Brand Lift host, Tori Sikkema, Interior & Brand Photographer, Discusses PR and Marketing Trends to Help you Grow Your Brand

How to Get Press for your Design Business

Molly Schoneveld, Brand and Marketing Strategist and Consultant

Molly is a renowned PR and marketing figure known for her expertise in building visible and personality-driven brands within the lifestyle industry. She founded her PR firm, The Storied Group, and quickly established herself as a niche expert at the crossroads of entertainment and lifestyle. Throughout her career, Molly has partnered with design and lifestyle clients across the United States, aiding them in publishing projects and launching stores, books, and product collaborations.

Get inspired as Molly shares her wealth of knowledge and experiences in PR and marketing, offering valuable insights into her journey from Hollywood to becoming a sought-after expert in branding, celebrity representation, and lifestyle marketing.

INFLUENCE OF DESIGN INFLUENCERS IN THE HOME INDUSTRY

The home industry has witnessed a remarkable transformation, and one of the key drivers of this change is the rising prominence of design influencers. These individuals have carved out a niche in interior design and home decor, and their impact is only expected to grow in the coming year. Magazines like House Beautiful have taken note of this trend and are actively leveraging the power of these influencers to shape their editorial content and forge partnerships.

Now, how does Molly Schoneveld fit into this narrative? Molly’s expertise in PR and marketing intersects perfectly with the evolving dynamics of the home industry. She understands the importance of building visible and personality-driven brands, a concept that aligns seamlessly with the influencer-driven world of interior design. Her background in the Seth Godin marketing philosophy, which emphasizes that “people like us do things like this,” underscores the need for businesses to understand their core audience and values before jumping on the latest trends.

WHERE TO INVEST YOUR MARKETING DOLLARS FIRST?

Before hiring a publicist or delving into complex marketing strategies, interior designers must firmly establish the basics. These basics include:

1.  Exceptional photography;

2. A beautifully designed and thoughtful website that aligns with your branding objectives.

Many firms, even those achieving significant success in projects and square footage, must project an image that matches their aspirations. SEO, while essential, cannot compensate for the lack of compelling visual content.

Photography is the linchpin for selling projects to the media and capturing the attention of potential clients. Molly’s experience hiring a designer for her home in Raleigh underscores this point—she connected with the designer’s style and was initially drawn in by their photography and editorial features.

Photography might still be better than Video Content, and Molly explains why. It can be the following:

·       A strategy based solely on fleeting trends will unlikely yield long-term success.

·       Beautiful photos are an enduring source of inspiration and engagement.

As the industry continues to evolve, the timelessness of photography remains a steadfast ally in capturing the hearts and minds of clients and audiences alike.

“I’m never gonna get tired of seeing beautiful photos.”

Molly Schoneveld

SUCCESSFUL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

Creating and executing innovative marketing campaigns is a critical aspect of success for interior designers and home brands. These campaigns can elevate a brand’s visibility, attract clients, and establish a strong presence in the industry.

One such campaign that stands out for Molly is her collaboration with Hammer and Spear, a design firm looking to transform itself from a mom-and-pop shop into a prominent player in the high-end Los Angeles design scene.

Furthermore, Molly’s expertise extends beyond traditional design firms. She has also played a pivotal role in supporting content creators like Drew Michael Scott of Lone Fox. Drew, a content creator, sought to expand his brand’s reach and reputation beyond social media.

The key to these campaign’s success was this:

“Molly and her team strategically aligned their messaging with the aesthetics and values of the emerging urban scene, particularly targeting platforms like Urban Daddy. This approach garnered significant media attention and positioned Hammer and Spear as trendsetters in the industry.”

“Molly and her team helped Drew secure high-profile opportunities, including a YouTube series with Architectural Digest and participation in House Beautiful’s creator class. These achievements were noteworthy because Drew had no prior press exposure before engaging Molly’s services.”

“Successful marketing campaigns are essential for interior designers and home brands looking to thrive in a competitive industry. By effectively promoting their products and services through strategic marketing initiatives, interior designers and home brands can differentiate themselves from competitors and capture the attention of their target audience.”

WHAT ARE THE COMMON MISTAKES IN INTERIOR DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHY?

Photography is a pivotal element in the world of interior design, as it has the power to transform a project into a compelling visual story. However, it’s also an area where many designers often stumble, making mistakes that can hinder their chances of getting their work published and recognized in magazines.

Molly identifies the top three mistakes and how they can impact designers’ chances of getting their work featured in magazines:

• One of the cardinal sins of interior design photography is choosing a photographer whose style doesn’t align with the desired aesthetic. Molly advises designers not to assume photographers can adapt to any style. Instead, she encourages designers to thoroughly review a photographer’s portfolio to ensure it reflects the look they want to achieve.
• Lighting is a critical aspect of interior photography that can make or break the final image. This can often lead to an unflattering yellowish glow that doesn’t suit editorial aesthetics.
• While designers excel in creating beautiful spaces, styling for editorial purposes requires a different skill set. Rather than striving for perfection, it’s about capturing the essence of a space as it’s naturally lived in.
• “Is there something that editors can’t stand, something that you would be like, “Oh, gosh, don’t ever use that”? And she said, “orchids,” and that always just stuck with me because you see them all the time in interior designers’ project photos, but, rarely, you would see that in an editorial image. And it’s not that orchids aren’t beautiful in real life. They just don’t tell the story that most editors want to tell these days.”

Instead, avoid these mistakes and do this:

• Each magazine has its distinct style, from traditional to modern, minimalist to maximalist. By closely examining the pages of these magazines, designers can gain a deeper understanding of the visual language, color palettes, and styling preferences that resonate with their target publication’s readership.
• Molly also sheds light on an emerging trend in interior design photography and styling— a shift from perfectly staged and curated rooms to a more “undone and lived-in” aesthetic.
• While there may not be a one-size-fits-all approach to styling, there is an opportunity for designers to create unique stories for each publication. By understanding a magazine’s specific style and mood, designers can craft narratives that resonate with readers and make their work stand out.

HOW PRESS COVERAGE GROWS YOUR BRAND

Gaining media attention is just the beginning—what designers do with that exposure truly matters.

Molly shares that it is all about incorporating press anywhere, everywhere, and here’s how to do it:

One of the most straightforward ways to leverage press coverage is to prominently display it across your digital platforms. This is a testament to your credibility and allows potential clients to see your work recognized by reputable publications. Newsletters can also be a powerful tool for connecting with your audience and offer a unique opportunity to showcase your press coverage. By sharing what a prestigious publication had to say about their work, they could make a stronger impact than if they had simply self-promoted.

Good luck, and let me know how these tips help you to grow your community!

Until next time, take one new action that lifts your brand!

Tune in for Branding, Marketing, and Business

Molly Schoneveld:

Website: https://www.thestoriedgroup.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/molly.schoneveld/?hl=en

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/mollyschoneveld/

Tori Sikkema:

Website: https://torisikkemaphotos.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/torisikkemaphotography/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/torisikkemaphotos/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEpOyhNNzp6yFwzPLYR8xQQ