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An Unexpected Way Designers can Leverage Pinterest per Chandler Oldham - Episode 225

We’ve talked about how designers can leverage Pinterest with their social media marketing strategy. But is there another way to use Pinterest, both internally and externally? Chandler Oldham certainly believes so. In this episode of Wingnut Social, she shares the unique way her firm—DXA Studio—uses Pinterest. Don’t miss it!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[0:43] Check out Desi Creswell’s coaching group!
[1:05] Head on over to Build Lane for customer furniture 
[2:49] Mini News Sesh: Live audio groups on Facebook
[6:30] Learn more about Chandler Oldham
[11:16] How COVID changed the landscape
[13:26] How Chandler is using Pinterest with clients
[19:07] How Pinterest helps with the creative process
[26:04] How to combine Pinterest and other resources for inspiration 
[29:40] Pinterest applies to hospitality and commercial design as well
[32:00] How Chandler sources products and vendors on Pinterest 
[38:36] The What Up Wingnut Round
[41:12] How to connect with Chandler Oldham
[46:12] Blooper Reel!
Connect with Chandler Oldham
Connect on LinkedIn
Save her pins on Pinterest
Follow on Twitter
Resources & People Mentioned
DXA Studio
Pinterest Save Button
Episode #218 with Kate Ahl
Watership Down by Richard Adams
DXA Ten Years
Pinterest for collaboration
As a way to collaborate on ideas, Chandler’s team likes to create a Pinterest board for projects so people can save things in it. It’s also great when you have clients who want to be more hands-on, which developers seem to be moving toward. During COVID, it was also one of the easiest ways to communicate and not waste time going in the wrong direction.
Chandler points out that their use of Pinterest is heavy-handed during the concept period when they’re doing most of the designing. But Chandler loves to use it throughout the entire process. You can send a detailed image to a client or a contractor and it conveys so much more than trying to explain with words. Plus, it saves you from having to make a sketch. 
The only downside of Pinterest is that you can go down the rabbit hole trying to find something. Their algorithm tends to send you the same images repeatedly and you have to know how to get to what you’re searching for. 
Tips and tricks to best utilize Pinterest
When you find a furniture maker or designer that you like, Chandler emphasizes that you should spend time on their websites. Use the Pinterest plugin so that you can save images from their site. That way, you’re constantly saving things to Pinterest for yourself. It gives you a new place to get images and it changes what the algorithm gives you versus solely searching inside Pinterest. She makes sure the original owners of the image get the credit for the image. Lastly, Chandler recommends that you create as many boards as you can for yourself and save, save, save photos. You’ll be upset if you didn't save an image and try to recall it later, only to realize you can’t find it.
How Pinterest helps with the creative process
Chandler uses Pinterest all the time because she’s always thinking one project ahead. She wants to always inspire herself and stay on top of the next best thing. Pinterest helps her firm stay on top of what’s trending and what’s happening in the marketplace. As a designer, Chandler loves any site that allows her to peruse images. Pinterest also makes the world smaller. Since the world couldn’t travel, every resource was posting new things on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. Social media allows the whole world to open up to you and you can see things from a different perspective. How does Chandler use Pinterest to source vendors and tradesmen? Listen to learn more!
Want even more great content? Head on over to Wingnut Premium!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor: Desi Creswell
Ready to stop being overwhelmed? Check out Desi Creswell’s new “Out of Overwhelm” coaching group
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor: Build Lane
Looking for a great custom furniture option? Check out Build https://buildlane.com/
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Interior Designers: You NEED to Network with Realtors [per Eric Reeves] - Episode 224

Why do interior designers and home stagers need professional relationships with realtors? How can this relationship further your business and put dollars in your pocket? How do you build those relationships in the first place? Darla and Eric Reeves set out to answer these questions in this episode of Wingnut Social!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[0:49] Get your custom furniture through Build Lane!
[1:21] Desi Creswell’s new “Out of Overwhelm” group
[3:16] Mini news sesh: Rumored Facebook news
[5:46] Check out Wingnut Social Premium!
[7:40] Learn more about Eric Reeves
[11:00] How real estate + interior design mesh
[13:45] Why interior designers should network with realtors
[23:05] How Eric built his reputation in his community
[25:58] How home stagers can sell their value to realtors
[28:00] Eric’s thoughts about digital staging
[33:16] The “What Up Wingnut” Round!
[35:43] Darla’s take: Networking tips + tricks
[38:32] Blooper Reel!
Connect with Eric Reeves
RYS Interior Consulting
Connect on LinkedIn
Follow on Instagram
Resources & People Mentioned
Book: Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
WS Episode #135 with Sandra Funk: Interior Design Consultation
How real estate + interior design mesh
Eric is one of the few that can stage a home, sell it, and remodel it. Because of his degree in interior design, he can help buyers visualize the potential of the space when he’s showing it. He can help people see how to make a home of their own. He can also advise buyers of resale value and help them determine changes to make that stay within the budget of the neighborhood. When Eric started his business, it was geared toward home staging because there was nothing in his area. As a realtor, seeing how homes were presented, he knew his market needed the service.
Why interior designers should network with realtors
Eric points out that realtors are a great resource to home buyers and sellers. New home buyers might need an electrician, plumber, contractor, etc. Most of the homes in Eric’s area are resales—not new construction—so remodeling is always a consideration. Most people who own a home at some point will need to sell or buy. The homeowner will likely ask you for interior design recommendations. That’s why a symbiotic relationship between designers and realtors is imperative. 
What benefit does the realtor get? When you’re a great resource for your clients, it keeps you top of mind. When they go to buy or sell, you’re the person that comes to mind. Eric’s market is a lot of second homes and vacation homes. They tend to be empty or furnished with pieces that are outdated and old. They often need a designer’s touch to help them move.
How home stagers can sell their value to realtors
Eric recommends that home stagers and interior designers need to build a good relationship with realtors—and know your numbers. You need to be familiar with the inventory on the market. You need to understand if the market is hot or barely moving. It’s all about perceived value. 95% of people start their home searches online. So you need to communicate to your client the value of a well-staged home. 
You also need a professional online presence (website and social media). You need a packet of information that’s exceptional that you can provide outlining the services you offer. You also need to be able to communicate the value of your work (and how it can lead to more money for the homeowner and realtor).
Eric believes there’s a place for both normal and digital staging. If someone needs a quick turnaround at a low price point, digital staging may be the way to go. But Eric points out if he’s showing a home with staged photos online but walks into an empty house, it’s a letdown. People don’t have the vision to see what could be. But if you can learn to do both, do it. You don’t want to be the Blockbuster of the interior design industry. 
Listen to the whole episode for some networking tips + tricks from Darla!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor: Desi Creswell
Ready to stop being overwhelmed? Check out Desi Creswell’s new “Out of Overwhelm” coaching group
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
Desi has a six-month customized coaching experience
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor: Build Lane
Looking for a great custom furniture option? Check out Build https://buildlane.com/
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Rachel Gill’s Spectacular Success with Client-Facing Facebook Groups - Episode 223

