When you are running a new beauty brand, you want to take every opportunity to spread the name of your brand and get in front of new customers.
Landing a feature in a magazine is a great way to gain exposure and attract new leads.
However, getting featured in magazines is not an easy feat. It takes time, hard work, and persistence to secure a PR mention.
But with diligence and the right strategies, you can craft successful pitches, stand out from the crowd, and get your products featured.
Read on for our tips on how to create winning pitches and clinch PR mentions!
Research is Key
Before you pitch to a magazine, it’s critical to do your research. You have to make sure that your pitches are relevant and that they go to the right people.
Research the magazine to make sure they are interested in featuring what you sell. Read through their recent features and get a feel for the type of brands and products they like to include.
Consider what they might look for at different times of the year. For example, most beauty magazines look for holiday-themed content in July and August to feature in their fall and winter issues.
Once you are sure that your products will be relevant to a specific magazine, you need to research who to pitch to. Avoid general submission pages if you can. Instead, spend some time finding out who the beauty editor or assistant beauty editor is and pitch directly to them.
Make sure you find the current editors and contact information. Magazine editors tend to change frequently, and you want your pitch to go to the right person.
Focus on Their Needs
The best pitches are individualized and focus on the magazine itself. Editors can tell the difference between pitches that are written specifically for them and identical pitches you send out to everybody.
If your pitch is vague and irrelevant, they’ll move right along to someone else. But if you can show that your products are the right fit for the publication, you have a better chance of getting featured.
Find a way to position your product differently than what they have featured before. Read the publication’s past issues and refer to them in the pitch if you can. Think of how your products relate to the magazine’s mission, style, and audience.
Show in your pitch that you have researched the magazine and that you truly believe your product is relevant to them. You need to show that it’s in their best interest to feature you.
The more that you can customize your pitch to suit the magazine, the more likely they are to be interested in featuring you and your products.
The Perfect Pitch
After you do your research, you’ll be ready to craft the perfect pitch.
Don’t overlook the subject line. Editors get many emails every day. If your subject line doesn’t catch their eye, they won’t even open the email. You could have the best pitch in the world but it won’t be read.
Keep your subject line short and interesting. It should make the editor curious and inspire them to open your email.
You could include a pitch idea (For example: new makeup line inspired by Prohibition era cocktails!) or a blurb about your company (mother-daughter duo launch cosmetics celebrating the mystery and allure of the 1920s).
For the pitch itself, start by stating who you are and your role in the company. Then mention the unique value that your company offers. Show what makes your product different from the rest of the crowd.
Include what gives you credibility—your experience in the industry, any famous clients or influencers you have worked with, and any awards you’ve won.
Add some high-quality photos of your products, and offer a few samples. Make it easy for them to choose by being specific about which products you are offering.
Finally, always make sure it’s easy for the editor to learn more about you. Include links to your websites and relevant products.
Don’t Neglect the Follow-Up
Remember that magazine editors are busy. If they don’t respond to your pitch, don’t assume they aren’t interested. They might have missed your email or forgotten about it.
Always follow-up with a second email 2-3 weeks after your original pitch.
Don’t Give Up
Pitching is a numbers game. Your first pitch might not land you a feature. In fact, it might take several tries before you succeed. But there are plenty of magazines out there that will feature you. You just have to find the right fit.
Make a goal to pitch to a set amount of publications each week. Stay committed and consistent in pitching and following up. Eventually, your hard work will pay off!
If you’re just getting started with a beauty business and need more tips, Learn How to Launch a Beauty Product can help. It covers every aspect of starting a beauty business, from creating a solid foundation and getting funding to manufacturing, branding, sales, and marketing. Learn more about the course here.