A Design Partnership: An Interior Design PR Firm Every Designer Should Know
Being an interior designer is hard work! Those who have never experienced a full-on design project may think otherwise. But I am fairly certain that any interior designer I know would say how intense their job can be. Not to mention that on top of doing the work there is a constant need to promote their business in order to ensure future projects. So, if you are an interior designer looking to grow your business through the power of PR then you must meet A Design Partnership. And the interior design PR firm’s inspiring founder (and former interior designer herself) Natalie Norcross. Read on for an Lh exclusive interview with the fabulous Natalie and more info on her full-service communications agency.
Lh Exclusive Interview with Natalie Norcross, Founder & CEO of A Design Partnership
Love Happens: What began your love for interior design?
Natalie Norcross: It really started when I was a little girl and would rearrange my room and the whole house. I loved cleaning and getting my friends’ rooms put together as a small child. I also grew to help my mom, her friends and my friends’ moms with similar tasks and after high school, I went to FIDM and just continued to fall in love with interior design from there!
Lh: You started your career as an Interior Designer and then sold your business in 2008. What led to your decision to sell?
Natalie Norcross: I had a business partner and when I met my husband we tried to run the business bicoastal which was challenging as we were planning to grow our family, so my business partner offered to buy me out and I sold it from there.
Lh: I read that you started A Design Partnership as a result of people coming to you asking for advice. Did you have plans to do something else after the sale of your business? Did anything else influence your decision to start an interior design PR firm?
Natalie Norcross: No, I actually didn’t have plans to do anything after the sale. I was planning to have a baby, but the economy tanked at the end of 2008 and designers and architects were scrambling to figure out how to keep their businesses alive. I was influenced to start an agency as PR was the one thing that really grew my interior business. Leveraging the media is how I built my interior design business from scratch, and I still haven’t found a better way to grow my audience, email list, and sales. Growing my own business by getting featured in the media is fun. Helping others do the same thing for their businesses is even better!
Lh: How do you describe the power of great communication?
Natalie Norcross: I truly believe that communication and relationships are the biggest aspects of growth in business. When you build connections, communicate effectively regarding the things that set you apart, what you have to offer, your voice, etc., you are leveraging your talents to the best of your ability. In the end, messaging is everything when it comes to getting your point across, so great communication is crucial, especially in business.
Lh: Knowing all you know today about communications if you could go back in time and give your interior designer self advice what would it be?
Get into press earlier in my career then I did!
Lh: Do you have any mottos? Business, personal, design or perhaps something else?
Your thoughts are energy from God, so shine and continue to co-create.
Love unconditionally and forgive everyone.
Lh: What three pieces of advice would you give to someone looking to make it in the interior design industry?
- Find your point of differentiation
- Get regional and national press
- Grow your audience and email lists
Lh: The design industry is everchanging, do you have any thoughts about what the future of the industry looks like?
I definitely foresee more technology and E-Design playing a major role. It will be important to figure out ways to use technology to reach, teach and help more people.
Lh: What do you see as the future of Natalie Norcross?
Loving my husband and 3 kids and helping interior designers grow their businesses.
I am passionate about helping designers grow their firms and on a mission to support and encourage women and men to reach for more! I get pumped up about making sure interior designers understand just how easy public relations can be as long as they have the tools and a few strategies to get there!
Lh: Is there anything you’d like to add?
We are so excited to have just launched Interior Design PR – a DIY public relations platform for interior designers where we will give you all the tools you need to get published! We’d love to have you stop by and check us out!
A note from Lh: When you visit InteriorDesignPR.Com, be sure to Download the Free Interior Design PR Calendar!
By Anna Beck Bimba
All Photos Courtesy of A Design Partnership
