37 Expert Tips For Developing Better Fashion Blogger Outreach - Coaching for online boutique owners

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Despite the fact that working with influencers is hands down one of the best and quickest ways for a new or struggling brand to increase brand awareness, the process of fashion blogger outreach, can still be a minefield for most rookie store owners.

The truth is, getting fashion bloggers with large, engaged audiences to pay attention and agree to work with you (at a rate you can afford) isn’t easy. And in all honesty can become an impossible task if you don’t know how to initiate a partnership in the right way.

That’s why I reached out to over 300 fashion bloggers to find out exactly how fashion blogger outreach should be done correctly. So keep reading because in this article, 37 style influencers share their top three tips for developing better fashion blogger outreach.

But I didn’t stop there.

To simplify the process even more for new online boutique owners, you can also grab my FREE two-part outreach email template – giving you a tried and tested format you can use when you start your next round of fashion blogger outreach.

If you find this article insightful and helpful, I hope you’ll take action and share it with others. Short on time? Below I’ve pulled out 5 power tips which really stood out.

5 Standout Tips For Better Blogger Outreach

“Instead of having a launch party, aim to spend the next 365 days building your craft, perfecting your look , solidifying your foundation and finding loyal supporters (other than your friends and family)”

“The biggest mistake I see from designers on any social media is a lack of response to comments, likes, etc. Every time someone comments on one of your photos that is a marketing opportunity.”

“Don’t just pick a blogger because they have a million followers because it won’t seem genuine if they promote for you”

“Designers should not be afraid to work with small bloggers from different countries, this way they can spread around the world.”

“Don’t be afraid to ask for a favor. You never know if one of the bloggers you contact ends up being your biggest fan.”

To add extra value to this post, I also created a 2-part outreach email template that you can download for FREE, – you’ll see links to it sprinkled throughout the post. With a winning email template that you can modify, and clear guidelines you can use to help you customise it accordingly, you’re well on your way to securing your next blogger collaboration. Go get ’em.

1. Lauren Richardson 2. Bryce Medina 3. Travis hill 4. Megan 5. Tiffany Ima 6. Jenny 7. Heather 8. Greta Egan 9. Nikki 10. Bryn Newman 11. Diana Horsfall 12. Kish Raveendran 13. Grace 14. Dayna 15. Akanksha Redhu 16. Marta 17. Leslie 18. Thomas Drew 19. Khai Nunag 20. Bruno 21. Nateisha 22. Alex Terner 23. Joseph Rangel 24. Henry Evia 25. Dennis de jesus 26. Lise 27. Lisa Anderson 28. Jessica Dugan 29. Jake Barbera 30. Christian 31. Edoardo Savoia 32. David Rochez 33 Juan 34. Sef Tiburcio 35. Elisa Zanetti 36. Ollyvia Laura Arnold 37. Ashley Syne

1. Lauren Richardson – Dressing Dallas

I would say my first tip for working with fashion bloggers would be just to email us! Most of the time we’d LOVE To work with independent designers. They best way to get our email address is on our blog (there’s usually a contact link on the page).

My second piece of advice would be to create an Instagram account to show off your pieces, and tag up on your posts. It’s so easy to interact with people on Instagram, and it’s most bloggers main hub on social media. You can also private message on Instagram.

My third piece of advice would be to comment on our blog, or any social media platform. Let us know you are out there, and get the conversation started!

Connect with Lauren on Instagram.

bryce_medina 2. Bryce Medina – brycemedina.blogspot.com

First, independent designers must conceptualise and visualise a concrete plan of partnership they want before tapping a fashion blogger.

Second, they must carefully ‘work’ a fashion blogger that will represent their clothes, I mean, they should know the blogger’s capabilities and style – so they don’t expect too much from the blogger, and they will not end up disappointed. Lastly, both should benefit from the partnership.

The first party (designer) should not be abusing or using the other party (blogger), or vice versa.

Connect with Bryce on Instagram.

travis_hill 3. Travis Hill – debonairedouchebags.com

My tips to new independent designers would be to refrain from having launch parties. Launch parties can set you back , reason why I say that is because there are new fashion lines that come out everyday.

Where I am from ( New York City ) everyone is always aiming to be the best next thing. Slow and steady wins the race.

