Subscription-model ecommerce businesses are sprouting up across various industries and prove that the market for consumers seeking out niche products delivered to their door is much larger than expected. Box-of-the-month startups have many options for growing and finding new customers through social media, content marketing and paid promotions. Pitching well-known bloggers is a great method for putting your product in front of your target audience.
Before you start sending cold emails and asking bloggers to write about your business, it is important to understand that bloggers are people too. A well-curated blog is often a person’s full-time gig or passion project that they deeply care about. Don’t waste their time by failing to research their audience or the topics they usually cover! Make sure your pitch is thoughtful, personalized and free of spelling or grammatical errors.
We chatted with Stephanie Bruce, Founder and Owner of PäshBox, a monthly scarf subscription service. In our Q&A, Stephanie explains how to discover and engage bloggers that are valuable for business.
How did you choose which bloggers to reach out to?
I started by simply searching “subscription box blogs.” I read through many of their blog posts and also checked out their level of interaction on social networks. Do they answer questions timely? Do they have a substantial social following? Do their readers leave feedback after a review post? All of these are really important factors to take into consideration before you invest in sending free products.
Did you prefer subscription bloggers or industry (fashion/beauty) bloggers?
I used both subscription bloggers and fashion bloggers, but I made sure that the fashion bloggers were subscribed to subscription boxes themselves, particularly fashion accessory boxes.
Can you give us an example of a successful email pitch you used?
Any email pitch should definitely be short and straight to the point:
Hi (blogger name),
My name is Stephanie Bruce and I just recently launched a new membership-based subscription service called PäshBox. Each month members receive 2-3 on-trend scarves delivered to their doorsteps for $22 a month, or they can purchase the 3-month and 6-month prepaid plans. They also have the option to purchase a $22 gift box if they would like to try it out.
I’d love for you to do a review as I am brand new and need help getting the word out there about PäshBox. Membership opens on the 1st of each month and closes on the 15th of each month. My website is www.pashbox.com; please let me know if you’d be interested in reviewing.
Thanks for your time and consideration,
Stephanie
Do bloggers expect anything in return?
Bloggers really only expect you to deliver the product when you say you will. I’ve read several blog posts from review bloggers who complained about never receiving a subscription box after being contacted by the company.
Editor’s Note: Some bloggers may request a fee in exchange for a product review or blog mention. It’s up to you to decide if it’s worth the investment. You can always respectfully decline and move forward with your list of bloggers.
Once a review is posted, how do you increase visibility and reach?
I didn’t really do anything to optimize the review and gain traction. All bloggers I’ve worked [with] actively cross-post their reviews on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. Working with social bloggers helps me reach a network of users and fashion enthusiasts much larger than my own. Some subscription boxes share positive reviews written about them on their own social media accounts and I think that works too, as long as they aren’t too self-promotional.
What’s the overall ROI? Was it worth it?
I reached out to 6 bloggers and they all agreed to do a review. Since I currently use PayPal buttons, I created discount links for each blogger to offer their readers, I named those links according to the blogger who gave the review – for example, “Diary of a PäshBox.” Doing this helped me find out where my sales were coming from. It’s the best thing I could have ever done; it helped me decide who I would continue to work with in the future. Readers from one blog in particular more than quadrupled membership from our first month in less than 4 days. Newsletter signup also increased significantly.
What is your experience working with bloggers? Did it help your subscription business?