Rachel Gill has been in business for a little over a year. At the beginning of 2021, she decided to create a client-facing Facebook group for homeowners or renters to bring as a client outreach tactic. She went to a local Mom’s Facebook group and shared what she was thinking about doing and asked if anyone would be interested. She got a huge response. The group started at around 400 and is up to almost 700. How does sharing value in this group lead to new clients? Is she giving too much away? Listen to this episode of Wingnut Social to learn more! 
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[2:42] Mini News Sesh: Monetizing Instagram
[6:10] Rachel’s expertise in Facebook groups
[8:01] How a Facebook group serves clients
[12:53] The types of clients Rachel gets
[20:11] How other designers feel about Rachel’s tactics
[23:30] What does Rachel do for a call to action?
[25:38] Where do you get started?
[30:00] The What up Wingnut round!
[31:20] How to connect with Rachel Gill
[34:31] Go check out Wingnut Premium!
[35:58] Wingnut Social blooper reel!
Connect with Rachel Gill
Facebook Group: Homeschool | Design + Renovation with Rachel Gill: https://www.facebook.com/groups/218450516351263/
Follow Rachel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelgilldesign/
Rachel’s Design Website: https://www.rachelgilldesign.co/
Resources & People Mentioned
Use code “WINGNUT250” for a $250 discount at https://buildlane.com/!
Wingnut Social episode #120 with Natasa Jones: https://wingnutsocial.com/podcast/facebook-community-groups-an-innovative-way-to-market-your-interior-design-business-with-natasa-jones-episode-120/
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz: https://www.amazon.com/Profit-First-Transform-Cash-Eating-Money-Making-ebook/dp/B01HCGYTH4
Colleen Primm: https://www.colleenprimmdesign.com/
Studio McGee: https://studio-mcgee.com/
How a Facebook group serves clients
Rachel emphasizes that the know, like, and trust factor is really important for your business and your brand. Rachel’s goal was to become an expert in her area for home design and renovation. So she geared her Facebook group toward answering questions, educating, and becoming that go-to expert. Sure, the majority of the people in her group are likely DIYers but a large handful has hired her for design projects. People will go to the person sharing free—valuable—advice. 
But what kind of clients can Rachel source from a Facebook group? She notes that she gets anything from a one-off consult to a full first-floor renovation—all from the group. People will see her on Facebook, like her style and posts, and reach out to have her come look at their projects. 
Rachel’s theory is that even if you “give away” pieces or colors from a room you’ve designed, people do not have the same creative mind as you. It will never turn out the same way as your final design. 
How to start your own client-facing Facebook group
Rachel 100% recommends that you engage in your local groups first. If you dive into a group where you’ve had no interaction and ask them to join another group, it won’t go well. But if you engage others and ask them to help you build something just for them—and they feel they’re helping direct the topics and getting questions answered—you'll have immediate buy-in. To do this, Rachel asked how members would like the information presented (blog post, photos, videos, etc.) and the majority wanted blog posts.
Rachel reached out to mom’s groups for the county she lives in, the neighboring county, and the largest town near her. Why mom groups? Because it’s where people go to get advice. They ask for contractor, painter, and home improvement recommendations all the time. She saw that people were asking and knew her Facebook group would appeal to them. But how does she get clients from a group? 
Rachel will randomly intersperse a design process type of post, share working through a project, etc. She’ll then add a call to action like “If you’d like to design the bathroom of your dreams, connect with me to set up a FREE discovery call.” She’ll often get a DM a day or two later. 85–90% of her clients have come from this group. 
Looking for the deets on specific content that Rachel shares that gets her the most traction? Head on over to Wingnut Premium!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor: Desi Creswell
Ready to stop being overwhelmed? Check out Desi Creswell’s new “Out of Overwhelm” coaching group
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor: Build Lane
Looking for a great custom furniture option? Check out Build https://buildlane.com/
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Crappy Copywriting: How to Be More Marketable with Gregory Anne Cox - Episode 222

Are you struggling to market yourself? Does the copywriting on your website leave something to be desired? Are you ready for a career change but struggling with self-doubt? In this episode of Wingnut Social, you’ll get a special two-part episode with Gregory Anne Cox—both coach and copywriter—covering how to be more marketable and how to overcome self-doubt. Don’t miss it!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[0:45] check out Desi Creswell's “Out of Overwhelm” program
[2:30] Learn more about Gregory Anne Cox
[4:40] How to crush your inner doubt
[9:40] Crappy copywriting: How to Be More Marketable
[16:25] Turning crappy copy around (no names named)
[24:13] Gregory’s last bit of copywriting wisdom
[25:11] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[28:42] Check out Wingnut Premium
[30:19] Blooper reel!
Connect with Gregory Anne Cox
Rebellious Wellness Over 50 podcast: https://rebelliouswellnessover50.com/rwo50-podcast/
Gregory’s copywriting business: https://bemoremarketable.com/
Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gregoryanne/
Resources & People Mentioned
“It's Not Too Late, You Actually Just Started” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_8jSIRlZ_g
The Overstory by Richard Powers: https://www.amazon.com/Overstory-Novel-Richard-Powers/dp/039335668X
How to crush your inner doubt—at any age
Gregory believes that you get to decide to be relevant or not. There’s a lot of space in culture for new conversations—like how to start a business at any age. Where you place your focus is the path that you’ll take. Gregory chooses to help her listeners find their inner rebel to stand up for whatever they want to at whatever age. What if you’re struggling with inner doubt? Gregory suggests you go back to a time in your life where you’ve felt that way before. You’ve made it to today, haven’t you? 
Gregory always wanted to go back to school and complete her degree in Psychology. She had been a chef for 30 years and suddenly she couldn’t cook anymore. She couldn’t go back to school, so she found life coaching. It allowed her to use the same type of skills to help people transform their mindset. She loves the mantra, “Where your attention goes your energy flows.”
Look at what you might want to do. How will it make you feel if you don’t do that? Or at least try it? You only have so much mental energy every day. What do you want to put that energy toward? 
Crappy Copywriting: How to Be More Marketable
What do you do for your clients? Is that portrayed in your copywriting? Gregory notes that copywriting is less about your capability as a writer and more about finding out what your client wants and what you do for them. Then you put words on paper that express that and helps you stand out. You have to differentiate yourself and speak to your ideal client. 
Gregory sees the “I” problem a lot. People’s copy reads like it’s all about them: “Welcome to my website. I am a coach, I welcome you to my website.” You only have so much real estate on a website—don’t waste it. You want to drop people into their problem as soon as you can. Don’t fill up the page with features, descriptions, benefits, etc. But you need to speak to the prehistoric reptilian brain in someone’s head. 
Secondly, she recommends you use fewer, more powerful words. Tell a story. You need to bring yourself into the picture—and not try and please everyone. The people that are your people want to see your quirkiness because they have it in them. Darla didn’t find success with her interior design firm until she fully embraced who she was.
How does Gregory turn crappy copy around? Why does Gregory ask clients about their favorite jelly bean? How does she make a boring process fun? Listen to the whole episode to learn more!
Looking for premium content including extra takeaways and bonus information? Check out Wingnut Premium for four extra podcast episodes a month, access to a private Facebook group, and access to me 24/7.
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor
Ready to stop being overwhelmed? Check out Desi Creswell’s new “Out of Overwhelm” coaching group
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Conversational Commerce is the Way of the Future [According to Paul Ace] - Episode 221

