There are a lot of “Mummy Bloggers” (I’m not sure I like that title to be honest, parent bloggers is better as there are some fab blogging Dads out there!), around and about and we all blog for different reasons. Some blog purely for the love of it, to capture moments in life, their children’s life, to showcase their hobby and some do the same but also run their blog empire as a business. I’m a combination – I love blogging, love seeing my ramblings in black and white for all to read, but I also run C&C as a business, I make some money from it and mostly use it as a platform for my freelance writing work.
As a Mummy Blogger (MB) I get a lot of PR contact. This is always welcome, as reviews (that are relevant) can make great content, and the info you can get from PR companies can be a great base for features and articles.
However.. I am finding, with increasing frequency, that the contact I get from PR companies can vary from scatty to downright rude!
Three examples of recent emails (details changed about a little to preserve anonymity) include:
1) “Hi Nick” <Bad start, it’s Nicki, but we’ll go with that being a typo. Then..“I have looked at your great blog and think we have the ideal product for you to review… our dog food….”. So either he is saying I am a bitch (!) or he is fibbing and hasn’t looked at my blog at all, as I don’t have a dog!
2) I am asked to run a guest blog, or piece about a product but find myself chasing Twitter, Website, Facebook links and having to ask repeatedly for pictures / further info. It’s the kind of PR contact that makes you wonder why you agreed to work with them (Mummy bloggers don’t have time to run around like idiots finding this info anymore than journalists for magazines do).
3) A personal-type email which is easy to read, comments on your recent posts, adds a personal comment about it, and is written by a PERSON not an autobot! I deal will several companies that I have built up a good relationship with and exchange almost chatty emails with now, but one PR company in particular from day one, has always contacted me this way, and it really does make a difference.
Now I don’t work in PR myself (obviously!), and I may be shooting myself in the foot somewhat here, but I hope not, as I would like to think someone in PR who is basically representing someone else’s brand to the world, would be big enough to take constructive criticism on the chin and maybe do something with it.
So just a little plea from a little Mummy Blogger.. remember that we all, regardless of the reason for our blogging, put a lot of time, effort and heart into our work, so please think about this when you contact us. It can make all the difference when working with someone, if you have mutual respect for each other.
Thank you!
It’s true, we have feelings! I often get emails addressed to someone else which annoys me!
I had my first off putting one last week on behalf of a charity!
The guy must have been passed my info as he only got one bit right! *sighs*
Well said Nicki! There are some great PR companies out there who get it right, but a lot who get it wrong.
If someone wants you to go to the trouble of reviewing their product, the least they can do is get your name right and make sure the product is of interest to you!
Well I used to work in PR and hope to get back once the job market improves, and posts like this will be a great reminder of how it should be done. Thank you!
Agree with all that’s above and would also say a lack of courtesy exisits to simply say thank you when work has been completed – I also work in marketing & social media – it is like forming relationships anywhere else – courtesy is king!
Love that you decided to write this post. Personally I think making a connection is important, no matter who you’re contacting!
You’re all stars!
All the best,
Claire
BOTTLE PR
Could not agree more! This year I have promised myself that blogging would be less of a thing and thus am turning down more opportunities rather than just accepting the rudeness. Now if a proposal is rude then I dont answer or turn it down. Manners count!
Great post and excellent point.
I got called Vic in a email not long ago, at first I accepted that mistakes can be made so replied and made sure my name was clearly seen as well as my name in my signature. He replied yet again calling me Vic! My reaction to it was to put it straight into the junk bin!
Speaking as someone from the other side of the PR fence… I hate it that these rude people spoil the reputation for everyone (it’s the same in all professions). In my mind, if you want someone to do something to promote your product the ONLY way is to research and ask nicely. It has to be a win, win situation, or why would you spend the time? In your shoes I would give the rude ones as good as you get.
Well said, I ignore rude requests x
I pressed reply before I’d finished there lol.
I meant to say that I ignore rude requests because if someone can’t be bothered to be polite then I can’t be bothered to reply!
I absolutely agree with what you said in your post. There are really to kinds of PRs: the ones that are professional and bother and those who don’t. I’ve a had the pleasure with a lady that sent me the sane press release three times and every single time it was full of mistakes and did supply faulty links to the clients website. I binned it everything single time until I received quite a cheeky email asking why I wasn’t replying. I replied explaining in a friendly way that the release was full of mistakes just to receive the same faulty press release for a forth! time. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next, I just find it shocking that this woman gets paid for totally ruining her client’s reputation…
Well said Nicki, it’s plain laziness on the PRs front. Typically the worst offenders are the PR interns who are passed the database and told to get on with it, without having much of a clue about clear, decent communication – to them it’s boring data entry. The more senior PRs need to recognise that by passing the buck (and the database) they are in fact screwing up their chances for any future coverage – madness!