On November 13, the ECPR team partnered with the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC) to help reveal the 7 Secrets of Top Luxury Interior Design Firms, presented by our good friend and the design industry’s leading business expert Julia Molloy, president and CEO of Molloy Management Group. As the premier operations and luxury branding specialist in the design industry, Julia works with design company CEOs and owners to increase their efficiencies, develop business plans, boost profits, and connect with a more affluent clientele. Her company, Molloy Management Group, Inc., specializes in advising design professionals how to develop luxury brands and build celebrity statuses.
With many years of experience in the field, she has determined seven distinct patterns, or traits, among her most successful, high-end designer clients. With the opportunity to present at ADAC and share her proficient knowledge with interior designers and showroom managers based in the South, Julia presented one of the most engaging and applicable sessions we have ever had the pleasure of attending. The audience members widely seconded this sentiment, with rave reviews following the event.
For those who work in the design world and were unable to attend, we have highlighted a few key points of relevant interest, stemming from Julia’s presentation, 7 Secrets of the Top Luxury Interior Design Firms.
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| Julia Molloy presenting the “7 Secrets of Top Luxury Interior Design Firms.” |
What is Luxury?
It all begins with the question, “what is luxury?” Julia defined luxury as the ability to “satisfy every need and go beyond the ordinary into the realm of the extraordinary. It is about elevating the mind, body and spirit.” Luxury must be developed inside an organization before it can start providing luxury as a service and viable reference to clients. The seven secrets provide the necessary elements to becoming luxury internally, and then servicing with luxury externally.
Luxury Starts from Within
In terms of internal business operations, a design company’s brand vision sets the foundation of what it stands for and provides. Brand Vision should be instilled in a firm’s staff as well. As soon as employees are hired, the company structure must be set to evoke brand-aligned staff members and a true sense of internal organization.
Clear roles and accountabilities must be established for each teammate, with centralized and easily accessible information that requires limited presence of the principal designer when needed, allowing for a streamlined approach. There must be short-term tasking and team meetings where everyone can discuss their completed, current and upcoming tasks. From there, documentation of regular company practices and forms should occur, whether internally or in the field. This will help uphold the standards of quality and efficiency for the company.
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| “Designers and showroom managers visit ADAC for Julia Molloy’s presentation.” |
Branding and Public Relations are Essential
Once the brand vision, company structure, and documentation processes are solidified, then brand development can start to take shape. Branding should authentically reflect a design firm’s key characteristics. The key characteristics are a firm’s “navigational compass,” which directs the decision making process and, ultimately, aligns all actions to the brand vision.
Top luxury interior design firms place public relations and press as high priorities. A publicist can help a designer become an active and renowned figure in their community, which will help them gain popularity and publicity. Design firms and their public relations teams should develop a list of targeted publications, websites and blogs for submitting the designer’s well-planned media kit and build relationships with all of the publications’ editors and writers. If an interior design firm desires the most return on investment, it will work with a reputable public relations firm who specializes in the industry.
Luxury Has the Potential to Grow and Evolve
A brand and business development team such as Molloy Management Group, and an industry-experienced, full-service public relations firm like our own Eberly & Collard Public Relations, can help take a firm from its “start-up” phase to celebrity standing.
Active public relations and press coverage help design firms remain present, known, seen, heard, and available.
According to Julia, when an interior designer’s clients see his or her name published, it makes them feel good and say, “That’s my designer!” This equates to an elevated position and feeling for the client. As a result, the client acknowledges the luxury of the design firm, even after the project has been completed. In turn, this can generate customer loyalty and referrals. Coming full circle, the purpose of public relations for a designer involves positioning the designer as a “go-to” expert resource for creating both beautiful and useful living spaces, but also to provide the client a truly luxurious experience.
These are only a few of the tips provided by Julia Molloy. Her knowledge is impressive and vast; to learn more, visit the Molloy Management Group website at www.molloymanagement.com. To view other events at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center, visit www.adacatlanta.com. For more information about Eberly & Collard Public Relations, visit our website at www.eberlycollardpr.com.
Our most sincere thanks to Julia for enlightening the Atlanta design industry, and our appreciation to the highly talented and devoted staff at ADAC for hosting the event.
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| Members of the ECPR team with Julia Molloy of Molloy Management Group and Amy Musarra of ADAC. |
