Why Your Outreach is Working

Something I’ve been thinking about this week is advice I’ve heard more than once recently from talented sales reps and PR professionals in our industry: don’t be afraid to follow up.

While this was shared in the context of wholesale and PR, I think the same mindset applies to direct-to-consumer outreach, too.

I know from so many conversations that outreach can feel hard. Whether you’re emailing potential retail partners, reconnecting with past clients, or following up with someone who expressed interest in your work, it can be intimidating to hit send. And when you don’t get a response right away (or at all), it’s easy to assume you’re being annoying or that your message didn’t land.

But here’s the truth: respectful persistence and consistency matter.

Even if you’re not getting instant replies, your emails are being seen. Your effort is planting seeds. And yes, it is okay to follow up more than once.

I often hear from Stay Gold Collective members that when they finally reach out to a client on their prospect list, it leads to a sale.

And as I work with designers preparing for trade shows, it’s common to see a buyer, someone who never responded to pre-show emails, show up at their booth already familiar with their brand because of that outreach.

Keep going. You're building something.