A Dialogue with Daniela Furtado
Why Campaign Marketing Outperforms "Always On" Social Media for Design Professionals
Episode 111
In this episode, I sit down with Daniela Furtado from Findable Digital Marketing to discuss why most interior designers aren't seeing results from their social media efforts. Daniela reveals why campaign marketing outperforms "always on" posting, explains the limitations of Instagram, and shares practical strategies for creating marketing that actually converts. If you're tired of posting consistently without seeing business results, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on digital marketing for design professionals.
Hope you enjoy the episode
Beth xx
As an interior designer, you've likely been told that consistent social media posting is the key to marketing success. Post daily on Instagram, create reels, share your process, and clients will eventually find you. But what if there's a more effective approach that requires less constant content creation while delivering better results?
In this episode of Design Dialogues, I sit down with marketing expert Daniela Furtado of Findable Digital Marketing to explore why campaign marketing—not just "always on" social media—might be the missing piece in your interior design marketing strategy.
The Instagram Reality Check: 2% Reach and Diminishing Returns
Many interior designers invest significant time in Instagram, yet see minimal business results. Daniela offers this sobering statistic:
"The average reach of a post across all of Instagram is 2%. So if you have a thousand followers, 98% of them are not going to see your content."
This doesn't mean abandoning Instagram entirely, but rather being strategic about how you use it. As Daniela suggests, "I'm giving you permission to stop posting on Instagram for two weeks, go away and create something really cool, really different, really swinging for the fences."
The truth is, most designers are caught in an exhausting cycle of daily posting without seeing meaningful returns on that investment of time and energy.
The Crucial Difference: "Always On" vs. Campaign Marketing
"Two very different modes of marketing," Daniela explains. "We have our always on marketing, which is posting on social media, sending a monthly email, maybe being on a podcast or recording a podcast, writing a blog. This is our always on marketing."
While this consistent content creates brand presence, it's playing the long game with minimal immediate returns. As Daniela points out, "If I was to release a blog today, I'm not going to see traction from that blog for months."
By contrast, campaign marketing offers a more focused, strategic approach:
"Campaigns are short, focused efforts. So instead of trying to hit every objective and playing the long game, we are super focused on one objective."
For interior designers who may only need a handful of quality clients each year, this targeted approach makes perfect sense.
Why Interior Designers Should Consider Campaign Marketing
Many designers assume campaigns are only for big brands with big budgets. Daniela quickly dispels this myth:
"By definition, a campaign does not need to be expensive. It doesn't need to be an installation. It doesn't need to be a video, but I completely agree with you that it should be big, big in impact, not big in budget."
In fact, Daniela shares that her first campaign cost just $2.49—less than a cup of coffee.
For interior designers, campaigns can be particularly effective because:
They create a multiplier effect by connecting different marketing channels
They help you stand out in a sea of similar content
They allow for creative expression beyond trend-driven posts
They deliver focused results for specific business objectives
"I feel that this is the missing part of successful small business marketing," Daniela notes, "because everyone is doing always on marketing and they're not getting the traction."
How to Create an Effective Campaign for Your Design Business
If you're ready to try campaign marketing for your interior design business, Daniela offers practical advice:
1. Plan Ahead
"Start planning a campaign 10 to 12 weeks before you want to launch it," Daniela advises. This gives you time to develop all elements while still running your business.
2. Become a "Customer Fanatic"
Understanding your ideal clients on a deep level is crucial for campaign development. "Doing some audience insights, some interviews with our customers, actually getting on the phone and talking to prospective or actual customers to understand them on that level to inform our campaign is really important."
3. Focus on One Clear Objective
Whether it's lead generation, brand awareness, or promoting a specific service, your campaign should have a single, clear goal. For example: "Just for the next four weeks, I'm going to be really intentional about building my email list."
4. Use a Mix of Channels
Effective campaigns use multiple touchpoints: "We come up with a clever mix of paid, earned, owned and borrowed channels and connect those during our campaign."
5. Get Creative
"I think we are starved for creativity amongst the small business community," Daniela observes. Your campaign is your chance to break away from the same content everyone else is posting.
Real-World Example: Campaigns for Interior Designers
For designers wondering how this applies to their business, Daniela offers a practical example:
"Interior designers don't need to bring in hundreds of customers every year. They might only be looking at bringing in four or five new clients every year."
In this case, she suggests a referral marketing campaign that taps into existing clients who already know and love your work. This approach leverages your strongest asset—satisfied clients—and focuses your energy on a specific, achievable goal.
The Email Marketing Renaissance
While many designers focus exclusively on social media, Daniela is particularly excited about email marketing in 2025 and beyond:
"My favourite part about digital marketing right now is email. I'm really into email. I have my own email newsletter. This year was my goal to be consistent with it."
What makes email particularly effective for designers?
Direct access to your audience without algorithm interference
Higher engagement rates than social media
More in-depth communication than is possible in a social post
Relationship building through consistent, valuable content
"I get comments on social media, don't get me wrong, but I don't know, it's just so much different," Daniela shares about the responses to her email newsletter compared to social media.
The Value of In-Person Connections
In an age of digital marketing, Daniela makes a compelling case for the power of in-person networking:
"I've decided to reinvest most of my advertising dollars towards getting on a plane and flying to a major capital city... and go and either host or attend an in-person event in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and I can walk away with $25,000."
For interior designers, whose business relies heavily on trust and personal connection, this approach can be particularly effective. Building relationships with suppliers, other designers, and potential clients in person often yields better results than digital marketing alone.
Building a Bank of Marketing Assets
One of the most valuable aspects of campaign marketing is the creation of reusable assets:
"I reuse literally everything, every email, every post, every Canva design," Daniela shares. "People can't remember what they ate for breakfast yesterday, they're not going to remember that they received an email six months ago that is somewhat similar to the one that I sent today."
This approach makes campaigns an investment rather than an expense—creating assets you can use repeatedly to continue generating returns.
Authentic Marketing in a World of Hype
Throughout the conversation, Daniela emphasizes the importance of authentic marketing:
"I'm so disillusioned by the state of marketing in 2025 and beyond. It seems like the status quo is wealth and success signalling misrepresentation of someone's qualifications or authority or expertise."
For interior designers who value integrity, this is welcome advice. Your marketing should reflect your true expertise and values, not follow questionable tactics that might make you uncomfortable.
"If it feels wrong, please don't do it," Daniela advises. "It's like, if you lift up a weight at the gym and if there's pain there, you need to put that back down."
Getting Started with Campaign Marketing
Ready to try campaign marketing for your interior design business? Here's a simple framework to get started:
Identify one clear business objective you want to achieve in the next 1-3 months
Talk to your best clients to understand what they valued most about working with you
Develop a creative campaign concept that addresses your objective
Plan a mix of channels to deliver your message (email, social, in-person, partnerships)
Create your campaign assets with an emphasis on quality over quantity
Execute your campaign over a defined period (typically 2-4 weeks)
Measure results against your specific objective
The Bottom Line: Quality Over Quantity
The key takeaway for interior designers is that effective marketing isn't about constant content creation—it's about strategic, focused efforts that align with your business goals.
As Daniela summarizes: "I'm not going to sit here and tell anybody that you can pull together a campaign quickly. It is so much work, but it's work that actually delivers a return on your effort as opposed to relentlessly posting on Instagram without a strategy. And six months later, you are nowhere."
By shifting from the Instagram grind to strategic campaign marketing, interior designers can create more impactful marketing that resonates with ideal clients while freeing up time to focus on what they do best—designing beautiful spaces.
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