Find the right leads and convert them into clients with these easy tips for helping your firm stand out from the rest
Finding potential clients and persuading them to use your firm for their home-renovation project requires some key strategies. We asked four UK-based professionals on Houzz to tell us what they do to help their firms stand out from competitors in order to convert leads and encourage referrals.
Show off your brand

The way you present your firm will pay dividends in helping you stand out to clients. There are a few key ways you can do this.

“An element that made a difference for us was investing in photography,” says Gemma Hill of Bayswater Interiors. “As they say, a picture paints a thousand words. We’ve also been lucky enough to be featured in the press.”

Invest time in updating your online profiles and social media platforms with strong professional photography that shows off your best work. Good lifestyle images will increase your potential for being featured in editorial articles in the press and in the Houzz magazine, too.

It’s also important to give a professional appearance with your correspondence. Sending clear proposals and invoices with your brand logo at the top will communicate to clients that you’re organised and professional. One way to do this is to use templates on Houzz Pro to quickly put together clear and well-presented documents that you can swiftly send to clients.

Spend time listening

Clients will appreciate a professional who takes the time to tune into their requests. If a homeowner feels as if someone’s paying attention to what they’re looking for in a project, it could make all the difference to who they choose to hire.

“It’s fundamental to get to know clients and ascertain what it is they really need. I have to be approachable and gain my clients’ trust in order to deliver the best outcome for them,” says interior designer Lisa Lewis. “So I’d say a personal approach and really listening has given me a reputation that hopefully leads to great referrals and repeat work.”

Pause before you push

It might seem counterproductive, but it doesn’t pay to go after every single lead. You could potentially stand out more to clients by holding back a little, say the professionals we interviewed.

“When I first engage with a potential new client, of course I want it to work, but I never pitch for the project,” says interior designer Roby Baldan. “I always stay true to myself and take them through my offerings, capabilities and limitations. Open communication demonstrates professionalism and a willingness to engage.”

“I believe all good designers can produce good work for a client, but the designer who connects best with that client is going to produce the best design and have an experience that’s much more enjoyable. So I always encourage clients who are talking to a few designers to go with their heart in choosing,” says Mia Spencer of House by Mia.

“Sometimes, that’s going with us; sometimes, it’s someone else, which is the right decision for that client,” she says. “Our clients know they can trust that we always have their best interests at heart.”

Give an end-to-end experience

If you can ensure the process of renovating is a positive one, clients will remember you and recommend your firm to others. That doesn’t mean it has to be challenge-free; the key is to ensure the client finishes the project feeling satisfied with your service.

“We are very invested in not only creating a beautiful home for our clients, but ensuring the process is enjoyable and stress-free for them, too,” says Hill.

Baldan emphasises the importance of using good communication skills and a willingness to truly engage consistently throughout the project. “A beautiful result is a given, but a positive and personable experience to get to the finish line is what will be remembered and mentioned,” she says.