471: Window Treatment Friday: Window Treatment Business Models, Part 2

Welcome to another episode of our Window Treatment Friday series with LuAnn and Vita. In this series, we're talking about window treatment services and we're sharing some viable business models with you. We explain how you can incorporate a window treatment business into your interior design business and we help you find the business model that's the best fit for you. Today, we're continuing our conversation from the last episode in this series (# 462) where we outlined the framework for the 'Do It Yourself' model. In today's episode, we will be covering the 'Done For You' model, where the interior designer partners with a window treatment specialist. In this model, the interior designer is the primary creator of the vision and the plan, and takes care of the more fun aspects of the service, while all the 'behind the scenes' aspects are taken care of by the window treatment specialist.  Listen in, to find out more.

Vita is the CEO and founder of Vitalia Inc., a nationally recognized authority on quality window treatments and soft furnishings, located in the Metro Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania. Vitalia Inc. is your workroom and your partner for custom window treatments. Their mission is to provide value to their clients and improve their lives.

Vita and LuAnn have been getting some outstanding feedback about this series, so tune in today, to learn from them how to make window treatments a profitable center of revenue for your interior design firm.

Show Highlights:

• Vita gives a recap of what she and LuAnn covered in the previous episode of this series, #462.
• With the 'Done For You' model, the window treatment expert expects you to call them in right at the beginning of a new project.
• Devising the strategy for window treatments is the first step.
• The designer remains the leader and the window treatment expert helps the designer understand how to find the best solutions.
• The importance of honing your communication skills.
• The way that the window treatment experts can help you, the designer.
• Coming up with the design is usually the most fun step for designers.
• An expert is someone who has made every possible mistake in their field.
• The role of the designer and the role of the window treatment expert.
• Window treatment experts use systems to keep the designers in the loop.
• Dealing with delays.
• Creating efficiency with systems.
• Vitalia Inc. uses Air Table, a very robust web-based project-management system that outlines every step of the project.
• What it means to take responsibility.
• The value you get from partnering with a window treatment expert.
• This model is a win-win for the designer and the client.
• Vita shares the questions that you need to ask, to find the best window treatment model that's the best fit.

Previous shows mentioned in this episode:

Peter Lang #349 and #464

Links:

To learn more about working with Vita and Vitalia Inc

Vita would love to talk to you. Share your feedback, questions, problems, and challenges with her, and also your wins. You can email her at [e-mail]

To learn more about working with Window Works

To receive a free subscription to Window Fashion Vision Magazine

To attend the IWCE where both LuAnn and Vita will be presenting

To learn about the WCAA (Window Coverings Association of America)

To learn about Exciting Windows

To get the PDF with the Goodies from today's episode: Luann Nigara If you join LuAnn's mailing list, you can access any information that we have uploaded relating to all the previous episodes of the podcast via this link.