It’s easy to forget, what with all the media buzz, that not everyone is ‘on Twitter‘. And some people, not surprisingly, are a bit confused by it all. I mean who cares that Stephen Fry was stuck in a lift? Or that Lily Allen is on her way to the airport and needs more sleep? Surely we get enough this stuff in the tabloids and ‘celeb’ magazines?

The jargon doesn’t help either. It’s difficult to explain to someone about ‘tweeting’ or suggest that they join a ‘twibe’.

But of course there’s more to it than vanity tweets and a few vague ramblings. Much more. I’m not going to tell you that you ’should’ be on Twitter. And that it’s going to transform your life and your business overnight. It won’t. And I accept that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you’re curious about it and wondering what all the fuss is about, I’ll try to explain how I’ve found it to be a useful tool.

Read the full post on our Vanilla Storm blog.

Twitter savvy? Already tweeting? Come follow us - @IndieQuarter

Cause a Scene fashion editor, Sarah Jane Adams, has put together some useful tips on gaining press coverage.

Do your Homework

Make sure the magazine you are pitching to is an appropriate fit with your brand. Investing a small amount of time targeting publications carefully can produce much more effective results than blanket mailing every blog or site you’ve ever seen. Vintage brands, try independent / retro / eco publications, gothic shops try alternative / tattoo/ fetish mags, etc. It sounds simple, but it’s the most basic principle of marketing, and so many brands ignore it. In this way, not only are you more likely to get featured at all, but you increase the odds of getting a bigger and better slot. A big mag may, if you’re very lucky, post a small image and name check, but a specific genred publication may want to run a full spread or interview. If an editor is working within your genre, they’ll understand your ethos and achievements and the coverage will be of a better quality. And don’t forget, by targeting your submissions, you’re also targeting a more appropriate audience.

As Unique as Everyone Else is . . .

Carefully consider any copy and slogans you use to describe your brand to the press. It’s incredibly tempting for indie brands to state how unique they are, and how their items are for those who are turning away from the high street, but as fresh and revolutionary as this sounds to you, it is being used by every handmade company out there. Try a new spin, such as promoting your eco-friendly credentials, or cost effectiveness in this time of limited spending.

Make them Bite

Fashion editors are competitive creatures, so hook them in with a short mention of any high profile features you’ve received elsewhere, or of any celebrities who endorse the line. Even having a vast online following, such as a good few thousand MySpace following can raise the interest.

The Personal Touch

Make your email relevant. Make sure you’re sending it to the most appropriate email address, and person, and if you can find their name, use it. Never send one email to multiple editors’ email addresses, ALWAYS take the time to send them individually. State how your brand fits their style and ethos, and make a point of including a couple of sentences that are completely specific to just that publication. Either mention the name of the exact section you’re submitting for, or even that you enjoyed a particular article in the current issue. In the very least, use the name of the publication. You’d be surprised how many don’t bother, and if you’re asking an editor to use valuable time to check out your items, the least you can do is make them feel that you’ve made the effort to check them out first.

Short and Sweet

Make sure your email text is short and concise, and then include any other information as attachments, giving the recipient the option to see more details as, when, and IF they want them. Opening an email with masses of text, a copy and pasted press release, how you became an indie designer and details of what product you’ve just launched are likely to result in an instant hit of the delete button. The main email should introduce your interest in the publication and being featured, with a couple of lines about the brand, a link to your site, and flag up the fact that further information is attached for their convenience. This is where you should add your images and full press release, and a design resume if relevant. Learning how to create a press pack as a PDF file will increase your professionalism a hundred fold.

Make any links in the email clickable, by using the full http://www. prefix. Simply clicking a link there and then is much more tempting for an editor, and realistically could decide whether or not they visit your site.

Always finish your email with a simple signature of your full name, company name, website address and MySpace page. Contact numbers are not usually necessary, most editors will work by email, and they will more than likely be in a separate country to you.

