by Holly Jackson
If you’ve looked at lingerie marketing lately (or if you are someone who works with lingerie companies and PR agencies) then you’ve probably seen where email marketing trends are going. More and more companies are sending around slick PDF press releases filled with photos, and the smart ones are jumping on the press kit bandwagon. Press releases have an expiration date, which leaves many companies wondering what to send out when someone asks for more information about them or their products.
Savvy lingerie business owners are creating press kits in addition to press releases to cover this gap. A basic press kit consists of three pages: one full of biographical information, one small product catalog, and one page full of media mentions. This information is collected and turned into a graphically pleasing PDF that can be used by editors, bloggers, and potential stockists who are interested in your company.
Press kits are all the rage now, but making them stand out still takes some work. Here are some quick tips to make the press kit work for you and your business.
1. Find a hook.
You’ve probably got a company bio on your site. It’s tempting to just copy and paste that into your press kit, but take a minute and evaluate it from an objective perspective first. Does your company bio or information have a way to hook your audience? What about it encourages someone to read the rest of your press kit or contact you for further information?
If you can’t answer these questions, you need to rework your company or personal information to make it engaging as well as informative. Think about what would catch someone’s eye after a long day of reading their email, and then lead with that.
2. Pick your best product shots instead of your most recent ones.
Most people are tempted to fill their product page up with their recent products. After all, they’re new and all of your marketing is focused on them. Unfortunately, this gives your press kit a shelf life of exactly one season.
Remember that what you’re showing people should be a “best of” compilation. You want them to see what your company is about, not just what you’re about right this minute. Pick your best pieces from previous years and from this season, and show them off proudly. After all, your company is about more than your current season. Showing your products throughout the years assures people that you’ll be around for the long haul, and that you have a strong history behind you.
3. Everyone needs media coverage.
I have lots of small lingerie businesses that come in and worry that they don’t have any media mentions. Luckily, this is an easy problem to fix for lingerie companies. Bloggers have become a driving force behind lingerie sales, and many have a large fan base that you can tap into. Make sure that when you approach a blogger you make the pitch personal, and ask nicely if you can send them a sample for review. Mostly bloggers will be happy to try new things, and will write favorably about your products. This helps you create web traffic, sales, and gives you a shiny new media mention for your press kit.
Holly Jackson owns The Full Figured Chest Copywriting, and specializes in lingerie writing and online content creation for lingerie companies. Her work can be found on lingerie boutique websites across the world as well as in national level campaigns. She currently writes six regular lingerie and marketing columns, and is a regular contributor to The Lingerie Addict and The Lingerie Journal as well as
McPeteSez. In 2011, The Lingerie Journal named her their number one copywriter in the lingerie industry.
Holly can be found tweeting @thefullfigurechest, here on Facebook, and reviewing the newest full-busted lingerie at her blog, www.thefullfiguredchest.com. Her list of copywriting services can be found here.
