How to Get Your Work Published: Tricks of the Trade
In the competitive interior design market, design editorial features help increase name recognition and brand awareness, boost website traffic, and establish you as an expert. With the increasingly mercurial landscape of print publications, editorial pitching requires strategic thinking. While digital media is equally as important as print media, the look and feel of magazines is more evocative. There are a lot of Do's and Don'ts when it comes to pitching, so we're giving you COUPAR'S guide to editorial pitching for the design industry below. The nature of public relations rapidly changes, and it's essential to stay ahead of the curve by ensuring your projects receive the attention they deserve.
Get permission from your client.
First and foremost, you need permission from your client before you can reach out to editors. Most homeowners want to remain anonymous, which magazines understand. Some writers may request an interview with your client to learn about the details and nuances of the project while still respecting their privacy. It's essential to determine the level of visibility you'd like to get for your project and start the conversation early.
Invest in good photography.
From the exteriors to the interiors, it's crucial to photograph the entire home. Publications want to see the living room, dining room, kitchen, and primary suite. Other spaces of interest are the entry, family room, powder room, and additional bedrooms. If there are critical rooms of the house that are incomplete, you still want to consider styling and photographing the spaces so that editors can have the full context of the home. Kitchens and bathrooms are essential because those are the spaces consumers care about most.
Remember, not all projects are worth photographing or pitching. If you've worked on a small project that doesn't align with your brand or ambitions, don't shoot it. Publications are looking for singular interiors that mix furnishings from high-end showrooms with vintage pieces, antiques, art, and custom pieces. Retail items need to be sparingly selected. The more unusual or bespoke a project is, the more likely it will get picked up.
Ann Lowengart Interiors, Feldman Architecture, Jungsten Construction. Photo: Paul Dyer
Have a unique point of view.
The most important thing you can do is craft unique stories about your process and firm to set yourself apart from competitors. Ask yourself, “What makes this project stand out from others?” and dive into the why behind your selections and the design. It’s also important to note that the fast pace of digital media requires stories to engage audiences. The more comprehensive the story is, the more likely editors will move forward with a feature.
Have a list of your resources ready.
If an editor is interested in your project, one of the first things they will ask for is a list of resources used. They'll want to see if their advertisers or potential advertisers are featured and learn about the vendors, products, art, antiques, and vintage items represented in the home. Having this information up front shows that you are prepared and considerate of the editors' and writers' time since they are always on deadline and increasingly have fewer resources.
Be patient.
Print editors often work on 1-2 issues ahead of the issue on newsstands, so there is a long lead time from the start of pitching to when a project gets published. You can expect three to six months for regional publications and six months to a year for national magazines. Putting together an issue of a magazine is like assembling a jigsaw where the pagination has to fit together. Online features can land anywhere from one month to six, depending on the publication and the project.
Harness the power of social media.
The rise of Instagram has changed the editorial environment for the design industry. Editors are looking to Instagram to evaluate your projects so that you can use that to your advantage. At the same time, you want to avoid overexposing your project. If you are working on something big, use social media to tease out previews, get editors excited about your future work, and start a conversation. Also, retain the exclusivity of the projects you pitch by reserving the main images for publication before posting to your owned channels.
Do you need help with navigating the print and digital process? Contact COUPAR Marketing
California Homes Magazine: Shawback Design, Sigman Architecture, Knittel Construction. Photo: Ceasar Rubio