Marketing & Getting Clients

How to Get Clients for Your Custom Framing Business

Custom framing is a service business where word of mouth and visual proof of your work matter more than most advertising channels. Your clients are making a purchasing decision based on how their finished piece will look—which means showing your work is your strongest marketing tool. Building a steady stream of clients requires a combination of local visibility, a strong portfolio, and consistent referrals from satisfied customers.

Unlike retail businesses with high foot traffic, framing shops succeed when they become the trusted expert customers recommend to friends, family, and colleagues. Your marketing should focus on making it easy for past clients to send you new business and helping potential clients discover you when they search for framing services in your area.

Who Your Ideal Clients Are

Your primary customers fall into several distinct groups. Homeowners and decorators looking to frame artwork, family photos, certificates, and memorabilia represent your largest segment. These customers typically have disposable income, value quality craftsmanship, and are willing to pay $100–$500+ per frame for pieces they plan to display for years. Interior designers, real estate agents, and corporate offices also commission framing regularly—often for larger projects and repeat orders. Collectors of sports memorabilia, vintage posters, and fine art are highly valuable clients because they tend to order multiple pieces and spend more per project.

Secondary markets include event planners framing awards or commemorative items, businesses framing diplomas or certificates for their offices, and artists framing their own work for gallery shows or sales. Understanding where these groups spend their time—both online and offline—will shape where you invest your marketing effort. Homeowners and decorators tend to find framers through local searches and referrals, while corporate clients and designers often come through direct relationships or portfolio websites.

Your Best Marketing Channels

Local Search and Google Business Profile

Most people searching for a custom framer use Google Maps or a local search query. Claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile is non-negotiable—it’s free and often the first place potential customers look. Fill out every section, upload high-quality photos of your finished work, encourage reviews, and respond to every review (positive and negative). A well-maintained profile with 20+ reviews and clear service descriptions will capture searches from people actively looking to commission framing work in your area.

Portfolio Website

A simple website showcasing your work is essential. You don’t need anything complex—a gallery of 30–50 of your best completed frames, service descriptions, pricing examples, and contact information are enough. Since framing is a visual decision, invest in professional photography of your finished pieces. Your website should be mobile-friendly and load quickly. This site gives you credibility and provides something to share with potential clients during consultations or in emails.

Local Networking and Partnerships

Build relationships with interior designers, architects, home décor shops, art galleries, and estate sale companies in your area. These professionals recommend framers to their clients regularly. Offer them a professional discount (10–15%) in exchange for referrals, and make it easy for them to refer customers to you. Attend local business networking events and join your chamber of commerce. These relationships often generate steady, high-quality referrals because the referring professional has already vetted you.

Instagram and Pinterest

These platforms are ideal for framing businesses because they’re visual and attract homeowners and designers actively looking for inspiration. Post photos of your finished work regularly, showing the before (unframed art or memorabilia) and after (your completed frame). Use local hashtags and hashtags related to home décor, framing, and art. Pinterest is especially valuable because pins can drive traffic to your website for months or years after posting. You don’t need thousands of followers—consistent, high-quality posts will attract the right audience.

Local Print Advertising

Selective ads in local home décor magazines, community newsletters, and publications targeting affluent neighborhoods can work if your ideal clients read them. A small display ad with your best work and contact information in a quarterly design magazine or neighborhood publication costs $300–$800 and can generate 3–8 leads per placement. Track which publications bring results before expanding spend here.

Events and Markets

Art fairs, home and design shows, and community markets give you face-to-face visibility and a chance to display your work. Having a booth at two or three local events per year costs $200–$500 per event but puts you in front of people actively buying art and home décor items. Bring order forms, business cards, and printed examples of framing options so attendees can see your range.

