Interior decorating can be quite a competitive market. However, it doesn’t need to be. Ultimately, the biggest obstacle that many decorators will have is not competition from other companies, but instead the fact that many individuals will choose to decorate homes themselves.
With so many home makeover shows warning of the negative traits of many decorating firms, it is easy for people to feel that they are better off doing it themselves. Therefore, when setting up any decorating company, the first thing you need to do is to battle this perception.
First off, make sure you have the right tools for the job. There is a big difference between cheap paint brushes and good quality decorating supplies and as such it is important that you have tools that will allow you to carry out your work as effectively as possible.
Once you have the right paint brushes and supplies, do some decorating for free or knock down prices – decorate your own home and the homes of friends or acquaintances. By doing this you will be able to show a wide array of work on your website and have glowing references to boot.
Next, try to make yourself known to suppliers and interior design companies in the area. Personal recommendation is extremely important in this type of business and the more people who know about you, the more likely you are to be recommended.
When trying to overcome any negative perceptions, offering customers a small amount of work for free could go a long way. If you agree to undertake a small proportion of a job on a no-fee basis they can see exactly what you can do. In turn, they are likely to trust you to carry out the larger job at hand.
The right approach and the right decorating supplies are really all it takes to set up what could be a very successful small business.