Thrive In Design

S3, E11: Revamping Your Customer Experience with A.C.E The Journey [PART TWO]

In part one of Revamping Your Customer Experience with A.C.E The Journey, we talked about two different scenarios of real-life interior product companies. We walked through a little bit of their customer journey, some things they were struggling with, and how those struggles can tie into the A.C.E The Journey, our proprietary method at Thrive In Design.

 

In this second and last part, we will go over two more scenarios. As a reminder, these are real companies that Nicole has encountered over her career in the interior design industry. If the scenarios resonate with you, let’s start the conversation on how your interior product company can begin to revamp the customer journey and experience. 

 

Ready to jump in?

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro and overview 

[01:58] What we talked about in part one 

[03:14] Scenario One: Interior Product Company Orange

[04:44] A quick recap of what A.C.E The Journey is

[06:07] Company Orange A.C.E analysis and recommendations

[13:15] Scenario Two: Interior Product Company Apple

[15:56] Company Apple A.C.E analysis and recommendations 

[21:30] A quick recap and call to action

Notable Quotes: 

• A lot of interior product companies crumbled when the pandemic hit because they could not effectively pivot from in-person interactions to online.
• Sales reps must know that Millenials and Gen Z prefer virtual interactions over in-person ones. Let’s bridge generational gaps. 
• 78% of social sellers sell more than reps who don’t leverage social selling. 

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

 

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here: https://training.thriveindesign.co/

Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.

S3, E10: Revamping Your Customer Experience with A.C.E The Journey [PART ONE]

It’s no secret that at Thrive In Design, we believe that the key to increasing brand awareness and revenue for your interior product company is tied to your customer experience. That’s why we rely heavily on A.C.E. The Journey, our proprietary method, which allows us to do a deep dive into understanding how a designer learns about your products, how they specify them, and, finally, how the materials are procured.

 

It’s one thing to talk about A.C.E. The Journey in theory. It’s another thing to hear how this method applies to REAL interior product companies. In this episode, Nicole introduces two interior product companies and identifies what parts of their customer experience could use some TLC. Let’s find out what they are doing well and where they can improve. Hopefully, this will spark some interesting conversations and force you to take a paradigm shift in how you run your interior product business. 

 

Ready to jump in?

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro and overview 

[02:25] The key to increasing your brand awareness

[02:38] What is A.C.E The Journey?

[04:50] Interior Product Company scenario A and their A.C.E analysis

[08:33] Strategic recommendations for scenario A 

[12:57] Interior Product Company scenario B and their A.C.E analysis

[14:18] Strategic recommendations for scenario B

[19:21] A quick recap

[21:22] Call to action

Notable Quotes: 

• It all comes down to mastering the customer journey to increase your brand awareness and revenue.
• With effective brand awareness, you can succeed in your business.
• Doing the same processes in your business will only give you the same results. 

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

 

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here: https://training.thriveindesign.co/

 

Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.

 

S3, E9: How To Work With Thrive In Design + Nicole Lashae Ben

Nicole started Thrive In Design to help interior product companies take a deep dive into their customer’s journey and reimagine an experience that doesn't solely depend on in-person interactions. For the last 10 years, she has helped interior product companies, including Koroseal, Lamin-Art, and USAI Lighting, collectively gain millions of dollars in sales.

 

Nicole started as an Architectural Sales Representative in the New York City design market. When tasked with a sales goal each year, she always started positioning products the traditional way... making contact with design firms, presenting products, landing a spec, and following the spec until the sale was processed. 

 

Join this conversation and learn more about her journey, how she has progressed and how she can take your interior product company to the next level. Get reintroduced to A.C.E The Journey, her proprietary research method, and the four ways you can work with Thrive In Design.

 

Ready to jump in?