Never hassle an editor, whatever the size of the publication. Mags often work in advance, so may have you in mind for something in the future, when you may be more relevant to a feature, or when they have the space. Many blog owners network with each other, so don’t damage your rep. Finally, always check the policies on the site before you apply for anything and respect the procedure. If a mag receives a lot of requests, they will often state not to expect a response unless you have been successful, whilst some editors may simply not think your stock is right for them, which should just be accepted in good grace.

Visit Cause a Scene at www.causeascenemagazine.com.

Manchester Craft Mafia is a group of crafty businesses dedicated to supporting and sharing a creative, maverick spirit of crafting in Manchester, Greater Manchester and beyond. They’re craft and proud and looking for new members.

There are a number of benefits of joining the group, including promotion through their website and press releases, supplier discounts, member events and much much more.

For more information and to apply, go to www.manchestercraftmafia.com.

The other day my Venus Zine newsletter dropped into my inbox and I was drawn to an article on Getting some ink: How to score good press. I clicked through to the Venus Zine website and found some interesting articles written by Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching fame. They fall under the heading of Crafting a Business and include topics such as getting into the press, book deals and tips for starting small businesses. They make a very interesting read for small indie / craft businesses.

And if you have your own burning question then contact Jenny via the site and she will pick one question a month to answer in the column.

Go straight to Venus Zine
Go to Sublime Stitching
Artwork by Alicia Traveria

One of the most difficult challenges for small creative companies is getting their work into the press. We’re therefore delighted that Navaz Batliwalla (Fashion Editor of CosmoGIRL!) has kindly agreed to share her top tips for gaining press coverage.

Top Tip for Getting PR by Navaz Batliwalla

White hot collection? Check. Fabulous website? Check. Press coverage in all the essential glossies and fashion weeklies? Uh oh, Houston we have a problem. It’s all very well having a great collection but if no-one knows about it where are the customers going to come from? In this age of must-haves and fast-fashion it’s essential to get your brand name and products out there on those fashion pages and websites. And it’s not as hard as it looks:

Make the internet your friend. Familiarise yourself with websites like www.cosmogirl.co.uk, www.handbag.com and www.jellyfishmag.com and get emailing.

Write a paragraph or two about the collection including stockist details, price points and contact number. That becomes your press release. You don’t need supermodel-posed pictures as long as you have good cutout still-life jpegs that show your key pieces to their best advantage.

In today’s celebrity-obsessed world, fashion editors like anything that links your product to a celeb so don’t be precious, scour the weeklies for A-listers wearing clothes that resemble yours and email the magazines the comparisons. Being handed stuff on a plate makes our job easier!

Have samples available in case they want to photograph them themselves. Remember that monthly magazines have 3-month lead times so autumn-winter samples need to be ready in May.

Research the market. If you’re selling couture aim at the monthly glossies not the gossip rags. And be specific about the page or section you want to be on ’ it makes editors feel that you’ve bothered to look at their magazine and flatters our egos!

Build a rapport. Follow up your press release with a call and get feedback from the magazine on whether your product is right for their market. Keep in regular contact but don’t be a stalker. Editors get bombarded with information so will forget you if you don’t keep them updated.

Don’t forget the smaller niche magazines and websites. They need you as much as you need them as they have less choice in the brands available to them.

Can you offer a discount or freebies? Magazines adore competitions and giveaways and this is a brilliant marketing tool to get coverage that might otherwise not be available.

Navaz Batliwalla is the Fashion Editor for CosmoGIRL!

A huge thank you to Navaz for taking the time out of her incredibly busy schedule to write this. It’s very much appreciated.

I thought it was really interesting that on 17 October (today), people from across the UK are being invited to take part in the ‘biggest blog in history’. Heritage organisations are encouraging people to get involved by recording a diary of their day for the History Matters website. The electronic record will be stored at the British Library ‘as a historical record of our national life’.

