Working with a PR agency is truly a team effort. We have found the more our brands treat us as a member of their team, the more effectively we can secure amazing results from our clients. Here are four things you can do right now to help your PR agency get better results:
1. Make sure your agency has a set of samples of both current in season items as well next season's samples
If you are working with a fashion PR agency that knows how to maximize exposure for their brands, having samples available in their office will be important to maximize exposure. Stylists and editors come to our showroom regularly expecting to pull one item and often end up pulling from other brands on our roster. If the samples aren't in our showroom we can't show a stylist or editor how great your product might be paired with the handbag, shoe or other item they came to pull. We are careful not to take on clients with competing aesthetics or products, so we are able to truly cross promote our brands.
2. Make sure your agency has a set of high resolution product stills of items available now, 3 months from now and 6 months from now and make sure you have each photo labeled properly and a list of what items will be available when.
A lot of magazines don't have large budgets for photoshoots and often will have their art director create layouts using product stills, so you could be missing out on coverage if you don't have a high resolution 300 DPI image of your product on a white background, not on a model. Many online outlets also use these images and wont cover a brand that doesn't have these photos as this is the easiest way for them to make everything look uniform.
3. Provide your agency with an update list of stores where your line is carried along with styles that have sold into major retailers and the ship dates for those items.
Often top tier publications are more likely to feature a product that is carried in a major retailer. Conversely, some regional outlets only cover brands that have a local retailer, so giving your PR agency a realtime snapshot of your sell through can really help them maximize coverage.
4. Keep them updated on any new products, events, sales, collaborations or other news happening with your brand.
The more information you share with your agency about new products, events, sample sales, etc., the more press they can secure for these items. If you are having a sample sale or a trunk show at a local store, share it with your agency. If you are producing a style in a custom color for a particular buyer, share it. There is never too much information you can share with your PR agency!
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