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro and what’s in for you today

[01:15] Something disturbing that has happened in Nicole’s company

[04:27] The mission of Thrive In Design

[06:15] Our clientele

[08:21] How Thrive In Design can best serve you

[08:45] A.C.E The Journey - Our Proprietary Method 

[10:17] Our four core service offerings

[10:35] Customer journey audit and strategic planning

[13:27] Leveraging social selling in interior design

[17:50] Speaking engagement opportunities 

[19:01] Quick recap 

Notable Quotes: 

• Obstacles have hidden opportunities.
• Understand your customer’s pain points and devise ways to address them. 

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

 

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here: https://training.thriveindesign.co/

 

Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.

S3, E8: #DESIGNCHAT: Create Your Own Lane in Interior Design with Tamara Archer

We are ending Black History Month with a special conversation as Nicole Lashae Ben, CEO of Thrive In Design, and Tamara Archer, a returning guest, share their experiences navigating the interior design industry as black women. Since 2020, there has been a rise in conversation and increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The interior design industry has only scratched the surface on these efforts.

 

Nicole and Tamara, both graduated from interior design school with honors and one of the world’s top art and design schools for graduate school, but each faced discrimination and had potential employers question their abilities. Listen in to learn how they navigated these challenges, finally got a chance to thrive, and how they’ve each created their own lanes in an industry where it’s rare to see someone that looks like them. The duo also shares how they hope to see leaders in the industry take strides forward this year and in years to come. 

 

Tamara Archer is the Founder and CEO of T.Archer Design, a boutique interior design firm specializing in hospitality and residential. Raised in Brooklyn, NY, with Trinidadian roots, her design aesthetic is inspired by different cultures, world travel, architecture, and nature. Tamara’s approach to creating beautiful, timeless interiors involves an exotic flair with an urban edge. She enjoys helping her clients improve the energy in their homes and businesses to find balance with designs that inspire, relax, and rejuvenate. Tamara has a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design and a Master’s degree in Design Management.

 

Ready to jump in?

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro and a quick bio of the guest; Tamara Archer

[01:53] What has recently been inspiring Tamara in interior design

[03:15] Tamara’s transition from residential design to hospitality 

[05:24] Her journey in hospitality design

[07:13] What comes to Tamara’s mind when she hears DEI in interior design

[08:30] Tamara’s experiences of exclusion as a black woman in this industry

[10:19] How creating her own space gave her room for inclusion

[11:39] What do stakeholders in the interior design space need to do for the DEI initiative

[14:58] Impact of remote working on Tamara’s work

[15:48] How hybrid work and digital experience will shape the future of interior design

[16:51] Adaptations Tamara does in the interior design projects for DEI and hybrid work

[18:11] Episode’s golden nuggets from the guest

[19:08] New and exciting things that Tamara is working on in her company and the best ways to connect

[19:35] Episode wrap-up and calls to action

Notable Quotes: 

• Hospitality design is much broader than just hotels and resorts.
• If the opportunities are not available for you, create one for yourself. 
• Remote working helps designers find jobs in diversified places and industries without relocating.
• The secrets to thriving in interior design environments with discrimination are believing in yourself and not giving up.
• Keep looking for resources to learn and evolve as a designer. Eventually, people will see and recognize you from your work.

Stay Connected

Tamara Archer

Website: https://www.tarcherdesign.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t.archerdesign/

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

 

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here: https://training.thriveindesign.co/

 

Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.

S3, E7: Integrating Digital Experiences with Designers (And it’s not Zoom)

If you haven’t listened to the last few episodes, we’ve been talking about all things social selling and how you can leverage it as an interior product company. We also discussed specific social selling campaigns that led to a few successes. Today’s episode is about digital experiences and the touch points to focus on to keep designers engaged on their journey with your brand. We discuss everything from coming to the trade show booth, touching the fabric, leaving with the fabric, and going on their merry way. 

