Fashion PR?

[amyd]

Hi,

I'm thinking of out-sourcing our PR to an agency but it's mega expensive and I'm not sure that we would make any money from doing that, or maybe even lose money with times being a little tough at the moment.

I've been doing the PR myself and have managed to get quite a lot of placements is the same womens weekly magazines - Heat, New, Star, Reveal etc as we sell quite a lot of t-shirts worn by celebrities.

However, I'd like to get placements in other magazines such as Marie Claire, Company, In Style, Look, Glamour etc as well as the mens magazines and newspapers. I'd really like to double (at least) our exposure through PR this year.

I'm just not sure how to go about it - with the womens weekly mags I just send the editors an e-mail with the photos of the celebs wearing our t-shirts. But the same thing doesn't seem to work with the monthlys.

What approach should I take with these magazines? I was thinking that I should start sending them proper press releases but I'm not sure of how this should look - would it be like a normal press release with a story in text or would it be mainly photos of the products?

Any thoughts on the theme/story of the press releases?

Should this be e-mailed or posted? Should it be sent to every fashion editor at each magazine seperately or just one person?

Should I try and create a catalog of our products and send them that as well?

I'm wondering whether to keep doing to PR myself (if I can find a way to get in the mags we haven't yet got into), or to outsource it...any thoughts on that?

Many thanks!

[WhiskyFive]

Hi,

Sounds like you need a basic press office function from an outfit on first name terms with the fashion PR journos.

For that you don't need to spend mega bucks...go with someone small and specialised such as:

Pink Mango PR
Boudoir PR

Aim to spend £750 to £1500. You won't get an amazing service, but you ought to get a few pieces of coverage a month.

They have their mates writing the fashion columns, and you'll just get added to their weekly emails.

If they try and sell you anything to do with directional PR, brand building etc with a price tag of £3-10K per month...run a mile. You only get that from Red or Lexis...although every tinpot agency out there thinks they can do it too.

If you want to do it mostly yourself, I wouldn't send out press releases - no-one reads them.

Beg, buy or borrow a recent media list for fashion journos and send each personal emails.

Also sign up to Response Source to get inundated with requests from Fashion journos needing samples for shots.

Finally...you could upload images of all your products to PR Shots under the fashion category - it works for some but not all. People like ASOS, River Island etc are up there (last time I looked).

Finally...if anyone approaches you about news creation - don't bother - it doesn't work.

And one more finally....finally...fashion blogs can provide great exposure, good SEO and send direct sales far more efficiently than a magazine. Getting on Daily Candy is everyone's dream - but there are loads of decent ones out there.

[JGSG]

The approach I use is to work out which editor would be the best to contact and just send them an email. It usually works but you can also try offering them an incentive to feature your products for example an exclusive reader offer. A look book might be a good idea too.

[amyd]

Hi,

Thanks for all your helpful comments!

I do speak to the editors at the womens weeklies (usually by e-mail, but sometimes by phone) on a monthly basis..but I still miss out on t-shirt spreads (annoying as this is our speciality), as well as other sections where our competitors have been used instead of us! So I don't know what I'm doing wrong? Maybe I just need to call them up more, but I don't like to hassle them?!

For that you don't need to spend mega bucks...go with someone small and specialised such as:

Pink Mango PR
Boudoir PR


I've looked at both those PR agencies (even contacted one once) but they both have clients in direct competition to us so they won't take us on.

Aim to spend £750 to £1500. You won't get an amazing service, but you ought to get a few pieces of coverage a month.

I have had a quote of another PR agency which has quoted £2000 per month - I have seen their clients in the magazines quite a lot so I think they would be good. But I'm unsure about the cost. They reckon that they could gain coverage for 1-5 weeklies per week and 2-4 monthlies per month.

Beg, buy or borrow a recent media list for fashion journos and send each personal emails.

Yes - I've looked into buying media lists but they're quite pricey..know where I can get a free/cheap one? :)

Also sign up to Response Source to get inundated with requests from Fashion journos needing samples for shots.

Yes I did look at Response Source a while back but didn't think that fashion journalists really used it that much..maybe I should sign up for a trail then!

Finally...you could upload images of all your products to PR Shots under the fashion category - it works for some but not all. People like ASOS, River Island etc are up there (last time I looked).

I'd never heard of PR Shots! Thanks so much - it sounds great - I'll check it out!

And one more finally....finally...fashion blogs can provide great exposure, good SEO and send direct sales far more efficiently than a magazine. Getting on Daily Candy is everyone's dream - but there are loads of decent ones out there.

I've managed to get on a few blogs that I've stumbeled across...but I'd really like to find out which are the best blogs to go for (I hadn't heard of Daily Candy for instance!)..any ideas where I can find out?


The approach I use is to work out which editor would be the best to contact and just send them an email.


I've been sending personal e-mails to some editors for almost a year now and had nothing..have even called them on the odd occasion and they sounded very interested! It's these situations where I want to know what I can do better, where I'm going wrong? I don't know if I've just got onto the wrong person or what! Any ideas?

That's why I was thinking that I should start sending press releases - I thought if I sent them by post then ALL the fashion editors would see them. The PR company that quoted us also mentioned that that would be part of the approach - to send regular press releases.


A look book might be a good idea too


I've always wondered what one of these would look like - is it just a printed catalog of all the products? I guess it would need to be professionally printed?