Instead of having a launch party, aim to spend the next 365 days building your craft, perfecting your look, solidifying your foundation and finding loyal supporters (other than your friends and family). Build relationships with your patrons.

I feel the art of communication has become a very lost art amongst new fashion designers.

Pieces are being sold and no relationships are being built.

Editors note: Not quite a fashion blogger outreach tip, but a powerful tip, nonetheless.

Connect with Travis on Instagram.

Megan 4. Megan – The quintessential blog

If you want to work with a fashion blogger you must offer a partnership that is reasonable and meaningful to your blogger partner. I have been offered many, many partnerships where designers offer to send me samples, but request them back to be shipped back at the end.

While I know that these samples can be expensive and time consuming to create, it’s important to understand that when you do this as a designer you are essentially asking for free advertising and labor from the blogger.

As a blogger, each post requires styling, shooting, photo editing, posting, and heavy promotion, it’s unlikely a blogger will want to make the trip to the post office at the end of all that!

Just like your design took a lot of thought, so did the blog post that promoted it.

Always ask yourself what YOUR goal is, but also ask yourself what the bloggers goals are, and then approach them with an offer. Can you offer a gift item that they may keep? Social media promotion? An ongoing relationship?

Connect with Megan on Instagram.

tiffany_ima 5. Tiffany Ima – Tiffany Ima’s Thrify Life

I feel like independent designers are in a unique position because they already have such a personal connection to their work. When someone contacts you, it is not just a social media representative from a large brand reaching out, it is someone who feels like you actually represent the image they are trying to communicate.

There are so many designers/brands out there that it is difficult to really make a name for yourself, so connecting on a personal level is super important. Social media is the number one way to connect with bloggers, especially Instagram.

The biggest mistake I see from designers on any social media is a lack of response to comments, likes, etc. Every time someone comments on one of your photos that is a marketing opportunity. I cannot tell you how many times I see something I love on IG or Pinterest, I may comment but forget to follow and if they don’t respond, they lost me.

A great thing I don’t see often enough is, brands shouting out bloggers they love BEFORE they ever have their product. This shows that they care and can be inspired by you.

Connect with Tiffany on Instagram.

6. Jenny – She loves dresses

If I could give independent designers tips to develop better blogger outreach, it would be:

1) Engage with the bloggers you follow on a consistent basis. Remember details about their life and give specific compliments and comments.

2) Giveaways go hand in hand with better blogger outreach and are a great way to gain a higher follower count if done correctly.

3) Post personal details every so often. We live in the age of relationship & connection. Readers and followers want special glimpses into your life, not just a constant stream of “look at my new thing, look at my new thing”.

Connect with Jenny on Instagram.

7. Heather – Style by Fluent

My top three tips for better fashion blogger outreach would be:

1) Make sure you do your research, spend an ample amount of time on their blog looking at their style to see if they are even a fit for the clothes you design. If a designer emails me and their style is nothing close to mine, I will decline the collaboration.

2) Adding a specific compliment on a post that you liked goes a long way, so be sure and do this in all of your emails to bloggers.

3) Make sure you spell their names correctly, of the blog and the person – some people have mis-spelled my name or gotten the name of my blog wrong – big mistake.

Connect with Heather on Instagram.

8. Greta Eagan – fashion-me-green-blog

>>>CLICK TO TWEET>> When it comes to blogger outreach communication is key.

Whenever I start to explore working with someone, I gauge their level of engagement and follow through from their correspondence. Does it take forever for them to get back to me? Do they follow up quickly and completely? These first interactions are very informative.

Design is also key. I look for designers who have a point of view and design background to support the work they create. Local production is another factor I consider. It is extremely helpful when collaborating and creating samples to review and tweak.

Connect with Greta on Instagram. Buy the book http://www.gretaeagan.com/book/

9. Nikki – fashionable-passion.blogspot.com

My top three tips I would give to fashion designers to develop better blogger outreach are:

1) Diversity – I think if you spread your relationships with a diversity of different fashion bloggers, it will help you create a larger standing amongst the blogger community. I also think that collaborations should be available to a wide range of bloggers and not just those who seem popular – as this will create a better public image as a whole for fashion.

