Page 20 – Claire Jefford

Build Your Brand on Instagram

Vanessa Francis Live Interview with Claire Jefford

Pretty & inspiring images of all things interior design are meant to live on Instagram.

For your Interior Design business, there is no better platform to showcase your portfolio.

But, Instagram can be a hard nut to crack.

How do you get followers? What exactly should you post and how often? Should you set up a business or personal account?

You have Instagram questions, Vanessa has the answers

Vanessa Francis is the principal and founder of Vanessa Francis Design based just outside of Toronto, Ontario. She is known for creating beautiful & functional spaces for her clients. Her aesthetic is clean, comfortable & effortless with just the right amount of colour resulting in spaces that are timeless, classic & stylish.

She writes the popular blog Décor Happy where she shares her advice and inspiration so that everyone can have a home that makes them happy! Vanessa has nearly 18k followers on Instagram (at the time of posting this in July 2017), check out her beautiful IG account here.

In this live video interview, the third in my Social by Design series, Vanessa openly shares her secrets to getting noticed on this popular platform for interior designers.

Afterwards, be sure to Download my FREE Top Tips of things I learned from Vanessa, after you see this fabulously informative interview.

Are you ready to take Instagram by storm? Let’s do this!

Vanessa Totally Inspired Me!

After my interview with Vanessa, I decided it was time for me to get more serious about my Instagram account. Here’s some statistics over a 10 day period, based on the posts I’ve implemented so far:

I have nearly 1000 professionally photographed spaces from my Interior Decorating business, so we are going through each project, thoughtfully considering how I want my feed to look.

Download FREE 16 Top Tips When you Subscribe to my email list here.

Share Your Instagram Link Below

Comment below with your Instagram account link & let me know what your experience with this platform has been so far.

Are you getting clients from IG? Have you hooked up with different interior design brands through Instagram? Do tell!

A big thank you to my terrific friend and highly talented designer, Vanessa!!

Vanessa and I at KBIS in Orlando January 2017

Must Have Tools For The Initial Consultation

You want to impress your clients.

You want them to know that choosing you as their interior design professional was the best decision they ever made.

You want them to feel confident that their investment in hiring your services is going to be the best money they ever spent.

Am I right? (If you don’t agree, then you are in the wrong place my friend!)

So how can you be sure that clients will fall in love with you at the initial consultation and increase the chances of them asking you to continue forward with them on their renovation or decorating project?

Knock their bloody socks off from the get-go!

One way to do this is to be super organised & always come over prepared to the initial consultation meeting. I like to make sure that I am fully armed and ready to give them as much value as I can.

Some interior design professionals worry that if they give away too much info, then clients won’t need to hire them past the initial consultation stage for future services.

I don’t believe that for one second. In fact, I believe the exact opposite to that way of thinking. I say don’t hold back and give ’em all ya got!

Isn’t that what you would want from a luxury service provider?

In this video, I share with you all my ‘Must have tools’ when I meet with clients for the first time. Being organised with your paperwork, samples, marketing materials and much more will ensure you are giving your clients the best value possible. And, you will be more likely to get repeat business, referrals and fabulous reviews. It’s a win-win for everybody!

Ready to do this? Click on the play button below and allow me to show you’What’s in my bag baby!’

Alright, over to you! Did I miss something? What do you take in your bag interior design consultation bag?

Secrets to Creating a Blog That Gets You Tons of Traffic

Laurel Bern Live Interview with Claire Jefford

Do you feel like no one is reading your blog?

You work so hard to put it all together, doing your research, gathering all your information and carefully choosing just the right images to convey your message to your audience…but is anyone reading? Does anyone care?

Don’t let all that hard effort go to waste, get the right advice. I’ve got that and so much more waiting for you here right now!

In this video, my guest is…THE Laurel Bern.

Laurel Bern is an award winning New York Interior Designer, blogger, brand ambassador and keynote speaker. However, after 21 years as the principle designer in her firm Laurel Bern Interiors, she has turned her focus to blogging as a full-time occupation.

Her award winning blog, Laurel Home has drawn a large following due to her candid style of writing, useful information and warm community of readers.

Laurel is incredible, she doesn’t hold back on sharing some hard truths about building a successful blog. No one said it was going to be easy, but then again, nothing worthwhile ever is.

Laurel loves to share her success story and she disclosed some juicy secrets to writing a kick ass blog and building a loyal following.

