

Resources & People Mentioned

Pitch the right way

One of the most critical ways a public relations firm can help you is through their relationships with magazine editors. Often PR professionals know what sorts of stories various publications are working on, what sorts of stories they like, and how you may fit (or not fit) into their magazines. The worst thing you can do is pitch yourself to a magazine with no clear idea of what they’re looking for.

Relationships are actually a huge part of public relations. Andrew told Darla and Natalie a story about how he helped out an editor one time around the holidays, and now he’s able to book clients spots in the publication regularly, because the editor knows she can trust him.

PR won’t land you clients directly

Andrew says he always tells his potential clients that he can’t deliver new clients to them. He can book them in magazines or onstage as a speaker, but there’s no guarantee that will lead directly to clients. Instead, PR has more of a “long tail,” where the more publicity you generate, the more you can build an impressive portfolio to show potentials clients.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

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Is Your Website Attracting Your Ideal Client with Franziska Neuman May 08, 2019

Show notes

Building a website ain’t what it used to be, and while many designers may want to rely on third-party platforms like Houzz to serve as their calling cards, you need a solid personal site. Why? Franziska Neuman explains on this week’s episode.

Franziska Neuman is an interior designer whose work with small spaces in New York has landed her appearances on HGTV and the Oprah Winfrey Show. And her company FZK Franziska specializes in helping interior designers build amazing websites that not only reflect their brands, but attract their ideal clients.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[2:00] How podcasting is better than dolphinfishing
[4:50] Franziska heads to the Big Apple
[7:00] Why an Oprah appearance was bittersweet
[8:37] Is it still important to have a good website?
[10:45] When to ditch the DIY
[13:40] Which DIY website builder would you use?
[14:45] What goes into a good website
[19:55] Why video works well on websites
[22:30] Should you have more than one website?
[25:41] Franziska’s rundown of SEO for designers
[30:08] What not to do on your website
[33:32] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Franziska Neuman

Resources & People Mentioned

When Oprah calls, you build a website

Franziska struck gold early on, designing small spaces in New York City. HGTV became interested in her work, and then Oprah called to feature her work on the show. And part of being on Oprah’s show meant you could sell a particular item you were featuring. To do that, you need a website. So Franziska frantically taught herself how to build a website and got it up and running in time for her appearance.

But even if Oprah isn’t knocking on your door, Franziska says you have to have your website up-to-date because it’s the one place online where you can really track your interaction with your potential customers. Design is a referral business, so you need a home where customers can refer other friends to land. And you need to keep it up to date, because that’s the way big brother Google likes it.

Create a visual brand for your company

One of the biggest mistakes designers make when they build a website, says Franziska, is failing to create a visual brand online. So your interior design work may be of one aesthetic, but then if your website may look cookie-cutter. So it’s important to create an online visual brand that reflects the work you do in people’s homes as well.

Franziska says you need to have a major mindset shift when you’re building your website. You have to remember that your website is not for you. It’s for your potential clients. And so while you may want certain things on your site, you have to always be thinking about the user, the customer, who is coming to your website and what information they need. The more you can address your ideal client, the better.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

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How to Be an HGTV Star with Abbi McCollum May 01, 2019

Show notes

For some, getting onto HGTV is the holy grail of design. But whether you want to be a TV star or just want to be featured on the HGTV blog, in the magazine, on their social media, you’re not going to want to miss this week’s guest: HGTV VP Abbi McCollum.

Abbi McCollum is the vice president of social media and convergence for Discovery Inc.’s home and travel channel category. She is charged with creating a bridge between the on-air programming team, the marketing team and the digital team. As the head of social media for home and travel, Abbi is responsible for overseeing the team that provides content to over 40 million people. Since taking over HGTV’s Instagram account she has increased the number of followers by over 11,000%. So, she knows a thing or two, it’s safe to say.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[2:00] VRBO party house at High Point
[8:28] Why isn’t Darla on HGTV already?!
[12:33] How HGTV has evolved
[21:37] How important is social media for designers?
[24:11] You need to be present on your social media
[29:00] Talent can level the playing field
[31:20] Looking for more than just TV personalities
[35:31] Do you have to be an “influencer” to work with HGTV?
[38:50] Why HGTV doesn’t
[40:24] Tag HGTV on Instagram. Do it!
[41:24] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Abbi McCollum

Resources & People Mentioned

Why social media is important to your design business

Obviously, Abbi is a social media guru, considering she grew the HGTV Instagram account by 1,100%. So when Darla asked her about how important it is for designers to be on social media, Abbi shared some great insight as to why it’s vital. For instance, at High Point, HGTV editors went into designers’ booths and took pictures and posted stories and they did that specifically for designers who had social media presences.

