We are officially launching the Indie Sellers Guild on Labor Day – September 5th at 1pm EDT.
We can make this event BIGGER than our wildest dreams – with your help. If the absolute whirlwind of requests we received during the Etsy Strike are any indication, your local media would LOVE to cover this story. We have done our best to make it as easy as possible for you to reach out. We have a PDF of the press release prepared, detailed instructions on how to find contact information for your local media, and email templates you can simply copy-paste to send.
If you’re comfortable appearing on your local news in an interview, we appreciate you so much! In the members only section of the website, we have prepared a Media Training module. You’ll need to register as a member if you haven’t already (it’s free!) to access this information.
Please email the Press Release PDF to the newspapers, tv news stations, magazines, etc in your area. Use your judgment for which ones are most likely to be interested in the ISG.
How to find contact information for your local media.
What do you read or watch that is local to your area? Get creative. In addition to news channels and newspapers, are there local magazines? Local radio shows and podcasts?
Google the name of the show, channel, or publication along with the name of the city or area it’s located in. Go to the website. Look for a “contact us” page, an email listed for press releases, or an editor@ email. Most of the time it’s at the bottom in the footer of the website; sometimes you’ll find it in the header instead. If it’s a contact page, check to see if there’s a separate contact method given for news tips. That’s what this is!
If you’re looking for contact info for a specific journalist, Google their name along with their publication or show name. This should lead you to their profile page on their publication’s website, which often has a way to contact them listed. You can also try Twitter or Linkedn. Journalists tend to be very good at keeping up on their inboxes!
How to reach out
When you reach out via email, you’ll want a subject line that pops out and gets noticed in a very busy inbox. It’s standard to put “Pitch:” in front of a simple title that lets the journalist know what you’re talking about, in a glance.
Copy-Paste Subject Lines
Pitch: Etsy Strike Sellers Form a Union
Pitch: Etsy Strike organizers are forming a union for indie online sellers
Pitch: Etsy Strike organizers are launching a nonprofit organization
Pitch: Etsy Strike organizers are launching a nonprofit for indie online sellers
Use your judgment for which version would be most likely to appeal to the journalist you are contacting.
Open your email by introducing yourself. If it’s a channel you watch, or a paper you read, mention that in your introduction. You can switch out the first sentence in our copy-paste message below for something like:
Hi (journalist name), I’ve been (watching/reading) (show/publication name) for (time period), and I really enjoy your (show/publication/articles)!
Copy-paste email – press release only
Hi _____, and thank you so much for your coverage of ___. I live in (city) and I’m one of the Etsy sellers that participated in the Etsy Strike of 2022. I thought you might be interested in learning about the new international nonprofit that organizers have formed to advocate for indie sellers, the Indie Sellers Guild. The strike was just the beginning. I’m excited to be a member of the guild! I have attached a press release which gives more information about the ISG’s official launch on September 5th. Thank you, (your name)
Copy-paste email with press release and interview offer
Hi _____, and thank you so much for your coverage of ___. I live in (city) and I’m one of the Etsy sellers that participated in the Etsy Strike of 2022. I thought you might be interested in learning about the new international nonprofit that organizers have formed to advocate for indie sellers, the Indie Sellers Guild. The strike was just the beginning. I’m excited to be a member of the guild! I have attached a press release which gives more information about the ISG’s official launch on September 5th. If you’re interested, I’m available to talk about what’s been happening with Etsy, and why we need an Indie Sellers Guild. Looking forward to hearing from you, (your name) (contact info)
Please remember to attach the press release to your email(s) before hitting the send button! Download it here:
Media Tips
We have prepared a module with detailed information on how to give a great interview with your local media. It contains information on what questions to expect, and tips to help you fully prepare ahead of time. You can find it in the “Members Only” menu under “Media Training”.
Thank you so much for helping us spread the word about the official launch of the Indie Sellers Guild!
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