2) Loyalty – If the fashion designer has created a relationship with a blogger/bloggers, I think a certain amount of loyalty is needed, whether it be in terms of collaboration and offering the blogger an opportunity to work with the designer for whatever project, an idea they have, or even as a small token of appreciation in the form of a piece of clothing or accessory etc.

3) Advertising – Creating a buzz for the fashion designer is essential in creating a relationship with bloggers, making the clothing line exciting is important! This can be by simply advertising it on social media and interacting with bloggers via social media, with exclusive news or limited invites etc. It would also be important to invite bloggers to previews of the line for them to get a taste of what the designer has in store!

Connect with Nikki on Instagram.

10. Bryn – stonefoxstyle.com

>>>CLICK TO TWEET >>> 90% of bloggers want to get something out of the collaboration.

Think about it as a partnership. If you’re working with a beauty company to promote your designs in a partnership, you give a discount to the beauty companies fans for your site, and the beauty company gives you samples or a coupon to give to your fans. It’s the same thing with a blogger, they post about you, you give them something in exchange. Whether it’s a gift card to your site, product, etc. I can’t tell you how many people email me and ask me to write a story about them and offer nothing in exchange. That’s not exciting and it’s not the way to develop better blogger outreach.

We all get a lot of companies inquiring to work with us, even football sites have contacted me! Make sure you’re staying relevant to your brand when searching for influencers to work with and find bloggers who fit with your brand’s aesthetic.

Connect with Bryn on Instagram.

11. Diana Horsfall – differentcands.blogspot.com

1) I think that since Lookbook is a popular platform for bloggers, it is the easiest way to find a blogger with the style that suits the designer. But the one bad thing is, most of the HOT looks get most of the time attention, and small bloggers will never have a chance to collaborate with designers.

2) The other mistake I see are sponsors/ designers only looking to work with fancy and powerful bloggers. This is understandable, but at same time to be honest I am bored of seeing famous bloggers because their style is always same.

>>> CLICK TO TWEET>>> Famous bloggers lose their identity by wearing only sponsored clothing. In my opinion, designers should not be afraid to work with small bloggers from different countries, this way they can be spread around the world.

Connect with Diana on Instagram.

12. Kish Raveendran – kishstyle.com

I believe the following tips are basic for better fashion blogger outreach:

1) Have a great fashion line with a reasonable price tag.

2) Produce more streetwear than runway wear (so people can wear it on a regular basis).

And create unique designs with more details on the fabric. When you create products that meet those points, developing better blogger outreach and getting a positive response becomes easy.

Connect with Kish on Instagram.

13. Grace – GA Fashion Blog Spot

I feel there should be better treatment to blogger outreach as well as welfare. For example, if designers need bloggers to attend a store opening, logistics should be provided for them. They should be treated as people and not just an instrument to reach out to a wider audience. And always suggest some sort of partnership deal because it goes a long way to create a lasting impression.

Connect with Grace on Instagram.

14. Dayna – chicnaturalistas.com

We think it is key for fashion designers to really collaborate with bloggers that fit their brand, and their style. Don’t just pick a blogger because they have a million followers because it won’t seem genuine if they promote for you. Pick a blogger that represents what you stand for and has the target market that is the same as your brand.

For example, if I have a jewellery line, and I see a blogger with 50k followers and she hates jewellery, why would I collaborate with her? I would rather >>>CLICK TO TWEET >>> collaborate with the blogger that has 30k followers and loves to accessorise! That is just one example.

Connect with Dayna on Instagram.

15. Akanksha – akanksharedhu.com

I look for design sensibility and quality of aesthetics that the designer has to offer in his/her products. The sensibility has to be similar to mine. I will never collaborate with a designer who makes stuff that I myself would never wear or use personally. The way the designer showcases their products is also very important. It shows that they have gone that extra mile and truly have respect and value for the products they make.

Connect with Akanksha on Instagram.

16. Marta – Martus

Find fashion bloggers whose style “speaks to you”. The work and interacting could be that much more rewarding and pleasant if you work with a fashion blogger with the same vision. Be sure to contact fashion bloggers not only in your area/state or country, but all over the world. And don’t forget to stay active on all social media sites. Getting your name out there is a crucial step in becoming successful.

Connect with Marta on Instagram.

