I can’t be the only one who’s tired of the free guides offering to teach you how to “hit 10k followers on Instagram,” “go viral on TikTok,” or “rank #1 on Google.” Not only do they rarely deliver on their promises, but hitting that vanity metric may not actually be the thing your business needs. AND the effort you’re pouring into their slightly questionable strategies could be put to better use elsewhere.
Marketing is tricky, because you probably want it all. You want the good content, you want the engagement, you want the visibility and growth, but ultimately? You want the interior design clients.
So while shiny metrics like views and followers might seem like the means to that end, a viral video doesn’t always mean you’re signing $1 million dollar remodels from your Instagram. A lot of pieces have to fall into place for your marketing to bring you the clients you want. So, how do you do that?
You need a method for setting realistic marketing goal that align with your interior design business (not one that sets you up to chase vanity metrics).
How to Set Realistic Marketing Goals for Your Interior Design Business
Your marketing goals need to align with what you want and need in your business, as well as what’s feasible with your lifestyle (assuming you’re not outsourcing everything, in which case you might not have the same considerations and limitations!)
Here are a few of the main things to consider when setting your marketing goals as an interior designer :
#1. Be Honest About Your Capacity
You have to acknowledge your realistic capacity (no “working every spare minute” goals here and bending the laws of the space time continuum as I’m known to think I can do) For example, if you’re going into summer and know you’re on vacation 7 out of 8 weeks, you don’t want to set a growth goal that would require showing up on Instagram daily.
Alternatively, if you’re in a season of growth and want to dedicate more time to your marketing, you might choose to go after that loftier goal knowing you can keep up with what it will demand.
*Even the best intentions can still lead to burnout. Don’t overexert yourself to accomplish unrealistic goals.
#2. Boundaries & Accountability
Two sides of the same coin. When setting your marketing goals, you need to define boundaries around those goals – otherwise you’ll end up breaking promises to yourself (and others) or burning out because you’re committing more time than you have.
On the other hand, you also need to stay accountable – and be honest if you alone can keep yourself on track. Do you have systems that will help you be accountable? Or do you need someone to be there to guide you?
When you know exactly what marketing you “need” to do – and it aligns with your capacity and skills without cutting into your rest and “life” time – you won’t feel like you’re constantly playing catch up.
#3. Know What You Can Do Alone—And What You Need Help With
Whether it’s someone to help you stay accountable for your goals or DM’ing your best friend to get their thoughts on your latest reel, part of setting realistic marketing goals is knowing what you can do alone and recognizing what you need help with.
Marketing is a section of your business that can be outsourced, but you might not need or want a social media manager at this point in your business. Through done-with-you help and DIY resources, you can find support that works with your needs and your budget.
Need support or strategy for your interior design business, but aren’t quite ready to hand it off completely? Join SMM on Speed Dial, my community for interior designers who are ready to set and achieve their goals on social media.
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