Interior Design Business Consultant
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 The start of a new year is the time for hope, goals and most of all, clarity. First, I want to take a moment to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Now that the festivities are over and the hustle and bustle of the Holidays has faded, many of you have found that you are ready for a fresh start . Now is a great time to use this natural momentum to clarify your business and ensure that you are on the right path. Refining your firm’s Key Characteristics is a great place to start.
Key Characteristics are a way of describing your firm’s values and traits. Create a short list of 10 to 12 adjectives or short phrases that encompass what your firm stands for. It is fascinating that although you are all interior designers, each one of you will create a unique list of characteristics. Here is an example:
Our Design Firm’s Key Characteristics:
- Creates timeless designs
- Truly understand our clients’ needs
- Professional
- Embodies understated elegance
- Creates a special experience for our clients
- Works well with the entire design and build team
- Detail Oriented
- Highest Quality
- Promotes a Green Lifestyle
- Specialize in projects with specific design challenges
It is a little bit like a vision statement and road map all rolled into one short list. You’ll know it is complete when it feels concise, complete and authentic.
 Every Interior Design Business absolutely needs it's Key Characteristics Defined. So ask yourself what you envision for your company. What are you trying to create? You are the voice of your company. You might bring your list to your team meeting and review it them. Share with them your thoughts on this identity statement. Ask the team if they have anything to add. And more importantly, discuss how the company expresses these characteristics. This is a very powerful exercise when establishing and reinforcing your company culture.
Remember to take the time to really share your vision with your team. This will help ensure that everyone knows what they are all working toward,what the expectations are and empowers them to play a major role in achieving the company’s mission.
 Use this list as a powerful navigation tool for your Interior Design Business And finally, if you use your Key Characteristics as your compass and your measuring stick, you’ll find that your decision making will be much more clear and effective.We have had clients say that when they hire a new employee, all the staff members look at the company’s Key Characteristics and discussed how well the candidate was consistent or a good fit for each of the characteristics. This is a perfect example of how fundamental establishing your key characteristics is to building the company you envision.
One of my favorite quotes is “The only place you find success before work is in the dictionary”. Keep that in mind when you are working hard on propelling yourself into this New Year. We want to wish everyone the best in 2012 and remember that we are here to help you achieve your dreams and reach your potential!
Julie Stanley
Seeing is believing. That is why Molloy Management Group is launching an exclusive YouTube channel intended to help all you Principal Interior Designers with your interior design business questions and provide valuable information.
As we begin to populate MMG’s YouTube channel, we want to be sure we’re answering your questions and covering topics that are of interest to you.
 Join MMG on YouTube for video blogs aimed at assisting Principal Interior Designers better run their firms. Coming soon is our Q&A session with Studio IT on the benefits of switching your management software to Studio Webware. We’ll also be posting a short tutorial session on how to use the MMG Operations Manual to its fullest.
What types of things would you like MMG to video blog about? Do you have any burning questions for Julia or her amazing staff at MMG? Send your questions to askmmg@molloymanagement.com.
In the meantime, check out what current clients have to say about MMG on YouTube and subscribe to our channel.
Oh, and Happy New Year!
Sarah Hammer
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| Just a quick note to remind you all that this is the LAST DAY TO SIGN UP!
STUDIO WEBWARE ONLINE YEAR END CLASS
Make a comment about us on the Studio Webware Facebook page and receive a link to our Free Year End Class.
December 21 2:00 – 2:30 PM EST
Here’s the link to the Studio Webware Facebook Page
STUDIO WEBWARE YEAR END CHECKUP
Our support team is available to review your accounting to prepare for the Year End
This is available for a flat fee of $90
Email us for more information
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY, MY FRIENDS.
Best,
Julia |
ASK MMG:
Here is a great question that came across my desk and I think most of you can benefit from this. I see poor utilization of the Alt Tag fields in your interior design blogs all the time. The Alternate Text or Alt Tag is the place where you tell search engines like Google, what the photo is. Since they can’t decipher images, you have to tell them what the image is and this is a great opportunity to incorporate some context and support your keyword and SEO goals. (And yes, despite some misguided rumors, alt tags still do play a role in page ranking.)
BACKGROUND:
A fabulous interior designer and client of mine was working on entering her blog post, trying to effectively boost the quality traffic to her interior design business. Her current target keywords are: “Luxury Interior Design” and also “Interior Design + her target city” or “Interior Design + her target state”.