17. Leslie – urprettyhaute.com

My tip for developing better fashion blogger outreach is understanding your brand and your audience/customer. Choose a blogger that has quality in their content, uploads clear images and has a following that mirrors your following.

Make sure that both parties understand that the agreement is for cross promotion. In exchange for your products they are committing to share their outfit post on their website and/or social media with links and/or tags to your website or social media sites. As a blogger I often agree to share the outfit post within 7-10 days from the time I receive the item in the mail.

Connect with Leslie on Instagram.

18. Thomas Drew – grandrapidstonight.tumblr.com

Well first off, I feel that good communication skills are paramount, and actually somewhat of a lost art these days. When communicating with other brands, other bloggers and anyone in the fashion world in particular, I look for that feeling of passion and excitement that makes me want to collaborate with someone.

I feel that people in this industry set themselves apart when they are able to convey a unique aura with their work and their words, something that makes me feel inspired when talking with them and while reading their material or looking at their clothing/outfits that they’ve put together.

In terms of rookie mistakes, my biggest pet peeve is bad grammar. That’s the first thing that makes me think that someone doesn’t know what they’re talking about, no matter how good their work may be. It’s those simple traits of professionalism that go a long way and make fashion bloggers want to work with you.

Connect with Thomas on Instagram.

19. Khai Nunag – http://www.khainunag.com

We bloggers would always be interested in working with fashion brands, most especially with designers because their work has a more personal touch. I think a better way to develop fashion blogger outreach is:

1) Introducing their works/designs to us by providing a portfolio

2) Offering us a win-win creative collaboration. Make it worth our while.

3) Let us know how well our partnership can work together – how it can enrich our knowledge and expand our horizons when it comes to fashion and how we can establish good relationships/connections through it?

Connect with Khai on Instagram.

20. Bruno – StaybyBruno

If you want to get fashion bloggers interested in working with you, then you can’t be afraid of being original. Use different kinds of colours depending on the season, and make your clothes inspire your mood. These are the things that will make bloggers pay attention to you.

Connect with Bruno on Instagram.

21. Nateisha – www.nateishamonique.co.uk

It is important to keep networking with bloggers. Social media such as Twitter and Instagram are vitally important for bloggers, so by regularly keeping in contact via those methods your blogger network is bound to expand. I would also say that when contacting fashion bloggers, make sure their style is what your brand stands for.

>>>CLICK TO TWEET>>> There is nothing better than when a brand and blogger’s relationship is authentic. Their followers can gage that from their blog posts and the brand can see genuine love for their designs. Finally, good fashion blogger outreach is all about keeping things personal. I have been contacted by companies that don’t even reference my name in an email. As a fashion blogger, I love meeting new people and creating content that I am proud of so definitely make the effort to know the blogger and build a relationship if that is what both parties want.

Connect with Nateisha on Instagram.

22. Alex Terner – Alex turner.blogspot

All online boutiques should try to establish excellent connections with bloggers. And the easiest way to do that is with a “Fashion Blogger Program”. When you have this set up, I know you are serious about collaboration. I also only want to work with brands that represent my personal style, so before you contact me at least take a moment to check if I’m a good fit. You would be surprised how few brands take the time do that before they reach out to you.

Connect with Alex on Instagram.

23. Jose Rangel – joelush

My top three tips for better blogger outreach would be:

1) Create Long-Term Relationships to Encourage Sustained Advocacy

2) Set goals. Like any marketing strategy goals this will help you through the process to make better decisions

3) Try to make it easier for bloggers to reach you and collaborate with you in any way possible in order for you to succeed in the industry.

Connect with Jose on Instagram.

24. Henry Evia – henevia.com

If I could give 3 tips to independent designers for better fashion blogger outreach, that would be:

1) Don’t be afraid to reach out to fashion bloggers. Yes, we usually ask for free clothes or money as a payment method. But, if you can, >>>CLICK TO TWEET>>> find a blogger that embodies your brand really well, make him/her an ambassador. Try and establish a long-term relationship with him/her.

2) Don’t be afraid to ask for a favor. You never know if one of the bloggers you contact ends up being your biggest fan.

3) Stay away from all the BIG BIG bloggers. It’s much easier to work with the ones in the middle, because you can negotiate much better and reach agreements in which both parties win.

Connect with Henry on Instagram.

