It’s the start of a brand new year, a new decade in fact. Whilst you create your business plan and focus on your strategy for success in 2020 marketing will play an important part. Get off to the right start by making sure you make the most of these 5 essential marketing ideas to grow your home staging business this year.

1. Invest in great photography

People often ask me what’s most important in marketing an interior design business? They’ll often expect me to share a social media hack or an advertising strategy. All of these play their part. However first and foremost I usually advise the best thing you can do for your marketing in 2020 is to invest in great photography.

As home staging and interior design are visual industries great photography is the cornerstone of any marketing activity. Your images will form the basis of nearly all the marketing you do. Your pictures become your social proof as you use them on websites and social media alongside your customer testimonials. They also make great content to use in blogs to showcase your work. As well as all this your branding on brochures and flyers will all rely on you sharing perfect pictures.

Always use a professional photographer to get the best out of any project. Make sure your photographs are well lit and show as much of the whole room as possible. Artistic close ups of beautiful fabrics and details are pretty and great for branding. However it is essential to make sure you have plenty of wide angle shots which will work in different social media formats. e.g. square for instagram, tall for pinterest etc.

Tip: In Pinterest, Instagram and Houzz interiors pictures which are wide angle, showing the whole room and well lit perform much better for engagement such as likes, saves and repins.

2. Start a blog

If you don’t already have a blog then 2020 is the year you should get serious about starting one! There’s so many great reasons to start a blog. It’s a great way to showcase your talents, recent projects and talk about the latest design trends. It’s great for your SEO, filling your website with fresh content and giving others a reason to link back and visit your site on a regular basis. Regular blog posts build a great content base for your email and social media posts too.

Tip: If you’re stuck on what to write take a look at this post with 35 blog ideas for interior designers to get you started.

3. Make an impact on Social Media

Start a plan to ensure 2020 is the year that you make an impact on social media. This means using social media with intent. Not just posting a picture and hoping for the best but defining a strategy that works. Firstly create a well branded presence across the social media networks that matter – Instagram, Houzz, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Twitter. Share content that either informs or inspires. Be consistent with your posting – at least 3-5 times a week to make an impact on the algorithm. Finally get social. If you want to build a presence that builds a community around your brand you also need to engage with others. Comment on Instagram posts you admire. Share Facebook posts that have value. Offer advice in the Houzz forums as well as retweet and repin.

Tip: If you’re wondering where to prioritise your efforts, this blog on the best social media platforms for interior designers will help

4. Networking and Events

Networking is great for business. The Home Staging Association is a great way to connect with people across the UK and share industry knowledge. Meanwhile closer to home, take time to get out and about and meet people who can help you in your business. The most valuable local networking events are the ones where people speak your language. Whilst it’s great meeting other local business people at networking events such as your local chamber of commerce or women’s business group focusing your time on events where your key clients are found is a far more valuable way to spend your time. Property networking events where estate agents, investors, developers, landlords and Air BnB hosts meets should be in your diary this year.

Make sure you visit interior design shows and events too. A great way to discover new products, suppliers and see what the latest trends are. Keep your diary up to date by visiting the interior design events calendar on my website. It features key national events across the UK as well as some events across Europe and beyond such as Maison et Objet which are always good to know about so you can follow them on social media if you can’t be there in person.

5. Printed flyers and postcards

For many estate agents printed brochures still form a main part of their marketing materials. Once they have valued a home they often present their findings to the owner in a printed folder which contains information such as the potential value of the home, the value of recently sold homes in the area along with information on their services. Offering home staging services to customers demonstrates their desire to go the extra mile and achieve the highest price and quickest sale time for their customers. Providing a flyer or postcard to advertise your services which can easily slip into their marketing pack is simply another way to add value to their services as well as market your own.

So there you have it – 5 easy marketing ideas to grow your home staging business in 2020. Focus and direction are key to success so remember it’s never to early to start making your plans!

Fiona Mostyn is founder of My Deco Marketing which specialises in content marketing strategy and social media management and training focused to help interior design professionals and home decor brands to grow their business. Fiona has written many successful websites and blogs for designers and brands is also certified by Houzz as a marketing consultant. Visit mydecomarketing.com for more advice and tips on how to grow your interiors business.