Do The Footwork – Make Your Own Press

If your Etsy shop is not getting the press you think it deserves, consider creating your own press!  It may sound difficult, but – trust us – many local papers are dying for something fun to write about.  Plus, when you send in an article, most of the work is already done!

So… how do you go about getting press for your shop?  Etsians have to do the footwork.  You will want to create a “press release”, which is just a write up to your local publication.  The difference between a “news article” and a “press release” is that a news article is a compilation of facts brought together by jounalists.  A press release, however, is designed to be bias.  You will be writing about the great things Etsy.com and your shop are doing rather than, say, waiting for a journalist to do all the fact-finding for the article.

Would you be surprised to know that some estimate 40% of what you read in a newspaper is the result of a press release?  It’s the best way to get press!

Tara Gentile of HandmadeInPA agrees. “I am shocked to learn when people don’t know about Etsy,” Tara tells us.  “In my area, “indie” crafting is still an unknown commodity.  So when I sent a press release to the local paper, I was first shocked to get a phone call for an interview and then second, shocked that the reporter had no idea what my business was.”

Tara has some suggestions for having a great interview with the media.  “In order to gain the most from traditional press exposure (magazines, newspapers, television), consider the audience that it will reach. Not everyone knows about Etsy, not everyone knows about blogging.  While I was ill-prepared for my interview, afterwards I came up with wording to approach traditional press with in the future. Blogs are merely daily, online magazines. Those that are businesses in and of themselves sell advertising, just as magazines & newspapers do.  Our online shops are individual online store fronts or tables at a craft fair. We control the inventory, marketing, and merchandising. Etsy merely provides us an easy place to put our business.”

Tara’s biggest take away:  “The better you prepare yourself for reaching people outside the indie craft community, the more people you can reach!”

Interested in getting some press for your shop?  Here are our 5 steps to creating a great press release:

1. Create Your Plan. Identify the most important thing about your story.  What is the most important thing you have to say?  Know the who, what, when, where, and why of your press release before you start writing it.  If you create a plan beforehand, chances are your press release will not ramble.
2. Think Outside the Box. Don’t limit your audience.  Is there a great blogger in your area that may pick up the release more quickly than your city’s newspaper?  What about a small local magazine?  Do your research on different audiences and keep your options open.
3. Write! Consider keeping your press release to 8-10 good sentences.  Don’t go on and on – get to the point!  Make sure your first sentence is a great lead, meaning your who and what is covered right off the bat.  You can get to the when, where, and why later on.
4. Get Your Contacts In Order. Who are you contacting?  Is that the right person to be contacting for the publication?  How do they like to be contacted – is email best?  Know who you are talking to before you reach out.
5. Send, Send, Send! Send your press release to anyone that may be interested!  Keep tabs on whether or not y our article is being published as some publications may not have time to follow up with you.  If you see a publication has published info on your Etsy shop – make sure to save their contact information for future press releases.