Want to get your interiors brand featured? Then you need to get journalists on your side. These are the people who decide which brands make it into magazines, blogs, and newspapers—and they’re dealing with overflowing inboxes, relentless deadlines, and endless pitches. The easier you make their job, the better your chances of getting noticed (for the right reasons). On the flip side, there are a common PR mistakes guaranteed to make them hit ‘delete’ faster than you can say “media coverage.” Here’s what NOT to do.
1. Pitching Without Doing Your Homework
Sending a pitch without knowing the publication? Rookie mistake. If you’re reaching out to an interiors journalist, take some time to actually read their magazine, blog, or section. Where does your product fit? What kind of stories do they regularly run? What themes come up year-on-year? A little research goes a long way—name-dropping a relevant section or article shows you’ve done your homework and aren’t just spamming every journalist in sight.
Timing matters, too. Most publications work months in advance, so pitching Christmas gift ideas in November when their holiday issue wrapped in September? That’s a wasted opportunity. Stay ahead of deadlines by keeping track of key editorial calendars.
2. Sending Poor-Quality or Hard-to-Access Images
Journalists don’t have time to chase you for decent images, and they certainly won’t feature a product if the only shot available is a grainy iPhone snap. High-res images should always be available on request—but don’t clog their inbox with huge files. Instead, provide a link where they can download exactly what they need: cut-outs (on a white background) and lifestyle shots. Bit of a shameless plug, but the Press Loft platform make this seamless, giving journalists instant access to high-quality images without all the unnecessary back-and-forth.
And remember—just because an image is high-res doesn’t mean it’s usable. Is the lighting off? Are there distracting backgrounds? A strong, well-lit image can be the difference between being featured in a glossy spread or being overlooked entirely. If you want to know more about imagery dos and don’ts to help you secure more coverage, catch up on our latest webinar in our video library!
3. Sloppy Press Releases and Emails
Typos. Grammar mistakes. Misspelling the journalist’s name. Any of these will get your email ignored. Journalists write for a living, so if your pitch is full of errors or waffle, they’re not going to spend time fixing it.
Keep your emails sharp, to the point, and typo-free. And make sure your press release has a clear angle—why does your product matter right now? What makes it different? If they can copy and paste sections straight into their feature, you’ve nailed it.
Also, one common PR mistake that we see time and time again – don’t send a press release that reads like a product manual. Journalists aren’t looking for a list of specifications; they want a story. Does your product tap into a rising trend? Does it solve a problem? Frame it in a way that makes it newsworthy.
4. Overcomplicating Your Pitch
Journalists don’t have time to decode long-winded emails. If they have to dig through paragraphs of fluff to figure out what you’re offering, they’ll move on. Keep it short, clear, and to the point—what’s the product, why is it relevant, and where can they find the details?
And one more thing—ditch the jargon. Overly technical descriptions or excessive marketing buzzwords aren’t helping. Write like a human, not a brochure.
5. Offering No Contact or Slow Responses
Ever had a journalist interested in your product, only to never hear from them again? If they reached out but didn’t get a quick response, that might be why. Journalists work fast—if they need more details, a quote, or extra images, they need answers now. If they have to chase you (or worse, get no reply at all), they’ll move on to a brand that responds quickly.
Make sure your contact details are easy to find, and if you offer media requests, check your inbox regularly. If a journalist asks for something urgently, treat it like the priority it is—these opportunities don’t always come twice.
The Bottom Line
Getting press coverage isn’t just about having a great product—it’s about making it as easy as possible for journalists to feature you. The brands that consistently get coverage aren’t necessarily the biggest or the best; they’re the ones that know how to pitch smartly, respond quickly, and provide exactly what’s needed without back-and-forth.
Journalists remember the brands that respect their time. Get this right, and you won’t just land one feature—you’ll build relationships that keep your brand in the spotlight.
