You have created your first fashion line and you are excited to get your brand out to the public. What better way to show your excitement than by pitching to the press?
A press pitch can create a ton of positive impact for your brand and can introduce you to some great opportunities that you may not have known about. Not only that but it can also help generate some of your first sales and it is free promotion! However, before you send out your pitch, you have to make sure that you are ready for it.
It is very possible to create your pitch by yourself, but it is also possible to hire Public Relations companies like Pressfarm to create everything that you need to do to be ready to pitch to media outlets. But, even before connecting with Public Relations companies, there are things that you need and can do beforehand.
In this article, we will look at the steps that you can take before either hiring a company or pitching to the press yourself.
1. ESTABLISH YOUR BRAND
You need to have a brand to pitch before you even think about pitching to the press. Branding is all about the message and vibe that you are trying to put out and is what makes your product unique. You really need to think about what sets you apart from other fashion brands.
If you are trying to figure out what kind of content you should publish, you should start by telling you own story as the founder of your brand. You need to show that you are passionate, knowledgeable and can back up what you have to say. You need to hook them in with something every interesting, but the question is how can you get people to continue listening to what you have to say and build an audience?
Not only do you need to show those traits mentioned previously, but you also need to work to create authority in the industry. You definitely need to start building a website and start pages on social media platforms. It is important that everything that you create and post is true to your brand and keep things professional. Another thing is that you should engage your followers personally on all platforms and work for those likes, comments, and shares because each one will help you get your brand across. The content you create can be published on online publishing platforms to help build your credibility and establish you as a fashion authority.
2. BUILD YOUR PRESS LIST
You need to make sure that you are pitching to the right types of publications when you are getting ready to pitch. It is important to do some in-depth research about what media outlets you want to send your pitch too. You should start by identifying publications that match with your brand and fit into your niche. From there you can create a media list that you can reference. Once you have created your list, you should start communicating and building relationships with writers. It is very important that you build solid relationships before “asking” for press coverage for your brand.
When you are looking for publications to reach out to, you need to figure out what you are trying to accomplish by getting press coverage. You need to have a clear and actionable goal because it will be difficult to see the progress you’re look for. Is your goal to spread the word about your brand? Is it to make sales? Or are you trying to look for new opportunities that you didn’t know about before?
In order to try building relationships, you need to familiarize yourself with each publication’s style and the type of stories that appear. You need to keep in mind that stories can sometimes be only seasonally relevant so timing really does matter.
3. GATHER YOUR ASSETS
If you are not properly prepared, pitching to the press will be a waste of time. Some of the most valuable assets for a new brand are a website, a lookbook, and a line sheet. Your website landing page should feature clean, beautiful visuals, easy-to-navigate pages, and content that aligns with your branding. A lookbook or press kit is a PDF document that contains stunning lifestyle images, cut-outs, your unique selling point (USP), and the retail price of your products, and is great for introducing a publication to your brand and aesthetic. If you don’t think you are capable of creating one, you can employ a public relations company like Pressfarm because they will use their expertise to create press coverage for your brand. They will create your email pitch, press release, and press kits to make it easier for you. Lastly, a line sheet quickly communicates key details about your collection to the press.
Another important thing that you need to have is assets and images that are press-ready. Your images need to be high resolution, edited, and consistent with your brand. You also need to choose a color scheme, decide which typography fits your aesthetic, and design a solid logo. You can get professional headshots taken, take pictures of your studio space, and snap some shots of your individual products and your styles in action.
4. CREATE THE PERFECT PITCH
When you have your assets, you are almost ready to pitch to the press. In order to do it effectively, you need to create a pitch letter that gets your point across and makes the media outlets want to cover your brand. This is truly when you can start talking to Public Relations companies if you aren’t able to create it yourself. If you think you can do it yourself, you can start with an email template that explains who you are, what you offer, and focuses on one or two particular products. It is very important to keep the pitch short and concise because most media outlets are often overwhelmed with so many email pitches daily.
You need to customize your email pitch for every media outlet that you are trying to reach out to. Media outlets know when they are getting a letter that has been created for the masses and it will not do you any favors. You need to use an attention-grabbing headline and address the editor directly by their name and make sure that your message communicates to the editor that you’re aware of how your pitch fits with the style of the publication.
If you do not hear back, do not get discouraged. Be patient and wait for a few weeks, and then send a short follow-up email just to make sure that your original email wasn’t overlooked. If you don’t hear from them at all after that, maybe you need to change the angle of your pitch. You should stay organized and keep track of each publication you reach out to in a document or spreadsheet to avoid bombarding a publication with communications.
Conclusion
Getting that first bit of press coverage is one of the best feelings for a new fashion brand. Follow the tips above before making your first pitch to the press, and you’ll see your brand making headlines in no time. It is something that is very important to do to make sure that your brand reaches your target audience.