One of the major concerns regarding social selling is designers rejecting digital experiences or their initial thoughts of digital experiences: ZOOM MEETINGS. So, if designers are “zoomed out,” is there any other strategy that you can use? Recently, Nicole, CEO of Thrive In Design, talked with a few designers who had these sentiments and came up with strategies to help you with social selling, digital-physical experiences, and engaging people in a unique and innovative way. 

Join this conversation with your host, Nicole, as she shares three things you should focus on to integrate digital experiences with your designers to level up your social selling, social engagements, and customer journey in a 360 perspective. Learn how to leverage the tools out there and those yet to exist to stand out and engage designers before they come to your trading show booth, while they are there, and even after.

 

Ready to jump in?

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro and what’s in for you today

[01:15] Social selling and a recap of what we discussed in episodes 5&6 

[01:50] The Ultimate Guide to A&D sales, 90 days planner 

[04:12] 3 things to focus on to integrate digital experiences with designers 

[05:21] Messaging

[10:39] Digital tools 

[17:16] Reimagining in-real-life experiences 

[21:30] Quick recap 

[22:29] Episode wrap-up and calls to action

Notable Quotes: 

• “Messaging provides the words that help customers and prospects understand a firm's value (why it's useful) and values (what it believes in).” LEE FREDERIKSEN, PH.D. (blog: Hinge Marketing)
• Get clear on your messaging and how you are delivering it through different touch points with designers. 
• Whether you're doing social selling or any other sales strategies, if the messaging is not clear, it will not be effective. 
• Go against the grain and just do something different: Think outside the box, test out a new idea, see how it aligns with designers, then tweak and go from there. 
• In real life experiences are here to stay, but it is time to shake things a bit; it is time to innovate in a way that stands out.

Resources Mentioned:

1. Hootsuite: https://www.hootsuite.com/
2. Social Selling Mastery: Scaling Up Your Sales and Marketing Machine for the Digital Buyer by Jamie Shanks: https://amzn.to/3Ho6pAQ

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

 

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here: https://training.thriveindesign.co/

 

 Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.

S3, E6: How To Run a Successful Social Selling Campaign on Instagram

As we discussed in the last episode, social selling is an invaluable tool for A&D sales reps looking to increase their reach and engagement on social media. By leveraging the power of various social platforms, such as Instagram and LinkedIn, you can create a coordinated campaign to deepen relationships with designers, land more specifications, and, ultimately, increase your sales. 

But, how can an interior product company really leverage social selling? Is it a waste of time? Or can it truly lead to increased brand awareness and revenue? With any new sales strategy, it’s important to do your research, test the concept, and track the data to understand next steps. Recently, Nicole, CEO of Thrive In Design, has been doing some testing of her own in hopes to drive sales at a major quartz manufacturer.

Join this conversation with your host, Nicole, as she breaks down an example of a 12 days of Christmas social selling campaign. She shares how she was able to set her objectives, get people to follow her, engage with them, deliver value and finally end with an ask, which led to greater engagement, long-lasting relationships, and a six-figure sale.

 

Ready to jump in?

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro and what’s in for you today

[01:12] How to select the best social media platform to focus on 

[03:23] Recap: Social selling steps from the last episode

[04:26] How Nicole did a successful 12 days social selling campaign 

[04:35] Step1: Set your objective 

[07:10] Step 2: Get people to follow you 

[09:30] Step 3: Engage with them 

[11:28] Step 4: Inform 

[13:01] Step 5: Ask

[14:16] Nicole’s outcome from the social selling campaign 

[16:27] Quick recap 

[17:02] Episode wrap-up and calls to action

Notable Quotes: 

• Focus on the platform that is working best for you, where your clients are hanging out and spending most of their time.
• Be strategic with your social selling and aim for specific outcomes for the effort you are putting in.
• Social selling campaigns help you engage with people, build lasting relationships and spark sales.
• Social selling campaigns work, and the sky is the limit.  

