To stand out from the crowd, it’s vital to demonstrate what makes your brand unique. But how do you persuade a client to choose you over someone else? Start by telling your story on your website and your Houzz profile. As well as your expertise, customers want to know whether your style of working will help them to accomplish their dream project. Here’s how to effectively use online storytelling to define your business.
1. Showcase your skills
Your website or Houzz profile is often the first port of call for a potential client. Use this platform to highlight areas you specialise in and to show your experience and craft.
Cabinet maker, Nick Geard opens his profile by outlining his training and professional qualifications. He goes on to stress the craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into his work.
Bespoke kitchen designers, H Miller Bros also include information about their skills on each project on their profile. Here, for example, they highlight the thought and work that went into designing the kitchen.
There are some great tools on Houzz Pro to help you market your business, including the Website Services feature. This nifty tool enables you to create a beautiful custom website that's suitable for both desktop and mobile and SEO optimised.
2. Highlight your passion
By telling your story you can show how passionate you are about your work. Homeowners want to know that you are just as enthusiastic about getting their dream space right as they are.
Scenario Architecture highlights its passion on its profile, writing, “Scenario Architecture is more than just a name for a practice. It is a unique and very personal way of designing and creating architecture, and we love what we do!” and following with, “We feel pride when clients tell us they finally feel at home, living in the space we designed for and with them.”
3. Reveal your personality
Embarking on a home project can be daunting, so clients want someone who will make the whole process easier. Use your website or Houzz profile to connect emotionally, letting them know how your business will work to realise their aspirations and make the process enjoyable.
This quote from Avocado Sweets Design Studio’s profile sums up the way the business keeps its clients’ emotional needs in mind: “The home we have now is everything we dreamed of. Everyday we wake up and feel happy to be living here,” our happy clients Charlie and Florene. This glowing testimonial is then followed by a friendly introduction: “Hello. We’re award-winning London designers and communicators on a mission to transform life with effortlessly enjoyable spaces and stories.”
Owl Design’s profile highlights both its work style and its client relationships, saying, “Humour is an important factor in our interiors, along with a bit of the unexpected. We deliver creative, yet accessible designs, by working collaboratively with each client so that every inch of a space is permeated with their personality.”
4. Put yourself in your client’s shoes
Show clients who discover you online that customer service is important. Make a point of highlighting how you consider your customers’ needs, and it will become part of your brand.
Home design specialist Architect Your Home conveys its customer service message succinctly, “Our initial collaborative design consultation actively encourages our customers to get involved with their project from the outset, ensuring that with our guidance and expertise they get a solution that is a perfect fit for them.”