Social media is also so important because it’s a way of staying connected to your audience without your audience being there specifically for you. A potential client may not think to or know to go to your website, but if they follow you on Instagram and you’re posting regularly, you’re going to be where their eyes are, said Abbi.

You are your social media presence

You know you need to have a social media presence, but it’s also important for you to be present in your social media presence. As Abbi said on this week’s episode, a lot of designers will have beautiful photos of the work they’ve done, but even that, after a while, can blend together. Abbi said she scrolls through Instagram accounts all the time, and it’s the one with the people behind the photos that she remembers best.

And in terms of landing yourself on television, you have to put yourself in your videos. Abbi told a story about how HGTV was looking for a designer, and she had seen someone who was really good on camera thanks to their Instagram stories, so she was able to forward those along to the right people right away. It can be hard to put yourself out there like that, but if getting on camera is your ambition, then consider your Insta account your audition reel.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

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How to Get Your Foot in the Door with Potential Clients with Alex Berman Apr 24, 2019

Show notes

Sometimes you need to step out of the design world to get a fresh perspective. That’s why our guest this week is Alex Berman. Alex is the chairman of experiment 27 and has a keen eye and insight into marketing that designers may find refreshing.

Alex Berman is the CEO of experiment 27, and something of a YouTube star. Experiment 27 specializes in getting clients meetings with big brands and Fortune 500 companies. But on his B2B marketing YouTube channel, Alex dispenses amazing advice to anyone looking to up their marketign game.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[2:15] We can all agree that Natalie is vital to this podcast
[5:31] Why Adam is a marketing wunderkind
[6:50] Adam’s first step to generating leads
[8:08] How to game a directory
[10:40] How Alex would try to game his rankings if he was a designer
[16:05] Find the best channel for your business
[18:40] Restaging an old project
[23:52] You have to be sure you’re speaking to your ideal client
[27:40] How to charge more
[30:40] How to use past clients to generate leads
[33:28] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Alex Berman

Resources & People Mentioned

Quick tips to improve your marketing

One of the first steps Alex would take to improve the marketing of any interior designer is to, as he says, game the rankings of any listing online. Your mileage may vary with this, but if you search your hometown and “best interior designer,” you can see what your potential clients will see when they’re looking for someone to work on their home.

Now Houzz and Yelp may be controversial in the design world, but if those two sites are coming up first, then you want to get your rankings up on those sites. How do you do that? Alex, unsurprisingly, recommends experimentation. See if reviews raise your rankings, logging into your account, etc..

Scale your best practices

Alex recommends looking at what has worked for you in the past. That might mean working more closely with realtors, or it might mean working more closely with contractors. But if you take your best clients, and look at how you got in touch with them, you’re building a blueprint for your marketing. And then ask those clients if they would be willing to make a custom video testimonial for your company. The results, Alex says, are staggering.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

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How the Heck Do You Get Featured in Magazines with Vanessa Helmick Apr 17, 2019

Show notes

Getting your work published in magazines can really set your interior design career on a steep trajectory. But how do you do it? And what work do you need to put in before submitting? Designer and recent cover girl Vanessa Helmick has you covered.

Vanessa Helmick is the owner and principal designer of Fiore Interiors in Portland, Maine. She was born and raised in California, but moved to the Northeast 10 years ago where she has established her firm as one of the best in the region. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines, and was recently on the cover of Maine Home + Design.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[2:15] A great story about Vanessa
[5:53] A big slo-mo hug for Vanessa
[8:03] A little about Vanessa
[9:36] How Vanessa has been featured in magazines
[16:03] Vanessa’s magazine debut
[18:30] Can you put a project on your website if it’s going in a magazine?
[22:52] Restaging an old project
[25:54] How Vanessa builds relationships with magazines
[29:54] How to style your shots when it’s difficult to photograph
[33:28] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Vanessa Helmick

Resources & People Mentioned

Goodbye pay-to-play

Vanessa has had such great success getting features in various publications, most recently in Maine Home + Design, landing the cover. And one of the things she says that has helped her is the fact that design magazines are beginning to transition away from pay-to-play, which means the playing field is levelling.

But one of the key reasons she was able to get on the cover is because she had top-notch photos at the ready. She paid a lot of money to a photographer on a day rate, and got amazing photos of recent projects. And so when it was time to submit to Maine Home + Design’s design issue, she had the photos ready to send. And, it turned out, it wasn’t even the big, major project they selected. So it goes to show that if you want to land in a magazine, you have to have great shots of a diversity of projects.

You have to be just as choosy as a magazine

Vanessa told Darla and Natalie a really illuminating story about one of her first features in a magazine. It did not go as well as she had hoped, because the magazine sent a portrait photographer who didn’t have much experience with shooting interiors, and the photos didn’t come out that great and didn’t show her work in the best light. And so then when the magazine asked her again, she declined.