 

Resources Mentioned:

1. Hootsuite: https://www.hootsuite.com/
2. Social Selling Mastery: Scaling Up Your Sales and Marketing Machine for the Digital Buyer by Jamie Shanks: https://amzn.to/3Ho6pAQ

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

 

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here: https://training.thriveindesign.co/

 

 Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.

S3, E5: Implementing Social Selling into Your Sales Strategy

Social selling is becoming an essential tool for sales and marketing professionals in the product industry. By understanding the fundamentals of social selling, sales professionals have access to a powerful resource that can help them reach potential customers on multiple platforms and nurture long-term customer loyalty.

 

Social selling is using a brand’s social media channel(s) to connect with prospects, develop and build connections, and build a pipeline of leads. This tactic can help businesses reach their sales targets. However, social selling is different from social media marketing and social media advertising. Social media marketing is the use of social media to sell or promote a brand, service or product. Social media advertising, on the other hand, is paid digital advertising.

 

Join this conversation with Nicole as we talk about how interior design product companies can start or continue to embrace the new normal through social selling. We will talk about what it is, why it is beneficial, and a few practical steps you can start to implement social selling into your sales strategy.

 

Ready to jump in?

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro and what’s in for you today

[01:38] A testimonial of The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales

[04:13] Objections to social selling by interior design sales rep

[05:00] What social selling is not

[05:44] What is social selling?

[06:34] What qualifies as social media

[08:21] How to use social media for social selling

[10:48] Outdated sales tactics

[11:18] Traditional selling vs social selling

[13:11] Why is social selling important in 2023?

[15:30] Social selling is an art that can be learned

[18:41] The five, key steps of social selling

[21:04] Episode wrap-up and calls to action

Notable Quotes: 

• Social selling is not social media marketing or social media advertising.
• Any online platform you can use to get social with others qualifies as a social media platform. 
• Social selling uses social media and other tech tools to reach prospects and clients.
• “Today’s buyers engage social professionals much later in the buying process. But 74% of deals go to the sales professional who was first to engage the buyer and provide helpful insights.” Jamie Shanks
• You can create much value online, but no one is interested in you.

 

Resources Mentioned:

1. Hootsuite: https://www.hootsuite.com/
2. Social Selling Mastery: Scaling Up Your Sales and Marketing Machine for the Digital Buyer by Jamie Shanks: https://amzn.to/3J6Tncy

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

 

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here: https://training.thriveindesign.co/

 

Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.

S3, E4: #DESIGNCHAT: How to Approach Interior Design in the Multi-family Space with Genna Weiner

Understanding the design needs from a multifamily perspective is an important part of the design and construction process. It can help you determine the best way to position branding for certain demographics, identify the performance criteria for different building types and develop strategies for meeting future market demands.

Join this conversation with Genna Weiner, a Director of Interior Design and Founder of the Black and Gold New York clothing line, as we explore some common design mistakes and how to avoid them. Genna shares her multifamily design process and provides some insight into what multifamily developers are considering in the “new normal.” We also learn more about Genna’s entrepreneurial endeavors.

Let’s jump in!

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro and a quick bio of the guest; Genna Weiner

[02:13] What inspired Genna to pursue a career in architecture and interior design

[03:54] Genna’s favorite projects she has worked on and why

[05:44] Her design process in the multifamily space

[08:23] How Genna is informed about the demographics of the building

[10:01] When to start specifying interior products

[11:08] Genna’s secret of keeping track of every detail 

[13:27] Interior design trends and other contemporary issues that Genna has come across

[15:38] How Genna builds healthy networks with industry reps

[17:26] Genna’s other entrepreneurial endeavors and how they came about

[20:56] What she now offers through consulting

 

Notable Quotes 

• Whatever you are passionate about sticks with you. 
• There’s a piece of business for everyone to succeed. 
• What a design company will do when things go south is what matters, rather than what it will do when things are good.
• Networking is everything in interior design.

