How to Reach Out to Bloggers

January 7, 2010 · Comments

fishing Are you hoping to connect with bloggers and get the word out about your product or service? Are you hoping that you can find someone who’s interested in what your company is offering, and then share the pertinent details so that hopefully the blogger will write a decent story about you, maybe even include a few links? Have you felt frustrated by the varied and less-than-successful experiences you’ve had with your efforts?

Let’s talk about it.

Do Your Homework

All bloggers aren’t the same. Big numbers don’t mean big response. Just because someone writes about X doesn’t mean that your product is actually X to them. Bloggers can be fickle and often work to the beat of their own drum.

I get dozens of pitches a day. I delete almost all of them unread, unless I know the person, and then half the time, I delete those, too. The reason is that people aren’t considering what I write about before pitching to me. I rarely ever cover software here, so if you’re showing me a software story, it damned well better have a human angle.

The same is true for any of the bloggers you need to reach. Not sure where to find the bloggers you need? Use these resources:

Once you have a sense of who you might want to reach for your stories, it’s all about building relationships.

Be There Before the Sale

This is something Julien and I wrote about in Trust Agents, and it’s the first part of making your blogging outreach more successful. If you want people to write about you, they should probably know about you first. Quick ways to get that started:

  • Follow them on Twitter.
  • Comment on their blog posts.
  • Set up Google Alerts and comment on related articles.

Is this more work than just blanketing someone with email and hoping a few write about it? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes.

The trick is not to talk about your stuff. You should have started this outreach weeks and weeks before ever needing anything, and it should be genuine. Be interested in the people you hope will take an interest in you.

Make It Easy

People that I like in the outreach department work to find the people who she thinks make the most sense for the story. They deliver tons of information and preparation. They do lots of checking and double-checking (because bloggers can be fickle or forgetful). They make everything as seamless as possible. Some ideas:

  • Make everything dead simple.
  • (Tyler in the comments suggested) Be clear what you want the outcome of the outreach to be.
  • Provide URLs to everything, so that bloggers can refer.
  • Provide photos to go with the piece, or a video, or whatever other content.
  • Keep your outreach emails brief, and keep the details highlighted and bolded appropriately.
  • Make sure your FIRST email does nothing but get the buy-in to pitch the story.

Let’s pause on that last point. Some people disagree. They want the whole pitch in the first email, because two becomes a clutter. I’ve honestly seen it done both ways. I know that when Cathy sends me an email asking to pitch me, I’m going to ask for the pitch. I’ve seen others send me the pitch in the first email and it’s been okay, but more often than not, I prefer the two-email system. You can dispute this. Really.

To me, making the effort simple is a good thing.

Ask the Right Questions

I’m often given business books to review. I’m a voracious reader, and I like sharing the good ones with people. However, I also tell people who send me books that I don’t guarantee a review. Sometimes, the book is okay, but not my favorite. Other times, I really don’t like the book. If the people who send me the book ever push for a review, I usually explain that it might not be as positive as they’d like. As an author, myself, I don’t like giving bad reviews.

To that end, think about some questions that might let you have some guidance on how the blogger acts.

  • Can you tell me how long it takes to post from when you receive the product?
  • May I check back in a few weeks from now?
  • What do you do with negative reviews?
  • If you have disagreements or problems with the product, could you email me first to make sure you have all the information?

Questions like this and others can be really helpful to you setting your own expectations.

Above All Else, Don’t Push

If not this story, the next one. Believe me, relationships in this space run long and weird.

Christina Pacelli from Red reached out to me to cover the Eye Fi (a USB-to-wifi cool gadget) over a year ago. She sent me one. I couldn’t really get over my own techno-idiocy to make it work. A year later, Christina and team got smart and mailed me a new Eye-Fi (still have the old one, by the way) and a Novatel Mifi device (which acts like a wandering hotspot). Combined with BOTH, I’ll be able to use this product on the show floor at my next event and report back what I think of its benefits to various groups.

A year. Christina has been politely persistent for a year. And it will pay off. (Who knows? Maybe the links already make it pay off.)

Don’t push bloggers, and just accept that sometimes the story doesn’t hit. I’ve had a series of situations where things seemed right, and upon checking them out, I just didn’t feel good about blogging it, or wasn’t moved to blog it, etc. As the person pushing that particular product, I’m sure it doesn’t feel well when your push goes nowhere. I’m so sorry when I’m the cause. I imagine bloggers also have their own reasons and feel bad, too.

In most cases, it comes around to the better at some point. This is a long game for lots of us. Be patient. Learn who doesn’t work out. Move onward.

An Imprecise Science

There’s more to it than all this, but this is a good start. If you’ve questions, I can definitely add more. What do you think? What have you tried that’s worked? What else have I missed?

Photo credit 蓝莓兔子

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Tagged as: , , , , ,

ChrisBrogan.com runs on the Thesis Theme for WordPress

Thesis WordPress theme

Thesis is the search engine optimized WordPress theme of choice for serious online publishers. If you’re a blogger who doesn’t understand a lot of PHP, Thesis will give a ton of functionality without having to alter any code. For the advanced, Thesis has incredible customization possibilities via Thesis hooks.

With so many design options, you can use the template over and over and never have it look like the same site. The theme is robust and flexible enough not only to accommodate a site like ChrisBrogan.com, but also to enable the site to run far more efficiently than it ever has before.

  • Great tips, Chris. One of the things that I would really stress is responding with "understanding and care." During an outreach, it's absolutely inevitable that you'll get the negative response from at least one of the bloggers. You should always keep your cool and let them know that you understand (even if you don't) their choice not to take your pitch. And do it in a friendly/professional tone.