cCommerce or C-Com is short for conversational commerce. It’s about building conversations with people and engaging in a conversational way of selling. It can be using SMS messenger, voicemail drops, personalized images, and more. Paul Ace and his team use it to create an 80% human-like experience and a 20% human experience. What does that mean? How can it help you and your business? Find out in this episode of Wingnut Social!
Paul Ace is popularizing the concept of C Com through the science of conversion, conversation, and automation. He founded Amplify C-Com which helps businesses grow past seven figures. Amplify combines human psychology and automation to create more profits in their customers profits. 
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[0:44] Check out Desi Creswell’s new coaching group!
[2:45] Mini news sesh: Instagram stops penalizing for sharing
[5:38] What the hell is cCommerce?
[16:41] The concept of pre-framing
[27:20] How conversational is the process?
[36:00] The fortune is in the follow-up
[38:34] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[42:15] Where to learn more about Paul Ace!
[45:49] Go check out Wingnut Premium NOW!
[47:55] The Wingnut Blooper Reel!
Connect with Paul Ace
The Amplify to 7 Figures Podcast: https://amplifyto7figures.com/home
Amplify C-Com: https://lp.amplifyccom.com/
Connect on LinkedIn
Resources & People Mentioned
Desi Creswell’s new coaching group: https://www.desicreswell.com/coaching
Wingnut episode on Bonjoro: https://wingnutsocial.com/podcast/turn-your-prospects-into-super-fans-with-bonjoro-episode-071/
Bonjoro: https://www.bonjoro.com/
BombBomb: https://bombbomb.com/
Loom: https://www.loom.com/
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham
The concept of conversational commerce
Paul prefers that “leads” aren’t called leads—they’re just people. Every person that opts into something on your site has got something in their life that they’re not happy with. It might be “Hey, I want this interior designer for this particular reason.” Or they may be asking for a service you don’t provide, like painting. Paul has a genius process you can use to refer clients that aren’t a good fit—using both automation and a referral network. Listen to learn more!
Psychological strategies to win people over
Pre-framing is an underutilized tool. Paul emphasizes that if you’re not using it, you’re leaving money on the table. He shares an example: “If you could have something that would get more people to buy, buy more often, and refer more people to buy from you, would you want to know what it is?” That’s pre-framing. If you use questions like this, you’re softening the prospect, getting them to say yes, and making micro-commitments. It becomes so natural to do in your language pattern. 
In the book “Never Split the Difference,” Chris Voss shared a common question he used in most—if not all—of his negotiations: “Would it be unreasonable to consider…?” Paul uses a similar question: “Would you be against…?” For example, he could ask Darla “Would you be against having more people on the show?” Darla would likely say, “No, we wouldn’t be against having more people on the show!” It removes defensiveness.
In the book “Influence” by Robert Cialdini, there’s a study about making copies. Someone asks if he can skip the line to make a copy. Of course, people said no. So he asked, “Can I skip the line because I need to make some copies?” People would say yes! Paul notes that it’s the dumbest reason—because everyone needed to make copies—but they still complied simply because he said: “because.”
How conversational is the process?
If you’re selling something that’s $7 and sell 1,000 a day, you’re not recording a personal video message to every person. It’s not scalable. But if someone buys a $7 product and then buys your $500 upsell and books a consultation with you one-on-one, you record a personal message for them. Paul emphasizes that you should look at the buyer journey and the pipeline and break down each step. You have to split it into scalable/not scalable. 
Paul has a client that sells a challenge. If they abandon the cart, they get a text message from the “owner” asking if something was wrong or what they could do to help. It got a 20% response rate. 80% of the work is in the first message that you send. You could then give your team a framework of how to guide them through the sales process and it’s handed over to you at a specific point. 
Paul walks through an example specific to Wingnut Social and how to speak with a potential client. He also shares why the “fortune is in the follow-up.” Give it a listen to learn more!
To get more exclusive content only for subscribers? Go check out Wingnut Premium NOW!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor
Ready to stop being overwhelmed? Check out Desi Creswell’s new “Out of Overwhelm” coaching group
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Overcome Your Inner Shadows to Reach Your Soul Goals (with Anna Tsui) - Episode 220

