When you think about a designer’s preferred brand, you may think it’s a brand they are most familiar with, or a brand that fits their design aesthetic. But the choice goes much deeper than beauty and familiarity. This month’s Next Gen Designers have some really impactful takeaways for brands to keep in mind as they create products and experiences that resonate with this audience.
Relationships Matter
When designers recommend a product, they’re putting their own reputation on the line with their clients. That’s especially true when they’re introducing a client to a brand they’ve never specified before.
Yes, these designers do their homework. They browse Instagram, research brand websites, attend trade shows, and read reviews. But the strongest vote of confidence still comes from people in the industry who have experienced the product. This can be other designers, local sales reps, and the manufacturers themselves.
Great Reps Make All the Difference
Every designer we interviewed talked about the value of a knowledgeable, responsive sales rep. They rely on these reps for product recommendations, troubleshooting, training, and support when issues inevitably come up.
Emily Ahmad summed it up perfectly: “I’ll always take my rep’s word over anything I see on socials when it comes to a brand. They have the most interaction with servicing, so I trust their impression of a product.”
Kianna Patrick went on to say, “You feel a sense of ease knowing you have people to reach out to for additional questions that your clients may have. It gives you confidence to recommend brands to your clients, because you know the rep is on your side and wants your clients to receive the best experience.”
Make It Easy to Specify Your Products
Equipping your sales reps with marketing collateral, sales tools, presentations, spec sheets, easy-to-use websites, and seamless processes for ordering not only make their lives easier, but it makes it quicker to serve these designers and drive loyalty with them.
Beyond reps, making these resources easily accessible on the website is another way designers can save time and research during the product research and specification stage.
Consistent Quality and Customer Service
Not surprisingly, quality was at the top of everyone’s list when choosing a product. But if you dig a little deeper, there were a few more notable things that stood out…
- Dependable lead times help designers set expectations.
- Responsive customer service makes headaches go away for the designer and the customer.
- Ease of installation is a key differentiator, and something that brings designers back.
- Finally, products that perform well, long after the project is complete, is the ultimate test of a product quality.
As Cayleigh McCusker Fitzpatrick put it, “Customer service, quality and consistency: If you have all three of those things in a brand, that’s like the gold star trifecta.”
New Brands Can Break Through, But They Have to Earn It
The good news? Designers are definitely open to trying new brands. The catch is that they have to reduce the perceived risk.
Lauren Feurich said, “You are always taking a bit of risk when specifying a new product, but without risk in this industry there isn’t progression.”
Designers want to try something new with their clients and push the boundaries of design. But, they are looking for proof of quality before they’ll recommend a new manufacturer. As mentioned, they lean into testimonials from peers, but are also convinced by a compelling brand story, transparent information about how products are made, or detailed specifications that make them feel confident.
Authenticity Matters
On the topic of marketing, we found it interesting that several designers specifically called out their preference for real project photography over heavily edited or AI-generated imagery.
They want to see products in real homes, with real applications, so they can set expectations with their clients.
Our biggest takeaway: Great products are only part of the equation.
Young designers are looking for partners they can trust. They want to work with brands that educate them, support them, make their jobs easier, and consistently deliver on their promises. Beautiful design may get a brand noticed, but it’s the brand experience that solidifies you as a long-term partner.
