Interested in interior design but wondering what else you can do? Guess what? There is so much more to interior design! A world of exciting opportunities awaits you.
This week’s guest, Ericka Saurit, is a former interior designer turned brand marketer. We are fortunate to have her share her motivational story with us. Remember Bethany from Episode 18? It was an inspiring move to get into coaching. Ericka’s journey is just as empowering too.
Interior Design isn’t just about one-on-one projects. There’s a whole world of possibilities to explore.
Listen to Ericka’s episode about branding, messaging, and marketing to level up your interior design career or business.
It’s incredible how interior design opens doors to new passions and opportunities. So take advantage of this chance to broaden your horizons.
Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode
- Discover how to find success in marketing during tough economic times through the art of storytelling
- Map out your brand marketing using Ericka’s E3 Strategy
- Outline the parts of the marketing funnel and understand the importance of working with a brand strategist
About the Guest:
Ericka Saurit has been a designer and marketer in the home industry for 23 years and has worked with GE, P&G, Beijing Olympics 2008, and Shanghai Natural History Museum throughout her career. By using strategy, storytelling, and insight, she helps her clients transform their brands.
After completing her marketing and business strategy studies at the University of California, Berkeley, Ericka began working in brand marketing for the design industry in 2011. She has also earned certifications in brand storytelling from IDEO and brand strategy and social media marketing, which she pursued after her career in design education.
Her extensive experience as a global brand marketing leader includes developing digital products and brand strategies for Airbnb in San Francisco. In addition, she’s involved in designing immersive brand experiences for companies like Tag Heuer and Estée Lauder. Also, she has created award-winning messaging and engagement strategies for prominent home lifestyle brands across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Ericka, who hails from the south and is passionate about traveling, maintains residences in North Carolina and southern France. She is a captivating and motivating public speaker, often delivering presentations on marketing, branding, and storytelling at design conferences and trade events.
Connect with Ericka Saurit:
Website: sauritcreative.com
IG: @sauritcreativ
Check out these episode highlights
04:14 – Ericka’s Interior Design journey from growing up in High Point, North Carolina, surrounded by creativity to interior designing and architecture
08:54 – The importance of visual communication in the design world and how it can help you get people’s attention
11:18 – Becoming the “Pitch Girl”: How she found success in marketing during tough economic times through the art of storytelling
14:09 – Starting Saurit Creative in 2020: How her family background inspired her to be her own boss and fast-track the growth of her business during the pandemic.
17:32 – Why she would never go back to interior design and the importance of clarity
19:55 – What brand is and what would it take to become one in the industry
21:36 – How to use Ericka’s Getting Your Story Straight Method in two steps
Getting Your Story Straight Method
Step #1: Figure out how to get there
Step #2: Find out where to start
24:10 – The process of creating your brand using Ericka’s E3 Strategy
1. Define what makes you Extraordinary or your differentiator
What is the thing that’s going to make you more extraordinary and stand out? Be able to talk about substance, instead of just the style.
2. Define the Emotional Connection that you are bringing to
What is the core emotion of the ideal clients you want to attract? What are they really looking for? Is it a sense of belonging or do they want to leave a legacy? Make yourself relevant to your ideal client.
3. Define your ideal client’s Experiential Journey
How are clients encountering your interior design service? What’s the message you’re telling when clients first encounter you? Think about your client’s experience from the Awareness phase to the Conversion phase.
The Parts of the Marketing Funnel
TOFU (Top of the Funnel) – Awareness – Social Media/Word of Mouth/Email/In-Person Event/Meet-Up
MOFU (Middle of the Funnel) – Consideration
BOFU (Bottom of the Funnel) – Conversion
PRO TIP: Work towards being authentically persuasive. It should never feel like you’re selling yourself, so provide value that can positively impact people’s lives. Your customers can become ambassadors for your brand by sharing your message and values.
31:42 – Mistakes designers make in being consistent with their messaging and marketing online and what to do instead to make your brand stand out
- They assume having a website with pretty pictures is enough. Meet people where they are; not everyone may understand what you’re talking about (space or what it takes to build) or a designer’s value.
- They over-explain. Think about how it’ll resonate with the people you want to attract, then communicate how you can help them with their problems.
- They only show images. Show and tell people with pictures and words so that if someone comes and they’re visual, they can absorb the information by reading.
- They forget about the technical side of having a website. A website becomes more searchable with SEO, saving money on advertising costs.
PRO TIP: This can help up-and-coming designers in their careers who only have a few photos or feel self-conscious about their photography. So bring people into your story, not just with images but words.
36:50 – The importance of Facebook presence and why you should be on Instagram too
39:00 – How to make your Instagram look elegant like your website using the 3Cs of brand image and how to use interstitial content with love and intention
The 3 Cs of brand image
- Curated
- Cohesive
- Consistent messaging
41:04 – Why interior designers work with brand strategists and the Design Curious Podcast Episode that can help you with your brand strategy
Next Steps
Grab your freebie:
- NEW!! Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design
- 3 Things I Wish I had known when I started my career
Join the Design Mentor to kickstart a successful career in interior design!
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Links Mentioned:
- Ericka’s Brand Audit: sauritcreative.com/brandaudit
Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week…