Designers don’t just navigate showrooms and trade shows anymore; it’s now also important to integrate content marketing into a firm’s branding and outreach tool kit. Atlanta-area designers Joann Kandrac and Kelly Kole, owners of Kandrac & Kole Interior Designs, have blended this kind of marketing into their approach with a popular blog and podcast. We spoke with the duo, on how they travel so adeptly through this seemingly ever-expanding landscape. 

How did you start your firm?
Kandrac: After four years of working together at a design showroom, we had the opportunity to work on a designer show house in Atlanta. We had such a great time doing it and learned a lot about each other in the process. We jumped ship and decided to hang up our own shingle. 

How do your styles come together?
Kole: Fortunately, we have very similar styles, although my favorite color is pink and Joann is a black and white fan. We both love a ton of texture, curated pieces, custom upholstery, a pop of courageous color and a little “grit” mixed in, like an antique or flea market find. Sometimes a project speaks to one of us, or one of us may have connected better with the client, but for the most part we divvy up projects naturally.

How did the podcasts come about?
Kandrac: Basically, we had been told by a business coach that we had the perfect dynamic and chemistry to be on the air — and we are up for anything new and exciting. Our podcast is professionally produced by a company called Produce Your Podcast. We are proud to have been approved for every platform that broadcasts podcasts, and are now successfully securing sponsorship contracts. Topics come very easily: conferences and trade shows, trends, lots of interesting guests, and the ones everybody loves where we answer design questions that people write in about.  

When did you begin blogging?
Kole: We have been blogging since 2009, longer than most. We used to blog at least once a week. Now we only blog about once a month because of the podcast. The blog is kind of like the podcast — a very natural, casual conversation about our experiences, travels, expertise and overall opinions within the interior design world. Not everybody is listening to podcasts, so getting our message out on the blog is still important. 

Any important lessons learned with content marketing?
Kandrac: It’s a lot of work and absolutely worth it. We just completely rebranded and redesigned our website for the third time in 15 years. We also redesigned our logo, blog, podcast and all of our marketing material. We have learned that it is super important to be open to adapting and changing with the times and trends. 

How do the blog and the podcast add to your design business?
Kole: They build up our credibility in the industry, allowing us endless opportunities to travel around the country and connect with brands. We also pull in some ancillary income from podcasts through sponsorships. They’re really another avenue to show our personalities and our great partnership.