Cue the collective sigh of relief from PRs everywhere – Afterpay Australian Fashion Week is over for another year. But just because the shows have wrapped, doesn’t mean a PRs job is done. In fact, many would argue that now’s the time when the rubber really hits the road.

Whether you’re new to Fashion Week or a seasoned veteran, there’s some dos and don’ts that will make the investment worth even more to the brands who’ve participated. Here’s seven things NOT to do after Afterpay Australian Fashion Week.

Don’t let the hype die at the end of the week

Lasting an average of just 15 minutes, a whole lot of blood, sweat, tears and cash goes into putting on the perfect show. It’s a PRs job to make sure that 15 minutes lasts a whole lot longer, with press coverage, sample requests, influencer partnerships and post-show events. You’ll have a whole lot of assets, including imagery and videography that needs to make its way into the hands of media, so make sure you’ve got a system to manage the requests and keep track of all of the follow up required.

Make it even easier for time-poor media to share your Fashion Week content by adding RRP details and image credits to your digital press centres on Flaunter. Every time an editor views your imagery, they’ll be able to download all the important details and add them directly into their stories. Do this once and it’ll last for the lifetime of the item, meaning you’ll never miss out on coverage because of email tag.

Don’t forget to follow up

You’ve put all that work into creating an epic experience for your show attendees – but the real traction happens when you follow up. Those expensive Fashion Week assets need to be shared! Make sure you’re following up the right way, and:

• Don’t blanket email your list. You’ll get way more cut through by sending out fewer, individually crafted emails than one big BCC. Identify what’s going to be most interesting to top tier journos, whether that be the fashun, a business angle, or your new sustainability bent. You can actually end up with more coverage by identifying multiple talking points out of the one show, aimed at different audiences. 
• Don’t hound. Everyone is tired after fashion week. Give the media a chance to trawl through their inboxes. As Lauren Sams, Fashion Editor at the AFR told us here, “Please don’t call me to follow up. If I haven’t replied, there is a reason.”
• Don’t send an expiring link (literally every journo we speak to haaaaaates having to chase you up when their time runs out). Instead, add your digital assets to your Flaunter Digital Showroom or Press Centre, and know that media will always be able to access high-res, up-to-date imagery. Get your free trial here.

Don’t forget that not all media will be able to attend in person.

Times have changed, new normal, etc, etc. Not all media will be able to travel to Sydney, so make sure you have assets you’re able to share with those who are unable to attend. Think links to show films, your digital showrooms and candid front-row imagery that might help set the scene.

Don’t delay on getting content out to editors ASAP

The speed at which Fashion Week content becomes old and dated is mind boggling – some journalists will be working through the night to make sure their publications are first to market with the juiciest stories and pics. Have your Digital Showroom and your Press Centre ready with as many images as you can before your show so as soon as the 

Don’t expect to hear back from journos straight away.

Have we mentioned they’ll be under the pump?

Don’t rely on attendance numbers when you’re reporting to your clients

There’s so much more to evaluating the success of Afterpay Australian Fashion Week than reporting on who filled which seats. Clients are expecting more from their agencies and, in the current economic climate, want to be able to identify true ROI. 

Ensure you add this data to your Afterpay Australian Fashion Week reporting:

• Who’s actually downloaded your show assets? Sending a link to Dropbox or WeTransfer won’t give you insights into who has engaged with your content, and thus more likely to publish it – but Flaunter’s digital image management tools will…
• How many requests to sample stock, as a direct result of Fashion Week. You can measure this by creating a specific Fashion Week rack as part of your Flaunter Showrooms and sending the link to this rack out to attendees. Keeping this link unique to those who attended your show will help you track the kind of uptake you receive.
• A comparison between the amount of imagery downloaded by media before and after the show. This comparison data will give you a good indication of the cut through your Fashion Week activity has had.

Don’t miss out on an opportunity, even if you’re not showing at Fashion Week

Not at Fashion Week this year? Never fear – you can still take advantage of the hype. Right now, media are primed to write about brand new collections and innovative approaches, so reach out to your fave journalists and share your news. Check out our hot tips for making sure journos open your emails here.