I’m really interested in genealogy. Although I’ve neglected it for a while now (since starting two businesses), a few years ago I spent many an afternoon at the Family Records Centre or at the Society of Genealogists. I thought I was lucky if I found a birth date or a marriage of one of my ancestors. I therefore find it fascinating that in 100 years from now my descendants could be searching this electronic record for information about me. And it’s information that will give a real insight into the people who write the entries.

If you want to take part go to www.historymatters.org.uk and make history.

Oh, and don’t forget that we also feature ‘Day in the Life of’ articles. If you’re an indie designer and you’re interesting in submitting a post on your day, please email me at info@indiequarter.com for further details.

Do you design/make your own buttons/badges? Editors at the Monsa publishing house in Barcelona are currently working on their 2007 titles. They are putting together a book on badge design and will be featuring designers from around the world.

If you’re interested in appearing in this brand new publication, you can either email your high res jpgs to eva@monsa.com or post a CD or samples to Instituto Monsa de Ediciones, Gravina 43 (08930), Sant Adri?? de Bes?s, Barcelona, Spain. You will need to include a brief profile about your brand, along with contact email address and website.

Good luck!

So, you have a gorgeous range of products ready to sell to discerning customers, you’ve sorted out your brand, you have a website and an online shop. Now all you have to do is let people know you’re there.

We all know how difficult it is getting into the press and getting your products out there. Well today help is at hand because top PR company, Tangerine PR, have generously agreed to share their top ten tips with us. Ready?

1. Consider why you want to do PR. What are your objectives? What do you want to achieve? What do you want to be different?

2. Consider whether you can really do this yourself or if you need external help from a freelance practitioner or consultancy. Will you really be able to dedicate the time? Have you got the expertise? Have you got the budget?

3. Identify your audiences and list them in your PR plan. Who do you want to engage and why?

4. List your key messages. What do you want to say to your key audiences and what do you want them to think about you/your business. Make sure your messages are different and focus on your USPs (unique selling points) not messages all your competition claim too.

5. Consider the routes to reaching your audiences ’ media, direct, associations, events etc. List what they read (if you don’t know then ask them), where are you likely to meet them directly? Where can you get an audience with them?

6. Start to build a relationship with the media your audiences read. Before approaching them, read a number of editions. Learn who writes what within the publication. What columns and articles do they regularly run? Where could you and your business fit? Learn their style. Once your are familiar and can hold a conversation with them, encourage a meet ’ a quick coffee can suffice. When you have a relationship, keep it going. Thank them for writing a good piece, keep them informed but don’t ’badger’.

7. Before starting to write anything (eg a press release) remember PR is not advertising. For the journalist to take your story it needs to be:

a. Something different
b. Newsworthy
c. Topical ’ current issue but not something that’s been done before unless you have a new slant
d. Relevant - of specific interest to their readers (particularly important with regional media)
e. Interesting
f. Ideally have an accompanying visual (eg photograph ’ done professionally not with the office digi camera!)
g. Have ’legs’ ’ something the journalist can add to and will go further

8. If you don’t make it into print straight away, don’t worry. PR takes tenacity and perseverance. If it didn’t work, consider why. Was it too much of an advert? Has the angle/topic already been ’done to death’? Was it not relevant or interesting?

9. Don’t rely just on media relations. Much of PR is exactly that ’public relations’ not ’press relations’. Work with your/your customers’ associations as a way of reaching them. Conferences, speaking opportunities, networking ’ it’s all PR.

10. Have fun! PR should be enjoyable. It should be about engaging people and getting a result. Yes it can be hard work and disheartening at times, but nothing beats the buzz of a great piece of media coverage or that random but crucial meeting!

Tangerine PR

Although only four years old, Tangerine have quickly carved out a strong reputation. They have been voted Number One in the North West and they have also won a European award for European award for People Policies from Manchester Enterprises.

The team is headed by managing director Sandy Lindsay. I’ve seen Sandy speak a few times at various events and she’s truly inspirational.

If you’re looking for a PR company and would like further information go to www.tangerinepr.com. Tangerine PR has a North West base but a national presence.