5 Tips to Get Your Interior Design Project Published

The fastest way to gain exposure, authority, and inquiries as an interior designer is to get your work seen by your ideal clients, and getting published in your favorite interior design magazines is the way to go! 

Luckily, you don’t need to be a big name or the best friend of the magazine’s editor-in-chief! 

You can get started on your strategy now! With a dose of patience, brilliant and eye-catching marketing, and thorough research, publications are more than happy to publish interior designers, even those with smaller portfolios. 

Here are some tips to get you on your way. Let’s get your work published in print or online!

5 Tips to get your Interior Design Project Published:

1. Pitch to one publication at a time

Design your pitch with one publication in mind at a time. This will help ensure exclusivity, which some publications may ask for. It will also ensure your pitch is personalized and will show your desire and interest in having your work shared by a specific publisher. 

Mass copy and paste messages are a thing of the past! 

Persistence is key, it takes time for deals to be created so do not give up if you have not heard anything back. If you have not heard anything, send a follow-up, but wait at least 2 weeks. If there is still radio silence after 3 weeks, then pitch to a new publication as this politely lifts your exclusivity. 

PRO TIP: Do not take a lack of response or rejection from an editor personally, and don’t assume also that it means you will never be able to be published in that publication. 

2. Use professional photography

It is crucial, when sharing your work with potential publications, that you capture your work in a professional manner. A lot of digital publications require high-resolution, pre-edited material. Submit around 3 photos to peak interest and then offer to provide a Dropbox link if more are required. It can sometimes work in your favor to hire a well-known photographer to help capture your work, but this is not always necessary. 

Having beautiful photography is a fast-track ticket to successful editorial features and collaborations. After all, the first thing people notice are photos! Make sure they show your work off and catch people's attention. 

PRO TIP: Don’t forget to ask for permission before using photos of people's homes. Ensure you receive written permission from both the photographer and homeowner. Some publications will want to do a reshoot before printing, so ensure you have permission to do this too!

3. Storytelling

Ensure your submission comes with a compelling story. Include product sourcing, any challenges faced, information about the remodel itself, and, most importantly, keep it short (no more than 200-300 words). Include the location, if architects were used, if any other designers participated as well and any facts that make your project really stand out. Maybe the property had a fascinating story to tell? Or, maybe you worked with someone high profile?

 Share as much as possible in a concise and interesting manner. This will help to complement your visually stunning photos.

4. Engage with publishers

Take time to research and follow publishers and/or publications that align with you and your work. If they are on social media (who isn’t these days?), dedicate time to liking, sharing, and commenting on posts. Connect with them in a warm and authentic way to begin building a genuine relationship with them to warm them up before pitching. This will also increase the chance of your name being thought of when publishers are seeking designers. They might even reach out to you first!

Note that this takes patience, time, and grace. Do not rush relationship building. 

PRO TIP: Do not mention that you would be a good fit for their publication. Remember, that is for them to decide. But do highlight the aspects they will be most interested in. 

5. Keep your marketing content fresh and up to date

The pitch itself isn’t the only step. Ensure your online presence is also up-to-date: your website and social media. Keep your portfolio updated and look into starting a blog sharing snippets of your latest projects and news. 

PRO TIP: Be mindful of the content you share on your website and the content you share when pitching. Once you submit a photo on your website, it is already considered ‘published’. If an editor wants exclusivity, then this will hinder that. Bloggers can re-post your images at will making them off-limits to some editors. Instead, post photographs of only a few rooms, not the entire project. 

Are you ready to see your name published in your favorite magazine? Let’s do it! 

If you need help from our team of design-savvy content creators and PR experts, contact us today! We’ve driven results for interior designers across luxury and mass-market categories, and we’d love to help you, too! 

Click here to schedule a Complimentary Brand Consultation.

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