Business owners know what to do to get where they need to go. But every time they find success, they start thinking in circles and second-guessing themselves. Self-sabotage begins to kick in. Anna Tsui has noticed this with everyone she’s worked with. For Darla, self-sabotage translates into procrastination and self-doubt. So why do we people self-sabotage? What can you do to mitigate that voice in your head? In this episode of Wingnut Social, Anna talks about how to overcome self-sabotage and find your zone of genius. 
Anna Tsui is a genius coach, international speaker, writer, and serial entrepreneur, and founder of the Intuitive Business School. She is also the best-selling author of “Shadow Magic: Turn Your Fear into Fuel and Create a Prosperous Coaching Business.”
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[2:24] Mini News: Instagram like counts
[4:30] Learn more about Anna Tsui
[9:07] The interplay between your shadows and self-sabotage
[14:18] Pinpoint your soul’s goals
[16:43] The difference between self-sabotage and self-harm
[25:43] The most common shadow Anna sees in women
[27:31] How to overcome the shadows
[30:54] The zone of genius (get more at Wingnut Premium!)
[33:05] The “What Up Wingnut!” round
[34:12] How to connect with Anna
[37:28] Wingnut Blooper Reel!
Connect with Anna Tsui
Download half of Anna’s book for FREE: https://www.annatsui.com/book
Anna’s Website: https://www.annatsui.com/
The Intuitive Business School: https://www.annatsui.com/intuitive-business-school 
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annatsui/
Resources & People Mentioned
Book: How to Improve Your Marriage without Talking About It: https://www.amazon.com/Improve-Marriage-Without-Talking-About/dp/0767923189
The interplay between your shadows and self-sabotage
It all starts with your inner critic, or as Anna likes to call it, your shadows. Anna believes you inherit shadows from your family, culture, lineage, place of birth, religion, and more. The unconscious beliefs can come from your parents, religion, community, etc. Shadows also come from unconscious inner woundings where you don’t feel like you deserve something. These are the parts of you that are insecure and you don’t feel fully confident or loved. People are afraid of being visible and being seen for who they really are. Many people think if they are themselves, they’ll be judged. All of this comes from an unconscious part of you that’s just scared.
Anna believes you have to recognize that there is a magnetic message that only you can offer to the world. Your ideal clients want to experience the essence of who you are. It takes bravery. But when you want to show up in a certain way and something is holding you back, that’s part of your shadow. It’s part of your ego that keeps you in a safe container. It’s a great place to survive—but you won’t thrive or grow. 
When is the universe telling you there’s a new direction to go?
Do you want that lifestyle that you envy so much in other people? Will you be working all the time? Is it something you really want, or is it your ego taking over? 
Anna believes you should focus on your soul goals. What goals allow you to feel the way you want to feel? Anna points out that sometimes you really don’t know until you do it. You have to take the first steps to try it out. If you want to rebrand and try a different persona, do it. If it works for you, great! If it doesn’t, then you know. Don’t let your shadows hold you back. 
Anna points out that when Darla is talking about Wingnut Social (versus her interior design business), her energy is completely different. The energy of what you love feels so different. Money and success can come in the way of doing what you love. But fear, guilt, and doubt say “You can’t do that.”
“When you feel into the fears and when it stops you, that’s when you know.”
How to overcome your shadows
People don’t realize how much fear is running their business. If you’re surrounding yourself with “I can’t do this because…” then it’s time to take a breath and realize your fear is running the show. 
Sometimes if you take a few small steps, you’ll start feeling charged because what you’re doing gives you energy. If you show up with confidence, people perceive you differently. It’s really important to have a coach that can reassure you and lend you their energy when you’re tapped dry.
Anna also recommends that you carve out and own that you are important and your self-care is important as a factor that helps your business thrive. Anna also loves the concept of connecting with your inner saboteur. If you ask “What’s going on?” you’ll find you’ll get a response. It’s all about building awareness. You have to build a relationship with these parts of yourself. The deeper the relationship, the more you can get into the juiciness of the human experience.
Anna has developed a process to help people connect to their zone of genius (and connect to their genius flow). Want to learn more? Check out the premium episodes of Wingnut Social!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

How to Brand Your Design Business According to Mike Peterson - Episode 219

What is the easiest way to brand your design business? How do you stand out from the crowd enough to land clients? Mike Peterson has spent most of his career in the world of publishing with magazines like Country Living, House Beautiful, and Luxe. He loves all things marketing, branding, and interior design. He has the unique experience to help interior designers set themselves up for success with the right branding for who they are. Listen to this episode of Wingnut Social for his strategies!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[1:43] Wingnut Premium members only!
[4:21] Mini News Sesh: Instagram Lives
[6:13] Introducing Mike Peterson
[9:42] What is a brand? 
[13:22] How to differentiate yourself
[18:08] Your name or a brand name?
[26:02] Is there value in magazine marketing? 
[29:49] How to showcase your brand the right way
[32:03] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[36:37] Blooper Reel!
Connect with Mike Peterson
LinkedIn
Visionary Design Marketing
Mike(at)VisionaryDM.com
Resources & People Mentioned
Wingnut Social Episode #122
BOOK: Beauty, Neuroscience, and Architecture
You are your brand—not just a commodity
We are surrounded by brands. They’re prevalent in our lives. Starbucks. Armani. Grey Goose. BMW. Fuji. Mike emphasizes that “If the world can find a way to brand water, think about what we can do with all of the talent listening to this podcast right now.” What is it like to not have a brand in a world of brands? 
A lot of people overthink their brand. A brand is not what you do, it is a relationship. Who is your best friend? Why is that person your best friend? You’re likely using subjective and emotional words based on relatability. The most important people are important because of emotional relationships. That is the foundation of brand marketing.
Identify the value and the personality characteristics of who you are—not what you do. Mike believes that “A lot of designers design. But every designer has a unique personality of their own. You will attract people of like mind as a result.” 
How can Mike and his team help you differentiate yourself in the marketplace? Listen to hear their genius process for narrowing down your brand!
How to differentiate yourself
Mike shares that you can’t be afraid to ask for help. Business management and marketing aren’t taught in design schools. Mike has a three-phase process with his clients. They talk with a designer about their brand and their personality. But they go out and talk to 12–15 of the designer’s clients (whether by Zoom or in-person). One of the questions they ask is, “How do you feel as a result of what the designer did for you?” That question provides gold nuggets to understand what the designer has done. They get responses like:
“I felt heard”
“She fought for us.”
“I’m at peace.”
Your marketplace and audience become the foundation for your marketing process. The website begins to write itself. Don’t just depend on what you think your brand is. Reach out and ask your client or get a third party involved.
Does the service you provide take a backseat? Is there value in magazine marketing? Listen as Mike shares how to showcase your brand the right way.
Want to learn about geotargeting? Listen to the extended interview by signing up for Wingnut Premium!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
Wingnut Premium
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

How to Use Pinterest to Up-Level Your Social Media Marketing [Kate Ahl] - Episode 218

