Blogging101: How Do Fashion Retailers Work With Bloggers?

I was present at the Launch of the @coolcat_official blogger collection created by #bloggers. Coolcat is the authority on fashion & the go-to retailer for the latest trends, must-have styles & the hottest deals in the Benelux, Europe. It's amazing to see more collaborations between fashion retailers and fashion bloggers are taking off. Having a blog takes lots of work, time and dedication and sometimes we bloggers ask ourselves “Umm, why am I doing this?” This is why. Because hard work pays off and cool sh*t like this happens.

While I was at the Coolcat opening, I took the opportunity to have a little chit chat with one of the PR agents. I was really curious on why they all of a sudden decided to put bloggers into their marketing strategy.

I learned that many fashion brands are still learning how to effectively work with bloggers. As fashion blogging has evolved into very much of a business opportunity, bloggers and brands are looking to partner on a greater scale, and these days, it can take months for the right deal to go through.

Fashion brands usually create a laser-focused idea before they reach out to a blogger. Their reasoning is; the less thought the blogger has to put into incorporating the product into their content, the more likely they will proceed to working with us. Typical sponsored links, banner ads and product mentions are tried and done. So why not create a whole new clothing line that is named after a blogger, so that they in return can promote our products instead?

Very smart thinking brands! As a blogger you'll get great things in return like;

- Getting items for free.

- Visibility.

- Increased followers.

- Even some extra cash (not if it's a starting face).

It's not difficult for fashion brands to promote their products with fashion bloggers. They are all about having a goal in mind before approaching the blogger. Whether it's promotion from an outfit post, a look book or a blogger party. As a blogger you should stand out if you want to connect with a brand you’d like to work with for a review, sponsored post, blogger party or ambassadorship opportunity.

 These are small steps on how to stand out:

-Follow the brand on all social media accounts.

-Retweet or share the brand with your followers multiple times.

- If you’ve previously blogged about a topic related to the brand, share your related blog post and occasionally tweet, email and share it with them.

- Keep your Social Media feeds professional.

As a blogger, you should also make sure that your advertising options are clear. Create an advertising page, explain the options you make available for sponsors, list prices, payment methods, traffic statistics about your blog, talk about the demographics you attract to your blog and what benefits you provide to potential sponsors.

I had a great discussion with the Coolcat PR agent. Take a look at their range of clothes here or check their Instagram account here.

Pictures by Remy de Klein for Coolcat & Elegancy101