THE QUESTION:
“I have been adding words to every picture (as you can see), but I didn’t know that the alt tags were supposed to be “luxury interior design”. I have been adding tags that are directly associated with each specific picture… Like “christmas wreath” or “bedroom” or whatever the picture is? Should I just be putting the same words “luxury interior design” as the tag words for every picture?
Thanks!”
 Alt Tag should be: Luxury Interior Designer showcases Christmas wreath idea THE ANSWER:
Not exactly, but you’re on the right track. For the Alt tags, the idea is to tell Google (and all search engines) what this photo is about and to support accurate searching for people using the web.
Yes, it is a Christmas wreath, but someone going online and searching for ‘Christmas wreath’, will probably not be interested in the blog. They are probably looking to buy a wreath. We want to assist Google in serving up this blog to people interested in the subject matter as well as support your SEO goals.
If you find that your blog has a high (above 40%) ‘bounce rate’, meaning people that came and left immediately, this indicates that you are attracting people that are not your target audience. Some bounce is unavoidable, but if you are targeting and entering in meta tags appropriately, your bounce rate will generally be around 30-40% and for a blog, that’s not bad.
To use your wreath image as an example, try an Alt Tag like this: luxury interior designer showcases Christmas wreath idea.
The idea is to help guide and attract people that are searching for your services or blog topic. With the above example, someone looking for ‘Christmas wreath idea’ or ‘luxury interior designer’ would be well served by the blog. And that’s the whole point! Remember, you are providing a ‘gift’ with your blog. Be clear on what that gift is and then use your meta data to help the people searching for it, FIND YOU! Make sense?
Also, keep in mind you’ll also want to change the name of the image file in the same way. Image titles like, “img_3421″ are not helpful. Make sure to take advantage of every opportunity to support your SEO targets.
Not sure what your keyword targets should be? Well, if your blogging, you should absolutely be aware of your targets so that you can get the most marketing bang out of your blogging efforts! If you’d like more help with your blog and SEO for your interior design business, I’m always happy to help.
Thanks for the terrific question and keep them coming!
Purpose, Perseverance and Positive expectation,
Julia A. Molloy
Don’t forget to subscribe to and share our blog, and we’d be honored to have you join us via our Monthly Newsletter, THE POLISHED CABINET.
(Note the witty double-entendre) wink!
The time is fast upon us when the weather changes, the holiday music comes on and people start getting into the spirit of the holidays. Part of this ritual is the giving and receiving of gifts. Here at MMG we love gifting and have a few tips on how to help you navigate the season for your luxury clients!
The Holidays are the perfect time to show a client how much you appreciate working with them. For those clients with whom you have a special relationship, don’t be afraid to get creative with your gift giving. This is the perfect time to put your VIP Binder to good use! …What’s that? You DON’T have a VIP Binder? Hmmm…
If you haven’t been collecting details about your clients in a VIP Binder throughout the year, take a moment to think about your clients. Jot down their preferences, special dates, details about them and their family etc. This extra step will ensure you choose the perfect gift for your special client going forward. This doesn’t mean you can’t give the same gift to all of your clients, but be sure that whatever you give has meaning and is consistent with your Company’s Key Characteristics.
If you want to show an entire company or team how much you appreciate them, consider sending a Custom Gift Basket. They’re easy to share and if you choose the right items, it’ll be a big hit at the office. Other than gift baskets, what is one to get for a special client?
Strive to send something finely made, special, exclusive, custom or uniquely suited for them. And always, very high quality and well packaged. Think quality over volume. Sending something easily accessible, mid grade quality and generic will give the wrong impression. If your gift has something special about it, is a limited edition or has a story that comes with the brand, you are on the right track.
Here are some of our favorite online sources for Luxury Holiday Gifting:
Les Vosges- Luxury Chocolates
 Vosges Chocolate Truffles are the perfect gift for that special client with a sweet tooth. I first was introduced to this magnificent brand by through a client, Elissa Grayer of Elissa Grayer Interior Design in NY and I can tell you from personal experience it was a wonderful gift to receive. I still have the boxes that I now use to store things in, on the shelves of my library! These exquisite truffles are truly french artisan. They come in beautiful packaging and lovely description of the brand and why the chocolates are so special. And do you want to know what the the best thing is? The instructions say you have to eat them within 10 days. Isn’t that wonderful! Every time I ate one, I had the perfect justification for my indulgence… “I MUST eat this, yes. I only have a few more days! Tee Hee!”