Thanks for all you help - looking forward to your replies.

[JGSG]

A look book is a small printed brochure showcasing each seasons collection that you can send out to the editors and they can refer to when looking for pieces to call in for shoots. It should really be professionally done.

I should have mentioned... I used a specialist fashion publicist for about 6 months... he was based in Los Angeles and was able to get my designs worn by people and in front of the relevant editors (he would arrange face to face meetings with them to show my designs), however, in terms of sales this publicity didn't increase sales at all... it only helped with brand recognition so if increasing sales is what you're aiming for then perhaps the PR route may not be the right one.

I now handle all of my brands PR myself and I get good results from it. I don't know where you're going wrong because I haven't seen who you are contacting or how you're contacting them but feel free to contact me privately and I'll see if I can help you.

[scotmum]

I run a free women's monthly magazine and only really use the images from PR Shots as it is the easiest option for me. I know that this sounds lazy, but everyone is a winner - the retailer as they get their product in print and the magazine editor as they get a professional shot without hassle or cost! Brilliant.

[PayAsYouGoPR_J2]

Hi Amy (I assume it's Amy?)

I've sent you a PM. May be of interest.

James.

[JCP]

Hi there

There is a directory called www.diarydirectory.com (http://www.diarydirectory.com) which charges a subscription but it gives you access to prs and opportunities to post your info up there. This book will be on the desk of all the features eds/assistants.

Your main aim should be to gather a sample selection and research a list of definative contacts to ring up/email on a weekly basis with story ideas and images they can use. Start by getting a free trial for a week with response source and compile a list of contacts by contacting the fashion assistant at each mag you want to appear in. Keep up with them and make sure you have physical garments to send them for shoots.

PR is all about making the journos job easier. Give them some ideas and become a reliable source and they will come to you in the end.

[BlueRainbow]

speaking from someone who does it inhouse...(i was brought in to my company - a 5* aparthotel - after the PR agency failed to bring in results)

There's a product called pr pro which should be quite helpful to you. prpro dot co dot uk
it gives you a lot of hints/tips and will even tailor a press list of the right contacts you need...they even put in press release templates. all for £500. bargain for pr beginners!

Freebies goes far!

I've got 5 high profile contacts from Elle magazine staying in my hotel this week in between doing a photoshoot with the killers! all very exciting!

Good luck! Let me know if you need any more information and i'll help you out best i can!

[WhiskyFive]

Hi Amy,

First off - what's your website address? You might as well put it in...you might get some new customers ;-)

The girls at Pink Mango are very nice - but do have t-shirt clients. Boudoir does Truffleshuffle and a couple of others so wouldn't likely touch you.

PR is all about sales - so it isn't enough to call them once...you need to call them constantly! And email them and doorstop them until they either get out a restraining order or mention you in the magazine ;-)

The nice thing about a PR agency is that they have already cultivated these relationships so don't have to start from scratch. They also have media lists (which you can get - in fact I think I have one for fashion journos about 9 months old if you want to PM me - I take a medium tee and my GF a small btw ;-)

Response Source is great for leads...it got me on the Richard & Judy show, our products on GMTV and lots of niche press and radio - so well worth the annual sub.

Be warned...for the first 2-3 months you probably won't get much out of it...but you should persevere. We're in the FT next month cos of it.

£2K per month is quite a lot for a very basic press office function for which they would probably do a piss poor job. I was with one agency (I hesitate to name names here) who after a good first couple of months palmed me off with an illiterate American unpaid intern.

It doesn't matter how much you pay (although you should probably get at least £500 off that) - if you don't manage the relationship you will get bugger all out of it. That means monthly meetings as a minimum, weekly reporting (and raise hell if they miss a report) and really ride them so you get what you need.

Otherwise it is £2K down the drain as all PR agencies focus on the big clients....and if not the big clients then the ones who make the most noise....although you don't have to be horrible...just make sure you are talking on email and the phone every couple of days.

And blogs....you haven't heard of Daily Candy! Well, you have now ;-) To be honest, Google is the best way to find fashion blogs...and then look at the blog rolls on each blog to find new ones. Also the Blogs by Women site is a good way to promote your blog (what do you mean you don't have one yet?!?) and find new ones.

At this early (?) stage, you need quantity over quality for SEO reasons and to get yourself out there.

Finally....look books....PR shots is a good service to use...but you can set-up your own one online. Journos are lazy creatures and want an easy life. So setting up a nice gallery of your bestsellers, but putting in a link for them to download versions in high res Jpeg at 300DPI and a high res Tif at 300 or 600 DPI would mean they don't have to worry about chasing you for a courier to get a CD of images over - if they are T-shirts they should always be flats (not models unless it is Metro I think), on a white background (or cut out for the Tiffs).

Here's a good example:
http://www.firebox.com/index.html?dir=admin&action=press_images

[hi-res]

Hi Amy,

prshots.com here - somebody kindly recomended our services in this thread - but there seems to be come confusion over what we actually do so wanted to clear that up, we're not a PR company and we don't compete with PR companied we are in fact a free image library for journalists - thousands use our services on a regular basis so those adding their press collateral in terms of photo's etc get a great deal of natural exposuer to the media their targeting - the difference is it's completely passive the journalists come and pick up what they like with no involvement from us other than to supply the free service in the first place.