Pinterest is a great way to connect with your clients. How? Because most of them find their inspiration on Pinterest. Secondly, it’s a great way to showcase how you design and level up the design for future clients. Best of all, it helps people become aware of you. So how do you leverage Pinterest to work for your design business? Kate Ahl—the owner of Simple Pin Media—shares her best strategies in this episode of Wingnut Social!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[2:31] Wingnut Premium members only!
[4:16] Mini New Sesh: Pinterest Livestream Events
[6:54] How Kate Became an expert on Pinterest
[10:35] The importance of Pinterest for creators
[12:45] The difference between Instagram and Pinterest
[14:33] The pros and cons of Pinterest
[20:43] The verified merchant program
[25:21] What’s changing with story pins? 
[27:18] Pinterest: the intellectual property dilemma
[30:35] Kate’s thoughts on Tailwind (and other apps)
[32:06] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[37:22] Blooper Reel!
Connect with Kate Ahl
The Simple Pin podcast
Simple Pin Media
Follow on Twitter
Connect on LinkedIn
Pin on Pinterest
Resources & People Mentioned
Tailwind
Google Analytics
Apply to the Verified Merchant Program
Pinterest Content Claiming Application
DMCA Protection
The E Myth by Michael Gerber 
The difference between Instagram and Pinterest
According to Kate, the largest difference is that you go to Instagram to get caught up on the lives of people you follow. You have to follow them to see them in your feed. You’re looking to wander and get lost in people’s stories. People also rarely move off the platform. 
But the intent on Pinterest is “How can you serve me?” or “I need a solution to my problem.” Someone is looking for inspiration and they don’t care about you. They’re not interested in a brand. They’re only interested in the goal. There’s no attachment to a brand name—just the design. Pinterest is all about search and discovery. Keep listening to hear Kate share some of the pros and cons of Pinterest.
The Verified Merchant Program
Pinterest is reintroducing the concept of shoppable pins with their “Verified Merchant Program.” They’ll show that it’s a shoppable pin but will link to your website for the actual sale. The challenge is that the user's habit isn’t to buy right away. But Pinterest is putting a lot of effort into shop integrations, videos, and story pins. They’re trying to find diversified ways to get people to the shopping point quickly. 
Unfortunately, Kate points out that the Verified Merchant Program is still clunky, glitchy, and picky about who is approved. If people don’t want to go that route, Kate recommends using images and keywords that will lead to places you know they’ll sign up for a consultation. For now, Kate believes the shop tab is useful for people who sell things that are $100 or less. For higher-end products, Kate recommends leading people to a form that has a question that asks how they heard about you. 
What is Kate’s overall opinion of the Verified Merchant Program? Listen to hear her unfiltered response!
What’s changing with story pins? 
Story pins allow creators to showcase something they offer or the steps it takes to complete a project. They just changed the name to “Idea Pins'' because people were getting story pins confused with Instagram Stories. These pins stick around forever—no 24-hour shelf life—and people can save them to their boards. However, there is no link.
But it does encourage people to follow your profile where they can then click to your website. Kate has actually seen an increase in home page traffic when people use idea pins. It’s a great way to showcase a new design and even increase your follower account.
How does Pinterest handle intellectual property dilemmas? What are Kate’s thoughts on Tailwind (and other apps)? Listen for the whole conversation!
Want even more great content? Head on over to Wingnut Premium for the extended interview with Kate Ahl!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

REPLAY: Infuse More Play in Your Day with Jeff Harry - Episode 217

Darla is smack in the middle of a move to Maryland (U-Haul and all), so this week we are replaying a popular episode with Jeff Harry! Get ready to infuse some play in your day—and be better for it.
 
Jeff Harry defines play as “Any joyful act where you are fully present in the moment. It has no purpose or result.” You are fully in love with what is actually happening. Your play moments are the best moments of your life when you feel most alive. You are in flow. 
What is the work where you forget about time? How much of that work do you do on a given day? Jeff shares that identifying the work that you LOVE to do and increasing it by even just 1–2% has a ripple effect. Play can make you more productive, creative, and successful in the long run. It gives you momentum. How do you do that? Learn how in this episode of Wingnut Social!
Jeff Harry shows individuals and companies how to tap into their true selves to feel their happiest and most fulfilled—all through the medium of play. He has worked with Microsoft, Google, Southwest Airlines, the NFL, Adobe, Facebook, and Amazon, helping them learn how to infuse more play into their day.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[3:36] Instagram has launched keyword search
[6:19] All about Jeff Harry
[8:29] Play can help you reach your zone of genius
[10:20] Do you have to rewire your brain? 
[13:09] Why don’t adults play enough? 
[17:17] How to integrate play into business
[21:31] What do you do with your employees?
[25:38] Determine your team’s appreciation language
[33:10] Does play factor into growing your business?
[35:51] How to infuse more play in your day
[50:06] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[53:33] How to connect with Jeff Harry
[56:33] Delegate outside of your zone of genius
[1:00:56] Blooper Reel!
Connect with Jeff Harry
Jeff’s Website: Rediscover Your Play
Follow on Twitter
Watch on YouTube
Jeff’s TikTok
Resources & People Mentioned
LuAnn Nigara
BOOK: The Power Talk Friday Experts Vol. 2
The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace
Hubspot article on Employee Feedback
BOOK: The Artist’s way
BOOK: The Big Leap
BOOK: Tuesdays with Morrie
Overcome the “shoulds” to get to you
Why is play such a lost art? Jeff points out that by the time you reach the age of 18, you will have heard the word “no'' 148,000 times. On top of that, every adult in your life piles “shoulds” on you. Then you go to school where you’re told to raise your hand, ask for permission, etc. You hit your teens and you’re bombarded with social media. You get more information in a day than people in the 1950s got in one year. It tells you you’re not enough, you need to buy this, etc. All the answers are external.
Anytime you try to do anything that is “you”, you are considered mischievous or weird. You’re considered “too much” or “extra.” It’s such a rebellious act to simply be yourself. Ask yourself: What do I love to do? What makes me come alive? What makes me feel good about myself? Do something because you want to or because it brings you joy. It doesn’t have to have productive value, a sense, or a purpose. But you’re having fun. It puts you in a positive mindset and you’re priming your brain to look at every opportunity as play.
How do you integrate play into business? How do you encompass a play-oriented mindset in the workplace? How do you determine your team’s appreciation language? Jeff Harry takes a deep-dive into these topics—don’t miss it!
How to infuse more play in your day
Jeff walks through some exercises in this episode that HAVE to be shared. Where do you start? He notes that you cannot play until you’ve calmed yourself down. If you’re angry or in an anxiety-ridden state, you can’t play. 
You have to soothe yourself and calm yourself down first. Side note: make sure it’s a healthy form of calming yourself down. Jeff soothes himself by taking showers. Other people go on a walk or run or free-write. 
Get bored. Your best ideas come when you’re bored. Shut off social media and stop binge-watching Netflix. When you consume, you can’t create. It makes you feel like there’s nothing left in the world to create. 
It’s easier to create when you aren’t listening to everyone else. Practice listening to yourself. Start listening for that whisper, your inner curiosity. It will suggest something both exciting and really scary. Create a video. Start a side business. Start a podcast. Email someone. You have to strengthen the ability to live in your own intuition.
Three exercises to kickstart creativity
Another exercise? Get 3 people that know you really well and ask them these questions:
What value do I bring to your life? We often don’t know what we do for people. Why are we friends? Why did you hire me?
When have you seen me most alive? When have you seen me most engaged, most playful, most creative, most present? Most happy?
When you get 3–5 people to give you that information back and you look at it, you get so many answers and gems of wisdom. 
You can also get your friends together and do what Jeff calls a “Tipsy Storm” over Zoom. You get tipsy on alcohol, chocolate, ice cream, whatever it is, and brainstorm together. Write down ideas. Go to bed, wake up, and return to that list. Circle the one that resonates the most with you and see where it takes you.
Bonus exercise: What did you do as a kid that brought you joy? How can that be tied to the work you love to do now? Take those “play” values from your childhood and find the work that you love to do most that encompass those values. 
Jeff’s final challenge: Allow your emotions to fully envelop you. When you fully feel it, you can let it go. When you allow emotion in, you live a more fulfilling life. Let your grief and sadness out. People haven’t mourned 2020. Write down everything you wanted to accomplish in 2020 that you didn’t get to, mourn them, fold it up, fold it into an airplane, and let it go. What do you want to do with the last 23 days of 2020? What impact do I want to have?
Are you ready to stop “shoulding” on yourself so much? Are you ready to show up? Listen to the whole episode for more of Jeff’s amazing insight into positive psychology. 
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Here’s How to Convert Your Expertise to a Money-Making Consulting Business with Laura Meyer - Episode 216

