Pitching the media isn’t difficult, and with the right tools you’ll make it easy for bloggers and editors to work with you.

Spend a little bit of time to make sure these top 3 things are in order before you pitch, and you’ll have a much greater chance of being featured.

In this post I’ll cover some of the key items you should have readily available before you send that pitch!

1. A great website

Your website is your products’ online home. It’s not the same as your Etsy storefront. You should have a dedicated website, with a domain specific to your business, where editors and bloggers can go to learn more about your products.

A website is a place to share your brand’s identity too.

Your logo, fonts and color schemes, photos and website copy tells the story about your products and who you are.

First impressions are everything.

So, what does your website need to make it an effective tool to pitch the media?

• Organized structure and layout. Ensure your font is legible and your website looks neat and professional. (Leave a link to your website in the comments if you want some feedback!)
• An about page that shares your personal and/or company story. Include photos! Let the media and prospective customers get to know what you offer and who you are.
• Product pages describing what you make. It’s still okay to sell on Etsy, but your website should clearly explain what you’re offering and how it’s awesome!
• A contact page for how you can be reached, whether it’s a phone number, email address, or social media.

2. Crisp and clear photos

It’s no secret that great product photography helps your products stand out online among so many other choices.

I’m not the only one selling handmade food jewelry on Etsy, but my product photography is stellar.

This shows the intricate details to customers. The photos also reassure them that my shop is professional.

Here are a few must-haves for standout product photography:

• A white background (in most cases, this is what bloggers and editors require)
• Good lighting and clear focus
• Multiple shots of different angles
• And if you want to go all the way, have someone model your products for size reference

A white background may seem boring, but it’s what editors and bloggers want. It gets rid of distractions and showcases your product perfectly.

A white background creates consistency between the products being featured and is the best option for most websites.

You’ll make the blogger’s life easy because there will be minimal editing required if the blogger wants the product to “float” off the page.

Be sure that your photos are high resolution, about 300 dpi at 2500px in size (although not all bloggers require this).

This makes it easy for the blogger to crop and resize while maintaining a crisp and clear photo.

3. A convincing pitch

A pitch is basically the first email you’ll send to the blogger or editor where you introduce your product and convince them on why they should work with you.

Your pitch should include:

1. the introduction
2. the pitch
3. the closing
4. the call to action
5. a personal note if you have one

You can create a template to customize for various products to send to different bloggers and editors. That way all you have to do is personalize it for each recipient and you’re ready to go!

I’ll talk more about pitching specifically in a future blog post, but this should be tons of info for you to sit on for a while!

This should all help lead to more successful pitches, and a great pitch could land you tons of sales!

What do you think?

What else would you need for pitching the media?

Have you ever pitched to a blog? What was it like?

Do you want an unbiased opinion on your website? Link yourself below and I’ll see if you’re media ready or not!

Share your stories in the comments! I’d love to hear from you!