D.L. and Co.- Candles, Reed Diffusers and Other Curious Gifts
 D. L. and Co. We love the candle collections and the packaging is exquisite. Again, I received a D. L and Co. candle from a client of mine, Teri Peck of Teri Peck House of Design. (I know, Yes, we really DO have the world’s best clients!) The packaging was so incredible I didn’t want to open it! I still have the packaging in my office for inspiration. Truly luxurious.
Smythson of Bond Street- Luxury Leather Goods
 Most items can be monogrammed - A great luxury gifting touch. And while your gifting, give yourself something that will help you all year long. Keep a VIP Binder. You can have a digital version as well or use a Contact Management System, (I find CMS bit cumbersome for gifting) but the purpose is the same, keep track of your clients’ preferences and the gifts you’ve already given. With the hustle and bustle of the season it can be a challenge, to say the least, to remember what we sent to each person in all the years past… and for some of us… simply impossible! Make it easy and avoid any uncomfortable situations and set up your VIP Binder before the new year.
For more tips on Holiday Gifting, VIP Binders and other Luxury Touches for your interior design firm, contact us at askmmg@molloymanagment.com or call us at 503-208-2757.
Happy Gifting!
Julia Molloy
MMG recently hosted an exclusive training event for a select group of luxury Interior Designers on how to best utilize the premier interior design business management software, Studio Webware. The amazing designers; Faith Sheridan, Teri Peck, Debra Fugate and Keith Miller were our fabulous guests.
This half-day workshop showcased Lance Haeberle, Studio IT founder and President. Lance demonstrated features of the state-of-the-art software designed specifically for running the business side of the Interior Design firm. He also answered specific questions about transferring from Quickbooks and the differences between the two approaches.
 What could be better than a half-day of intense training followed by a champagne toast! Our own Julia Molloy had the opportunity to discuss how to best integrate Studio Webware into any Interior Design business. Bottom line: this amazing software can go far beyond accounting and proposals. Studio Webware is the best tool for running an interior design firm efficiently and effectively and Julia wholeheartedly recommends it to design firms, both large and small.
The best part of the workshop… it’s all on tape! Stay tuned to the MMG blog and Website in the coming weeks. We’ll be sharing the important take-aways from the exclusive workshop with our fabulous followers (that’s you!)
 The presentation highlights tips and best practices for using Studio Webware to best run your Interior Design firm. Lance also discussed his background, the story of how he developed Studio Designer and how it developed into the online version that we now know as Studio Webware! What a great story.
If you have questions about Studio Webware or are interested, but want to make sure you have the right support as you make the switch, please don’t hesitate to be in touch. We are pros at advanced training, methods for incorporating it into your systems and one-on-one unlimited support to firms nationwide. We get to know you and your business very well, we provide you with everything you need as we walk you through the process. So take a deep breath, we’ll take care of you!
Expect Great Things!
Julie Stanley
 Model a moderate emotional tone for your interior design firm. As the leader of your interior design firm, your emotional style is crucial. Every office that we walk into feels differently. It is your job as the principal interior designer to establish that vibe and set the emotional tone of your firm. It’s interesting that CEOs generally have a very strong presence and they are by definition the alphas of their group. This is important because this means that their emotions directly effect their teams productivity! What a huge responsibility!
 Brain science is showing us what makes an effective leader. There is actually research that substantiates what we already know. What science has confirmed, is that there’s something called the open limbic system. What we’re learning is that humans have an ability to affect one another physiologically simply through their emotions on a far higher level than we had previously thought. Within ten minutes, of a conversation or being in proximity to someone who is very emotionally charged, whether it be calming or excited, your heart rate will change. Your hormones will change. Your chemistry changes, Your brainwaves change. Your body movements change. These physiological states effect people’s performance, memory on a number of levels. Have you ever gone blank when put on the spot? This is an excellent example of this phenomenon. Stress hormones kick in and literally prohibit memory recall!
