FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE

INTERIOR DESIGNER’S GUIDE TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THE EPISODE:

PREPARING FOR YOUR HOLIDAY VACATION AS WELL AS YOUR COLLEAGUES 

THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY COMMUNICATION

TIPS FOR HOLIDAY GIFTING 

LOOKING BACK AT YOUR YEAR

YEAR-END MARKETING 

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I don’t know about any of you, but it’s only December 5th, and I already feel like I’m falling behind. So, if you’re feeling the same way, today’s episode is for you!

We are about to speed up even further as we hurl ourselves into the end of the year.

I want you all to take a minute and to really evaluate what needs to happen between now and the end of the year, and then honestly – move everything else into January.

If you are like me, you have a lengthy to-do list, whether that’s digital, on pads of paper, or both. And I find they actually overwhelm me instead of inspiring me.

So, let’s start this month fresh, dial down the overwhelm, and focus on what truly matters right now. 

Firstly, what are you doing during the holiday season?

That may not be what you were expecting, but really, this is about you. You are a business owner – you get to call the shots. Isn’t that great? Isn’t that one of the reasons you went out on your own or started on your own?

I know that was one of the inspirations for me, and I didn’t give myself credit for being the CEO for years. In fact, I almost viewed my clients as my bosses, and that was a big mistake on my end and one trap I don’t want you to fall into as well.

You are the boss. You get to take vacations. You get to communicate with your clients and team what will be happening for the rest of the month. So take this as your permission slip to sit with your calendar and really plot out what would be best for you.

One practice that I want you to get in the habit of and start doing this week is to communicate with everyone what your plan will be. And yes, with some clients, you will have to be firm. But just remember, if you give in, it’s a slippery slope towards it happening again and again and again.

So, what I want for each of you is to take control. Be in charge of the projects and tell them what you would like to do around your holidays, whether that is through a construction project or a decorating project.

It’s also the time of the year when we talk about holiday gifting.

I give different gifts to different people. In today’s episode, I share a few of my stories on gifting plants, buying a bottle of wine for a wine connoisseur, and bringing in donuts, coffee, and hot chocolate for the team I was working with. That’s the kind of goodwill that I enjoy being a part of, and frankly, it’s easy and does not break the bank in order to show your appreciation to your colleagues. 

It’s also time for contractors to take vacations, so reach out and find out what they’re taking. It may not occur for them to tell you because they don’t work for you; they work with you.

This is the end of the year, making it a great time to look backward.

• What went right? 

• What went wrong? 

• What do you not want to do going forward?

• What do you want to do more of?

Lately, I’ve had discussions with the designers about goal setting and year-end reviews. I’ll admit, I don’t do either of those in a formal fashion. But I do look back, I do make notes, and I do make goals. The good news is the trend reports I’m seeing of year-end, how the construction world does. Yes, it did slow, but it slowed to where it was pre-covid and what I would call a normal pace. That doesn’t mean we aren’t still busy, but not as pulling their hair out stressed. 

So if you have clients tip-toeing around a project, or, “Hey, I’m thinking maybe next spring….” Start talking about it with your contractors now. 

The 2024 predictions are also looking good. Maybe moving down a couple of percentage points, but nothing earth-shattering that would change the trajectory of the construction business for us. That’s amazing news!

Because of the interest rates, clients aren’t moving. They’re staying put and investing in their homes, renovating spaces, thinking they’re going to stay in their houses another 5 or 6 years. That’s great news for all of us managing construction projects.

And then lastly, the ever-present topic of marketing.

Now is a good time to reach out to industry partners that you know. It doesn’t have to be someone you know well, just that they know who you are. Send a holiday note. Just staying relevant, staying in their inbox, keeps you relevant to them and more likely to think of you for their next project.

I also find that realtors are slower this time of year because homeowners are busy with their own holiday plans rather than looking at new houses. Ask them what trends they are seeing, and let them know you’d like to stay in touch for the next year. 

As far as cold calling, now is not the time to introduce yourself to someone new. I would put that on the to-do list for January. But now is a great time, when you have some downtime, to start doing the research you need to make a relevant cold outreach. 

I really want to encourage you one more time to take the vacations you want to take.

Take the time off.

Check your calendars.

Check with the surrounding schedules how it will impact it, shuffle it accordingly, and then communicate it to everyone.