As a fashion blogger, working with brands and retailers on campaigns is a major part of your business. With its rapid evolution, social media has become equally important to brands when it comes to how they grow their presence and drive sales.
I decided to pick the brain of Everlane’s very own Isadora Sales (affiliate marketing and social media mastermind) to learn what valuable insight she has to offer bloggers from a brand’s perspective. The company’s mantra is “radical transparency,” and it made backpacks cool again, so I knew I was in for a treat.
Emily Hanks: First off, let’s set the stage . . . list three words that best sum up Everlane’s brand persona.
Isadora Sales: Modern, honest, and thoughtful.
EH: What key criteria do you use to decide which bloggers to work with?
IS: We like to work with bloggers in organic ways and create content that fits both our aesthetic and that of our partners. We do this through working with like-minded individuals who appreciate good design and live a lifestyle that is in line with our brand. We’ve been lucky enough to develop relationships with an amazing network of creative and intelligent people. We strive for consistency with all marketing efforts, and that includes whom we work with.
EH: Let’s talk about the new kid at school . . . Snapchat! Can you explain how Everlane is embracing this tool and what the key differences are in this strategy compared to those of other social networks?
IS: We love Snapchat! It’s really the perfect tool for Everlane in that it’s the most transparent and honest social media platform out there right now. Our followers don’t want to see a picture of a latte (if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all), but they want to see things that are exclusive to our brand. That’s anything from a day in the life of an Everlane employee to sketch reviews with our design team to sneak peeks of products that have yet to launch. Snapchat is far less curated than Instagram, and that’s what makes it awesome!
*You can follow Everlane on Snapchat: Everlane.
EH: What advice would you give bloggers once they’ve secured a campaign to maximize the benefits of this brand partnership?
IS: We’ve noticed that bloggers generate more revenue for themselves and the brand when they give their readers detailed information about whatever products they’re featuring. The more details bloggers provide, the better the posts do. Cross-promoting on social channels is also great because it gives the blogger an opportunity to be promoted on the brand’s social accounts as well. Readers come to a blog for a reason — they want to be inspired. Inspiration comes from more than just how the clothes look; it’s the different ways a product makes you feel and the overall emotion that the product gives off. Styling and product detail should be cohesive, i.e., if you’re posting about our new cashmere turtleneck, a shoot on a sunny beach doesn’t speak well to the product.
EH: Everlane exudes such an effortlessly cool vibe (when a v-neck makes you feel chic, you know there are some superpowers at work). Do you have any tips for bloggers when it comes to building up their own brand personality?
IS: Consistency is key! Being well-rounded is important, but it’s also important to be true to yourself. Partner with brands that you would want to wear in your everyday life.
EH: Lastly, tell me the trend you’re most excited for this Summer!
IS: So excited for so many Summer styles! I think I’m currently really into structured, oversize poplin pieces that are light and airy.
*Cue Amalfi Coast daydreams, strolling through the sunny streets in airy linens . . .
Well, there you have it — transparency is trending, and it’s time to get on board. Being authentic remains a key part of a blogger’s success (with a good filter, of course). Make sure to leave comments below if there are other retailers you’d be interested in hearing from or if you have questions you’d like answered. Also, I’m always here for free Snapchat consulting.
xo,
Emily
Business Development Associate
Nice read
Loved this Q&A – I’m a huge fan of Everlane products and this really helped to shed light into what they’re looking for in brand/blogger partnerships!
Diana | http://www.thechicdiary.com
Thanks Diana, happy to hear it was helpful 🙂
Thanks so much for the insights!
What is the best way for bloggers and influencers to foster a collaborative partnership with Everlane? How do you determine if a campaign is successful or not- $’s, reach, etc.?
Hi Stella, please see my response below to Katrina for you question on collaborations. In terms of how you’d determine whether a campaign is successful or not would, it really depends on the end goal. If it’s driving sales, you could look at the ROI of the campaign. If it’s more about branding and building awareness, you could look at social impressions and engagement. Hope this helps 🙂
Such a great read! As a blogger myself, how is it possible to work with Everlane?
Hi Katrina! Everlane uses a really organic approach with blogger partnerships. They tend to work w/ bloggers who exude the Everlane lifestyle and have an image consistent with theirs. If this seems to be on brand with your blog I would recommend incorporating the brand into posts and trying to form a relationship with the company through social media or by attending one of their many events. Following Everlane Snapchat is also a good way to get inside info on what is happening with the company.
I absolutely love Everlane. I bought a dress to wear for my first day at my accounting internship, wore it, then went back and bought five more things from their website. So comfortable, effortless, and cool.
I totally agree Allie! Everlane is one of my faves 🙂
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