Most interior designers dream of seeing their work on the glossy pages of a magazine such as Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles or featured by an online media outlet like Apartment Therapy. Getting an interior design project published can be a signal to yourself and others that “you’ve made it.”
You can approach the task of actively seeking media coverage one of two ways. You can hire someone to do it for you, or you can tackle it yourself. If you plan to do the latter, this guide is for you.
Below is a road map for pitching your interior design projects to print and online magazines and web-based media outlets.
Make Pitching Part of Your Marketing Plan
Start by scheduling a day and time each week to dedicate to pitching. Publicity is often the result of ongoing concerted effort that you need to incorporate into your routine. You’ll also want to keep a record of what project you’re pitching, the responses you get, etc.
Then, figure out if you want to purchase a list of relevant media contacts or find them on your own. There are pros and cons to both. Media lists can be pricey but may reduce research time, though there is always the chance that emails on them are no longer valid. Hunting down contacts and submission guidelines yourself can be tedious but often provides more up-to-date information.
Prepare Your Online Presence
Look at your website, social media pages, and digital presence overall. Make sure everything is current and shows your business in the best light possible since editors and journalists will want to know more about you.
Phyllis R. Martin of CEO Design
Photo Credit: CatMax Photography
A polished appearance online also includes having high-quality photography of you and your projects on your website and portfolio. Click here to learn more about hiring a professional photographer and preparing for an interior design photo shoot.
Because publications sometimes want project exclusivity, don’t share images online (including on your website and portfolio) of work you may want to pitch.
However, if you have fantastic photos of a project and your pitch for it doesn’t get picked up after an extended period (this is flexible but say six months or longer), go ahead and upload it. This may actually help you get press because not all publications prioritize exclusivity, and editorial team members do comb the web and social media for projects and designers to potentially feature. Be sure to maximize your SEO and use appropriate hashtags so your work is easily found.
Research Media Outlets
If you have a media list…
Investigate the outlets on it and see which ones focus on styles like yours and that of your recent projects. Make note of small, medium, and large outlets, and start by pitching smaller hyper-local ones first.
If you don’t have a media list…
Begin creating a list of media outlets to pitch by finding ones that focus on your area and are home-related or have a home section and seeing whose style suits yours. Local outlets are always looking for story ideas with a community connection. Then, figure out which regional, national, and international media outlets you could pitch later on.
Whether or not you purchase a media list…
You should also note if any outlets focus on a particular topic during a particular time of year. You may have projects to pitch specifically for them. Remember, though, that most print magazines work at least three months in advance.
Designer: J. Thomas Designs Inc.
Photo Credit: CatMax Photography
Choose Projects
Next, reflect on all your recent projects and select some to pitch that are interesting or trendy. You can also consider upcoming projects or other projects you plan to have photographed in the future.
Remember to review what the photo usage rights agreement you have with your professional photographer says regarding photos in editorial and honor it. For more information on that, click here to read the “Navigating Image Usage Rights” section of another CatMax Photography blog post.
Additionally, confirm that the homeowner is comfortable with you submitting photos of their space and see if they are interested in being a part of the article if your pitch is accepted.
Find the Right Contacts When You Don’t Have a Media List
Now that you’ve identified projects you want to share and which media outlets you’d like to pitch, it’s time to figure out how to get in touch with them.
To find submission information or figure out who to send your pitch to for a print or online publication, look at the masthead of the latest issue. The masthead is that column a few pages in that hierarchically lists the names of the publication’s team members (and occasionally their email addresses) and includes other information.
The size of a media outlet will often determine how many editorial team members it has. Because a pitch can easily get overlooked by one person, note a senior staff member (e.g., section editor) and a junior staff member (e.g., assistant editor for the section, editorial assistant) to direct your pitch to.
At the very bottom of the masthead, in addition to general contact details, you may find submission guidelines or where to send pitches to. The publication’s website may list these details too and staff email addresses. Online, you may also find its editorial calendar, which provides an overview of content planned for the year and possibly submission deadlines, but plans can change, so don’t base all your pitches around the editorial calendar.
If you can’t find the contact information you need, call the publication and ask where and how you should send a pitch. You could also request a copy of the editorial calendar.
Web-based media outlets usually have a page outlining submission guidelines or how to contact their team.
Perfect Your Pitch
First, log the media outlet you’re going to pitch and all the other necessary details in the tracker you’ve created. Don’t try to save time by sending the same pitch to multiple media outlets simultaneously. Focus on seeing if one outlet is interested in a pitch before moving on to another to preserve exclusivity and good standing with editors and journalists.
If there are specific submission or general inquiry guidelines, follow those. If you are sending an email directly to the editorial team, keep the text under 300 words and break it up by bolding portions, adding subheadings, or using bullet points for easy reading in a hurry. When considering what to mention, hold one newsworthy detail back so you have something new to share when you follow up.
How to Arrange Your Email and What to Include:
If you want, a short and genuine compliment to the team about a recent issue or online content
Quickly explain who you are (hyperlink your name to your website), where you’re based, and why the project you’re sharing could be a fit for them. For example, “I know you often highlight space-saving solutions and thought you’d be interested in this project I recently completed that involved making a small area multifunctional for a large family.” Show your familiarity with the media outlet and let the team know this is a customized, well-thought-out pitch.
Briefly tell them where the project is, what was desired, what you did, tidbits that make the project newsworthy, if you and the homeowners are available for interviews and photographs, and if you are offering project exclusivity
Conclude by thanking them for their time and consideration
Designer: The Jane Group
Photo Credit: CatMax Photography
Next, select one to three photos you are OK with being published and are allowed to share to insert into the email. You can also add a link to a gallery with more images if you want to save the editorial team time, so they don’t have to ask for them.
Finally, send your pitch to the senior staff member, CC the junior staff member, and address them each by name.
Be Ready
Make sure you’re prepared to answer detailed questions about the project, brands used, contractors, clients, etc. because you’ll want to respond and be able to provide answers and any other necessary information or materials as quickly as possible.
You should also brace yourself for the fact that an editorial team member may reach out to you long after you’ve sent the pitch because they initially didn’t have a spot for it and now, they do.
Follow Up and Stay Dedicated
If you don’t hear back after sending your pitch, don’t call the editorial team out of the blue. Instead, send a follow-up email with the additional detail you initially held back, but feel free to direct your pitch elsewhere if you still don’t get a response after that.
Don’t be afraid to approach the same editorial team with new pitches throughout the year. One project might not be what they’re looking for, but another could be. That’s the secret to getting media coverage, stay diligent and something is sure to stick.
To see more interior design projects photographed by CatMax Photography, click here.
Sources:
Elle Décor, “How to Get a Project Published”; Centered by Design, “How to Get Press for Your Interior Design Business”; Foyr, “How to Get Your Interior Design Work Published”; Aaron Dougherty Photography, “How to Get More Press for Your Interior Design Projects”; Haven, “6 Tips for Getting Published from Real Life Interior Designers”