EP 198 | Social Media Is Digital Word of Mouth for Interior Designers with Virginie Martocq

December 1, 2020

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Is social media replacing traditional media for interior designers?

In this episode, Kimberley Seldon is joined by design journalist Virginie Martocq to discuss how marketing, visibility, and credibility have evolved for today’s interior design professionals.

There was a time when being featured in a magazine instantly elevated a designer’s reputation and attracted new clients. Today, interior designers need a more diversified marketing strategy that includes social media, local visibility, and consistent community engagement. Virginie explains why social media has become the modern version of word-of-mouth marketing — and how designers can use it effectively to grow their business.

In this episode, we learn:
• Why getting published once signaled major success for interior designers
• How magazines have lost some of the authority they once held
• Why media exposure still helps remind clients and prospects that you are active
• How social media functions as digital word-of-mouth marketing
• Why local community visibility can generate stronger client connections
• How interior designers can build trust and attract clients through consistent visibility

Design Intervention

Price and marketing are the same thing. (Your price is your brand).

Take Away 

HeritageCookbook.com

 

About Virginie Martocq

Virginie Martocq grew up in the South of France, where a taste for all things beautiful became firmly ingrained in her psyche. After graduating from McGill University with a degree in Art History, she started down the career path with a job in Sports Marketing (yes, really). It didn’t take long for her to realize she was on the wrong road and to enroll in the Interior Design program at the International Academy of Design. She graduated with high honors and went on to open her own interior design company, which she ran for over 4 years, completing residential projects throughout the Toronto area, in California and the Bahamas.

During this time, she began working with HGTV on several television shows and contributing to Canadian House & Home magazine as a freelancer. Virginie went on to work as design editor at Canadian House & Home for two years before becoming Chatelaine’s home editor, a position she held for eight years. During that time, Virginie also became a regular guest expert on Cityline, as well as a decor expert on Canada AM, The Marilyn Denis show, and guest speaker at shows like the One of a Kind Show and Fall Home Show amongst others.

In 2012, Virginie left the world of design media to work full time on her two passions. One is design, and the other is the successful cookbook self-publishing heritagecookbook.com, a website that allows businesses and individuals to make their own custom cookbooks.

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Legal Disclosure | This podcast is for educational purposes only and provides general business advice for interior designers and design professionals. It is not intended as individual legal, accounting, or professional guidance. Kimberley Seldon and Business of Design® make no guarantees regarding accuracy and are not liable for how information is used. Strategies shared may not apply to every situation—listeners should seek qualified legal, financial, or professional advice before making business decisions. References and resources mentioned may change over time.

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