Afterwards, be sure to Download my FREE Top Tips sheet from this fabulous interview by clicking the button below the video.

FACT: Since March 2014, Laurels’ website has gone from 4,300 page views a month to well over half a million. Those numbers are freakin’ mind blowing!

Do you aspire to do the same? Then let’s do this!

Click here to get the

Top 14 Tips from my Interview with Laurel Bern

It’s FREE when you sign up for my emails.

What was your biggest ‘a-hah’ moment from Laurel?

Comment below and share what inspired you most.

To see what extremely helpful products Laurel has to offer, both her infamous Roledex & her Paint Palette and Home Furnishings collection – click here.

I had the pleasure of meeting Laurel at the KBIS show in Orlando earlier this year.

I’ve got a stellar line up of guests in my Social by Design series. Next up is my dear friend and fellow designer, Vanessa Francis and we are talking about How To Build Your Brand on Instagram. Oooh, it’s gonna be good!!

Did you miss my first interview with Savvy Sexy Socials’ Amy Schmittauer? Click here to find out trade secrets from the Vlog Boss herself, to learn about how to leverage video in your business.

To see my other fantastic guests that you won’t want to miss, click here.

Leveraging Video in your Interior Design Business

Amy Schmittauer Live Video Interview

Are you using video in your business?

If your answer is no, then you need to be.

If your answer is yes, then I’d like to know if you are leveraging it in the best way to reach your target audience and convert them into paying clients?

That’s the real key. Otherwise, let’s face it, you may be wasting a lot of time and energy with little ROI. (return on investment)

Welcome to Episode One of Six in my ‘Social by Design’ live interview series! I’m super glad you are here.

My goal is to always bring you a no-nonsense approach to building a successful interior design business. I’m so excited to kick this off by interviewing my very own business coach, Amy Schmittauer.

I will have a FREE tip sheet for you to download with the Top Tips that I learn from each of my guests. Click here to get your Top Tips for leveraging video in your design business now, when you sign up for my emails.

Let’s do this!

Amy Schmittauer is the Boss at Vlog Boss Studios. As a new media triple threat —YouTuber, keynote speaker and best selling author— she coaches people to go after what they want in life and leverage online video to make it happen.

Creator of the popular YouTube series Savvy Sexy Social, her channel boasts a global community and millions of views. Now, in her first best selling book Vlog Like a Boss: How to Kill It Online with Video Blogging, she shares her collection of strategies and tactics to help you create video that gets the attention you deserve.

Watch the live video interview replay and get a pen & paper…you’re gonna want to take notes.

Comment below to share your biggest takeaway from Amy – I dare you to be able to choose just one!

Get the FREE Download!

Top 14 Tips from my Interview with Amy Schmittauer

To follow Amy on her Youtube channel, click here.

I’ve got a stellar line up of guests in my Social by Design series. Next up is Laurel Bern…yes, the Laurel Bern. And to see my other fantastic guests that you won’t want to miss, click here.

Are you in my fabulous facebook group Interior Design Business Strategies (IDBS)?

Nicknamed ‘Claire’s Army’, IDBS is a brilliant community of creative, supportive and helpful design professionals.

Click here and request to join IDBS… where there is NO BS.

Laminates Have Come A Long Way Baby!

Wilsonart is well known for it’s countertop materials such as laminates, solid surface & quartz. But at this years Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (#kbisblogtour) it was the laminates that were getting so much of the attention! Watch my video to see why.

Danny Seo was at the show as a spokesperson for Wilsonart and I had the opportunity to see him speak and to get a signed cookbook. I will have to give that to my husband because he does most of the cooking in our house! Danny says he coined the phrase ‘Materials Mixology’ which paired up nicely with Wilsonarts’ tagline: ‘Explore New Surfaces’.

Danny Seo from www.NaturallyDannySeo.com

If you look closely, behind Danny is a vignette they created on the show floor. Watch my video so you can see exactly what products were used and why we designers were all buzzing about them!!

More to come from KBIS very soon!! #kbisblogtour #modenus #designhounds

To Design a Smart & Sexy Kitchen, You Need This

We want our kitchens to look sleek, sexy and classic right? Of course! But it’s also imperative that they do what we need them to do in terms of functionality. It’s like when we meet someone who we are attracted to. Initially it may be their looks that entice us, but if there’s nothing between the ears and the personality is flat, then what’s the point?