Getting Your First 3 Clients

1. Set up your Google Business Profile and ask friends, family, and neighbors to leave reviews. Even three or four genuine reviews improve visibility significantly.
2. Reach out to 10 local interior designers, home décor shops, or galleries with a personal email or visit introducing yourself. Include photos of your best work and offer them a referral discount.
3. Create a simple portfolio website with 20–30 photos of finished frames. Share the link on your personal social media and ask friends to share it.
4. Post 5–10 photos of your work on Instagram and Pinterest, using relevant local and industry hashtags. Follow local design and home improvement accounts.
5. Place a small classified ad in a local community newsletter or Facebook group for your neighborhood, mentioning your custom framing service with a call-to-action.
6. Attend one local art or design event and talk directly with attendees about framing their work. Collect contact information and follow up within a week.

Building Referrals and Word of Mouth

Custom framing clients are repeat buyers and active referrers because they’re investing in something visible and often personal—family photos, inherited art, or important memorabilia. After completing each project, include a small note thanking them and inviting referrals. Provide them with cards or a referral card they can give to friends. Many framing businesses offer a small discount ($10–$20) on future work for each referral that becomes a paying customer. This incentivizes your satisfied clients to actively recommend you.

Ask specifically for referrals at the point of sale or delivery. A simple question like “Do you know anyone else who might need framing work?” often prompts customers to think of people in their network. Keep a referral tracking sheet so you know which clients refer the most business—these are your most valuable customers and deserve extra attention and gratitude. After a few years, referrals and repeat customers should account for 50–70% of your business if you’re doing the work right.

Your Online Presence

You need a professional portfolio website and an active Google Business Profile—these are the foundation. Your website doesn’t need to be elaborate, but it must clearly show your work, explain your process, provide pricing guidance, and make contact easy. The website builds credibility and gives potential clients something to reference before calling or visiting. Google Business Profile handles local search visibility and makes sure your phone number, address, and hours are accurate and easy to find.

Beyond these essentials, consistent activity on one or two social platforms (Instagram and Pinterest for framing) keeps your work visible and searchable. Your online presence should communicate three things: you do excellent work, you understand your customers’ needs, and you’re easy to reach and work with. Outdated or incomplete online information undermines trust, so commit to keeping your information current if you set these tools up.

Social Media Strategy

Instagram and Pinterest are your primary platforms. Post finished frames weekly—ideally showing the piece before framing and the completed result side by side. Use captions that tell a brief story about the project or piece. On Instagram, use 8–12 relevant hashtags including location hashtags (#YourCityFraming) and general design hashtags (#CustomFraming, #FrameDesign, #HomeDecor). Follow local designers, interior decorators, and home improvement accounts to engage with similar audiences.

Pinterest is particularly valuable because homeowners planning décor projects actively search for framing inspiration on the platform. Create pins for your best work and link them to your website portfolio. Pinterest posts drive traffic months after posting, so consistency matters more than frequency. You need only 2–3 pins per week to build a steady stream of website visits over time.

Paid Advertising

Paid advertising should come after you’ve established word-of-mouth and organic channels. If you decide to test paid ads, start with a small budget: $300–$500 per month for 2–3 months. Google Local Services Ads (which appear at the top of search results for “custom framing near me”) or Facebook/Instagram ads targeting homeowners in your area and surrounding neighborhoods are your best bets. Test ads promoting a specific offer—”Free mat upgrade with orders over $200″ or “Complimentary design consultation”—rather than broad awareness ads. Track which channels bring paying customers and adjust or pause ads that don’t convert.

Client Retention

• Follow up with clients 3–4 weeks after delivery to ensure satisfaction and ask for referrals or reviews.
• Keep a database of past clients and email them 1–2 times per year with seasonal framing ideas (family photo displays, holiday décor, etc.).
• Offer loyalty discounts on future work for repeat customers.
• Send birthday or holiday cards to your best clients with a small coupon for a discount on their next project.
• Ask satisfied clients permission to use their photos and testimonials in your marketing materials and website.
• Respond quickly to any customer questions or concerns—a small mistake corrected promptly turns a potential complaint into a loyal advocate.
• Occasionally send referral clients a handwritten thank-you note or small gift to strengthen the relationship.

If you want to move faster, explore our guide on the fastest ways to get your first 10 custom framing customers, review the best marketing tools for your custom framing business, and learn local marketing strategies for custom framing shops.