Furthermore, groups will mirror the alpha of the group unconsciously. This means that YOU set the tone for the office. Thus, the alpha’s emotional states have a direct bearing on their entire teams physiology which effects productivity, accuracy and employee retention. So in essence, how you are , is what you get. It’s up to you to maintain a calm assertive emotional stance. Simply put, if you don’t want a lot of drama in your office…. don’t be a drama queen!(wink, wink)
 Your emotional state directly effects productivity. Naturally, there are going to be ups and downs. Try to set the emotional tone at a moderate level in the office. Keep it fairly stable with a natural ebb and flow. That’s the role of the Principal Interior Designer and no one can do that for you.
I will talk more about the 5 elements of emotional intelligence as it has a huge bearing on your success. It is actually shown that one’s level of emotional intelligence is directly proportional to ones income. Can you believe that? Wow! This deserves more examination and discussion and we will do that in future posts.
Expecting great things,
Julia Molloy
When was the last time you received a beautiful card in the mail? Like a high quality card with a hand written address? Remember how good it feels to get something worthwhile that isn’t a bill or an advertisement?
 A handwritten note is a lost art form; receiving a hand written note is a treat. In this digital age, an email is the method of choice for business communication. There is no getting around how fabulous and life changing email has become for people all over the world. But nothing seems to beat getting a really great card. It is even more impressive now because it is a rarity. If you want to stand out to your clients, then there are few things you can do that are as simple and high impact as a hand written card. Luxury Interior Designers across the country are making the switch to handwritten Thank You Cards and Correspondence. We at MMG highly recommend it, even if you do not position your firm as a luxury provider.
Here are a few ‘MUST DO’s as you incorporate handwritten cards into your client services:
1. Make sure the penmanship is legible, preferably beautiful. Do take time writing it. It should not look rushed or careless.
2. It is preferable that the envelope is handwritten as well. Do not mix handwritten with printed or address labels. Choose your method and keep it consistent on the envelope.
3. Make sure the card arrives within 2 weeks of the event or item the note is referring to.
4. Make sure the card is consistent with your brand’s key characteristics. (If you don’t know what that is or you want assistance developing yours, just give us a call or send an email and we’ll give you some guidance.)
5. It is best if the card is distinctive or memorable in some way that is consistent with your brand.
6. It is generally bad form to include a business card with a personal card. If you want to pass on your card, send it in a separate correspondence that is more business appropriate.
7. In notes, avoid using the word “ME” or “MY”. If you find another way to voice what you mean while excluding those two self-referrals, you will find that your writing style becomes more elevated and gracious.
8. Always be sincere, grateful and authentic to your personality. Try to find a way to incorporate a ‘thank you’ in your note somewhere. There is almost always something you can express appreciation for.
 The art of the handwritten note is not to be underestimated. It indicates that one is functioning at a very high level. So, where do you stand with handwritten note cards?
- Do you send your clients hand written cards?
- Do you want to, but don’t know quite what cards to use?
- Do you ever wonder how your cards stack up?
Use this beautiful medium to attract and keep the best clients! Isn’t that what its all about? Keep in mind that for most of our interior design clients, the most effective method for marketing is: low volume -high quality, when it comes to tangible materials. Is this the right approach for you?
If you believe your company can do even better than it is now in this arena, this is our offer to you – Send me your cards! Send me a handwritten card and Julia and our team at MMG will give you feedback on what you’re doing right and we’ll give you guidance on how to send an even more effective branding message with your cards!
Molloy Management Group
5200 SW Macadam Ave., Suite 400
Portland, OR 97239
We’ll be doing a feature about points of contact, including handwritten thank you cards, on the blog in the near future.
If you’re interested in having MMG do a full evaluation of your stationary and brand, send your contact information to askmmg@molloymanagement.com for a chance to get a free evaluation, blog post feature and recommendations from Molloy Management Group.
Expect Great Things!
Julie Stanley
Congratulations to Elissa Grayer of Elissa Grayer Interior Design! Elissa is a phenomenal New York Interior Designer and the fortunate winner of the Molloy Management Group’s Signature Scent Poured Candle. You can also find her on the cover of East Coast Home and Design! http://mydigitalpublication.com/publication?i=81149 She is one of the featured designers in the “Designers We Love” issue! Congratulations on all fronts, Elissa. You are amazing and I just adore you!
 Elissa Grayer of Elissa Grayer Interior Design is the proud winner of MMG Signature.
