Bloggers have become the digital voices of fashion. Getting coverage by a popular blog is almost as influential as magazine coverage or celebrity placement, sometimes even more influential. But how do you reach out to bloggers? We sat down with Lindsey Calla, the blogger behind Saucy Glossie, stylist and the face of TJ Maxx’s Maxxinista spot at the Simply Stylist New York event during New York Fashion Week. She gave us the inside scoop on how to pitch a blogger, what sticks and what she thinks of sponsored posts.
I really like when PR’s come to be because they know what my site is about, or they know what I’m about. It’s great if they have something that fits me and are not reaching out to me because they see numbers and traffic. I’d rather have people come and go “I saw that you just talked about your interior design, and I have a company that does really good prints that might be in line with your style.” That just makes it feel personal, like they’re actually paying attention rather than just asking if I can post a video of something. Everything is great about that for some sites, but I just don’t do that, and I don’t want them to waste their time. There is so much about building a relationship.
Email is always better for me, because my phone is my business. People are welcome to send packages as well.
I pull and return all the time just because I’m doing various projects and I honestly have so much stuff in my closet, that sometimes it’s better to return it. I’m always happy to receive gifted items as well. I’m always open-minded to things, and I’m constantly surprised by things that come to my desk that I may not have thought of in email, but because they send it over I’m always happy to look at it. It’s a nice personal touch when you get a package with a nice handwritten note.
I think if they follow-up with an email, it does help to grab your attention. I don’t like to do business over Twitter, but it is a great way to catch attention. Just always follow-up.
I don’t do too many sponsored posts. I really, really have to believe in the product, and I have to believe that I would already put it on my site. The compensation for sponsored posts is for the time and the effort it takes to create the concept and see it through. I don’t do things that are pre-written for me, and I don’t do text placement. It has to come from my voice, and it has to come from something that I already feel passionate about.
Image: MaryKay.com
