The 2020 pandemic has reinforced the importance of our homes as places of sanctuary – which means that many interior designers have been busier than ever over the last few months! Enforced time at home has meant a flutter of clients suddenly making changes they’ve placed on the backburner for years.
However, remote working for interior designers has come with challenges. It’s essential to put your best self forward when it comes to project and business management, yet this can be difficult without the proper tools and systems in place.
With this in mind, leading global home renovation and design platform Houzz has released Houzz Pro, an all-in-one software that empowers home design and renovation professionals to win more clients, increase profits and stay connected easily with their clients and teams.
How to Optimise Your Interior Design Business Practices
Houzz Pro is an all-in-one solution for interior designers which includes lead management, sourcing tools, proposals and invoices, client collaboration, online payments, marketing and more.
It brings together Houzz’s industry-leading marketing features with the popular ‘Ivy by Houzz’ business management software. Now designers can manage their entire project and client lifecycle on Houzz Pro, from anywhere, at any time.
“Now, more than ever, home design pros are asking for tools that will help them run profitably and efficiently, and deliver an amazing client experience,” says Alon Cohen, Houzz co-founder and president.
“Houzz Pro was born from listening to feedback from our pro community, and it is important to us that this powerful solution is both affordable and easy-to-use. We understand pros in our community are facing new challenges with COVID-19 and, given these unique demands, we are providing the software to all our existing pro subscribers as part of their subscription.”
With Houzz Pro, designers can work from anywhere, creating and sending branded, customised proposals, tear sheets, invoices and purchase orders. It enables you to:
Get Easy Approvals from Clients
The Product Clipper tool gives designers the ability to save specs and imagery for each product into a firm library, eliminating the need for manual copying, pasting and downloading of product information. With online approvals, designers can create proposals, and clients can approve or decline the entire proposal or individual items.
Master Your Finances
Houzz Pro supports and tracks online card payments. Designers can manage their time and expense entries in one central dashboard.
Effortlessly Manage Your Projects
Enhanced search functionality, developed based on feedback from the design community, makes it easier for designers to find products and services within a project, including documents, room boards and the project tracker.
Generate and Track Leads
A new, integrated lead management tool helps designers manage their prospective client pipeline, from Houzz or any source, enabling timely follow up that helps win more projects. A central messaging tool tracks client communication history, including real time chat, email, photo and document sharing, and more.
Designers can integrate the scheduling tool with their calendars, making it easy to find a meeting time that works for the client and the pro.
Take Your Marketing and Website Next Level!
In addition, Houzz has expanded its suite of marketing tools, included in every subscription, that help Houzz Pro subscribers stand out and build their brands. With new Website Services, Houzz can create a beautiful website with a custom domain chosen by the designer.
The new Highlight Video enables designers to showcase their business in a compelling, multimedia experience, including photos, reviews and key business information. With the new Featured Reviews tool, designers can showcase a specific review prominently on their profile and directory listing. Also, new enhanced analytics through the Houzz Pro platform empower designers to optimise their Houzz profile based on what is resonating most with the Houzz community.
Ready to Get Started?
Go to houzz.com.au/pro for more information. Subscription packages, priced to fit any budget or team, include premium profile features, website building services, lead and business management tools. To help more designers get started, new subscriptions start as low as $89 per month.
Houzz Pro is available to all home renovation and design professionals in the U.S., UK, Australia and New Zealand with more countries to come.
Tony Been, Managing Director of Houzz ANZ, will also be speaking as part of the virtual Australian House & Garden International Seminar Series at Decor + Design 360, on Thursday October 1
Tony will be hosting an interactive, live workshop which will provide your business with practical takeaways for the coming year. Using unique insights and statistics from Houzz, Tony will discuss the 360-degree view of evolving needs and expectations in the home design industry, as well as the new consumer trends and ways in which you can leverage those insights.
Stay at the forefront of a complex market – register now for the virtual trade fair and reserve your pass for the interactive workshop.