Fortunately, when it comes to appliances, Thermador has very thoughtfully considered both. A fridge/freezer with smart technology including a ‘touch to open’ feature, their latest Liberty Induction that boasts ‘No Looking Cooking’ & a dishwasher that cycles in just 20 minutes! No, that’s not a typo!

Click on the video below and see it all with your own eyes in my latest video from KBIS Blog Tour in Orlando. Be inspired to do more in your kitchen.

You may know that I don’t like to cook. I even burnt soft boiled eggs last year…no I’m not kidding. However, these innovative appliances make me reconsider wearing the apron strings more frequently in the kitchen& there aren’t many things that I could say that about!

Below: Fridge/Freezer combination that you wouldn’t even know was there! You’ll won’t believe what can reside permanently on the inside of the refrigerator door…watch the video to find out and to see the spacious interior of this beauty!

I AM A FRIDGE, HEAR ME ROAR!

Thermador was the first to introduce a wine freezer with 3 different temperatures in one fridge

Thanks A-Latte…

A sleek built in coffee machine that cleans its own milk dispenser!

As a gracious sponsor of the KBIS Blog Tour in Orlando, Thermador pulled out all the stops for us. Not only did we get front row viewing of many of their new product lines, we also got treated to a lovely lunch out. Thank you Thermador!

Are you planning to renovate your kitchen this year? Contact me here and I can help you with the design or in pulling it all together with finishes and thermador appliances! that weIf you are considering a kitchen renovation this year, check out more products from Thermador here on their website.

To get more inspiration for your kitchen design, see all my videos from the 2017 Orlando Kitchen and Bath show here.

What Detail is Often Overlooked in Interior Design?

Earlier this month I headed to KBIS – Kitchen and Bath Industry Show – in Orlando for Blog Tour 2017! It was an all expenses paid trip hosted by the lovely Veroinkia Miller of Modenus.

The purpose of the tours are to connect interior designer professionals from all across North America with vendors of the show so we can learn about their products and share them with you. Continue reading “What Detail is Often Overlooked in Interior Design?”

2016 Year in Review Video

Another year gone already? I’m afraid so. 2016 was a great one though!

We were involved in numerous wonderful projects, creating more stunning spaces for our fabulous clients. Our 3D Design Service with our comprehensive PowerPoint presentation package continues to be Continue reading “2016 Year in Review Video”

An Ugly Duckling Transformed!

It’s November already!?! Donald Trump is the new US President?! Christmas is just around the corner?!! I know, I’ve been AWOL for the last little while and so much has been happening in this world!

Let’s escape for a few minutes to see this latest transformation that I recently had photographed. If you like a good before and after, you’re going to love this.

My Hamilton clients living room was a bit of a challenge to decorate due to the vast size of the space. When rooms are so large, it’s a good idea to create ‘zones’ that give each area a purpose.

Watch my Facebook live video here from my clients home. Forgive me for being sideways for some of it, this video was my first Facebook live!

Here are the before photos:

Living Room Before

This leather sofa went to the basement and a new room was born!

Large Gold Leaf Prints create a Stunning Focal Point

We accented with teal, oranges and some purple tones as well. The stunning artwork of these three gold leaf prints really are the focal point of the room.

When this artwork went up, my client said “Wow, these really finish off the room beautifully.” (And that was the hubby!)

Custom Floating Shelf

My carpenter built a floating wood shelf to anchor the large TV which also allowed us to add some accessories on either side. The large gold framed mirror works wonderfully with the tones of the artwork flanking it on either side, as well as with the large gold leaf prints.

Below is a console we customised to fit three cubes underneath for extra seating as needed.

We colour blocked the inverted pleat drapery using the same blues/cream that you see in the geometric pattern of the occasional chairs.

The biggest splurge was the area rug which adds extra softness to the room while complimenting the colour scheme.
My clients recently put this house up for sale and it sold in just one day!! The home required no ‘Staging’ and sold for more money than any other house in the area.

The realtors said that there wasn’t anything on the market in their area at a similar price point that was finished as beautifully as this home was and essentially ‘turn key ready’ for the new home buyers.

This was great feedback for me and goes to show that the return on the investment of working with an Interior Design professional is well worth it. Not only did my clients get to enjoy the home while they lived there, but they also didn’t need to do any extra work in order to have it ready to put on the market. Nice!

My clients are thrilled with the result and so are we! What’s your favourite part of this living room?

Ready to work with me on your upcoming decorating project? We are booking into January 2017. Contact me here to set up a phone call with me and let’s do this!