A designer recently told me that she wasn’t interested in more business; that she had enough business and that she didn’t need to build a list to market to her ideal client. She knew where her ideal client was. They weren’t on Instagram (even though she didn’t use it so she didn’t know). But they were on Facebook (which she rarely if ever posted to, so my guess is they weren’t there anymore) and Pinterest (which she never posted to). She didn’t need to be published, to have Editors find her. She knew what her brand was (even if nobody else does).

I didn’t waste my time arguing. Some designers are determined to get in their own way. But here’s what I’d like to remind you.

As I’ve written before, your newsletter is the foundation of your business loyalty program. It’s a permission-based and personal way to keep in touch with clients who aren’t active but that you enjoyed working with. It allows you to stay in conversation with them, on their schedule, and it’s also a referral engine. Your consistent communication builds trust and gives your fans an easy way to share information about you and your process with others.

Not to mention the fact that if you have products to sell, or have a brick and mortar retail store or online store, it is an essential component of your sales strategy.

Marketing Interior Design in the 21st Century

Any professional human being in the 21st century must check email. Personally, I’m very likely to open email from someone I like, in other words you, or my favorite retailer, especially if I know that your emails are worth reading.

I may not have a lot of time to spend hours on social. Even if I’m constantly checking my phone, even if I pin for fun, unlike a stream of social posts, your email doesn’t go away. It allows you to make unlimited contact with your ideal clients when they’re ready to buy—because they’re reading now—one of the most important rules of sales.

As for social media, I hope you’ve figured out that it isn’t going away? Consistency is important. If your online social profiles are like visiting a ghost town, what message does that communicate about the way you do (and care for) your business?

Instagram absolutely dominates when it comes to interactions per 1,000 followers and will outpace Pinterest as the number one source for online shopping. If you don’t think that millionaires (and billionaires) have time to online shop, think again.

Finally, you know I enjoy the realm of the “Vision” but let’s get practical for a moment. We have been enjoying economic growth since the market collapse of 2008. Some market analysts say we’re in the middle of a boom and you know what follows one of those?

Building a newsletter list and a global online following allows you to extend your reach. What have you been doing to cultivate business in markets outside of your own? To make sure that you’re building a diversified pipeline? To make sure that you are taking care of your business in the way that only you can?