Everything’s gone online these days, so it makes sense that interior design has turned online, too. The traditional model of welcoming clients into your office is now replaced by booking Skype calls and meeting with clients virtually, from different time zones, different cities, and even different countries. It’s a brand-new world.
But should you really embrace virtual reality and offer online interior design services?
In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of offering online services to your interior design clients. Let’s get started.
The Pros of Offering Online Interior Design Services
What are the benefits that you stand to gain from hopping on the e-design trend? Here are the top reasons why you should consider offering eDesign to your clients:
You can be location-independent
Because online interior design can take place anywhere with a laptop, you don’t need to come into a physical office to do your job. You can work from your bedroom or while on vacation in the south of France.
This also goes for your interior design clients. They don’t have to physically come into your office. They can live anywhere in the world and still take advantage of your design genius.
You can reach the next generation
In 2019, Millennials (born from 1981 to 1998) are expected to outnumber Baby Boomers. This represents a changing of the guards. It’s also important to note that there are approximately 5 million more Millennials than there are Generation Xers (born from 1965 to 1980). Because Millennials are also buying their first homes and hiring interior designers to decorate them, it’s important to speak to this generation.
Millennials are not like Baby Boomers. They don’t do interior design business in the traditional way. They’re more likely to turn to Pinterest, Instagram, Houzz, or even YouTube for design inspiration. They’re also highly likely to DIY their interior design.
However, their DIY spirit doesn’t mean that they see no need for interior design services. They’ll welcome a reasonably priced online interior design service to set them on the right path and give them specific advice about their space. If you offer this eDesign service, you can reach a generation who doesn’t necessarily want a full-fledged interior design experience, but wants to benefit from your design know-how.
eDesign is affordable for you
When you offer eDesign services, you are able to do so with little overhead. One reason is that you can avoid opening a physical office, unless you want to. Physical offices are costly with recurrent lease and utility bills. Offering eDesign exclusively allows you to control costs considerably, while still doing what you love.
eDesign is affordable for your clients
You’re not the only one who benefits financially from offering eDesign services. Your clients can pay considerably less for your expert advice, which is a definite perk for them.
Many would-be clients don’t hire interior designers simply because of the high price tag involved. That’s not a knock to you, because you deserve to be paid for your hard work. It’s just how it is. However, eDesign changes the playing field and makes it easier for prospective interior design clients to consider hiring you.
You can work on an hourly or per-project basis. You can also offer multiple tiers to denote different levels of experience or service scope. Remember to give your clients choices so that they make the decision that best fits their budget.
It’s easy for a prospective client to justify paying for online interior design services, especially if you provide them with immediate benefits in return.
eDesign allows you to expand your list of services
As mentioned above, you can open your interior design business to a wider audience simply by expanding your services into the virtual realm.
By the way, the deliverables for most eDesign services include most or all of the following:
Shopping list
Floor plan (2D or 3D)
Vision board
Mood board
Fabric, paint, flooring, wallpaper samples
Design implementation instructions – How to hang curtains, art and accessory placement, etc.
You can have more flexibility in your work day
If you work exclusively with eDesign clients, you can arrange your day around a schedule that works for both you and your clients. You don’t need to clock in at 9 and go home at 5, unless you want to. This is especially true if you’re working across time zones and need to be available for those early-morning or late-night consultations.