Declining to be covered by the magazine got the editor’s attention, and Vanessa explained that the last time they featured her the photos were unflattering to her work. So they then sent her an amazing photographer and she’s eagerly awaiting the release of that feature. And what’s interesting about that is that she picked a project from five years ago. So don’t just think about what you’ve done in the past few months. Think about your entire portfolio when it’s time to submit work to a publication.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

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How to Market Your Design Business in These Changing Times With Crispin Butterfield Apr 10, 2019

Show notes

If there’s one thing that’s a constant in marketing, it’s change. The way interior designers market their firms now, compared to just a few years ago, is worlds apart. Today on the show we have someone who’s done it all, and successfully, Crispin Butterfield.

Crispin Butterfield is the creative force and mastermind behind Urban Theory Design in Kelowna, British Columbia. Even though she’s still a young designer, she’s been in business 15 years, and caters to high-end clients, particularly those who vacation in her beautiful Canadian town. She is a graduate of the Bachelor of Interior Design program at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, and her engaging personality and design-commerce savvy make her a valued and well-respected professional and mentor within her field. She’s able to uniquely see the parameters and vision of each project in ways her clients often cannot, and has honed the process and expertise required to grow incredible client and trade relationships.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[3:30] Come out of your shell!
[7:21] How Crispin survived the recession
[11:21] How to make contact with general contractors
[12:48] Don’t approach someone as if you’re asking for a favor
[14:44] Getting started with high-end clients
[23:39] How Crispin transitioned into social media
[29:09] Crispin’s approach to social media
[32:07] One marketing tip you need to follow
[36:41] One mistake everyone should avoid
[39:39] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Crispin Butterfield

Resources & People Mentioned

How to connect with general contractors, etc.

Because Crispin came of age as an interior designer at a time when social media was non-existent, she’s a master networker. Of course you need to have a balance of both old-school networking and online presence, but Crispin really has done the work to establish herself in her community. One of the ways she’s done that is to join boards of local organizations, to support the people and causes she cares about.

And Crispin has the handshake down to a science. She sends her portfolio along ahead of time, so she’s never making a cold call on, say, a general contractor. But also, she never puts herself in the position of asking to work with someone. Instead, she tells them that she likes what they do, and wants to take them out for coffee to see how they could be part of her team. That is some interior design Jedi mind trick!

Crispin’s one marketing tip for all interior designers

Crispin has operated her company for 15 years, but at one point she had to up and move cities. So how did she connect with her new community? She worked hard on making her business as local as possible. She joined a local business council. She joined the board of a local charity. She made sure people knew she was dedicated to her hometown, so when they thought of a local designer, they thought of her.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Should You Be Doing E-Design? With Chaney Widmer Apr 03, 2019

Show notes

Depending on whom you ask, e-design is either the next evolution for interior design, or a bubble that has already burst. But no one is savvier about online design than the guest on today’s episode, Chaney Widmer.

Chaney Widmer started Mix & Match Design Company in 2015 with the goal of making interior design affordable and accessible to everyone. Her company uses online tools to make interior design services less expensive and less intimidating. Last year, Chaney expanded to start offering online courses for interior designers (and aspiring ones) to teach them how they could grow their online businesses.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[3:30] See you at High Point!
[6:50] Chaney is a good sport
[8:15] Starting out in e-design
[9:27] How to get photos of your work
[15:32] Can you still be niche in e-design?
[17:04] Chaney’s process
[20:03] How to get started
[26:07] What software do you need?
[33:25] What happened with Laurel & Wolf?
[38:33] Adding an e-design business to your firm
[40:39] Chaney’s courses
[42:46] Whut up, Wingnut?

Connect with Chaney Widmer

Resources & People Mentioned

E-design businesses have savvy clients

So what exactly is an e-design business? Chaney tells Darla and Natalie on this week’s episode that she has three separate offerings for her business: full-room packages, space-planning packages and virtual consultations. And what’s fascinating is that her clients, by the time they get to her, have done a lot of the work themselves, and so she’s able to connect with them and get rolling in a way she may not be able to with a more traditional client.

Chaney says the first thing you need to do when starting your e-design business is to figure out what you want to offer. Figure out what you like to do, and what you don’t like to do, and begin breaking those things out into packages.

What do you need for your e-design business?

When it comes to e-design, you’re going to need to invest in some software, and in some training on that software. Chaney says you’re going to have to sharpen those Photoshop skills so you can do realistic renderings for your clients. That doesn’t mean you’re doing full 3D renderings, which can be timely, but you do need to know your way around Adobe. Chaney also uses a software platform called DesignFiles to communicate with clients.

How do you differentiate yourself from other e-designers? Well, just like with any interior design business, your portfolio and aesthetic are going to tell potential clients whether they’d like to work with you. But Chaney also says Instagram is huge for her online marketing, allowing her to connect with potential clients.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn