Most fashion and style bloggers are familiar with the online world and social media–after all, we’re posting our looks and our lives on the web on a regular basis. One way to complement your main blog is to use microblogging service Twitter, which offers an easy way to connect with online friends, network with people who have similar interests, broadcast to your audience, and keep up with events happening around the world–all in real time.

So how do you get people to actually follow you on Twitter?

The most important way is by engaging with other people and organizations using the service. If you’re new to the game or just want to increase the number of people following you, try a few of the following techniques:

1. Follow more people

This sounds simple, but when I first started using Twitter a few years ago, I just posted random stuff and wasn’t really following anyone. That’s not the point of the service. Making connections is a two-way street, so go forth and follow! Research shows that most people have a roughly equal number of follows and followers.

If you’re not sure who to follow, try these fashion lists:

• Twibes
• Listorious
• Mashable

You should also check out who other people are following–it takes a bit of time, but it’s a great way to find less well-known individuals who have a fun and interesting perspective.

2. Connect and respond

One of the great things about Twitter is the fact that two-way (and often three- and four-way) communication is so easy. If you see a tweet asking a question relevant to you, respond. Ask for help and give help when asked. Use Search.Twitter.com to find people talking about the subjects that interest you, and respond to them. Interaction is the most genuine, organic way to grow your following.

3. Be visible

Make sure your Twitter profile is part of your email address, your message board signature, on your business cards, linked to your Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media accounts, and prominent on your blog’s homepage. Include your Twitter handle (ie @StyleSample) so people can immediately see what you’re called, and link it to your Twitter page so people can easily find and follow you.

Add yourself to Twitter directories so people who are interested in similar topics can find you. Try:

• WeFollow
• Twellow
• Just Tweet It
• TweetFind
• TwitDir
• GeoFollow

4. Re-tweet

Use Search.Twitter.com or an application like HootSuite to see which of your tweets are the most popular, and then re-tweet them at various times during the day. This increases the possibility that different people–and new people, see your best tweets. Those people will then either re-tweet those posts, or start to follow you.

and, last yet most important:

5. Create and post good content

Even though it’s limited to 140 characters, Twitter is still considered blogging. Do what you do to keep your long-form blog fresh–create and post interesting content. Share article links, retweet quality posts, ask insightful questions, and don’t be afraid to include a bit of humor!

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If you’ve ever browsed photographic inspiration on sites like ffffound! and WeHeartIt, you’ve probably seen and admired pictures with the dramatic colors and contrast characteristic of cross processing and Lomography.

While you could achieve these effects using expensive photography equipment or by making multiple adjustments in Photoshop, there’s an easier way: Phixr. It’s free, it’s fast, and the results look pretty good!

Original photo

Upload your photo at Phixr.com. You don’t have to register–just click the green “Get started” arrow and start your upload from your computer or via a link to a photo online.

Once your photo is uploaded, select the Color Effects button, then choose Cross Process. Check the preview and adjust brightness, contrast and opacity as needed. Click Execute when it looks the way you want.

To add the Lomo effect, select Camera and Lens Effects from the left-hand menu, then choose Lomo effect. Adjust the intensity, saturation, brightness, and opacity until it looks the way you want, then click Execute.

How very Mad Men!

When you’re finished, just download your stylized picture et voila! Let us know if you try it!

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This is a guest post by Michelle Chai of Daisybutter. If you’d like to write a guest post for Style Sample, check out the guidelines and submit your idea.

“Oh, don’t be silly. Everyone wants this. Everyone wants to be ‘us’.”

With the lines between fashion and journalism becoming increasingly blurred in one of the fastest growing industries today, fashion internships have become the ‘job a million girls would kill for’. An internship is one of the only ways to get noticed at the moment–crucial to getting your foot in the door of the fashion world. Finding an internship can be a scary and daunting experience, and so many people are simply terrified of being in a Devil Wears Prada-esque situation.

My first interning experience was with more! magazine, a fast-growing, young women’s fashion weekly, and it was just as rewarding, hectic and exhausting as I had expected, if not more. There aren’t words to describe the whole experience as it really is something you have to try first-hand, but I learnt quickly about being independent, fast-thinking, organised and innovative in the industry.

Embrace every task with enthusiasm, even post collections and return duty; some interns that I worked with would outspokenly refuse to do these! Not cool. Although nothing is as glamorous as they make it look in movies, no two days are the same, and it is definitely not a typical 9-to-5 job. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?

Finding an Internship

Perfect your resume/CV.

Sending your CV online can be tricky. Convert it to PDF format so it can be easily read–many editors won’t bother struggling to open a CV when others are readily available. Put a sharp profile statement at the top under your personal details to catch the employer’s attention.

Prepare for initial disappointment.

Not every magazine or company you apply to will take you on. Many companies are booked up about six months in advance.

Be determined.

Think of ways that you stand out from all the hundreds of other people looking for the same thing as you. Write specific cover letters to each publication, perhaps congratulating them on features in recent issues.

Think outside the box.

So what if your dream career is to be Anna Wintour’s assistant? Think outside the box and apply to smaller publications, or even your local newspaper! Newspapers are an excellent way to gain experience, and you are much more likely to be taken out on a ‘job’ – perfect for your CV!

Address it to the right person.

Nothing puts off a potential employer like having emails addressed or spelled incorrectly. Take the time to check the magazine’s masthead (the page with all the names on!) and look for the appropriate recipient; if none is readily available, address your communication to the Managing Editor.

If you’re in the market for a fashion magazine internship, make sure you check out the following resources:

• Ed2010
• Free Fashion Internships.com
• Daily Fashion Jobs.com
• The Fashion Intern.com
• US Fashion Internships on Facebook
• Fashionista.com internships
• Global Experiences International Fashion Internships

Have you ever interned at a fashion magazine? Share your experience!

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A cross between Madonna circa 1984 and little-girl cute, sporting a pair of socks with your heels is no longer relegated to the realm of all things tacky. Spotted on the runways back in Spring 2009, the trend quickly spread throughout the blogosphere as a practical way to wear open-toed shoes all year long, and fun way to add a layer of color and dimension to your footwear.

See how it’s done:

Top, L to R: Flashes of Style, The Styling Dutchman, Night Lights, City of Bugs. Bottom, L to R: Fashion Hijack, Only the Marvelous, 華麗袍上釘蚤子, Christeric

Worn with booties, wedges, cage heels, clogs, or lace-ups, socks with heels seems to work best when you show a little leg. How would you wear it?

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Whether you’re on eBay or etsy, if you’re selling online, good product photography is one of the most important aspects of product sales. In the case of fashion items especially, looks matter–people are more likely to shell out their hard-earned dough for items they can’t test in person if the merchandise looks good on the screen.

So, what’s the secret to beautiful product photography? Lighting. Luckily, it’s easier to create and control light in the small spaces suited to items like jewelry and accessories. Here are a few tips:

Camera

You don’t necessarily need a fancy camera to take good product photos. Sure, a nice camera helps, but an inexpensive point-and-shoot can be just as effective as a DSLR if used properly.

Quick tip: Most cameras will adjust the focus if you half-press the shutter button. Repeat this technique until the image is as sharp as possible and the camera won’t focus any further, then take the picture.

For honest, thorough camera reviews from a pro, check out KenRockwell.com

Settings

If your camera allows, try adjusting the aperture, the size of the hole through which light comes through the camera (commonly known as the f-stop or f-number). Small aperture settings are useful in product photography because smaller apertures provide more depth of field. A shorter depth of field is great when you’re trying to emphasize the foreground and blur out the background.

Quick tip: Get to know your camera’s macro setting. It’s usually denoted with a picture of a flower, and is specifically for taking close-up pictures with fine detail.

This is when keeping (and reading) the camera’s manual comes in handy!

Lighting

When it comes to lighting, natural light is best. If you’re indoors, shoot near a large window with indirect light when possible. If you’re using a lamp, you’ll probably need to increase the size of the light source by using a diffuser. You can also use a reflector to add light to the shadowed side of the product.

Quick tip: Avoid using the flash when shooting indoors– it usually results in overexposed areas and uneven light. However, you will want to use a flash outside. It sounds backwards, but the flash will “fill in” the shadows caused by sunlight.

There are plenty of online tutorials on setting up your own macro studio–most are really simple and can be made using inexpensive materials. There’s even a Flickr group dedicated to homemade light boxes and the results they produce!

There are also plenty of tutorials showing How to make a homemade light box, Making a lightbox using household items, and Setting up for jewelry photography .

Framing

As the focus of the photo, the object (earrings, headband, craft item, etc.) should take up most of the frame. When you’re taking the picture, use the viewfinder to crop in tight on the object, leaving a bit of space around the edge of the image to allow for blurring.

Variety is important here: try different angles, zoom in and out, move closer and further away–the more options you have to choose from when you’re selecting the final photo, the better!

Accessories

Use a tripod. A tripod will hold the camera still so you can take pictures with longer exposure times–a must for shooting in low light. A decent tripod costs as little as $25, and most digital cameras have a standard tripod socket on the bottom.

If you’re taking extreme close-up shots, you may want to invest in a remote control to avoid the vibration that occurs when the shutter button is pressed. It sounds picky, but high magnification makes camera vibration even more obvious, and your images can look blurry. If you don’t have a remote, try using the camera’s self-timer.

Post production

If you need to make adjustments, use a free photo editing site or a program like The Gimp or Photoshop to correct the coloring and exposure, and crop, rotate, or sharpen your pictures.

Online images don’t need to be high-resolution (72 ppi is standard web resolution), so save your pictures as JPEGs and you’re ready to upload!

Keep in mind that a really beautiful photo is usually the result of a lot of crappy ones. Keep shooting and practicing your technique, and you’ll get better!

More resources:

Table Top Studio
Jewelry photography tips from etsy sellers
Jewelry photography success tips

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Soft and sweet with a touch of sexy, a creamy lace blouse can dress up a casual look or add a touch of old-fashioned romance to tough-chic. Style bloggers show how it’s done:

Clockwise, from top left: Second Skin Style, Through the Looking Glass, Simply Hope, Tiff Heart Fashion.

Left to right: Greatest Friend, Shop Ruche, Queen’s Wardrobe

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Last week we reviewed some of the best ways to create an online visual portfolio, but what if you’re a writer who creates with words instead of images? Don’t feel left out! You should have an online portfolio, too.

An online portfolio boosts your Google-ability, raises credibility with editors, and makes it easy to share and organize writing clips. Instead of sending huge, space-consuming files via email (most editors don’t appreciate that–ahem), send a link to your organized, well-thought-out site!

What to include

Your portfolio should contain three to seven writing samples demonstrating a range of styles. Include:

• a how-to article
• a review
• an interview
• a personal experience essay
• an article based on research
• an article that demonstrates your knowledge in your area of expertise.

Organize your clips and samples

Make sure you have permission to post published clips, and organize your clips by subject or type of publication (i.e. magazine, website, custom publication, etc.).

Show off your ancillary skills

Take a few lines to explain your contribution to each sample (editing, writing, layout), and the tools and software you used to create them (Microsoft Word, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe InDesign, HTML).

Post the clip in context

Allow editors to see the clip in the context it was published. You can do this by linking to the site on which the clip appeared, or by the scanning the hard copy. If you choose to scan, save the clips as PDFs instead of JPEGs–you can always include a link to the PDF on your site, or upload it to a site like Scribd, DocStoc, or issuu if you wish to embed it directly into the page.

Keep your clips updated

Sometimes links change once an article gets archived, so check them frequently. If you’re concerned about a website removing your article, take a screenshot and save it for your portfolio. Searching Google’s cached pages is another way to retrieve “dead” articles.

Creating the portfolio

Now that you’ve gathered everything you need, it’s time to set up your portfolio. Some options include:

Writer’s Residence

For $8.99/month, Writers Residence helps you create your own website and easily edit pages, add writing samples, and create a writing resume/CV–all with no need for HTML.

Big Black Bag

With Big Black Bag, you get a free domain name, multiple templates to choose from, Paypal integration for sending invoices, an e-commerce feature, and custom form creation for $8.99/month.

MediaBistro Profile

Your MediaBistro profile features a customized display of your professional background and experiences, provides you with disk space to upload your work samples and writing clips, and is searchable by the 100,000+ editors and managers in mediabistro.com’s member database for $21/month or $145/year.

Book style

Set up a “clip book” by inserting  your clips into a document or page layout program, then creating a PDF to upload to a site like issuu or Yudu. If you need PDF creation software, you can do it online at Adobe.com, or try a free PDF creator like CutePDF.

Your Blog

If you blog about more than your writing (and really, who doesn’t?), create a separate page for your writing portfolio. Develop categories for the major writing areas or topics you cover, and tag them for greater refinement. Add a link to your sidebar or main navigation to take visitors to a page dedicated to your work.

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Many social media gurus say that a blog also serves as an online resume of sorts–and that’s pretty accurate. If you’re into visual arts like photography, illustration, styling, modeling, graphic design, or anything else that shows off your creative skills, a blog gives readers and potential clients insight into your personality and work ethic, as well as the caliber and quality of your work.

However, if you’re dealing with agencies, educational institutions, or more traditional clients, they may want to see your work presented in a more traditional portfolio style–well, as traditional as it can be online. If you find yourself in need of an online portfolio, here are some of the best options:

Free

Carbonmade

Carbonmade‘s no-frills setup makes it easy to get started, though customization is limited. For busy creatives, the site features fast and easy batch uploading, video hosting, and web analytics. The free service (called “meh”) allows you to upload 5 projects and 35 images, while the paid (“whoo!”) service costs $12 per month and includes room for up to 50 projects, 500 images, 10 high quality videos, and your own custom domain name.

Behance

One of the best known online portfolio sites out there, Behance allows you to create a free portfolio that incorporates text, image, video, and audio as well as embedded media from sites like Flickr, YouTube, and more.

Deviant Art

The other well-loved and well known online portfolio creation tool, DeviantArt‘s basic service allows you to use their wizard to create and publish your work. You can host up to 100 images for free, or pay for the Premium portfolio service for more benefits.

Coroflot

Coroflot includes a personal URL, traffic reports to see how many hits your portfolio gets, and unlimited file uploads. Bonus: if you’re available for freelance work, you can sign up for job alerts.

Create a separate page on your blog

If you want to keep everything in one place and set up a portfolio on your current blog or site, it can be as simple as creating a new page and uploading images of your work. This method will likely require more design and formatting work to look professional, so it helps to know basic HTML and CSS. You may choose to organize by project, client, or skill.

Paid

Dripbook

Dripbook makes it easy to create your portfolio using their drag-and-drop organizer, saves countless hours of tedious work by automatically reformatting and resizing your images, instantly synch updates to external sites, blogs, and social networking sites. The service costs $10 per month for a standard portfolio, but you can sign up for a free 30-day trial.

Viewbook

The Viewbook platform makes it easy to you to create unlimited portfolio pages and albums to target to different audiences. You can publish galleries on blogs, social networking sites, and other websites. A standard portfolio costs $9/month and gets you up to 2500 images. You can also sell prints of your work (as a hard copy or digital file) through the site.

Design Taxi

Design Taxi is a paid service (9.99 or 19.99 per month), but it is a service. The platform allows viewers to export your portfolio to PDF (much more efficient than emailing a large file), and the company conducts portfolio reviews, publishes interviews with users, and sponsors events that showcase subscriber portfolios.

A few additional tips:

• Your portfolio should be a representation of your best work, so choose carefully. It’s not necessary to include everything you’ve ever done, as long as the overall body of work presented is a clear depiction of your style and skill.

• When including photography, illustration, or other visual work, use high-quality images and scans. You want your creative to look as crisp and clear as possible on screen.

• Make sure your portfolio is accessible (all-Flash sites are more difficult to index) and easy to navigate.

• Include a way for people to contact you. Either a contact form or an email address will work– both is best. The easier you make it for potential clients to get in touch, the more likely they will.

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In the personal styling feature in the current print issue (buy it here!), we spoke to Beth of B. Jones Style (she’s doing big things over at her blog–check it out), who wisely advises aspiring stylists to develop relationships with local boutiques.

Making the right connections and cultivating trust with area retailers can help you create a base of stores from which to pull clothing and accessories for photo shoots, fashion shows, and other opportunities that may arise.

So, what’s the best way to go about doing such a thing? Let’s go over some basic tactics:

Know the shops in your area

Do a good ol’ Google search, ask around, or–really, if you’re into fashion, you probably already know the local hotspots. Subscribe to store’s email list, set up a Google Alert for “(your city) boutique”, or subscribe to the feed of a publication that covers local retailers to stay up to date on sales and events.

Make contact

Plan a trip! If you have a blog, contact owner ahead of time and let them know you’re interested in writing about their store or covering their event. I ran into trouble at an event when there was a paid professional photographer there who felt threatened when I took photos (even though I’m not a photographer), so make sure it’s okay to take pictures.

This blogging thing is still pretty new for a lot of people, so you may need to explain what you do. Send a link to your site so they can check it out before you arrive.

Take a trip

Dress the part for your visit, and when you arrive be friendly and professional. Bring your camera (or your photographer if you’re lucky enough to have one) as well as plenty of business cards to distribute.

Take pictures of the shop, the merchandise, the owner and employees, or whatever images best fit your site content. When taking pictures of other people, make sure you have their permission to post their photo and be sure write down their names–with the correct spelling!

If they’re not too busy, chat with the people running the shop. Ask when they get shipments in, what services they offer, and if they have any special sales or events coming up. The more interested you are, the better!

Buy a little something if see something you like and you can afford it–people support people who support them.

Blog it

If you had a good experience, post a write-up on your site. Talk about your visit in first person, and make sure the post is attractive–use clear pictures and proper grammar and spelling. If you use a direct quote, make sure it’s accurate.

Easy things to write about include the location, store setup/atmosphere, clothing brands, your favorite finds, good deals, and how you’d style certain pieces. Always write in your own voice and keep it real–your readers are still your first priority.

Follow up

Send a follow-up “great meeting you” email with a link to the published post to the shop owner. It also helps to attach a few pictures if you got any good ones–people love to receive pictures of themselves. I usually email one or two images of the store owner and employees, along with a link to a Flickr set with the pictures taken. If you’re open to it, let them know they’re welcome to use the photos as long as they’re credited to you.

Keep in touch

If the boutique has social media accounts, follow them on Twitter or Like them on Facebook. Send a quick request to link to the shop owner on LinkedIn. If you’re forgetful (welcome to the club!), set up an email group list of all the shops you’ve contacted, and set a reminder on your calendar to contact the list every 4-6 weeks. Sending a quick email to ask if they received anything new or interesting is a simple way to stay in the loop!

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It takes a lot of work to open an online shop, so what must it be like to open a brick-and-mortar clothing store in a less-than-perfect economy? We headed over to the opening of 4U Urban Fashion Boutique and spoke to freshly minted shop owners Andy and Gio for advice, pictures, and a bit of style inspiration.

Setting up shop

We talked to Andy how they went about getting the store up and running in what seemed like a record amount of time–they were painting and putting together furnishing as recently as Mother’s Day!

“For us, it was a magical experience. When we found the space, everything else seemed to fall into place very quickly.”

Got it: For a retail store, location is a top priority. However, not everything is candy and roses all the time, is it? We asked for advice regarding the top three things entrepreneurs opening their own clothing boutique should know:

1. Know the permits, procedures, and processes related to opening a retail store.

This includes setting up a corporation, obtaining a tax ID number and business license, understanding zoning regulations, and a bunch of other legalese. “It can be a bit frustrating, because you need certain permits and documents to get started, but you have to have some things in place in order to obtain those pemits!” Educate yourself as much as possible before and during the process.

Some good resources for those located in the US:

• SBA.gov
• Findlaw.com
• Business.gov

You may also want to check in with your local chamber of commerce for contacts and information.

2. Have a clear vision.

As someone heavily involved in theater, Andy notes that he always took notice of scenery and decor both onstage and in restaurants, retail establishments, and other public spaces. A well-developed eye helped them determine the vision for the shop before everything was up and running–essential during the planning and execution phases.

“If you don’t have a vision, find someone to create one.”

3. Take a lot of deep breaths!

Some things will be difficult–you will get frustrated, you will work hard, and you will get tired. Be sure to remember to breathe and relax as you go through the process–after all, it’s all part of the fun!

Says Andy, “Now we get to focus on the fun part–sourcing clothing and accessories. We have great relationships with some really amazing vendors.”

With most of the heavy lifting done, it sounds like Fall will be a breeze.

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As bloggers, we spend a lot (a lot) of time online–which makes sense as that’s where so much of our work takes place. Unfortunately, that makes it easy to forget about talking about your online life with people in real life, but doing so is absolutely essential to growing your readership. While social media has made it easier than ever to connect with people on the web, there’s still nothing like a little face-to-face interaction.

Here are a few suggestions for getting out and making contacts:

1. Hand out business cards

They make you seem more professional and help serve as a tangible reminder of who you are and what you do. Someone compliments your outfit? Hand them a card and introduce yourself! People are much more likely to check out your blog if they’ve met you in person.

2. Cover events

Check your local calendar listing and see if there’s an event you’d like to cover. If you email the event organizers beforehand to let them know you’ll be there, there’s a good chance they’ll offer to let you hang out behind the scenes.
Note: Showing up with a camera and a notepad pretty much guarantees a certain amount of credibility–people will think you know what you’re doing, even if you don’t. Introduce yourself to these people.

Be sure to email a link to your coverage to the event organizer, and follow up with any connections you make.

3. Send promotional postcards

Again, these serve as a tangible reminder of your site. As a plus, you don’t actually have to be present to distribute postcards–leave them in your favorite coffee shops and bookstores, and mail them (yes, snail mail with stamps and such) to editors, journalists, boutique owners, designers, galleries, photographers–whomever you think would be interested in your site.

4. Participate in craft shows and street fairs

This is especially useful if you sell stuff–clothing, accessories, jewelry, crafts, even if you offer services. Summer and the holidays are prime time for street fairs and craft shows, so check show listing sites, gather your merchandise or develop a demonstration of your services, and sign up! Be sure to take plenty of business cards to pass out to prospective customers.

5. Join a blogging group

Blogging is pretty widespread, and if you live in a reasonably-sized city, there’s likely a group of bloggers that meet to share tips and advice and generally hang out. If there isn’t one in your area, see if you can find a few local bloggers and start one. Search the blogrolls of a local food/relationship/mommy blogger and see who you can connect with. You could also try searching for Tweetups (somebody’s bound to blog) and local social media groups on Google or LinkedIn.

Bonus: If your group grows large enough and happens to include a few people with connections, there’s a good chance you could receive media coverage!

Now get out there, shake some hands, and kiss some babies!

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In Part I of How to Write a Media Release, we talked about the basic format for writing press releases and different types of media to include. Now, let’s talk about what to actually do with what you’ve created.

A few options

Once you’ve written your release and created accompanying audio, video, or imagery to go with it, you need to make it public! There are a few ways to do this:

• Send it directly to people or publications you think would be interested in your news

• Submit it to a press release distribution site

• Post it online for increased Google juice

Send it!

If you know who you’re trying to reach with your news, the most effective way to distribute your media release is directly, usually via email. Send an email to specific writers and editors at blogs and publications that regularly cover your area of interest.

A few tips:

Include a good description in the email subject line.

You may want to include the “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:” with a brief description of your news so the receiver knows that you’re sending a press release without having to open the email.

Include the release in the body of the email

Don’t send the release as an attachment as most people don’t have time to open documents. It’s also best to include a short, personable introduction and a brief reason for sending the release in the email. For example:

Hello NAME,

I hope you are doing well!

YOUR NAME/COMPANY, a popular fashion blog(ger) in CITY, is proud to announce YOUR NEWS. It’s a great PRODUCT/SERVICE that FEATURE, BENEFIT, BENEFIT [include 3-4 features your product/service includes and the way in which those features help your target audience] .

See press release below.

I would love to speak to you about this exciting new PRODUCT/SERVICE since you are an integral part of the NICHE industry.

Please feel free to contact me at PHONE NUMBER or EMAIL if you would like more information.

Best,

YOUR NAME

–Start media release text–

Don’t send email blasts

It’s unprofessional to send the same blanket message to every single person you’ve ever contacted. It looks careless, and we all know how annoying it is to receive irrelevant emails…so don’t send them, either.

Follow-up

If someone does contact you, get back to them in a timely manner. They’re doing you a favor, so be professional and stay on top of it.

Submit it!

Another way to spread the word about your news is to submit your release to media release submission sites. These sites accept submissions across different industries, and may serve as a place for journalists in need of story angles to search for news. There are a number of paid services, but we like free stuff around here. A few reliable sites include:

PR.com You have to register, but this site distributes releases to several online news sites and allows visitors to subscribe to RSS feeds for new releases.

PitchEngine is a social media press release builder and allows for easy integration of images, video, and audio alongside your text release.

PR Log Lets you include HTML links in your media release, as well as an SEO dedicated webpage and PDF version of the release.

Free-Press-Release.com The site looks like Digg, and the most-read releases that are part of paid plan rise to the top of the site.

iNewswire Free submission service that requires registration

Online PR News You get one live URL within the release, and there’s no expiration date.

A note on submission vs distribution:
Submission sites basically allow you to build Google rank by posting your content on several different outposts, and help people find your news by including it in an aggregator.

Distribution includes publishing the release to multiple syndication channels, pushing releases to subscribed editors and journalists, and more traditional wire services like Associated Press and Reuters.

Post it!

If you have a blog or are part of another online community, why not post your release there, too? Your readers and fellow community members (if the community allows it–check the guidelines first) might be interested in using your product or service, interviewing you about your news, or pointing you towards their cousin who happens to be an editor at Vogue. You never know, right?

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A media release (or press release, as they’ve been called since ye olden times) is an announcement issued to the news media and other targeted publications in order to let the public know about news and developments.

Many enterprising fashion and style bloggers are starting their own independent ventures–from online shops, to personal styling services, to marketing consultancies–and everyone deserves a shot at success. Part of that includes treating your small side business like…well, a business, and letting your target audience know what you have to offer.

When might you need a media release?

If you’re opening a new shop, offering a new service, partnering with another blogger or company on a project, or engaging in any other newsworthy activities, a media release might be just the thing to help spread the word.

Traditional media release format

A traditional press release usually includes background information about your company or blog, the announcement about your new product or service, quotes from the people in charge, boilerplate text, and contact information.

The basic template is shown below. Obviously, you’d want to replace the text in capitals with information that applies to you and your product or service, and the tips in brackets would not be included!

Headline with keywords people looking for your product/service might search for
Interesting sub headline further describing your news

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CITY — Month Day, 2010 — YOUR NAME, of COMPANY OR BLOG that DOES THIS STUFF, is proud to announce NEWS. NEWS will become effective as of DATE.

The release of PRODUCT/SERVICE is intended to PURPOSE OF YOUR VENTURE.

[Now you'll explain a bit about your history and include relevant facts/statistics]

YOUR NAME, a YOUR PROFESSION, created COMPANY OR BLOG after seeing an opportunity for HOW CUSTOMERS WILL USE YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE [it helps if you can relate this to a well-known current event/news item]. Today, the COMPANY OR BLOG has FACT, FACT, STATISTIC [include 3-4 facts and statistics regarding traffic, readers, buyers, clients, etc. about your blog or service.]

“QUOTE FROM YOU ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE,” says YOUR NAME.

NEW SERVICE/PRODUCT was created to fulfill the need for WHAT YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE DOES and help YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE improve their WHAT YOU OFFER. FEATURE, BENEFIT, BENEFIT [include 3-4 features your product/service includes and the way in which those features help your target audience] make your PRODUCT/SERVICE an essential destination/opportunity for people in need of KEYWORDS.

[Include a bit about future plans:]
Additionally, the PRODUCT/SERVICE plans to include BENEFICIAL FEATURES in the future in order to further help people DO STUFF.

“QUOTE FROM YOU ABOUT HOW/WHY PEOPLE NEED YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE.”

PRODUCT/SERVICE is available at LOCATIONS [online or in real life].

–

[This is where your boilerplate information goes. A boilerplate includes basic information about your blog/company that answers the who, what, where, when, and why of its existence:]

COMPANY/BLOG is a fun and informative site focused on WHAT YOU BLOG ABOUT. Founded by YOUR NAME in MONTH YEAR, COMPANY/BLOG addresses the interests and desires of YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE. Created as a platform to provide style inspiration, shopping tips, and a sense of community, COMPANY/BLOG fulfills THESE NEEDS. For more information, please visit YOUR SITE.

[This is how people that want to know more can get in touch with you or your agent:]

INQUIRIES
For more information, please contact:
NAME
PHONE
EMAIL

###

Make sure to:

• Write professionally. Spelling and grammar mistakes won’t cut it. Proofread, rewrite, and have someone else look it over for you. Then rewrite and proofread again.

• Include the full URL for links. Some services don’t allow embedded hyperlinks, so mentions of your blog or related sites should be followed by the full URL, for example: YourSite.com (http://www.YourSite.com)

• Identify the source of the information. People want to know who’s “talking” to them–if it’s you, include that information. It builds credibility.

• Tie your announcement to recent news, social issues, or trends if possible. Current events make it easier for the writer to find a hook.

• Show how your newsworthy product or service solves a problem. Don’t expect the reader to make the connection between what you’re doing and how it helps people, even if it seems obvious. Make it easy and tell them.

• Include the pound signs (###) at the end so the reader knows that’s the end of the release. Try to keep it to one page or less.

Adding media

Now that you have a basic media release (undoubtedly the most important part), you can choose to add additional types of media.

Social media releases allow you to add download-able images, logos, audio, or video related to your product or service. You might:

• Include a crisp, high-resolution image of your logo.

• Upload high-resolution images of your product, or of you hard at work.

• Create a video showing off your merchandise or explaining how your service works.

• Conduct an audio interview with a client or customer in which they endorse your product or service.

• Include a shortened URL and 2-3 Twitter-ready statements of 120 words of less to make it easy for people to re-tweet your news.

• Add social media sharing buttons so people can Digg, Stumble, share on Facebook, add to Technorati, and subscribe to your RSS feed.

It’s easier than ever to spread your news, it just comes down to taking the time to do it–and it does take time. Set aside 2-3 hours this week, try your hand at writing your own release, and let us know how it goes!

In Part II, we’ll go over some of the best ways to distribute your media release online and to publications and individuals who would most likely be interested in your news.

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Style blogger Jessica Schroeder of What I Wore just announced some great news: she got a book deal!

I’m sure there are plenty of other bloggers who are aspiring authors, and while working with an agent and an established publishing house is the most desirable way to write a book, there’s also another option: self publishing.

What is self publishing?

“Self publishing” is just the term for when authors produce and distribute their written work themselves, instead of working through third-party publishing specialists. Self publishers are usually able to keep a larger portion of their profits, in addition to having more control over content and promotion. The web, blogging, and the increasing number of media channels have spurred the self-publishing movement, and several services make it easier than ever to create your own book!

Print on demand technology (similar to the service we use to create print editions of Style Sample) is probably the best bet for independent authors and bloggers without a lot of capital to invest. You’ll want to look for a company with low-to-no set up fees–which vary depending on the size of the book, number of pages, binding, and cover (hardcover vs softcover).

Book binding options

Some of the most reputable services include:

Lulu

Lulu is one of the longest-running printing and distribution services online, and offers free publishing (no set-up fees) as well as paid marketing and design services. You choose your book’s binding, size, and paper, upload your files, build a cover, set the price, and start promoting!

Blurb

If you have a lot of high quality images you’d like to turn into a photo book, Blurb is your best bet. You can download their free BookSmart book-making software (or do it yourself if you’re comfortable with page-layout programs), add graphics, text and images, and place your order for as many as you’d like. I’ve seen some great results with Blurb.

CreateSpace

Formerly BookSurge, CreateSpace is owned by Amazon.com and allows you to upload a PDF of your book to their site. You can create a cover using their cover creator, choose distribution channels to sell your book (including Amazon.com, of course), and they’ll provide you with a free ISBN.

A word of caution

Beware of vanity presses, which charge exorbitant fees (up to $10,000) with the promise of printing large quantities of your book (likely more than you need) and distributing it to big box retailers. These presses are similar to the “modeling agencies” that charge hundreds of dollars for headshots and modeling classes–you don’t need all that if you create a valuable product.

Other things to consider:

• ISBN: You may want to look into applying for an ISBN (International Standard Book Number), which allows a title to be searchable and listed for sale on websites. It’s the barcode you usually see on the back of the book.

• Design: You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but let’s face it, people will (especially aesthetically-oriented fashion people)! If you’re not a designer and can’t afford to hire a professional, keep it simple and use a high-impact image or text for your cover image. You’ll also want a nice photo of yourself for the author bio page.

• Promotion: If you already have a blog, you likely already have an audience. Make sure your readers know you’re publishing a book, put a prominent link on your site, contact other blogs, sites, and publications and offer to do interviews, find a podcaster in your niche and do an interview, contact your local indie book retailer and offer to do an in-store reading, set up a booth at fairs and trade shows…there’s a lot you can do, so be ready to work!

• E-publishing: Keep in mind that the iPad, Kindle, and other e-reader devices are opening doors for independent publishers. If you’d prefer to stick with an e-book (a book available in electronic format, usually a downloadable PDF), try SmashWords.

The barrier to entry for book publishing is diminishing as technology advances, so I encourage you to put in some work and get your piece of the pie!

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This is a guest post by Precilla of FashionArtExpression. If you’d like to write a guest post for Style Sample.com, check out the guidelines and submit your idea.

When I started blogging, I came across a lot of confusing things. I didn’t know what to expect or how to best use my resources, so I thought I’d help other new bloggers by sharing some important tips I wish I’d known.

Growing your readership

Once you’ve started your blog, you’ve probably realized the readers don’t come to visit all by themselves. You have to put forth some effort to make them come back again and again! Here are a few things you can try:

Choose your content with care

I’ve seen a lot of blogs do 5-7 posts a week, but the content might be average to not compelling at all. That’s not going to get you more readers, so you need to change your game. Choose quality above quantity! Combining your own opinion with researched facts gives you more credibility and makes it interesting to read. Honesty is the best policy, so don’t lie. Don’t say you like something if you really hate it. People appreciate honesty more than you think.

Here are 10 tips I use that guarantee growth for your blog:

1. Write something newsworthy
2. Write something insightful
3. Write something that elicits an emotional response
4. Write something inspirational
5. Write something that tells a story
6. Write something that gets a laugh
7. Write something opinionated
8. Write something about something cool
9. Write something controversial
10. Write something unique

Develop your unique writing style

The best tip I can give you is to write as if you’re talking to someone. Express your true opinions and don’t try to write like someone else – find your own voice. Find topics that keep your readers interested and take risks! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different subjects.

Learn accurate punctuation and check your spelling and grammar. This is very important because you want the readers to understand what you mean and to avoid miss communication. Use quotation marks when you’re writing something that is not your own words, and remember to link to those who inspire your ideas.

Make your blog search-friendly

SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization. It helps search engines direct people interested in what you talk about to your blog. SEO requires a lot of work, but there are a lot of websites that can teach you how to use SEO to your advantage. The two sites that are the best in the field are Problogger and SEObook.

Participate in communities and social networks

Participating in different communities and social media is also a great way to increase your readership and establish new friendships and business opportunities. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help! I’ve spoken to a lot of bloggers to see how they’re doing and mutually broaden our knowledge by sharing information.
Some popular communities include:

• Independent Fashion Bloggers
• Delance Fashion Community
• Lookbook.nu
• Chictopia

If you’re leaving comments on other blogs, try to make them more worthwhile. Instead of just saying “cute dress!”, try writing something more in depth, describing why you like something, or what you thought was unique about the post.

Send newsletters

I’ve recently discovered something cool: newsletters. There are loads of benefits to starting a newsletter for your blog, including traffic building, monetization and building a rapport with your readers. As I’m working on my own newsletter, I’m thinking about what makes a good newsletter and what makes me mark the sender as spam!

I advise keeping your newsletter small and personal–people love blogs because they have an individual touch. Campaign Monitor offers 30 free email templates, or you can use Feedburner to automatically send RSS newsletters to every subscriber.

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If you regularly follow any blogging blogs (Problogger, Copyblogger, Daily Blog Tips, etc.) you’ve heard/read the “content is king” speech a skillion times.

