Elevating an Interior Designer’s Personal Brand using Public Relations
You won’t find many Personal Branding Experts with a background in real estate, and that’s what sets Knockout Directive’s CEO, Katrina Owens, apart. Her previous career experience in new construction and development makes her an important resource for those looking to differentiate themselves in this saturated industry, and this blog post will explore exactly what this looks like for her personal branding and public relations clients.
Canadian Interior Designer Rebeca Foster launched her brand, Align Interior Design, earlier this year with the philosophy: “Educate first, create second.” She had the heart, the skills, and as an Interior Designer, the aesthetic was certainly there; but she quickly realized that attracting the right audience was a challenge, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to even begin.
What she needed was visibility. What she needed was public relations.
In just one 60-minute Spotlight Session, Katrina was able to advise Rebecca on how to secure an accessible public relations opportunity in an online magazine, with the intention of creating momentum leading up to a paid media feature. The ultimate goal of this campaign was to build credibility and authority for Rebecca’s personal brand, so she could continue to grow an engaged audience online.
Embracing Public Relations as an Interior Designer
When Rebecca started her business, she was confident in her skills as an interior designer and the high-quality services she provides. Her Done-For-You services were pre-booked well in advance, and she was also receiving inquiries from potential clients who craved her expertise, but didn’t have the budget to work with her one-on-one. Like many online service providers, this presented an opportunity to create digital products that were available at an accessible price point.
"I realized that to successfully bring these products to market, I needed to establish a strong online presence," Rebecca says, "Public relations became a natural avenue to grow Align Interior Design’s brand."
The Power of Public Relations in Personal Brand Building
We love that Rebecca is keen on building a referral-based brand, "known for being approachable, knowledgeable, and personable". Her work as a designer isn’t just about creating beautiful spaces, but connecting with people on a deeper level, too.
At Knockout Directive, authentic connections are one of our core principles (something Katrina discusses at length in her interview on the Thrive with Ina podcast). As a top personal branding expert, helping business owners like Rebecca navigate the often-daunting world of PR with actionable guidance is our ultimate mission. Yes, most public relations agencies might help you secure press features, but we show you how to use these press features to grow your awareness and authority, continuously building your brand.
Press mentions can be repurposed across different channels, from your blog to social media, newsletters, and more. This is what allows a single media placement to leave a lasting impact on your brand.
“When I first signed up for the Spotlight Session, I thought I’d get a couple of tips,” Rebecca said. “But what I didn’t expect was the depth of actionable advice. Katrina showed me how to approach PR in a completely different way.”
The Importance of Small Press Placements for Personal Brands
One of the most powerful lessons Rebecca learned was not to underestimate the power of small press mentions. While everyone dreams of a huge feature in a major publication (because who doesn’t want to be on the front cover of Vogue), the small wins, those initial mentions, are just as important. They set the stage for bigger opportunities to come.
“A single press mention can be repurposed in so many ways,” Rebecca noted. “Don’t underestimate the value of leveraging even small features.”
And it’s true. PR is all about creating momentum. A few small features can lead to larger placements, and each mention reinforces your brand’s authority, leading to steadily increasing growth.
Tips for Interior Designers using Public Relations
Here are some of the most impactful lessons Rebecca gained from our time together, ones that we believe anyone, in any industry, can start using to grow their personal brand using public relations:
Repurpose Press Features: A single press mention can be leveraged across multiple platforms. Extend the life of your coverage and reach new audiences by using it as social media content, email marketing, blog posts, and more.
The Power of SEO: Having a dedicated Press section on your blog not only builds credibility, but also gives you valuable SEO benefits that increase your visibility for people who are already out there looking for you.
Maximize Every Opportunity: Whether it’s a major feature or a smaller mention, treat every press opportunity as a major asset. Even the smallest feature can snowball into something bigger if you know how to leverage it.
It was incredible to see how quickly Rebecca took these principles to heart. Within just two days of implementing what we discussed during her session, she successfully pitched herself to Authority Magazine.
And that was just the beginning; her brand also appeared in MSN’s Top Must-Know Interior Designers of 2024.
What’s Next for Rebecca?
We’re incredibly proud that Rebecca is maintaining the momentum we’ve helped her build, and she continues to plan for a future using public relations:
“Our next goal is to get featured on podcasts to share valuable resources with homeowners planning to renovate their homes,” shared Rebecca. “We believe podcasts are a fantastic way to offer free, actionable advice while also introducing our brand to a wider audience. The reason why I decided to [hire Katrina] is after hearing multiple of her podcasts, it made her feel relatable, and that’s what I hope to achieve too.”
And while Rebecca continues to keep busy with a full client load, she’s not letting that interfere with the growth of her brand:
“I know it’s hard to find the time for PR—I struggle with it too. But now, knowing what’s possible, I’m committed to taking a more strategic approach to identify which publications will be most valuable in growing Align Interior Design. The program I’m eyeing to help with this is Knockout’s 5 Weeks ‘til Famous program,” said Rebecca. “What I’ve learned through this process is that putting yourself out there and being proactive truly pays off. With the right guidance and consistent effort, there are so many ways to elevate your brand and reach a wider audience.”
We are SO excited to see where Rebecca goes from here.
With her passion for interior design and her newfound understanding of how to leverage public relations to grow her personal brand, Align Interior Design is poised for even more BIG brand energy in 2025.
Want to Know how to use Public Relations to Grow your Personal Brand?
Whether you’re a realtor, interior designer, developer, or another expert in the real estate industry, you can experience incredible personal brand growth using public relations too. Start by booking a FREE Discovery Call with Top Personal Branding Expert & CEO, Katrina Owens, to learn about the best program option for you.
Want to read a bit more about the impact of personal branding and public relations? We recommend checking out this blog post: Building a Personal Brand with Authentic Style & Public Relations.