25. Dennis de jesus – diversifiedstyles.com

3 tips I suggest to upcoming designers for developing better fashion blogger outreach, are:

1) Promoting their designs on social media. Nowadays even really big companies are using social media to market their products and ideas.

2) Offer to send free samples to well known bloggers to try out. They promote your designs and you get free promotion.

3) Creating your own blog is also a great way to get known.

Connect with Dennis on Instagram.

26. Lise Kapris – no-limits-to-perfection.blogspot.ru

1) I can advise designers to not be shy and contact me directly via email. Then they have to make it clear what they can offer to me for the post about their clothes. Is it money or clothes or something else that is valuable? And it is very good if they propose a way of cooperation in their first communication.

2) I have to like the design, I have to be rewarded and understand how this cooperation benefits me, and it is good if the designer is popular (but not mandatory).

Connect with Lise on Instagram.

27. Lisa Anderson – lisamaryanderson

My first suggestion for solid fashion blogger outreach is to make sure that all communication is specific to the blogger. It may be very tempting to blanket message multiple bloggers at one time, but if you want them to really take notice and respond, you need to find bloggers who match your aesthetic.

Read their blogs, research them and make your communication with them tailored to them. Mention blog posts you liked, images you saw that resonated with you and talk about their blogging history to make sure they know you have taken the time to get to know them.

Secondly, keep in mind, you are getting in touch with them to be a type of advocate for your brand, therefore their image needs to align with yours, so choose carefully. A blogger with less reach and a similar message will have more impact than someone who may have a bigger reach and less in common. It will seem forced and unnatural, and people read straight through that.

>>> CLICK TO TWEET>>> Bloggers aren’t exactly like advertising, they are social influencers, so there message around your brand needs to be authentic and not read as if it’s been purchased.

Connect with Lisa on Instagram.

28. Jessica Dugan – belle-adore.blogspot.com

Sometimes fashion bloggers have no idea that certain brands collaborate/partner with individuals! One tip I would give is for brands who want to work with bloggers is to advertise somewhere on their site/social media sites that they are willing to do collabs, as that encourages bloggers to reach out by email!

If brands have a certain aesthetic and know of bloggers with similar ones, they shouldn’t be afraid to reach out to them. The same thing goes for bloggers who want to work with brands!

Also, whenever you see brand/blogger collaboration it’s usually the same thing. The blogger styles the product and links it back to their page. While that’s completely fine, >>>CLICK TO TWEET>>>, brands should try to come up with different ideas so it’s fun and unique for both parties!

Connect with Jessica on Instagram.

29. Jacob Barbera – jacob-labarbera

The connection between a blogger and a designer is one that has topped the industry for countless seasons and many years. They seem to go hand in hand with one another, and are designed to help each other, right?

As a fashion writer and blogger, I am always being asked to partner up – representing new and emerging designers. Throughout my experience, there are three main tips that are crucial when seeking out bloggers to represent your brand.

1) Search for bloggers that fit into the aesthetic of your brand. It is important to find a blogger who currently would shop your brand and one who would fit into the parameters of your label. It’s not effective to seek out a blogger who wont have a connection to your brand.

2) To gain the respect of bloggers, you must have a very strong social media presence. Bloggers thrive off of social networking and social media, so its important to have a strong Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, and website for your brand.

3) When contacting a blogger it is always good to start by doing your research first. Find out what the blogger specializes in. Are they known for writing about shoes, bags, or just apparel? Be prepared to give them some of your product. You want to give out your product so people will see your brand on the blogger. >>>CLICK TO TWEET >>> They are essentially a living and breathing billboard for your brand. It’s advertising at its best!

Connect with Jacob on Instagram.

30. Christian – aboutmen.it

When a brand, through its own marketing representative, or a single fashion designer is searching for a contact with me in order to propose a collaboration, he/she needs firstly to build a communication path via which I can understand he/she is truly interested in working with me, and that he chose me among many others.

In other words, an email has to be addressed to me personally; a group email or with hidden recipients usually gets trashed immediately. Secondly, the proposal needs to present a mutual advantage: for the brand or the fashion designer, clearly in terms of visibility, and also for the blogger, in terms of visibility and income. The time to invest is quite a lot and the trade era ended long time ago.

Connect with Christian on Instagram.