The thing is, there are SO many people out there creating content that the information has become somewhat repetitive. It’s usually good information, but much of it is the same stuff…kind of like the ol’ content is king directive. It can get tiring.

Hop off the blogging bandwagon

It’s very tempting to hop on the blogging bandwagon and do what everyone else is doing because, let’s face it, it works. It’s not called popular culture for nothing. If they’re talking about it on The Cut or Fashionista, it’s probably relevant to your readers, and it’s tempting–even smart–to imitate those who have achieved success. But it’s not very unique.

So, now we’re advised to focus on creating original, useful content. But what does that really mean? What’s the best way to go about it?

Tonight, on a Very Special Episode

The answer:  Be yourself. Yes, it’s an After School Special/Very Special Episode cliche, but it’s true. No one can do you like, well…you.

Your image, your thoughts, your opinions, your life are all as unique as they come. There is no one out there who can copy your life experiences, even if they can imitate your look. Instead of trying to be the next Rumi or Tavi or Garance (who are all great by the way, but they’re great because they have and express their own unique perspective), speak in your own voice, post your own pictures, and draw content from your own life.

This is why they’re hot

Many of the most popular bloggers are such because they talk about their personal activities and families and pets and lives, scan their own art, and so on. Instead of trying to imitate the tone of a standard magazine editor, they provide their personal perspective. You can only find most of the stuff they post if you go to their space. Truly unique content is only available from one source, and each and every one of us is a unique source.

Your personal spin

Fun, but ubiquitous

Instead of just posting the same images from the latest Paris Vogue spread or the most recent Lady Gaga video as everyone else, put a personal spin on it.

If the Paris Vogue April desert goddess spread featuring Natasha Poly sent you into fits of fashion bliss, try to approximate your favorite look, or break down the pieces used in one of the images.

If Gaga’s over-the-top finery reminds you of the Cirque du Soleil performers you secretly idolize, present a comparison of the two and talk about that.

Dig a little deeper and provide your own perspective. Don’t be afraid to be contrary. Share your experiences with your readers and create a personal connection.

The point here is to tell your story–in words, pictures, drawings, and the way you dress. The more personal it is, the more unique it is. And that’s good content.

Images: Vogue, Interscope, stockxchg

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This is a guest post by Tiffany of I’m a Shoe Whore. If you’d like to write a guest post for Style Sample, check out the guidelines and submit your idea.

When I first started blogging I quickly found out the importance of great/fun photos. Photos are the key to your blog, they help pull viewers in and keep them entertained for the time they spend on your site. Sometimes your photos keep readers coming back to see more fun and sometimes inspiring pictures!

After being bored by my own pictures I went on the hunt for some great free online photo editing sites that would help me dress my photos up! Here are three of my favorites:

Photoshop

I use Photoshop whenever I edit my photos. Its interface is so easy that it makes editing photos incredibly simple. You do have to sign up for an account, but it’s free and your images can be stored online for family and friends to view. I love that you can preview how the image will look just by scrolling over the edit options. I also love the pop color feature on this site. Make sure you have a fast connection–it sometimes takes a while to load the photos.

DrPic

DrPic is a great site if you need to do a quick edit or crop your photos. There are some fun options you can use to add frames or a Polaroid effect to your images, and I love the grayscale feature on this site. You don’t need an account–just load a picture, edit, and then save to your computer. Simple! One minor annoyance: the Google ad bar at the top of the picture while you edit photos.

FlauntR

FlauntR has some great editing features and frames you can add. The main reason I use this site is for the text feature–I love that there are so many fonts available. I have never seen so many different fonts offered on a free editing site, and you can move and rotate the text anyway you choose. You do have to create an account to use this site-but it’s free!

Get animated

I remember the first time I saw an animated graphic. I was awe-struck, then jealous because I wanted my own! Soon I was off on an internet hunt for sites to help me create animated graphics. There are a few sites out there, but I always turn to one site to help me create my own animated images.

Gickr

Gickr is free and easy to use–no account needed. You can select up to 10 images at once, the size of the image, how fast the image will move, then hit create. That’s it! Wait for your image to load and you should see the animated image. (I often hit create a few times trying out different image speeds to get the right one.) There are many ways to save it, but I always right click on the image and click “Save Image As”.

Now, loading the image on your blog can be tricky. You first have to upload your animated image to a hosting site like tinypic.com (it’s free). Once you’ve uploaded it to the site you can select the “HTML code for Websites” or “Direct Link for Layouts” code. You’ll then have to put the code into your post via the html/edit page. I’d be happy to help if you ever have any questions!

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In the current issue of Style Sample, Ceri from Style Eyes Fashion Blog provides some valuable advice on working with public relations agencies and press reps. Here are a few more tips:

What you should expect from a PR

An individual approach

At the very least, using your name in the email is polite. You do not have to respond to mass communications that don’t address you directly.

Openness

When pitching to you or making an offer, a PR should be honest and clear in the first paragraph about exactly what they are offering.

What a PR will expect from you

Be clear on what you will accept

If you do not want to do something, say so and offer an acceptable alternative.

Be reasonable in what you request

If you have a very small readership, it is unlikely that you will get very expensive designer clothes sent to you each season. However, it would not be unreasonable to ask for collection previews and images to be sent on a regular basis.

Image: Allerina and Glen MacLarty

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