Benefits of having a PR strategy as an Interior Designer
Are you on the hunt for new and creative ways to market your interior design business? Many turn toward paid advertising to get their name and brand in front of potential new clients, and whilst this can work, there is another way.
Public relations - or PR - can be a very powerful tool to transform a gentle flow of clients into an influx of potential income and even a waitlist of clients desiring your services. It can take a specific skillset to create a successful PR strategy for your business and in this blog, we’ll share our top tips to get you started!
Is PR the same as advertising?
We thought we’d quickly give you some context as to what PR actually is. There is often confusion between both PR and advertising and the lines can become blurred. Whilst both can help generate income and engage new clients, both PR and advertising have separate functions.
Advertising places focus on paid spaces such as billboards, media ads, social media ads, flyers, and other paid media outlets. The basic idea is that you pay a fee to have your brand featured somewhere where lots of potential clients will see it. You create the content and you push it to an audience.
PR, on the other hand, shares the story of your brand through unpaid or earned media. It involves a third-party - usually a journalist - that will be talking about your brand.
With advertising, you’re the one talking about your own brand.
With PR, someone else talks about your brand. It’s more of an organic growth tool. It’s usually a long-term strategy that involves building strong relationships with the press and industry leaders. But it pays off! It puts your name in front of potential customers in a more genuine way. People will more likely trust the information coming from a journalist - it acts as a word-of-mouth recommendation.
The true cost of PR is your time and energy. Whilst advertising you pay to be featured, with PR you have to often pitch your business to media outlets and you aren’t always guaranteed a successful outcome. This is why working with a PR specialist can be helpful. With years of experience in the interior design industry, our team has built strong relationships with journalists and editors from your favorite magazines. They regularly need content and they know they can trust the information we provide them.
Learn more about how to get featured in Architectural Digest.
What can PR do for my interior design business?
You may be wondering which pathway to choose and why, we believe, PR is the better route to take. This is because PR helps to build your brand. Having your services featured in a top design media outlet increases your credibility and makes you far more trustworthy than a paid advertisement on Instagram.
PR is the best way to go if you desire to build trust with your audience. You have to earn your spot in the media and the rewards are far greater. Not to mention that people can tell when you have paid for an ad and this can potentially sway someone's perception of you. Non-paid promotion always has people's favor.
Here are some ways PR can help your business:
Improve brand awareness
Increase trust and credibility
Increase organic lead generation and attract clients who are ready to work with you
Helps you to stand out from your competitors
Creates a positive narrative about your business that entices potential clients
Take advantage of free publicity
Connects you with other industry experts
Improve your professional relationships and become known in your field as the best
What is a PR strategy?
Having a strategy simply adds clarity and intention to the process. There are certain steps to take when pitching to media sources, it’s not simply a case of sending them an email and waiting for a response.
Having a specific strategy in place sets you up for the most success.
You want to know who you are pitching to, and why.
What are your intentions and desires? Is it to showcase a specific service? Maybe to generate more leads, or to bring awareness to your skillset? Maybe you have a workshop coming up and you want to share it with more people?
Wondering what publishers want from PR pitches? Click here!
Whatever your chosen outcome, your PR strategy will help bring it to life.
With the help of a PR specialist, gaining more traction with your media pitches can feel a lot easier. An important aspect to remember about PR is that it is a long-term game. One that can pay huge dividends in the months and years ahead when you are committed and consistent. If you’re looking for a short-term cash increase, PR is not the way to go. But remember you’ve started your business for the long-term vision, make sure to invest in that future.
Working with a professional can save you a lot of time and wasted energy plus it puts you in front of more leads as they tend to have higher connections. This helps to generate more trust between your business and your audience.
Do you need help with your PR strategy? We have years of experience and have built strong relationships with publishers in different industries to help our clients get their stories out and finally see their names in their favorite magazines. Click here to schedule a Complimentary Brand Consultation.
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