How to Start a Home-Based Interior Design Business Book

	Acknowledgments	xi
	Introduction	xiii
Chapter 1	Design 101	1
	What Are Your Options?	2
	What Does a Designer Do?	6
	Required Traits for the Job	9
	The Myths and Realities of Entrepreneurship	10
	A Few Loose Ends	11
	Testing the Waters	12
	Determining Your Level of Participation	13
	If You Have Children	13
	Read, Read, Read	14
	Associations	14
	Further Your Education	15
	Summary	15
Chapter 2	Setting Up Shop	17
	What You'll Need	18
	Vertically Challenged	20
	Storage Space	21
	Your Car	22
	A Word about Your Appearance	23
	Defining Your Business	24
	Existing Businesses and Franchises	26
	Your Business Name	26
	The Paper Trail	27
	Insurance	29
	Summary	31
Chapter 3	Start-Up Costs	33
	What It Will Cost to Start Your Business	33
	Doing the Books	34
	Buying and Using a Computer	35
	Samples	37
	Pricing Your Products	41
Chapter 4	Writing Your Business Plan	45
	Preparing Your Statement of Purpose	46
	Providing Your General Business Description	46
	Summarizing Your Business	46
	Defining Your Business	48
	Devising Your Marketing Strategy	49
	Forecasting Your Company Equipment and Setup	49
	Determining Your Organizational Setup	50
	Making Financial Projections	50
	Creating a Balance Sheet	51
	Making Cash Flow Projections	53
	Sources for Start-Up Capital	58
Chapter 5	Record Keeping	59
	Bookkeepers	59
	Accountants	60
	Keeping Track of Your Money	60
	Accounts Payable and Receivable Files	63
	Change Orders	64
	Customer Contracts	66
	Credit Accounts for Your Business	67
	Credit and Your Clients	69
	Bid Sheets	72
	Invoices	72
	Client Files	76
	Job Tracking Worksheet	78
Chapter 6	Advertising on a Budget	85
	Advertising Goals	85
	Before We Get Started ...	86
	Typical Advertising Techniques	86
	Alternative Advertising	96
	Advertising on the Internet	106
	Other Ways to Get Business	107
	Tracking Your Business	109
	Using Existing Clients to Cultivate New Business	109
	Keeping Track of Your Clients	112
	Turning Inquiry Calls into Sales	115
	Summary	116
Chapter 7	What to Charge	117
	Shopping the Competition	117
	Other Sources of Information	121
	The Bidding Process	122
	The Competitive Bid	126
	Up-Selling	128
	Sales Tax and Your Bid	130
	Contract Labor	130
	An Inspirational Word	135
Chapter 8	Now That You Have an Appointment, What Do You Do?	137
	The Appointment	138
	After the Sale	148
	The Installation	150
	Managing Your Sales	152
Chapter 9	Product Overview	155
Section 1	Hard-Line Window Coverings	156
Section 2	Soft Window Treatments	166
Section 3	Bedding and Accessories	174
Section 4	Flooring	177
Section 5	Wallpaper	180
Section 6	Miscellaneous Products	183
	Sales Manual	183
	Practice Worksheets	184
	Practice Problems	185
	Summary	190
Chapter 10	Managing the Growth of Your Business	191
	Moving Out	191
	Finding Good Employees	193
	The Interview Process	194
	Probationary Period	195
	Noncompete Agreements	195
	What to Pay	196
	Quotas	197
	Gas Allowance	197
	Keeping Designers Motivated	197
	Hiring a Sales Manager	198
	Training Your Employees	198
	You Can Do It!	199
	Appendix	201
	Trade Publications	201
	Associations	202
	Index	205