Let’s be honest: marketing doesn’t always feel natural when your genius lies in design. You’re trained to create beauty, solve problems, and bring visions to life – not to write newsletters or figure out SEO. But even the most talented designers can struggle to grow without a strong marketing strategy. And it’s not because they’re not trying – it’s usually because they’re stuck on three major things: Positioning, Consistency, and Bravery.
These aren’t buzzwords. They’re the behind-the-scenes hurdles that quietly sabotage your visibility and make marketing feel frustrating or fake. But once you understand them, they stop being blocks – and start becoming the foundation for all your future growth.
Here’s how they work, and what to do about each one.
Positioning: Why Should They Choose You?
If your messaging sounds like “full-service interior design for discerning clients,” you’re not alone – but you’re also not going to stand out. Positioning is all about clarity: what exactly do you offer, who exactly is it for, and why exactly are you the right one to deliver it?
And no, this doesn’t mean boxing yourself into a boring niche. It means making it easy for your ideal client to recognize themselves in your message and say “yes.” (and the others to say “no”, which is good, very good)
Instead of blending in, own your angle. Are you the go-to for design-loving busy moms who want their homes to actually function? Do you specialize in high-end bachelor pads with a bold, masculine edge? Are you the secret weapon behind boutique hotels that need a brand-defining experience? Your positioning needs to reflect what makes you you – speak directly to the clients who will value that most.
How to get unstuck:
- Pick a favorite past client and reverse engineer your positioning from what made that project work so well.
- Ask yourself: What problems do I solve best? What do people always say about my style? What am I tired of doing?
- Get clear, then get specific. Confusion kills conversions.
Consistency: Keep Showing Up
There’s no shortcut here: marketing only works if you do it consistently. That doesn’t mean daily Instagram Stories or weekly blog posts (unless that works for you). It means creating a rhythm that you can actually sustain – and sticking to it.
When you ghost your audience for months and then show up to promote your newest service, it doesn’t land. But when your name keeps popping up – through thoughtful emails, beautiful visuals, and regular updates – your clients start to trust that you’re reliable, and that trust drives sales.
Designers often think, “But I don’t want to sound repetitive.” Let me assure you: your audience is not hanging on your every word. Repeating your message is what builds recognition.
How to get unstuck:
- Pick one main platform (email, Instagram, your blog – just one).
- Commit to a cadence that works for your actual life. Once a week? Twice a month? Great.
- Batch when possible. Schedule your content ahead and focus on the long game.
Bravery: Pitch Yourself Before You’re Ready
Here’s what doesn’t get said enough: growing a design business requires guts. Not just creativity. Not just style. Bravery. And in marketing, bravery isn’t about bold fonts or controversial opinions – it’s about showing up, asking for the opportunity, and putting yourself forward before you feel “ready.”
If you’re waiting to be discovered, you’re playing a losing game. Most designers aren’t short on talent, they’re short on confidence to pitch, approach, and ask. Whether it’s reaching out to a brand about a collaboration, pitching a project for press, or following up with a dream client who ghosted you… it takes courage to initiate.
And yes, it will be uncomfortable. You’ll second guess yourself. But bravery is the thing that pushes you out of the comparison scroll and into real growth. You cannot outsource this part of the process. At some point, you’ve got to say, “Here’s what I do, here’s who it’s for, and here’s why I’m the one to do it.”
Designers often hold back out of fear of seeming too salesy or not polished enough. But the people who get the opportunity? They’re not always the best – they’re the ones who asked.
How to get unstuck:
- Make a list of five opportunities you wish someone would offer you. Now flip it: who can you pitch them to?
- Use a simple script. You don’t need a fancy deck to send a message that says, “I love what you’re doing—here’s how I think I could contribute.”
- Normalize hearing “no” (or nothing at all). Keep going anyway.
Bravery in business is often just doing the thing you’ve been avoiding. The email, the follow-up, the conversation. The ask.
Why These Three Matter More Than Tools or Trends
You don’t need a complicated marketing mechanism to grow.
You need to mean what you say, say it often enough, and say it like you mean it. Positioning, consistency, and bravery are what set apart the designers who quietly hope their work speaks for itself from those whose brands actually get noticed, shared, and booked.
Yes, it takes effort.
Yes, it feels awkward sometimes.
But when you lock in these three things, the rest of your marketing strategy falls into place. And the best part? You’ll stop second-guessing yourself every time you write a caption, send a pitch, or update your website. You’ll know exactly what you’re saying, who it’s for, and why it matters.
So if marketing has felt hard lately, ask yourself – am I really positioned clearly? Am I showing up consistently? Am I being as brave as I could be?
Start there. That’s where the shift begins.