31. Edoardo Savoia – savageblender.it

Well this is a question that I particularly like, because the topic is very huge. To work with me, or with any other Fashion Blogger, the first prerogative is to have a brand behind and a media press office that can handle the collaboration the best way. I say this because, I am often approached by companies that do not have a real background behind them and they are only posing as serious brands.

Another prerequisite, something that many don’t want to talk about it, is the salary. I do not lie in saying that per week many brands and people contact me demanding an exchange of visibility without a compensation for my job. >>>CLICK TO TWEET>>> We all work for passion, but also we want to live.

A feature that I clearly look at is the availability of the sender and the quality of the product. Many fashion bloggers accept any type of engagement in order to advertise and get sponsored by companies. Obviously I can’t accept this any more, so I select and work only if I find all of these requirements in those who contact me.

Connect with Edoardo on Instagram.

32. David Rochez

Making sure that the product fits the blogger you want promoting your brand. Also doing research on the blogger and how they conduct themselves social media wise. Meaning, how their site looks, how photos are edited, content and style.

I had a marketing director for a brand reach out to me about doing a style post, but never included a site, photos for the brand he wanted me to do a style post with. I returned the email asking for photos of the product and he never responded to my email. So my advice would be to be serious about the bloggers you reach out to.

Connect with David.

33. Juan – jprfashion.virb.com

Always try and be personable with your followers, always be proactive and never get too comfortable with respect to the number of posts and/or targeted audience and finally always stay true to yourself.

Connect with Juan on Instagram.

34. Sef Tiburcio – seftiburcio.com

First of all, most of the designers who love to contact bloggers think high of themselves. I mean, if you want to work with someone, it will not hurt to be polite with the first contact because most of the time, first impression lasts.

Second, successful blogger outreach is all about contacting designers who are on the same style with you. Meaning, a minimalist style blogger will definitely want to work with someone designing plain clothes because that is what they want to wear. Do not force someone to wear your style if they don’t want it in the first place.

Lastly, if designers want their style to be recognised, then groom a certain blogger and let that specific person wear his design most of the time. Both of them will benefit on that collaboration and then everything will move forward fruitfully.

Connect with Sef on Instagram.

35. Elisa Zanetti – namelessfashionblog.com

It helps to think of fashion bloggers as professional marketing operators, not just fashion lovers who loves to take pictures and shop. I speak for myself of course, but I really take seriously what I do, I work with a professional photographer and so I like to be treated like a pro.

Don’t have too many requirements/questions…. (I like to be free to create and do my job). Always re-blog, re-post and share that bloggers content.

Connect with Elisa on Instagram.

36. Ollyvia Laura Arnold – somethingrealserious.blogspot.com

My 3 tips for all designers for better fashion blogger outreach, are:

1) You need to be honest about your work when you approach the bloggers, it’s all about manners.

2) Do not force us bloggers to do everything in such a short time and don’t have higher expectations from us because we’re completely strangers at first. With time, practice good communication and tell them how you want to work together with them.

3)Let the blogger be free to use their creativity with your work. I mean you can share your concepts with them on how you want it to be done and let them wear your pieces according to their style.

Connect with Ollyvia on Instagram.

37. Ashley Syne – syneofstyle.com

The three tips I would give to designers who want work with online influencers would be:

1) Be approachable and friendly – try not to seem too pushy.

2) Be sure to include images of the garments and/or link to website where products can be viewed.

3) Give a brief explanation of who you are, what your brand is about, what you aim to gain from the collaboration and how you can benefit each other through collaborating.

Connect with Ashley on Instagram.

WOW!

Massive thanks to everyone who contributed to this mammoth post! Please share if you think it was useful!

Make sure you follow me on Facebook, for more exciting interviews like this one. And just to recap, here are five of my fave tips for developing better blogger outreach:

“The biggest mistake I see from designers on any social media is a lack of response to comments, likes, etc. Every time someone comments on one of your photos that is a marketing opportunity.”

“Don’t just pick a blogger because they have a million followers because it won’t seem genuine if they promote for you”

“Designers should not be afraid to work with small bloggers from different countries and this way, they can be spread around the world.”

. “Don’t be afraid to ask for a favor. You never know if one of the bloggers you contact ends up being your biggest fan.”