The Cheapest Way to Get You and Your Design Projects Published
Being in Public Relations specifically focusing on the design and lifestyle industry for many years now, we’ve come to meet so many individuals and businesses who have built their companies from the ground up. One thing they all have in common is that all of them would do whatever it takes to reach as many audiences as possible through campaigns that range from basic to ambitious. They all kept an open mind that marketing is an investment, and to grow, you have to go the extra mile in finding ways to spread your message and increase your leads. More leads, more sales. More sales, more bottom-line profits.
An indispensable marketing initiative for brand growth is to get published. Every day, thousands of companies all over the world tap into the power of media and the press knowing full well that the quickest way to gain notoriety, exposure, and inquiries is to have their interior design work published. In the design business, this move is not a secret. It is a designers dream to be seen and featured in design magazines and websites because it not only strengthens one’s presence in the business, it also opens a floodgate of opportunities for them and the company. Revenue-wise, a company that’s been seen on national or regional press has the potential to triple their income, or even more.
But if getting published is a marketing super-power, why are interior designers NOT tapping into this?
Some ongoing impressions circulating the industry are these:
“Getting published is hard.”
“Public Relations is costly. VERY costly.”
“I can only get published when I hire a Public Relations agency to represent me.”
We can’t blame interior designers to think of the situation this way. By industry standards, one has to spend thousands of dollars on retainer fees, monthly fees, not to mention consultations and performance-based rates for a PR agency. The truth is, Public Relations can be quite a hefty investment that for most, especially for startup ones, getting published is not an option until you find the funds to do so.
So is there a cheaper alternative?
As a PR firm, we have been getting this question many times in our many years catering to the design industry.
Hence, Interior Design PR was born. Here, we think that getting published is not an impossible feat to accomplish. We believe that Public Relations is for everyone.
Whether you’re just starting or you are an established interior designer ready to grow new audiences, we can help. If you are an interior designer, home pro, or marketer generating $0-2M in annual revenue looking for better-quality leads, or wanting more exposure in the national and regional press, we are your best ally in getting published.
The cheapest way to get published is to do it yourself. You will be organizing your public relations game-plan, you will be preparing your materials to present to the media, you will be researching your contacts in the publications, and you will do your outreach to these publications yourself.
A road less traveled this is for the reason that it sounds too complex and time-consuming—and this is how we get into the picture. Interior Design PR is the ultimate resource for new and established interior designers to get published in some of the best media outlets with a wealth of comprehensive guides, templates, and contacts all in one place.
☑ We give you access to a database full of drag and drop easy to use pitch emails
☑ We provide an email list of over 1,000 editors from top industry publications worth over $2,500.00
☑ We increase your SEO with online press
☑ We include an Influencer Tool Kit with an email list of over 50 top industry brands, email templates, and a media kit so you can begin partnering with brands today
☑ We offer access to a Marketing Tool Kit with a database full of easy, design content and tools to effectively market your design business
In other words, we get you published for a fraction of the cost as a full-service agency.
If you want to land that spot in the pages of say, Veranda, Architectural Digest, or Dwell Magazine, what exactly should you have in your arsenal? You’ll need these:
☑ An understanding of how Public Relations is done (the do’s and don’ts—the to-do’s and what-nots)
☑ A clear-lined PR strategy (your ultimate gameplan)
☑ Some really, really good pitches (coz you’re going to need to know what to say, right?)
☑ Professionally-taken photography of your projects (an interior designer must-have)
☑ Editorial contacts (the people you’ll pitch to)
“Reaching out to the media is complicated.”
“Getting my design company published takes a lot of time and energy.”
“You have to be well-connected with the press to get yourself a story.”
All of these things are true IF you do this on your own with zero preparation, zero-knowledge, zero tools. You need to be equipped with the know-how. You have to know the strategies. You have to have the tools and resources. Good news, Interior Design PR puts all your public relations essentials all in one place so you can make your first pitch to the media—and get published—with so much ease and efficiency.
The reality is that setting yourself up for your first feature in design magazines or websites is NOT rocket science. There are, however, processes, strategies, and rules you should heed on to, and they’re definitely worth a try.
Think of it this way:
The media needs CONTENT. The media needs stories. Every day, editors scour the world for fresh, interesting, note-worthy things, designs, and ideas to write about. So with the right story angle and timing, what makes it so impossible for you to be published?
You see? It’s a mutual situation—and Interior Design PR will make it so much easier for you to step into that light with the press and the media.
Here are the essential steps on how you can get published, and how Interior Design PR gets into the picture of making things easier for you.:
1. Establish an organized pitch cadence for your exclusive project. To do that, create a list of your top three to five target publications and pitch one at a time.
❗ Hold on a minute—what’s a PITCH? This is what you communicate to the publication—a description of your story and an explanation of why it should matter to an editor. A good pitch can spell the difference between getting noticed by editors—or getting trashed-- so you better know what to write in that email.
❗ Woah—so what do I say to the editors? Interior Design PR gives you access to a database full of drag and drop easy to use pitch emails, so this part of your getting-published journey is covered. Boom, you got yourself tons of winning pitches to choose from, and by winning, we mean pitches that are used by PR agencies themselves.
2. Be mindful of the publication’s aesthetic, specific sections, editors, etc. It is best to check on a publication’s Editorial Calendar so you know what sorts of topics they prioritize in a given period.
❗ Wait—what’s an EDITORIAL CALENDAR? It’s sometimes called a “Publishing Guide” and most, if not all, publications have one. All their topics and ideas on what to feature are organized in their Editorial Calendar so try to find that on their website or Media Kit.
❗ Is it hard to find a publication’s editorial calendar? Well, there are a few intricacies here and there, but the good news is, Interior Design PR gives you access to Editorial Calendars for 15+ design publications—so that, again, is another problem solved.
3. An effective pitch submission must be quick and casual. It contains an introduction and a couple of sentences that describe the project, and what makes the project unique or special.
❗ What photos should I attach? Most digital publications will require high-resolution, already-edited photography so be ready with professionally-taken photographs. Attach 3-5 photos per pitch, and should they ask for more, send a cloud-drive link like Box or Google Drive and place your photos there.
4. Now with everything ready, it’s time to send your first pitch to the publication.
❗ Who will I be sending this to? Your pitch will go straight to the editors. You should research about who these people are, and find their contact details.
❗ It’s not always easy to find the right contacts, but good news—Interior Design PR provides an email list of over 1,000 editors from top industry publications worth over $2,500.00.
5. Wait for a response from the publication. Patience is key.
❗ Once you get published, AMPLIFY the message! Share it on your social media, blogs, your website, and tell your clients about it! Congratulations! That was fun, wasn’t it? Now be ready to reap the rewards!
❗ However, on a side note, some publications (especially blogs and digital magazines) can’t respond to every submission. After two weeks, one follow-up email is appropriate. If you haven’t heard anything after your follow-up email, you can submit to the next publication. Do not be discouraged. There are many reasons why you didn’t get an answer—and most of the time, it’s really not about your story, or your pitch. Trust in the process.
It is our mission to see as many interior designers realize the true potential of their business through Public Relations. We have seen so many people succeed and we believe that every designer deserves his or her own success story. If you want this success story for yourself, take the bold step. We are here to help.