I asked Kelli from 3boysandadog to explain what businesses and bloggers need to know about product review blogs.
This is the second post in a three post series. Here is the first post Should Businesses Pay Mommy Bloggers.
I know I have used the “mommy-blogger” term in two posts now, but let me tell you a secret… most moms, who happen to be bloggers, DESPISE that term. For lack of a better term, I will be using that one. PR companies search for that term, so we might as well use it. I prefer Independent Journalist.
A bit about me, in case you missed the first post and don’t want to go find it. 😉 I am Kelli, a super busy “mommy-blogger.” You can read all about me, my kids, fabulous finds, the not-so-great finds, and my own Little Orphan Annie at 3 Boys and a Dog.
In my last PR and Mom Blogger post, we established that if you want to “advertise” then you should be paying for it and if you want opinions you shouldn’t. Now, let us discuss how to get a mom blogger to work with you or at least avoid making her mad at you.
- Cater to her! Ok, you don’t have to send a nanny, chef, and masseuse to her house to get her to work with you – although, that would be FABULOUS! (Especially if they could teach their trade to my husband #imjustsaying) Mom’s, oh who am I kidding; females in general are very fickle creatures. We want people to like us and make us feel special! Do not send me a canned “Dear Web Master” pitch. I will hit the delete button. Or, because I can scan the message pretty quickly, if it is a product that I am semi-interested in, I will respond with a canned message, “Dear PR Rep” ?
- Know her and know her blog! *See number 1. ? You stand a much better chance of working with a mom blogger if the pitch you send her actually has anything to do with her blog. For example: if you do a search on my blog, you will not find ANY adult toy posts, ZERO alcohol posts, or a single tobacco review. It doesn’t mean I haven’t been pitched (and I know the adult toy people pay for their posts… as much as I want money, I do have a few morals) it simply means I don’t write about those things.
- Understand her! Seriously, do not send her a pitch and expect an answer right away. Moms are BUSY! Actually, they are VERY BUSY! Most of us stay home because we like our children, not because we are lazy. Consequently, we do everything. The moms that work outside the home think we have more time for PTA, parties, field trips, Scouts, sports, etc. Then, PR thinks we have more time because we don’t have a regular 9-5 job. Write to her and don’t be surprised if you don’t get a response until the weekend or at 2 am. ? Mom Bloggers work around their children.
- USE EMAIL, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, AND SKYPE! Again, moms are busy. I do use the phone, but I have 3 boys and a dog. It is very hard to be professional with screaming kids, running water, and a barking dog in the background. I prefer email and can run to my computer on the way to potty. ? I leave my Tweet Deck running and click to it on a regular basis. Be patient, please.
- RESPOND! If a mom takes the time to reach out to you, at least respond. Just because her stats are lower than you want doesn’t mean you need to alienate her. She could be working extremely hard and in a few months might be the perfect person for your company, but you ignored her and she just might respond in kind – with a quick click of the delete button. Even a “Thanks so much for reaching out to us, Kelli. Our company is leaning towards a different direction at this time, but I will keep your contact information in case we ever come back to reviews” is much better than ignoring her. Or tell her that “unfortunately we only accept an Alexa of such-and-such or lower.” If she really wants to work with you, she will come back to you when her stats get there. ?
- Understand their needs! Bloggers don’t live to review your product. They want to be known, but not just so their inboxes can be filled with pitches from PR companies. Don’t hound them, don’t stress them out, and don’t send them a million emails a day.
Yes, it means more work on your part, but if you take the time to actually read their blog (most have an About Me page that can give you major insight) and only send them things that work for their blog, you will get much farther in your endeavors.
Stay tuned, next time I will be discussing the point of product giveaways for PR and for Bloggers! If you have questions, you can always drop me an email or contact me via my blog, 3 Boys and a Dog.
Interested in more insights? Read Moomette’s Magnificents PR 101: How NOT To Pitch a Blogger
PR FRIENDLY BLOGGERS:
- Spark Minute: Hey PR, Bloggers are NOT Tools to Be Used
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