You can have the most amazing product in the world and yet fail to drive sales, if you don't get your brand out there for people to know it. Despite of what most experts claim, fashion PR can be fairly inexpensive.
Here are 10 hopefully helpful tips to put your brand on the map:
1. Are you truly prepared? Take a look at your product photographs, website, social media profiles and blog articles. How coherent your brand is? How aesthetically pleasing? Is your website focused and easy to navigate ask yourself that suggest Yellow Dot Design? Make sure your graphics and social media match the visual identity of your brand. Whatever you do, you have to be consistent in order for people to remember you. It takes only a few seconds for press to make a decision on your brand, so make sure you create a favorable first impression.
2. Do you have all materials ready? Once you decided that your brand is ready to rise and shine, make sure that you have everything to hand to the press. Prepare your samples to offer to those who request them, prepare your high-resolution images, and a killer press release to let the world know who you are and what your brand stands for.
3. Know what are the favorite publications of your best customers. The same way you create products for certain customers, journalists and influencers write for specific audiences. Be smart when choosing your media outlets to pitch to. Consider your price level and your style. If you don't know how to pick the right publications, read this piece from VelSEOity for help.
4. Know what type of stories each publication prefers. Once you've got a shortlist of publications to target, purchase a few copies and read some of their articles. You need to understand what type of communication they prefer and what is their overall writing style. Perhaps you can find some ideas for one of their weekly features to mention your brand. Finding the names of the editors shouldn't be too difficult, as they usually sign their articles.
5. Connect with these editors on social media. Use social media to your advantage. Connect with these editors, follow them on Instagram and Facebook, and comment on their posts. This effort might help you by the time you're going to send out your press release and they will find it in their inbox. However, make everything sound natural.
6. Choose the right time to target these people. Don't email an editor about your latest collections during Fashion Week or before Christmas or Easter. Early morning is the best moment of the day to send out your messages. Friday afternoon is probably the worst time to target them. Weekends are also out of the question.
7. What to write. You can rest assured that fashion editors receive tons of emails. Make your subject line catchy and relevant. Keep your entire message sweet, short and to the point. What is their story you consider to be a great fit for your product? If you write a stylist, perhaps you want to make them a suggestion in regard to one of you items that happen to be on trend for the season to come.
8. Send a follow up message, but avoid being pushy. If you've got no response to your first message, wait a few days and then send a polite follow up. You can rest assured that they will know how to find you, should they consider your product a good fit for one of their stories.
9. Be efficient. If an editor or a stylist agrees to use one of your products and asks for samples for a shoot or for a product image, deliver it as fast as possible. Do everything in your power to ensure they receive the item on time.
10. Be social. Don't take rejection personally. If you get no answer from a magazine, don't cross it off your list. Just try harder. You may make it some day.
