Of course, there are never any guarantees. But speaking from my own experience (as both a t-shirt blogger anda t-shirt entrepeneur), here are some things to keep in mind when you get in touch with a t-shirt blog about your own awesome t-shirt designs:
We do it for fun! We cant review everything, and we cant like everything. There are a lot of t-shirt blogs out there, and each blogger has different tastes. We Bonanziers happen to prefer images over text, and we dont really go for the whole streetwear thing. But thats just us! So how should you know which bloggers to contact? Read their blog! See what they like. Getting a feeling for what a blogger likes and their style of communication will help you immensely.
Another side of not getting paid for t-shirt blogging is that it competes for our free time, so emails can sometimes slip through the cracks. If you dont receive a reply, dont take it personally! You might as well try emailing again with a friendly, personal reminder. (Sjors at Shirtlog definitely wants to hear from you.)
Just saying Hey, check out these cool new tees! doesnt pique my interest as much as some interesting factoids about you, your company, your vision, whatever. Its not that I want to publish what you tell me word for word, its that if I like your work, Ill probably want to know more about you! On the other hand, some blogs will publish a brief blurb that you send them, so figuring that out before you contact a t-shirt blog is a good idea. (Both iloveyourtshirt and shirt2 often publish short company-provided blurbs.)
This has two implications: I see a lot of t-shirts, and if what youre doing doesnt set itself apart in some way, Im less inclined to give it a second thought. I also read a lot of t-shirt blogs (last I checked, Im up to 50 feeds), and we like to be original and unique, too! So when you contact us, if you offer us something special (like some extra information that you didnt give to other people, and advance notice of something ahead of everybody else, a unique coupon code, etc.) were more likely to shower you with praise. (Adam talks about the problem of duplicate content on t-shirt blogs over at HipHipUK.)
That is, offers of free gear dont guarantee you a review (with me, at least). I only enjoy writing about things I like, and I only enjoy wearing t-shirts that I like, so if you want to send some free swag over this way, thats great! But if I like what youre doing, Il blog about it anyway. Which isnt to say that freebies arent nice, but my favorites are tokens of appreciation for something Ive written about in the past. Just make sure youre not pouring all your profits into free things for others! (Andys policy at Hide Your Arms* is to review any samples sent to him.)
We have feelings! When I get an email for a t-shirt review request, I like to see my name and something indicating that youve read my blog. If I feel like Im just some free advertising for your company, I dont feel very happy. So build a relationship with t-shirt bloggers. Leave comments on their posts with your own opinion, or a question, or something interesting and/or insightful. If you enter a website in the URL field when you leave a comment here, chances are Ill check it out and maybe even blog about it before you contact me. (Last I checked, Rangga at Tshirt Island wasnt a robot.)
Well, thats about it from me I know other t-shirt bloggers have guides with advice on getting your t-shirts reviewed (like Tcritics), so you should look for one of those before contacting them. About and Contact sections often have relevant info as well that can also help you start a conversation; because a genuine conversation is infinitely better than a press release and an attached picture.
Originally posted by Joe at Fantastic Bonanza (which no longer exists)
I also wanted to add that after youve become friends with these bloggers reward them for their hard work. Something as simple as a pair of glasses, shirt, discount of a shirt. or and handwritten thank you note will go along way.