We created our custom blend fragrance by working with Spencer Krenke at Saint Parfum. Our signature scent is made of the highest quality pure essential oils. It has notes of Cassis Noir (black currant), mandarin and vanilla amber. It’s clean and sophisticated; the scent of productivity and luxury.
 MMG Signature by Saint Parfum.
Would you like to win your own Poured Candle or Reed Diffuser of MMG Signature? Sign up to receive the MMG newsletter, The Polished Cabinet, for more opportunities to win.
Congratulations Elissa!
Expect Great Things!
Julia Molloy
It has been about three weeks since Facebook gave itself a facelift. Now that the dust has settled from the big surprise, I’ll take this time to tell you what you need to know about the new Facebook and how you can optimize it for the marketing of your Interior Design firm.
Top Stories and Most Recent now in one News Feed
If you’re like a lot of people, you didn’t even know that before the facelift there were two options: “Top Stories” and “Most Recent”. That’s okay, because now both can be found in your News Feed, which is a welcomed change.
What are the top stories?
These are stories published since you last checked News Feed that Facebook thinks you will find interesting.
How does something become a top story?
Facebook uses a fancy algorithm. Factors include your relationship to the person who posted the story, how many comments and “likes” it got, and what type of story it is. For example, a friend’s status update that might not normally be a top story may become a top story after many other friends comment on it.
How do you make your story a top story?
Encourage your Facebook friends to interact with your posts. Solicit feedback. Simply ask your followers to ‘like’ your status, comment on your picture or write on your wall. Ask them a question and ask them to respond. It’s now more important than ever to have people interact with your Facebook wall. You want to aim to be in the Top Stories section.
The Subscribe Button
This new feature allows you to set how much you want to hear from any person – including people you are not personal Facebook friends with. This will keep out that white noise that clutters your News Feed and allow you to only see what is interesting to you.
How do I use the subscribe button?
See the “subscribed” button on the upper right hand side of a friend’s profile screen. You can choose how much, and what you see from them. I think this is a brilliant feature. Thank you Facebook.
Keep in mind, by default, all of your Facebook Friends have been set to “Most Updates”. So if you don’t want to hear about your mother-in-law’s nail appointment, you don’t have to. However, if you do want to know every Facebook status update of one of your potential clients, click “All Updates” on his/her Facebook page (By the way: paying close attention to what potential clients have to say via social media make great conversation starters when pitching business.)
If you want to follow the Facebook feed of someone you are not friends with, you can search for the name in the search box. If that person allows subscribers, you can opt to subscribe to his or her News Feed without having to be approved.
What does this mean for my business?
If your personal page is your business page, change your privacy settings to “public” to anyone can subscribe to your posts. Remember, you need to post content that is relevant and engages your readers. Keep in mind the subscribe button does not apply to Facebook Fan pages, only to personal pages.
Note: If your personal Facebook page is the same as your business page, please use extra caution about what you post. Stay tuned for a blog on the risks and benefits of having a personal Facebook page represent your business.
 The new Facebook redesign includes new features for your business' fan page.
Facebook Fan Page Enhancements
You’ve probably noticed that you can now access your Facebook Fan Page for your business page on the left side of your screen. That deserves a big “woohoo!” in my book. If you manage multiple pages (like myself) this makes life a lot easier.
As your page admin, you can now post “Status updates” for your Facebook Fan Page! I, for one, was very happy to see this new feature. These status updates will soon appear in the News Feeds of your Facebook Fans. (Facebook is very vague about when this will actually happen, but start get in the habit of posting status updates for your profile page now).
Also, the Facebook Fan Page now enjoys the same multi-rich functionality as the your personal wall. The Facebook Fan Page wall is the central location for recent information posted by you and about your Interior Design firm. It’s where you keep your up-to-date content the place where Facebook Fan Page Fans can contribute.
Additionally, as a Page admin, when you share content (videos, photos, notes, etc.) on one of your tabs other than the Wall, you’ll have the choice of whether or not to publish to your stream. If you do choose to publish the post, it will go into your Page’s Wall. Soon, these posts can appear in your Fans’ News Feeds alongside stories from their friends.
These are just a few of the many changes in the new Facebook. I invite you to share any new tips/tricks you’ve discovered in the new Facebook redesign. If you are still having problems navigating the new interface, give me a call at 503-208-5757 or email me at askmmg@molloymanagment.com.
Expect Great Things!
Sarah Hammer
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