Interior design professionals should think of January as "show and tell" time — and a swell time to raise their fees.

It's a time to connect with those you seek to influence, show them what you got, and tell them what to do. Let's have a design discussion, check out my Houzz site, review my new portfolio, read this blog post, have a look at that video, etc.

It's a time to check in and check out. Check in with current, past and prospective clients, and suggest that they check out your agenda for the year. The best way to convey all that information is by distributing a "year ahead" email and/or letter to your database.

Many experienced designers use the letter to explain what's new, now and newsworthy at their firm, to build excitement and to announce their new, higher design fees. They update their contacts about their new employees, new technology, new services and product lines, and more.

The letter has the most impact when it spells out the benefits clients will gain from changes at the firm. It can point out, for example, how clients "will find it easier to visualize their space" now that the firm has invested in cutting edge 3-D graphic design software and apps, along with new iPads.

Other developments design professionals might spotlight in their January letter:

  • We're revising our website to make it more interactive, so you can quickly get answers to pressing design questions.
  • We're adding new vendors, so you'll have access to more product lines.
  • We're launching a new blog, to educate you about trends, design do's and don'ts, and what's hot and what's not.

The best place to roll out the rate increase is in the final paragraph of the letter, following the checklist of changes. A simple sentence gets the job done: "Effective Feb. 1, the investment for our design services will be ..."

Are you willing to give yourself permission to charge the fees in the year ahead that you want and deserve?

That's a vital question to ask considering you may be the only one preventing yourself from setting and getting considerably higher rates. Remind yourself that you save clients time, money and stress, and help them enhance the value and the resale value of their homes.

You should be compensated accordingly. And you will be, if you roll out your new fees in a January letter.