 Centercourt Cybertorial -- Decorating Den Interiors Rating Scale: ***** (5-Star): "Excellent Opportunity" Company: Centercourt Rating: ***** (5-Star) Business Type: Franchise Description: Mobile, interior decorating service that offers drapery, wallcoverings, carpet, furniture and accessories. Mailing Address: Decorating Den Interiors Telephone: 800-332-3367 Fax: 301-272-1520 E-Mail: Web Site: Direct Link Topics: Program Summary With more than 700 decorators throughout North America, Decorating Den Interiors (DDI) offers consumers the very best in professional home decorating services and quality products. Decorating Den Interiors offers entrepreneurs: Complete Independence and flexibility - no time clock or the retail game of standing around waiting for customers. You see your customer by appointment at the convenience of both your schedule and theirs. Pride and Self Esteem - Quality products and professional service equate to a high level of pride - there are many business opportunities available today - none we know of has the professional image, pleasant working conditions, creative satisfaction and quality products you enjoy as with a Decorating Den Interiors franchise. Low overhead costs - This home based business means no rent, utilities or location insurance - rather you will receive a tax savings by operating out of you home. Company Vehicle - Your Decorating Den Interiors ColorVan is a fully deductible business expense - a mobile billboard, you create more awareness and future business everywhere you go! No expensive equipment - You don't purchase any machinery, store fixtures or displays. You "equipment" consist of low cost samples and your displays are the beautiful rooms you decorate for your customers. No inventory - You never stock a bolt of fabric or roll of carpet. You don't pay for the space, insurance or personnel to handle them. Instead, you order your furniture, window, wall and floor products ONLY after you have taken the order and received a down payment. No account receivable - Many companies who sell home furnishings and decorating products need to offer credit, which can require substantial capital. With a Decorating Den Interiors franchise, you obtain a 60% deposit with the balance paid at the time of installation. The customer does any needed financing himself or herself, using a bank or credit cards. No Real Competition - Shop around your town. Does any department store or independent retailer take a van, loaded with samples out to every customer who needs new window treatments, carpets, wallcovering furniture or accessories? Growing Market Demand - Consumers are moving, redecorating and building new homes. There is a tremendous market for our products and services - they have to buy from somebody - why not Decorating Den Interiors. Home Business Doesn't Mean Small Business - Whether you operate part-time or full-time, your Decorating Den Interiors franchise has big business potential. Your business is a new concept in non-store-retailing. You can out sell most retailers as they have the overhead of a storefront location but lack the buying power of an international company of the size and magnitude and thus purchasing power of Decorating Den Interiors. Established in 1969, Decorating Den Interiors was founded on the belief that decorating services should be affordable and available for every home. Many milestones have marked the company's 30-year history. Chairman Jim S. Bugg, Sr. became involved with DDI in 1984. A marketing, financial and organizational expert, he was a key figure in developing major companies including Century 21 and the Kirby Company. Bugg acquired ownership of DDI in January 1988. An acknowledged expert in franchising, he is the former Chairman of the International Franchise Association. Bugg now serves as Chairman of DDI having tapped his son, Jim Bugg, Jr. in 1994 to act as President to catapult DDI into the new millennium. Since assuming his role as President of DDI, the first step taken by Jim Bugg, Jr. was to conduct a massive consumer research study. The study, which took approximately one year to complete, consisted primarily of focus groups throughout North America. It had been approximately 24 years since the company's inception; Bugg's goal was to determine if DDI was positioned correctly in the market place by better understanding the consumer image of DDI's services. The consumer study revealed two important facts: past client's value DDI's services with 98% responding that they would or do use, our services repeatedly. Secondly, consumers in general were aware of DDI, however, the company's original logo was outmoded and didn't project the image correctly for the demographics the company was positioning itself to target. Thus Bugg's next step was to update Decorating Den Interiors logo and image. Founded as 'Decorating Den,' Bugg wanted to increase consumers awareness that DDI is a full service decorating company by adding "Interiors" to the name. DDI employs many visual mediums to promote its services; print and broadcast advertising on both a local and national level, various marketing tools and the decorator's mobile office, the Decorating Den Interiors' unique ColorVan . The study revealed that the ColorVan was perceived as custodial, thus Bugg updated the color and look of the ColorVan. Decorating Den Interiors offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to turn a passion into a career. Statistics show that aging baby-boomers are moving into their "dream homes" and generation X'ers are emerging as serious consumers; thus DDI has strategically positioned itself in the market to appeal to this mass of consumers. Most