When is the Right Time to Bring on PR?
If you’ve never had PR before, one question that is likely top of mind is…when IS the right time to bring on PR? Perhaps you’ve just finished a dream project and it’s ready to be photographed or you’re launching something totally new like a store, or you got a book deal (or want a book deal). Those times may seem more obvious when it comes to a marketing plan, but what about when there isn’t something so obviously newsworthy? How do you know if now is the right time to make the investment. Let’s dive in!
1. You Can Invest in the Long Game
If there is one takeaway I want you to know, it’s this: PR is the long game. We ask our monthly retainer clients for an initial 6 month commitment, but that is just the beginning. We really want you to think about hiring PR for at least 1-2 years. Six months is enough time to see if our partnership is working, but it’s rarely enough time in the long run. While you might get a quick win (quotes in a national outlet, a local spotlight, or even a home tour secured), most designers need at least 3 to 6 months before momentum starts to build. But once the momentum is there, you don’t want to press pause on PR efforts due to cash flow.
Why does it take so long? We are at the mercy of the magazine’s timeline. The editorial team may only review projects as a group, and oftentimes these meetings take place monthly, or even quarterly. Sometimes an editor will express interest in a project, but you will have to wait months until it’s officially reviewed by the entire team before getting a yes or no. Then, depending on how far in advance they slate content, your project might get the green light for an issue NEXT year!
2. Your Projects Have Been Professionally Photographed + Styled
No matter which level of PR you choose, you must invest in really great photography and styling before you invest in anything else when it comes to your marketing. Having amazing photography is essential for your website, your social media, and most importantly, for press. If you have to choose between hiring a publicist and spending the money to get incredible photography, you should absolutely prioritize photography and styling. Without it, your publicist cannot do their job, which leads to frustration for everyone.
If you have incredible photography, there is almost certainly a level of PR that will work for you right now.
3. You Don’t Mind a Little Homework
There will be some homework on your end when you engage a publicist. But we hope it’s fun homework! The more you put in, the more you will get out. If you are too busy, consider having a dedicated team member who can help take a lot of it off your plate. You should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week that will include: giving your publicist specific details about a project, sharing sourcing grids, answering interview questions from the media, and giving your publicist updates about what’s going on in your business.
4. You Welcome Feedback
When you hire a publicist, they may need to give you some feedback in order to help you reach your goals. This could be related to your photography, styling, social media or over all branding. It’s important to go into this with an open mind, knowing that a great publicist will have your best interest in mind and is only looking to help get you to the next level.
5. You Know How You Will Measure Success
The first question we ask any prospectiveprospective client is: What is your goal with PR? A goal could be getting featured in a certain magazine. It could be speaking on an industry panel or podcast to build credibility in the industry. It could be reaching more people in your town. While publicity can sometimes have direct ROI, more often than not, PR is about building your reputation over time. Are your press hits getting you more social media followers because the publication tagged you on Instagram? Are they sending more traffic to your website? Or, even better, is your house tour resulting in actual meetings with new ideal clients? Making sure you check all of these metrics is important to understand if your investment is working.
We have three services built to meet your budget and marketability:
Full Service PR is for design clients who want to invest in the long game and have something newsworthy that can be pitched to the media right away. This could be a new project, a store opening, a product collaboration or book coming out.
A Design Well-Placed is for designers who are looking to get that one stand out project published in one outlet exclusively.
Library Card is perfect for designers who want that kind of national exposure—expert quotes, trend roundups, and the occasional photo placement—without jumping straight into full-service PR.
