Utilizing Print Media for SEO

[TWSOM]

Hey SEO MOZ,

We have a client that holds the license to a famous Australian designer.  The Designer and our client both get mentioned a lot in the print world.  They get coverage in publications like the New York Times, Home and Garden Magazine and other top print media publications.  Sometimes it's our clients business name mentioned and sometimes it's the designer's name who they hold the rights too.

I'm wondering how we can utilize this exposure for their SEO?  It already drives traffic to their website but it also be great to harness this exposure to increase their rankings.

I know one way is to see if the article is also printed online and see if you can get a link on their.  But I'm wondering if there are other ways to use this?

Also do you have experience contacting major publications to see if they can put a link in an online published article and if they ever respond to these requests?

Really appreciate this!

[RobertFisher]

David,

One thing to consider with print is are you allowing the NYT, Home and Garden, etc. to control the story so to speak. Assuming for the designer, do you put out your own press releases? These can work two ways: Start a story for someone who the media is used to seeing printed. Designer X to preview new ABC collection in Sydney at 123. You put out the press release and say, "some of the upcoming items can be viewed prior to the event at designerX.com along with companyR.com." So, you set the stage for getting the domain names out in print. 
The other way it works is to put out press releases about the "news release in the NYT tomorrow," or about the news release in Home and Garden today/yesterday." Again, you have to be timely with these and not just put out a lot of releases about old news. ALWAYS give readers the opportunity to go somewhere and see or read more. Control where somewhere is.
You will be surprised how national media is made up of humans who copy others. So, if you keep putting the urls out in press releases, soon they will follow your lead. That said, make sure when people are coming to the site they are seeing something that appeals to them and that has quality content. Part of the appeal of print media like Home and Garden magazines are totally the images.
It is your job to drive the media and not the other way around. You can control good and bad press if you work at it just as strongly as you do your SEO. You just have to become an MO....media optimizer.

Best of Luck, hope this helps.