Connect with Genna Weiner

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genna-weiner-ncidq-iida-203380b0/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_gennaweiner/

Instagram 2: https://www.instagram.com/blackandgoldnewyork/

 

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

 

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here (link is: https://training.thriveindesign.co/)

 

 Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.

S3, E3: Digital-Physical Experiences: Embracing the New Normal in 2023

As we all know, times have changed since the Covid pandemic made itself known to the world. Since then, we have shifted into what we now call the “new normal,” which begets a change in the design and sales process.

 

It is okay to embrace that and figure out how we can continue on in our business and continue making an impact on the built environment. Previously, we talked about building a loyal client base from the perspective of an interior product company. The awesome feedback we received from that episode has led Nicole, CEO and Founder of Thrive In Design, to dig deeper into this topic. Building a loyal client base is different from how it used to be, decades ago. Now, we have to consider translating experiences to a digital first (but, not digital only) point of reference. 

 

Let’s dive in and learn how we can thrive in the new normal as we continue to morph in an ever changing interior design industry. 

 

Ready to jump in?!

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro

[00:50] Recap of the previous episode and what’s in store for you today

[03:26] The life of an interior designer before the pandemic

[08:21] How do we chart through 2023 as interior product companies?

[08:42] Data: Interior design industry trends 

[10:10] The new normal is inevitable and is here to stay

[12:21] Ways to integrate personal experiences both in-person and virtually

[17:30] A quick recap of what we have discussed

[18:30] Episode wrap-up and calls to action

Notable Quotes 

• Before the pandemic, an average A&D sales rep used to spend 80% of their time with designers face-to-face.
• Three out of four interior design firms consistently estimate that they will be somewhere on the remote work spectrum moving forward. 
• If you take your time to understand the customer journey before, during and after the pandemic, you can get insights on what to leverage and create an experience you (interior product companies and interior designers) both benefit from.

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

 

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here (link is: https://training.thriveindesign.co/

 Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.

S3, E2: How Interior Product Companies Can Build a Loyal Client Base

There are so many great ways to approach business development and sales as an interior product company. No matter the strategy, the foundation of it all should always be building a loyal client base. In this episode, Nicole shares three types of specifiers; once you understand that, you can create a strategy that converts them to your loyal clients.

 

The first category is your product advocates: the group of people that you have served well and have spec’d lots of your products. These enthusiasts become your product ambassadors, making your brand grow organically with a committed, loyal base. You can leverage these superfans to bring in 80% of your sales.

 

Join the conversation, learn more about the other categories, and learn which strategies help continuously grow your customer base. You will also learn practical ways to build your brand awareness, dominate a specification, and strategically stand out.

 

Let’s jump in!

 

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Episode intro

[00:35] Today’s focus: Building a loyal client base

[03:07] Vague advice Nicole has heard over the years

[06:33] A better way to approach business development and sales

[07:02] The 80/20 rule explained

[08:28] How to effectively apply the 80/20 rule in interior product sales

[09:46] Three categories of your designer clientele in building a loyal customer base 

[11:53] Leveraging your product advocates to bring in 80% of your sales 

[12:24] A quote from Pat Flynn

[13:06] Practical ways to start creating your superfans

[14:26] A quick recap of what we have discussed

[15:01] Episode wrap-up and calls to action

Notable Quotes 

• Scheduling the next appointment with a client before you leave is fantastic, but knowing the objective and strategy behind each appointment is more important.
• If you can focus on providing excellent products and experiences to your clients, you will create enthusiasts who will become your product ambassadors. Your brand will grow organically, and you will exceed your revenue goals. 
• Your product advocates category is the 20% that should bring 80% of your revenue.
• “People don't become superfans the moment they find you. They become superfans because of the magical moments you create for them over time.” - Pat Flynn.

Learn more about Thrive In Design: 

Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriveindesign/

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/thriveindesign/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign/

Register for the next Thrive In Design live training here (link is: https://training.thriveindesign.co/

Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales": https://www.thriveindesign.co/brand-reps.