Get Ink DIY Blog

I’ve noticed that a lot of designers think that the media are saturated with content and pitches, that they have their go-to list of people and are not receptive to new ones. Or that their requirements are so unachievable that it’s not even worth trying.

Let me tell you, that is WRONG! Very, very wrong! I have never spoken to an editor who said, “Please don’t ever pitch me. I am not interested in great new content.” Quite to the contrary, the media are hungry for content - especially now with project pipelines running dry because of the pandemic and restricted travel.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here is what some of the editors of top design publications said in the interviews I did for their media profiles in the Design PR Insider Membership when I asked them about their work with interior designers.

“Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. If an editor rejects your project, it’s most likely because it...

My job as a PR pro fundamentally consists of connecting my clients and/or their stories with the media and other audiences. Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit like a relationship counselor as I am realizing that there are some fundamental misunderstandings from both sides, but especially from the designer’s point of view.

When I talk with journalists in the design space and how they work with interior designers, they usually tell me a lot of the same things:

• They are always, always looking for content (good content).
• They like to connect with designers they don’t know (yet).
• They like to get pitched with new projects and stories (that are a good fit for their publication.)

All great news, isn’t it?!

When I talk with interior designers who are interested in getting PR, I also hear a lot of the same things:

• The media always feature the same people.
• And what publication do I choose? 
• How do I know who to reach out to?
• And...
• And...

And then the biggie:

• ...

So often people have their mind set on being featured in a certain media outlet. Amongst my PR team the running joke for many years was "Why don't we get it on the Oprah Show?" I have to admit, it was sort of a relief when the show ended because our clients stopped asking to be on it! 

In my defense, I did get one product on the show. It was a segment with Nate Berkus and he was showing off our highly sophisticated electronic Kohler DTV shower system at the Harpo Studios in Chicago. The only problem was that the display we brought along was not designed to be briskly moved around since it had an open tank of water. So when the stagehands moved it, or rather yanked it, from backstage onto the studio floor, the engineer I had brought along and I were sweating bullets and praying that the whole thing wasn't going to short-circuit because the water spilled over. It didn't, all went well, but I don't recall many times in my life when I was more nervous....