According to Google Keyword Planner, home decor searches are popular. Keyword phrases “interior designers near me”, “home interior”, and “interior design” gather the majority of the online audience. The pandemic has dramatically increased interest into home decor, as a lot of people find themselves struggling in self-isolation.
For a creative individual who has a passion for interior decoration, the pandemic provides a unique opportunity for a side hustle business. There’s a huge demand for decor inspiration as people are spending more time at home. Home improvement projects and decor updates are on the rise. For a solo-entrepreneur, it’s a chance to make the most of your passion for design.
Treat it like a business
You need to think of your home decor side hustle as a business from day one. As a result, you can’t afford to skip essential business tools that will establish your professional profile. Google Analytics is a free tool that monitors website traffic. You will also need to invest in a CRM solution to capture customer data and keep track of all interactions. Paired with an emailing tool, you can set up your marketing activities and communication. Some email marketing solutions are free for small businesses, such as Mailchimp that’s free to use if you’ve got less than 2,000 contacts. OmniSend is another handy emailing service that sets no limit to your list of contacts.
Focus on your USP
Your Unique Selling Proposition is the thing that differentiates your business from competitors. It’s a valuable addition that can attract customers. If you are still in the process of launching your side-hustle business, you may want to consider what your competitors are offering. What can you bring to the market that customers don’t already get from someone else? When it comes to home decor businesses, you could consider curating unique items and furniture from vintage markets and places like Etsy and eBay. Keep your costs low and find cheaper alternative to move that eBay bargain to your storage facilities. This would put you in the best position to provide unbeatable furniture offers.
Build an online network
How do interior decor experts get noticed in a busy and crowded market? The answer: They maximise their social media place. Instagram is a great platform to get noticed and build a huge follower base. You can take inspiration from some of the most popular home decor accounts on Instagram such as US-based @em_henderson and @the_seasoned_home. You can focus a palette of colours or an atmosphere like these accounts do. Alternatively, you can also check trendy hashtags and learn a few tips from their photo captions.
Streamline some of your services
Working alone, you can’t afford to waste time on activities that are not directly income-generating. That’s where automation can make a huge difference. You can create an emailing workflow to capture new subscribers to your newsletter and share dedicated content with them. It’s a great idea to have unique content that is only accessible to your customers or subscribers, such as online tutorials for furniture painting or choosing the right wall paint colours.
Can your home decor passion become a full-time business? There is only one way of knowing! Home design can be a profitable side-hustle business, which you can grow by focusing on your unique selling proposition and creative eye. It is also a rewarding business that encourages you to embrace your creativity and personality.
