We are super proud of our specialism in providing homes and interiors companies of all sizes, with hard-working Lifestyle PR & marketing campaigns to successfully drive awareness of their brands and boost sales.
For those who are starting out, or simply haven’t considered as yet the value that can be brought to their business by editorial content rich Lifestyle & interiors PR strategies, we have put together several pieces of key advice to inform and turbo charge your brand!
1. Diligent media research
The first starting point in any PR campaign is to make sure you have an up-to-date media list with key press and influencer contacts across your target demographic. Set yourself a task of finding those key writers. Consider monthly and weekly home interest and consumer magazines, homes supplements and pages on the national newspapers and on digital channels together with home influencers.
Also, many magazines, newspapers and digital channels utilise home interest freelancers, so these are also key. Many of the more experienced freelancers work across several media titles.
Then input the data into a spreadsheet with full contact details so you can revisit and update on an on-going basis.
As an agency specialising in the homes sector, it is imperative for us to continually add to these lists. This allows us to ensure we have captured key moves as contacts move onto to other media channels. If you are doing your own PR outreach, we highly recommend you do the same.
Desk research on Google and Instagram is great for sussing out the main digital writers, and then sifting through the hard copies of the magazines and newspapers should help. Also make calls to the publishing houses (although since the lockdown it is increasingly hard to speak to journalists on the phone).
2. Strong imagery is key
Glossy home media and newspapers supplements, together with lifestyle digital magazines rely on beautifully styled images to adorn their pages.
It is definitely worth investing in a shoot, of both product shot cut-outs images on a white background, and also styled ‘lifestyle images’. Lifestyle images allow you to really ‘sell the product in a setting that shows it off to its best’ in a mock home or garden setting. Remember you are selling a ‘desirable lifestyle’.
3. Getting your press information right
Whether you are launching a new product or range, or wishing to generate media attention and editorial coverage for an existing line, simply emailing a journalist will generally receive little attention without following a specific format.
For product pitches, keep it brief and always include the information in the body of the email. This should include detail prices, stockists and general product information, and a weblink. You should attach a high-resolution image/s (minimum resolution 300 dpi is standard.
Top home interiors journalists can receive 1000 email pitches a day, and missing info will only infuriate them. This may mean that you are potentially discounted from inclusion in a major feature in a key broadsheet!
4. Building & maintaining press and influencer relationships
Media and influencers value most highly those contacts who can supply content rich information and images in a timely format ahead of deadlines.
Once you have the media lists, make the most of them by reaching out to see how you can support any features in the pipeline that the contacts might be working on, as well as drafting a thank you email back to them after they have included you in one of their features!
After reading the above, if you simply don’t have the time or the resource to undertake a proactive PR and marketing campaign for your brand, we would be delighted to discuss how our agency can support you. Please contact anthea.fosti@zeuspr.co.uk