Do you know how to do something so well that people are asking you to coach them? Have you thought about starting a coaching business? How do you convert your expertise to real dollars in your pocket? The truth is that people don’t talk about how to become a consultant. Being a consultant can give you a great lifestyle, a great profit margin, and allows you to work part-time hours. You also get to make a huge difference with the people you’re serving and help them make transformations at a high level. Laura Meyer—a fractional chief marketing officer exclusively for seven-figure female experts—shares how she does it in this episode of Wingnut Social!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[4:30] Mini news sesh: Facebook + Spotify
[6:10] Who is Laura Meyer?
[12:21] How to transition to consulting
[18:05] How to determine your pricing
[23:20] How to scale one-on-one services
[27:42] What is the value of what you’re selling? 
[30:45] Get yourself in the right room
[31:16] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[35:52] Wingnut Blooper Reel!
Connect with Laura Meyer
Joybrand Creative
The Scale with Joy Podcast
Friend on Instagram
Connect on LinkedIn
The Advance Expert Network
Resources & People Mentioned
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
How to transition to consulting
Laura didn’t know what she would do when she left the photography business—she just knew she needed to shut the door. She believed if she created space for the new thing it would come to her. She says that “Great things grow in the margins.” You need space to meditate, think, and journal. 
She texted a group of CEOs that she was friends with and told them she was shutting her business down because the industry was changing. They all started apologizing to her—but immediately followed their apologies by asking for help with marketing. They needed someone to come in at a strategic level to help them. It was the answer she was looking for.
What would you do for free? What are you passionate about that pours out of you? Laura recommends that you list out everything that you’ve done well. Out of that list, what can become your unfair advantage? Your proprietary process? Your signature offer? Start to offer that thing one-on-one. 
Laura started with one-on-one clients and slowly increased her prices. Everyone wants large groups, but Laura emphasizes “One-on-one is where the transformation happens. It’s where you get better at your craft. It’s where you sharpen your saw. It’s where you see patterns. It’s where you develop your signature processes.” There’s nothing like it. 
How to determine pricing for your business
How do you know what to price? How do you place value on your services? Laura believes this is the #1 mistake that people make. Laura recommends that you NEVER charge for your time. Instead, always always charge for the result. She notes that “The clearer you are about the outcome your services provide, the more of a chance that you can trade outcomes for income.” 
Laura finds that many consultants aren’t outcome-focused. Laura makes pretty graphics, writes captions, and gets more engagement and followers on social media. The goal is to grow the business. Some social media managers make your feed look pretty. Others make your feed look pretty and grow your business—and they’re double the price. It all comes down to the outcome. If your social media is just a business card, it’s worth a lot less to the person investing in it. 
How to scale one-on-one services
If you’re trading time for money, you’re up a creek. But many people worry that you can’t scale a one-on-one consulting model. Laura disagrees with that notion, and shares three ways you can scale a one-on-one business: 
You can scale through agency services, where you keep the one-on-one interaction (just train more people to do that instead of you). 
Another option is to license your system (i.e. Storybrand or Profit First) and scale your intellectual property. 
Laura only shows up where she’s needed. Her process is well-defined and she is needed for very little. 
If you have five one-on-one clients and you charge $2,000 a month for your services, you want to get to only having five 45-minute appointments weekly and outsource everything else. You speak, teach, write, and deliver. It gives you an amazing part-time consulting business. It was a lifesaver for Laura.
So how do you determine the value of what you’re selling? What is your service worth? How can you differentiate yourself in a way that creates extra value? Laura delivers a TON of value in this episode—make sure you listen to the very end!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

How to Hire—So You Don’t Have to Fire [with Colleen Baader] - Episode 215

How do you hire the right people so you don’t find yourself letting someone go six months down the road? Do you hire for your weakness or hire someone that fits in with the culture? So much goes into hiring the right person. So in this episode of Wingnut Social, Colleen Baader joins Darla to share how she hires for her design firm.
Colleen Baader has been an interior designer for 27 years primarily focusing on commercial design. Seven years ago she started Vertical Interior Design focused on corporate, healthcare, and hospitality design. She even designed and built her own home in 2018. 
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[1:56] Mini News Sesh: How to filter comments
[4:00] All about Colleen Baader
[6:50] The 1st thing to know before hiring
[11:24] How to hire to complement your skills 
[14:11] Hire for skills—not design background
[19:28] The compensation conversation
[21:43] Do you hire a contractor or employee?
[23:38] Don’t be afraid to hire up
[26:37] Offer your team development opportunities
[28:26] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[29:45] How to connect with Colleen Baader
[34:10] The wacky blooper reel!
Connect with Colleen Baader
Vertical Interior Design
Connect on LinkedIn
Follow on Instagram
Resources & People Mentioned
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership
The Culture Index
What you NEED to know before hiring
Colleen tries to look at the strengths of her team—and where she’s seeing weaknesses. Then she tries to target those weaknesses in the hiring process. They give out a survey called “The Culture Index” to help determine an applicant's natural tendencies and personality. Are they detailed? Visionary? Organized? 
If she’s looking for someone detailed, she knows her creative people will be worn down and exhausted by those tasks. But if they’re being 100% creative for their 8 hours at work, they leave on a high. Colleen strives to hire the right people for the right role so they don’t leave burned out. You want to hire someone for a role that they’ll be successful and find joy in. 
You'll have opportunities for more jobs if you allow your team to be diverse. People with different skills not only complement each other, they learn from each other. She always strives to foster collaboration—never competition. You should be rooting for each other to close deals. 
Once you find a few individuals who fit, have them come in and work with the team for half a day. They can see what it’s like to work with them. The people you work with and the environment you’re in can often be what keeps you at your job.
Don’t be afraid to hire up
Darla wanted to get to the point where she wasn’t doing all of the design work. If you’re hiring and want to delegate, you want to make sure the hires are capable of taking on that role. Conversely, Colleen emphasizes that you can’t be afraid to hire people that are smarter than you or are more talented than you. You have to learn to set your ego aside. Colleen worked with someone who said, “Let’s hire the smartest people and get out of their way.” Colleen loves it. She admits that her CAD skills and elevations aren’t great, so she uses her skills where they’re used best and offloads her weaknesses to someone else.
What about the compensation conversation? How do you hire to scale? Should you hire contractors or employees? Listen to the whole episode for Colleen’s take!
Quick Tip: How to filter comments on Instagram
Go to the hash marks in the upper right corner and choose “settings.” Check “privacy” and click on “comments.” You can choose “filters” and choose “hide offensive comments.” You can choose the words that are trigger words (ahem, “bitcoin”) and filter out any comments that include those words.
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Transform Your Business with Powerful Self-Talk [Roy Redd] - Episode 214

