Although Blogging has been around for years, approaching Bloggers to review or pitch your products is fairly new and growing in momentum. If you are thinking of approaching a Blogger to review your products, there is a protocol that sometimes many companies do not invest their time to understand and follow.
As a beauty Blogger, I receive many emails on a weekly basis from companies and PR firms big and small to find out if I am interested in reviewing their products on my two beauty blogs. There are some that exude professionalism both in the way they approach me through their emails, through the way the package is sent and in their follow up. Then there are the mass emails, lack of PR materials with the product, presentation of the product and lack of follow up. The difference between the two potentially means your emails go in my trash folder.
Things you should not do when you approach a Blogger:
Send out a mass email, most notably saying “Dear Bloggers” or having no greeting at all. While some newer Bloggers may respond to this, many seasoned Bloggers won’t. It is the sign of a company simply harvesting your contact information and not taking the time to personally contact you, as they want you to personally review their product. It is a two way street.
Have the expectation that the Blogger will want to review your product simply because you offered it for free. Bloggers know their readers and most will only review products that are 1. Related to their blog and 2. Something that would be of interest to their readers.
Insincerely attempt to flatter them. So many companies do it and many times I receive the same email to each of my accounts for my blogs when the company doesn’t even realize they are sending it to the same person. Bloggers can read between the lines.
Things you should not do when you approach a Blogger Continued:
Simply toss products into a bubble package and ship. Besides your original email, the presentation of your package is one of the most important “first impressions” you can make about your product.
Badger them with repeated emails about your product or repeated follow up emails asking when they will post a review.
Take it personal if a Blogger does not have a good experience with your product and either 1. Writes a bad review or 2. Doesn’t write a review at all. Free products do not obligate anyone to fall in love with what you are selling.
Etiquette protocol:
Do take the time to look at their blog to make sure they are a good fit for your product.
Do find out if they have a “press” or “contact me” page. This is where some Bloggers explain their rules of engagement.
Do be professional, yet personable in your email.
Do greet them by their name (if it is known).
Do express what you are looking for (expectations) so that there is no miscommunication or misunderstandings.
Do send your products in a timely fashion.
Do show your professionalism through presentation of your packaging. Think of how you would want to present your products to your customer (the Blogger is that customer), think about making a great first impression; presentation is everything.
Do include press materials that explain your product to the Blogger, even if you think the product is self-explanatory.
Do include a handwritten note card. It can simply say, “Dear Shannon, Enjoy the products!” Handwritten notes show you took the time and make it more personable.
Do follow up to make sure the package arrived and let the Blogger know that you are available if they have questions. If you do not see a review posted of your products within 1-2 weeks, follow up again to inquire if there are any questions/ issues with the product.
Do find out if it is ok to keep the Blogger on your mailing list.
I welcome your thoughts on this. Please post your experiences, both good and bad, with bloggers and companies.
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