16 Top Tips For Pitching to Press

Industry top tips for compiling your first press release and building your press contacts…

1.  Most fashion editors and stylists prefer to be contacted via e-mail. Remember these people get sent multiple press releases on a daily basis – so make sure yours is slick and professional.

2. Keep the information concise and to-the-point. If you are talking about your new collection for example, make reference to the key inspirations, cut and colour but don’t harp on. Try to keep your logo, text and small reference images on one A4 page. If you need to go onto another page remember to add logo and contact details to the header and footer of each page.

3. Bad spelling and poor grammar are a no-no. If in doubt mail-out to a few well read friends and get their feedback first.

4. Make a list of magazines, newspapers, websites that you think are suitable for your label and source the appropriate contact details.

5. Don’t bulk e-mail. Get to know your target market, say for instance Grazia magazine is perfect for your label, find out who the shopping or fashion editor / writer is and address them in person. Adjust your pitch accordingly.

6. Develop relationships with key stylists / journalists. Ask them ‘what stories they are working on?’ Remember many magazines can work up to 3 months ahead. 

7. Fashion is visual so images are key. Only use 2 or 3 of your very best images within the release. Say they are available at high resolution if required but don’t attach them at high resolution straight away. This clogs up e-mail accounts and won’t make you very popular.

8. Monthly updates are useful and act as a reminder but be conscious not to bombard recipients with the same information.

9. Along with images available at high resolution it is also beneficial if you can offer samples available for any up-and-coming shoots.

10. Remember to number, code or name your images, so if a stylist requests a design for a shoot you know what they are talking about straight away.

11. Look books are useful – particularly for stylists. They can be expensive to print however digital provides a cheaper alternative. 

12. Attach all your contact details on any samples you send out.

13. If you are providing samples for the first time give the stylist a few days to get organised post-shoot before calling up and recalling the piece.

14. If you have some news, a collaborative project, a celebrity fan, a great headline then get a release out about it ASAP,  no-body wants old news.

15. Stagger your releases and images throughout the season to maintain interest.

16. Don’t expect a huge press reaction straight away, it takes time to build up core contacts and relationships.