After a seminar that changed his life, Roy Redd started a small CPR business that he grew to six-figures over the next year. So he wrote his first book, “The Success Magnet.” During the launch of that book, he got a DM from Casey Trujeque, who asked if his methods worked for athletes. So Casey flew him out to Portland Oregon to work with an athlete. He was able to turn that athlete around with his methods. How? How did changing his self-talk change his game? Learn more in this episode of Wingnut Social!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[3:01] Mini news sesh: TikTok
[5:23] All about Roy Redd
[11:00] What self-talk is present?
[14:47] How to recognize your bounds
[19:37] What to say to yourself instead
[21:35] Use self-talk to become better
[24:00] Roy’s strategy to stop negative self-talk
[29:01] The What Up Wingnut Round!
Connect with Roy Redd
Roy’s Website
Follow on Instagram
Connect on LinkedIn
Resources & People Mentioned
The Book of Est
How to turn things around
Roy asks, “What are you saying to yourself about yourself? In a year from now, what has to happen in your career and your life for you to be happy with your progress?” That is what he calls an instant clarity question. Why? Because with clarity comes certainty. Uncertainty is what causes us to have anxiety or negative self-talk.
Roy realized this athlete had a “functional bound.” You’re bound by social ideas, trauma, or what you’ve been told you can and cannot do. He was getting nervous at the end of his games. So they did an experiment and realized that he had a traumatic experience at six at the end of a game when his Dad put his hands on him. 
Now every time he’s in that situation, his brain goes into fight or flight mode. His self-talk was “I’m not confident because I feel this way.” So they reframed and reclaimed the situation. He learned to anchor to the present. They pulled this unconscious memory into his conscious mind where he can control it. You can do that too.
How to recognize your bounds
We have millions of past experiences. Roy notes that you can’t expect someone to pull and delete all of them. But you can get to a space where you can get comfortable being uncomfortable. You will end up in a space where you will deal with negative self-talk, either conscious, unconscious, or subconscious.
We attach “I” to experiences and it becomes embodied in your identity. Being hungry is an experience you have, but when people are hungry they say “I am hungry.” When they’re upset, they say “I am depressed.” But you are not those things, they are states that you’re in. But by saying “I am” you are locking yourself into those states.
Instead of saying, “I am depressed” you can say that “I am experiencing depression.” Depression isn’t physical, measurable, or tangible—but it is something that you can experience. It’s a sensation. You’re locking emotions into your body. You feel depressed, but you’re having a sensation in your chest. It’s an anchor for an experience that you have to move away from. 
How to use self-talk to become better
When Roy dove into neuroscience and the mind, he learned that it all boils down to self-talk. It’s not what happens to you in life that matters—it’s how you interpret it. Once you can identify the self-talk you’re having, you want to stop it or slow it down. How? 
Root yourself in the moment with things you love and things that get you in a flow state. What are you curious about? Passionate about? Is it connected to your purpose? Those three things lead you into a flow state when you’re in a zone. You lose all sense of time or self-awareness and you’re just in the moment. That’s when you take performance to the next level. Once you’re there, you can master and dial in on the things you’re trying to become better at. 
Want to learn how to stop your negative self-talk in its tracks? Listen to the whole episode for Roy’s strategy!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Lauren Brown's Wins, Losses, and Lessons Learned - Episode 213

Lauren Brown launched her design business at age 65—right before the Coronavirus reared its ugly head. In this episode of Wingnut Social, Lauren shares what she had to do to pivot, the marketing that she’s found success with, and what you should and shouldn’t do. Ready to learn from her years of experience? Don’t miss it!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[2:32] Upcoming content on Wingnut Premium!
[4:41] Mini news sesh: Clubhouse on Android?
[7:56] All about Lauren Brown
[10:08] Launching and immediately pivoting
[12:14] The wins and the losses
[15:23] Gaining traction with marketing
[23:53] The services that Lauren offers
[30:25] Why Lauren decided it was time to hire
[40:42] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[44:18] How to learn more about Lauren Brown
[46:59] Check out the blooper reel!
Connect with Lauren Brown
Lauren’s Website
Follow on Instagram
Connect on Facebook
Resources & People Mentioned
Wingnut Social Episode #131
Scarlet Thread Consulting
Curio Electro
Claire Jefford
Interior Design Business Strategies Facebook Group
Denise Calhoun Pardue
A Well-Designed Business: The Power Talk Friday Experts Vol. 2
The wins, the losses, and the lessons learned
Lauren was approached to publish an article in a magazine. Then she did some ads in the magazine. Before she knew it, it had snowballed to ad after ad in multiple magazines. She went to her CPA and realized she spent a lot of money she shouldn’t have—but she just didn’t know. 
She advertised on social media the organic way and was featured in some local publications. She decided to go with an old-fashioned billboard—which paid off in a big way. Contractors called, builders called, and clients called. It was targeting the local market and staying top-of-mind. 
Lauren was intimidated by social media but didn’t reach out to Darla or anyone else. She also tried building a DIY website. She quickly learned that if you aren’t an expert in any of these areas, you should hire an expert. A better website leads to more people on your page and a lower bounce rate. A bad website can become an easy “no” for a potential client. If your website doesn’t look good, how can your design be good?
Designer by your side
Lauren will do a consultation with potential clients to determine what they’re looking for. She offers a “designer by your side” package for those doing projects on their own but want a little professional advice. She offers a “concept-to-completion” service for someone building a home. She also offers a “furniture mart concierge” package where she takes a client to Furniture Mart and helps them choose the right pieces for their home. 
They’ve all been successful services, but she gets the most revenue from her concept-to-completion service for new home builds. She works directly with two different builders who pay her a percentage to work with their clients. Lauren has learned she wants to concentrate on doing full-service projects—or she’ll run herself ragged.
When did Lauren decide it was time to hire? What position did she hire for? And why did she decide to keep a showroom despite the pandemic? Listen to the whole episode to learn more!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

