One Bridge Interior Designers SHOULD Burn

Burn the “retreat” bridge.

That’s what generals in ancient times did to prevent their troops from running away from battle.

And that’s what you should do to prevent yourself from quitting a marketing campaign too soon.

I meet too many interior design professionals so ready to retreat from a new marketing push that they make only feeble attempts to succeed.

Then they wonder why their efforts and results fall short.

How to get maximum results from minimal marketing is a theme I’ll cover in two upcoming presentations. The first is my “Big Splash, Little Cash” on June 13 at Neocon. The other program is my “Ready for Relaunch!” workshop the Business of Design conference in September.

When it comes to marketing, many design pros dip their toes. But only a precious few dive in.

I think of the kitchen and bath specialist forced to relocate to a new city. He considered launching a social networking initiative in  the new market.  But he chose not to.

And the remodeler who wanted  to concentrate on kidspace interiors. She was urged to research ideal communities for her service. But she chose not to.

And the window fashion specialist looking to work with elite, high end builders and architects. She pondered the idea of developing a “builders and architects” section on her website. But she chose not to.

And the interior designer seeking corporate sponsors for a furniture line and series of coffee table books. He considered mounting a marketing campaign to target these “partners.” But he chose not to.

In each case, they “chose not to” because of concern they might fail. They were more focused on what wouldn’t work, than on what would.

In each case, they decided to stop before they started. They were in retreat before they were in motion.

They’ll never know if those promotional strategies could have worked because they never gave them time. And their best shot.

Giving a stategy your best shot means concentrating on it, and committing to it for a set period as if it’s the one thing, the best thing, the only thing that will achieve your desired results.

Only at the end of that set period do you evaluate it, and ponder your next move.

Early retreats offer few results, and fewer rewards.

The next time you consider a new marketing strategy, be a diver, not a dipper.

Fred Berns is a marketing coach and copywriter for interior design professionals worldwide.