5 Strategies to Find Your Ideal Client as an Interior Design VA
The new year always means a new list of goals. Whether you’ve put them on paper or simply know what direction you want your business to head in, there’s bound to be a few new heights you want to reach in 2024. And, if we’re honest, I know most of the time “find new clients” is on that list. It’s been on my list, I’ve seen it on my clients’ lists, and I have a feeling it might be on yours. However, finding new interior design clients doesn’t do you much good if they aren’t your ideal client.
If we’re being even more honest, figuring out what your ideal client looks like should come well before “find new clients.” It’s that important. The problem is, it can be difficult to figure out who exactly your ideal client is, let alone where to find them. So what better way to set yourself up for a successful business year, than to start with niching your target client down into the right client for you and your business? Here are my five strategies to find your ideal client.
Find Your Client Niche
In the beginning of your business journey, it’s completely possible that you will accept almost any client just to get the work experience. However, eventually, for your own sanity and the financial well-being and growth of your business, you will have to niche. There’s that word again: niche. We’ve talked about niching your business before, and our best advice was to:
“Remember, you’re not becoming an interior designer, you’re training to help interior designers with their business, so it’s critical that you know what goes into the business side of interior design.”
And I think that’s important to keep in mind here, too. You are not an interior designer (necessarily—maybe you made the switch, maybe you’ve only ever been a VA). Because you’re not the interior designer, but rather the assistant to the interior designer, it’s important to have a good grasp on the industry—and a better grasp on your own skill set. So while you niche your business, think about the type of person who could benefit from your specific services. Create an ideal client profile by considering what that client’s skills are, and which of your skills can complement them.
What does an interior designer’s day typically look like?
What interior design software or customer relationship management software will they be using?
What sort of client do they serve?
What is your ideal client’s budget?
What are your ideal client’s values, business or otherwise?
Is there a specific service I offer that would serve only a specific type of designer?
An online business manager (OBM) can help you ask and answer these questions. However, you will need to come to the table with an image in your head (and preferably on paper, too) of the type of client you’d click well with. At the very least, have an idea of what their work and communication styles are, and how they fit into your business vision.
5 Strategies to Find Your Ideal Client
“Zeroing in on your target audience and creating content specifically for them will NOT make you lose clients. In fact, and in my personal experience, deciding on who I want to work with and who I am a good fit for has only increased my revenue.” - Kelly, wittandcompany.com
I think one of the best places to start (and HoneyBook agrees) is to determine who you don’t want to work with. What personality type do you just not get along with? What communication style do you need to apply in order to work efficiently?
If the client doesn’t align on these things, then they are not your ideal client. There are a variety of conditions you can create here, but don’t limit yourself too much. Focus on the aspects of a client that would make working with them nearly impossible.
Pain points. This is another term thrown around a lot in the virtual assistant world. But a client’s pain points are an important aspect of ideal client realization. Depending on the services you offer, your ideal client will have different pain points.
For example, let’s say you offer extensive accounting services. That means one aspect of your ideal client is that their pain point is invoicing, bookkeeping, taxes, and payroll. If you can narrow down your target audience to the people who really need your specific skills, then it will be a lot easier to show them your value and create a happy client that spreads the word!
Scour job pages. Scouring job pages might be a little time consuming, but potentially incredibly helpful. Most VAs know the VA job boards with a lot of activity. Head over to those, scour the #jobopp posts and see what people are looking for.
How do they approach the VA search? What are they asking for? How many hours do they offer? What sort of application did they post? What seems to be their biggest frustration, and who do they seem to be targeting?
It’s pretty easy to weed out the people you wouldn’t want to work with simply based on their interactions on job boards, their profiles, and their company/brand. Make a list of the things you did and didn’t like.
Establish your own brand. Knowing who you are can make it easy to know who they are. Your branding determines the type of business you are, who you want to attract, and why you are in the business to begin with.
People will be attracted to businesses that seem to be like-minded. Your brand has a personality that your ideal client should identify with. Once you’ve established a strong brand for yourself, then you will easily find others with similar interests, personalities, values, and style.
“You attract what you put out. Be mindful.” – Alexandra Elle
Referrals. Word of mouth is strong in the interior design business world. If you’ve made one person’s life easier then you’ve become a valuable (and desirable) asset to anyone looking to offload tasks and streamline. Make sure you get testimonials from your current clients; the power of a good review is unmatchable.
Offer peers a perk for recommending you to colleagues and networks. A coupon code or kickback can go a long way to bringing more clients! Don’t sleep on networking groups, even if you’re 100% virtual, there are great opportunities to meet potential clients at local meet ups and virtual forums.
Finding Ideal Clients Resources
Your Ideal Client And What To Do With That Information (Podcast)
Ideal Client Worksheet (Free Download - sign up with email)
Ideal Client Worksheet #2 (Free Download - sign up with email)
Me! As an OBM I am a great resource for niching your client base down to find that perfect client for you!