How to Convert Discovery Calls to Clients with Nikki Rausch - Episode 212

According to Nikki Rausch, the objective of a discovery call is to identify whether or not you’re talking to a potential client. How do you determine that? How can you ask the right questions and move them to the next step in the process? How do you close a discovery call with a new client? Nikki shares her strategy in this episode of the Wingnut Social podcast!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[0:50] Why we’ve had a short break
[4:38] Wingnut Social Premium!
[6:45] Mini News Sesh
[8:52] All about Nikki Rausch
[13:37] Closing on discovery calls
[16:24] The process for cold leads
[18:51] The right questions to ask
[32:30] How to STOP providing free advice
[34:25] Buying signals to look for
[37:35] Always move the project forward
[38:36] What up Wingnut! Round
[41:00] Learn more about Nikki
Connect with Nikki Rausch
The Sales Maven Website
The Sales Maven Podcast
The Selling Staircase by Nikki Rausch
Nikki’s free ebook just for Wingnut Social Listeners!
Resources & People Mentioned
Become a Premium Wingnut!
Episode 97 with Nikki Rausch
Episode 172 with Desi Creswell
BOOK: Wonderworks by Angus Fletcher 
Step #1: Pre-frame the conversation
What should you say to develop a rapport and get the filter running? Nikki emphasizes that the very first thing you want to do on your discovery call is pre-frame the conversation. It not only creates safety, but it establishes the flow of the call. The client may feel nervous or intimidated about talking to you. Pre-framing the conversation allows you to calm their nerves—and yours. 
So what does that look like? You thank them for chatting with you, share the objective of the meeting, lay out how long you’re scheduled to chat, and ask if that still works for them. Then you say “To make this meeting meaningful and productive for you, I’d like to start with a couple of quick questions. Is that alright?” It allows you to take the lead and weed people out quickly.
How do you structure it differently if it’s a cold call? Listen to learn more!
Step #2: Only ask questions you NEED the answer to 
Ask questions that you only need the answers to earn their business and to determine if they’re a good client fit. Many designers try to ask all the questions in the discovery call, instead of waiting until after signing the contract. This is a no-no. Tailor the discovery call to 7–10 questions whenever possible. So what types of questions should you ask?
What’s important to you about your redesign? You need to determine what’s important to them and see if you can solve their pain point. 
What is your budget or potential investment? You don’t want to talk to someone who has $500. This is the hardest thing to pull out of clients. They’re afraid to tell you because they think you’ll use their entire budget. Secondly, they just have no idea what the costs are.
Who—besides yourself—is involved in the decision-making process? You don’t want to have a full conversation just to find out you have to repeat it with a significant other.
What do you already know about [insert your firm name here]? It helps identify if they have inaccurate information about your business. Secondly, it allows them to be the expert in the moment. It creates a balance of power. 
Ask questions to reinforce anything they can be right about. Why? Most people like to be right. They’ll be more open to hearing what you have to say if you can say “You’re right…” Any remaining questions you have can be specific to their particular project.
How do you STOP providing free advice on a discovery call? Listen for Nikki’s tips!
Step #3: Look for buying signals
A buying signal is a verbal or nonverbal cue that people use to indicate interest. It often comes in the form of a question, like, “If someone were to hire you, where do you source the product?” It’s a huge buying signal. Another example? When someone brings up a negative experience. If they share that story with you, they’re looking for reassurance that you won’t do the same thing.
What else do you look for? What should you do at the end of a discovery call when the client is a good fit? Listen to the whole episode with Nikki Rausch to find out!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Wingnut Social Podcast Sponsor
Desi Creswell’s Daily Planner
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Digital Product Libraries = The Way of the Future according to Rex Rogosch - Episode 211

Are physical product libraries dying out? Are they even necessary? Are digital product libraries becoming the way of the future? Rex Rogosch—Darla Powell Interiors’ very own Creative Director—shares where he thinks the space is moving. If you need some tips and tricks to start building your own digital product library, don’t miss this episode of Wingnut Social! 
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[2:00] How to maximize video on Facebook
[9:50] Rex Rogosch is back on the podcast!
[11:48] Building a product library digitally
[15:15] Is it more important for some designers?
[17:04] How do you get inspired?
[18:33] Your projects are your library
[19:47] Trade shows + markets
[27:10] How to organize your library
[32:22] The What Up Wingnut Round!
[35:39] Blooper Reel!
Connect with Rex Rogosch
Darla Powell Interiors
Connect on LinkedIn
Resources & People Mentioned
Wingnut Social Episode 190 with Rex Rogosch
Material Bank
Mydoma
Physical product libraries are dying out
When Rex worked commercially or in large firms, they had hundreds of square feet dedicated to product libraries. They were always working to keep the space up-to-date, clean, and organized. Rex would use the library for inspiration and direction or to make last-minute sample switches. But most of his work was already online ordering new samples. 
How do you work as a designer? How do you find inspiration? You have to find your own comfort zone. Are you comfortable moving into a digital platform? Or do you have to feel and touch everything? Rex grew up sourcing digitally and he’s comfortable with digital catalogs.
If you want or need a physical library, make it more about your favorite things and what inspires you. Personalize it with your go-to items and then use digital sample libraries and material banks. Hold on to the samples until the project is done and then offload them. 
Now, instead of relying on a product library, Rex gets inspiration from talking to the clients and seeing their inspiration photos. Do they have blue in every picture? Limestone in every photo? He takes those notes and builds upon them. Someone else may have images or photos you’ve never seen or interacted with. 
How to organize a digital—or physical—library
Rex notes that your digital library lives in each project that you have saved. He doesn’t necessarily recommend archiving photos because you’ll end up with another library. If Rex ever has to refer to a product, he can go pull it from a project. With a quick google search, finding stuff digitally is pretty quick. 
If you still want a physical library, it needs to stay organized. How large is the library? Can you have specific sections for tile, glass, fabrics, etc? Then you subset it from there. For example, Rex organizes fabric first by vendor. Then he organizes by color. Why? Because a color scheme is one of the first things designers know after a consultation. 
Sometimes designers get complacent with the vendors that they work with. Suddenly all of your designs look the same. Organizing by color instead of vendor is one way to vary who you work with.
Expert Tip: If you have a good rep, they will come update your library and clear out outdated products. They don’t want to do it, but they will to get back in front of their customers. 
For more of the conversation around digital libraries, listen to the whole episode! It’s packed with useful strategies and tips. 
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
1-877-WINGNUT (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com