homeowners today are too busy to run all over town from paint store to carpet store only to have a small chip or sample to scrutinize when they return home; and possibly make costly mistakes. DDI decorators assist clients by taking the hassle out of making a house a home while they enjoy building a successful career and income doing it! "Originally I wanted to do interior decorating on my own," states Merete Monahan, a Decorating Den Interiors franchisee from Virginia, "however I soon realized that I didn't know all the industry suppliers or how to market my own business. Now with my franchise, I am in business for myself, yet I still have a strong support system backing me in every aspect. This support is a large part of why I am as successful as I am today." Training & Education Initial and ongoing training of franchise owners is a basic ingredient of our system and covets design principles, product knowledge, sales and marketing, and business management. Training begins with a 30-day home study preparation program. New franchisees then attend a total immersion, 80-hour session at Decorating Den Interiors Professional Design and Sales School (PDSS) held at the corporate training facility. Ongoing training is provided through weekly "Directions" sessions, as well as monthly regional meetings, an annual conference, special national training events and the Executive Franchise program. Higher qualifications achieved over a period of time lead to designation as a Decorating Den Interiors Certified Decorator (DDCD) and membership in the American Society of Interior Decorators (ASID). Courses taken through Decorating Den Interiors' Professional Design and Sales School qualify for continuing education credit. Central to the Decorating Den Interior system is the regional structure with regional directors, regional managers and coordinators working closely with owners on a daily basis. Each month, regions hold monthly regional meetings in a central location. Regional meetings provide ongoing training as well as supplier product updates and training, sales techniques and basic peer support that decorators such as Merete Monahan find helpful. "The regional meetings are beneficial because we have the support and camaraderie of our peers. We discuss common decorating dilemmas, closing sales techniques as well as share our successes. We ultimately share a common bond," says Monahan. National and local advertising Decorating Den Interiors franchise owners are supported by an outstanding marketing program designed to build client confidence, credibility and name recognition, and give you a substantial competitive edge. Franchisees receive monthly Marketing Action Planners (MAP) which include: All this is part of a "turn key" direct marketing program called "Ready Aim Mail" which targets prime customers in the owners' exclusive marketing territory. Additional marketing support comes in the way of a design portfolio, Yellow Pages advertising and national advertising in such publications as: Merchandising Decorating Den Interiors has partnered with over 50 of the top names in home decorating, including, Kravet, Lane, Waverly and Hunter Douglas and offers clients s and exceptional product line. The buying power of the franchise network offers many special benefits not available to an independent decorator. National and local Public Relations Decorating Den Interiors is unique in that it offers franchisees an "in-house" corporate public relations department which generates MAJOR media attention both nationally and locally on the company. In addition to providing franchisees with press releases for their local media, the publicity obtained over the years has included numerous articles in such publications as: LIFE Magazine, Southern Living, House Beautiful Home Remodeling & Decorating, Woman's Day, Better Homes & Gardens, Style at Home Magazine, Business Week, Nation's Business and many others. Top 100 Newspapers which have featured Decorating Den Interiors over the years include: USA Today, New York Times, Toronto Star, LA Times, Financial Times, Chicago Sun, Indianapolis Star, Ft. Worth Telegram, Miami Herald, Cincinnati Inquirer and many others. Broadcast coverage includes segments on such popular programming as: CBS "This Morning," NBC "Today" Show, "Good Morning America," ABC "HOME" Show, HGTV's "Decorating with Style," the Discovery Channel's "Interior Motives," and PBS' Emmy Award Winning program, "This Old House." In addition to having their work featured in print and broadcast media, franchisees have had the opportunity to have their work published in numerous hard cover books on interior design, some of which include: Dream Rooms for Real People (1990, Acropolis), Divine Design (1995, Judd Publishing), and most recently: All of which feature Decorating Den Interiors work exclusively! For more information on Decorating Den Interiors in the News check out our website at www.decoratingden.com. Technology Our Intranet system, DecoNet, enables franchise owners to communicate online with other franchise owners as well as with regional directors and managers and corporate office personnel. Customized accounting software is available and the company is developing a "Design Center Online," a complete supplier resource connection. Franchise Fees: Franchise Fee: $15,900 - $23,900 Royalty fee: 7 - 11% Financing: Partial franchise fee, ColorVan, Third party Start Up: $4,000 - $15,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Centercourtis offered by IFX International Inc.
12526 High Bluff Drive, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92130
858-792-3511
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