Ecouterre’s Tips for Snagging a Feature on Design Blogs

swisscheesed

Story by swisscheesed

Published on Jan 27, 2010 in Seller Handbook

Photo by lilianasterfield

As the managing editor of Ecouterre, a leading online magazine about the future of sustainable fashion design, I get a lot of email, from random press releases that have nothing to do with the environment or fashion (think Jon Gosselin’s latest whereabouts) to announcements about budget vacations in the Caribbean. I’m sure a lot of good pitches get lost in my desperate attempt to tame my inbox with my itchy “Delete” trigger finger.

The good stories that I do see often come with issues that make me less likely to pick them up. Here, I’ve listed a few suggestions for businesses looking to appear on Ecouterre — or any other design blog for that matter. Besides the first one, they require little to no investment, but I promise, the dividends will pay off in no time flat. Now about that Caribbean vacation…

Photo by everyeskimo

1. Take Good Pictures

With most design blogs, aesthetics are paramount, not just with the product itself but also the way it’s presented. Investing in crisp, quality photography (no watermarks or logos, please!) is essential. And because bloggers are often racing to meet deadlines that expired yesterday, offering high-resolution images — in both horizontal and vertical formats — right on your site is a boon for both of you. If the blogger has to email you to get those images, you’re going to get lost in the shuffle after she has moved on to something else.

Photo by Zanzibargains

2. Accentuate the Positive

Do you sell sweaters hand-knitted by throat-singing Tibetan monks deep in the heart of the Himalayas? What about wooden sculptures that were gnawed by a bevy of beavers? Don’t bury that information. Besides knock-your-socks-off eye candy, design bloggers are also looking for a good story — one that makes you stand out from the sheer quantity of products that pass through our desks and inboxes each day. If your product is green, fair trade, or holds the key to curing cancer, make that apparent from the get-go.

Photo by calloohcallay

3. Make Your Pitch

Getting noticed is another crucial factor. A design blogger can’t write about you if he’s never heard of you. Keep your pitch email short and concise — no need for your entire life story, por favor — with a descriptive subject line that will tug at his eyeballs and keep his hand away from the Delete key. Try something like “STORY PITCH: Hats handmade from preserved roadkill” rather than “Cool story idea” or “Hats!”. Know your audience, too; don’t pitch a story about naughty knickers to a blog that writes only about baby products. Throw in one or two visuals for good measure.

Thanks to Jasmin for these insider tips! Check out the Related Items below for some Etsians previously featured on Ecouterre.

Etsy Seller Handbook | Sign Up for Etsy Success Emails!

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