This is a post I’ve been wanting to write for a long time. And I do want to start by saying that I, in no way, claim to be an expert on public relations, marketing, or blogging. What I do have experience with, is people. If you’ve read my bio, then you know I’m an RN. So why is a mom who works in the healthcare industry writing about public relations and marketing? I ask myself the same question. What I do know is that I’ve been blogging for over 2 years, and all of the conferences, seminars, briefings, research, and relationships I’ve developed with public relations representatives have taught me a thing or two about what we all like to call ” blogging.” I hope that this opens up discussion to talk with each other and learn from each other.
I never started blogging with the intent of reviewing products. In fact, I had no idea that people (women, moms, dads, etc.) utilized their blog for such a thing. Blogging to me was about writing…writing about my son…keeping my family updated on what we were doing…sharing my experiences with parenting as a new mom. And blogging was never started for the sole purpose of product reviews. Blogging started as the digital age took off and more people were turning to the internet for everything from online banking, recipes,and shopping to online journals (i.e. blogs).
And then I stumbled upon Mom Central. At the time, Mom Central offered moms like me an opportunity to test and keep products in exchange for candid feedback. Since then Mom Central has grown tremendously and offers bloggers like myself opportunities to work with companies we might not get a chance to work with (i.e.Frigidaire).
It started with one email. I don’t remember the product and I don’t remember the specifics of the email. What I do remember is that someone had read my blog, liked what I had to say, and wanted me to review their product. I was surprised and honored. Two years later I’ve had the opportunity to work with some incredible companies…too many to list…but several noteworthy, including Kodak, Frigidaire, Nintendo, Walmart, HP, Seventh Generation, General Mills, Hoover and so many more (one day I may make a list just for fun!). I don’t have the most traffic…or the highest page rank…but what I *think* I offer is authentic, well-thought out, well-researched reviews on products that have been tested personally by myself and my family.
I could write pages and pages about blogging…the why…the how to… But mostly I want to write about relationships with public relations representatives. There are millions of blogs online (I don’t have a specific number…maybe I’ll research it one day). How are you going to set yourself apart? How are you going to make your blog attractive to those companies you’d like to establish a relationship with?
First, I highly recommend evaluating your perspective on this thing we call blogging. Why are you blogging? Is it to review products? Is it to express yourself and develop your writing skills? Do you have a talent you’d like to share with others? Whatever your reasons are, make sure you’re clear within yourself of your purpose…what motivates your writing? To be clear, I firmly believe that if you don’t make one of your goals to establish relationships, you will never experience all that you can when it comes to blogging.
This post is geared towards those of you whose goal is to review products. As I write this post, I realize how much I really have to say on the topic of blogging. But I’ll try to stay focused. How do you interact with companies? How do you “get in” with the “big” companies? How do you get to the point where you are sharing your opinion on a DSLR camera or are asked to go on a cruise to provide feedback on their services? While I believe there are many many factors that go into answering this question, one thing rings true. The key is relationships.
I remember a time when I would NEVER approach a company. I was afraid of being rejected…hearing the dreaded no….that my blog wasn’t “big” enough or I wasn’t “influential” enough. And then…after finally getting approached by companies I wanted to establish a relationship with, I got the courage to write my first “pitch.” Again, I don’t remember the name of the company I approached. And I remember that I fumbled through the email (I’ve re written that email over and over again since).
I’ve pitched many companies since that day. And while I’ve had my fair share of rejections, I’ve also had a number of yes’s! One of the things I believe is key, is the desire to build a relationship. If you’re pitching a company simply to receive a product, you’ll end up going nowhere quickly. In fact, if that is your sole purpose, you’d do better to purchase it yourself. A true “reviewer” spends time researching the company and the product. A true reviewer is transparent and provides constructive criticism when necessary (because you can’t love everything about every product you review). A true reviewer doesn’t end the relationship when the review has been completed. Writing a review takes time and effort. Anything less than that and both you and the company are wasting each other’s time. Companies are looking to build relationships…with you and with your readers. If you approach your product reviews and pitches in that manner, you’re more likely to be trusted, valued, and respected as an influential blogger.
Perhaps you read the title of this post and assumed I would give you a step by step account of how to write “The Perfect Pitch.” Maybe one day I’ll write my tips on what I’ve found to be successful. Companies want to know who you are and how you’re going to work together to mutually benefit both their company or client and your readers. It’s important to remember that even though you’re a mom, for them, this is still as much business as it is relationship-building. In the future, I’d like to write a post to companies on how to work with bloggers. For now, if you leave with one thing…I’ll have felt that this post was worth writing. Just like in “real life”, the key to working with public relations representatives is to work towards establishing relationships. Stay tuned for more blogging meanderings.
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Great post! Thanks for sharing what you know!
Great piece! I like your tips and ideas. I have a long way to go and a lot to learn. You just helped me go a little further down the path.
Thank you very much for the great tips. I’m working on getting up the courage to approach companies, and your post is a great help.
I love reading your reviews and seeing your photos as I can see that you truly are using the products that you review. Your reviews seem very honest and that is one of the reasons that I truly enjoy coming back to your blog again and again.
Thank you for writing this. I really needed to hear about the importance of forming relationships with the companies with which you work. That is terrific advice!
Thank you so much for this post.