    Ultimately, you're reaching out to people with influence. You don't want those with the influence writing about how terrible and unprofessional you or your company are.
  • Great info, Chris. I am redesigning my blog right now, and yours is one we're using as inspiration (including Thesis).

    Will let you know when it's up and running. What are the next events you're speaking at?

    Thanks again,
    ~Noah
  • Hi Chris, on the Guided Video tour link of Thesis, How come you don't use,
    Click here or in this case "guided video tour of Thesis "
    This opens the URL, in a separate window.
    That way a first time visitor, like myself, won't get sent off your site, before I've had a chance to bookmark you.
  • Great points! And bloggers can help as well. I created a Vendor/PR form on my blog to help them fine tune their comments to me. You can see it here: http://www.hightechdad.com/vendors/
  • My first career was as a television reporter. Later, I moved into PR. I believe that this put me head and shoulders above my fellow PR peers because I knew how media thought. Don't waste their time, don't be a stalker, don't annoy them with pitches that aren't their beat. Instead, be a resource. Offer assistance. Help them do their jobs better. The same goes with today's media: the blogger.

    If you make contact when you have something relevant, something targeted, something that illustrates you know the blogger and his/her blog, you're ahead of the game. Nothing like a weak and inappropriate pitch to earn you a reputation as someone who offers no value and is only an overly-aggressive salesperson.
  • tompick
    "Warm" outreach works better than cold outreach. If the first communication you have with a blogger is "write about me!," your odds of coverage are slim, unless your news is super-compelling. But if you've been following that blogger on Twitter for a while, leaving (worthwhile) comments on their blog, maybe even asking a question or two -- then when the time for outreach comes, you've got much better shot at getting their attention.
  • Good information, Chris. Very helpful and certainly makes interesting reading. Persistence without being a pest, patience under fire (kind of like Hemingway's "grace under fire" idea), hard to master but essential in the business of pitching and most other business matters. All that and of course, having something worth pitching in the first place!
  • Hey you really say something. Great for newbies or anyone doing blogs. You came to my twitter account, thanks
  • Hi You really have a lot of information here. I been blogging a long time, but now I am finding out about it and you said a lot. Thank you, found you because you saw my twitter ;^) Learning that one too! Rosie Q
  • It's all more about people than pitching. Yet if the outreaching efforts carry some value, the blogger might be more than happy. Same with SMR's. Christina has been right in approach to emphasis on the virtues of the Eye Fi repeatedly and politely. Great post. Thanks.
  • As always, excellent post! When it comes to the internet, if you can make things as simple and easy as possible you will have a better chance of succeeding.Before contacting someone, it´s a good idea to do some research in advance so you have a better understanding who you are going to contact.
  • Batman
    If the 'science' is imprecise, as you say, then clearly, it's an art, and not a science.
  • You think all science is precise? Yikes.
  • You make some really great points, and I agree that blogger outreach is an inprecise science. I have used the one-email system and it's worked great, but I also make sure to follow up with every blogger who has either responded to my email in some way or didn't respond directly, but acted on the pitch by posting/tweeting/etc. It's important to build those relationships (and build them on trust - don't mislead bloggers in any way).

    I agree about making everything dead simple. One way I've done this is to provide bloggers with a sample post with all the pertinent info and mentioning that they are free to use that or write their own post. This has worked extremely well.

    I wrote about this in my blog about a year ago and gave my own tips for blogger outreach: http://thecaffeinatedblog.typepad.com/the_caffe...
  • Definitely a good starting point for a lot of PR reps. Being able to build a relationship with a blogger before the initial pitch isn't a luxury you'll always have, though. Right now I'm working on a huge project that requires me to reach out to writers and bloggers in an entirely new industry, and because of the relatively short timeframe, I'm pretty much forced to start cold-calling/emailing without any time to build the relationship. It sucks, but it's an inevitable situation unless you're working in one industry forever.
  • What a co-inky-dink! I was thinking all day about how I could go about getting in touch with some hi-profile bloggers to get their opinions on a few things and whammo! I catch a glimpse of your blog post...

    Thanks Chris. Perfect timing!
    Richard
  • Thanks Chris. I've been using this approach on Facebook. I see that everyone is trying to push mlm programs and their latest hot product on everyone.

    Since I don't make my living that way it's been easy just to build friends by making useful comments on their wall and doing whatever I can to help them out.

    This has now lead to speaking engagements and guest blogging opportunities that will help me to get my blog noticed more and more. All from not even attempting to promote my blog.
  • Great post as usual, but I worry about the PR folks (comments posted above and folks I've talked to) that think your way of pitching bloggers is the only way. I've spent a long time in high tech B2B PR and specifically the IT security industry and that is an industry that required a unique approach to blogger relations. If interested I discuss the differences here.
    http://tonymackeypr.blogspot.com/2010/01/brogan...
    I'd be interested in hearing if you agree or disagree with my opinion.
  • Integrity works both ways. We, as bloggers need to have the patience and fortitude to earn the right to be solicited. During my first year, I turned down requests and was very frank about the reason -- that I needed more time to establish my site and have a "product" that I'd be proud of - enough to advocate on behalf of another.

    Next up is collaboration - cross-guest posting which is where I'm at. But ultimately, it's a commitment to keep plugging away. I think I remember you saying something like 11 years, yes? :)

    Thanks for provocative post, Chris! Bookmarked to check out months from now to provide perspective.
  • Chris,

    Thank you for this post. You said two things that caught my attention.

    1) If not this story, the next one. Believe me, relationships in this space run long and weird.

    2) In most cases, it comes around to the better at some point. This is a long game for lots of us. Be patient. Learn who doesn’t work out. Move onward.

    Your experience with Christina from Red and how it's taken a year of her staying in connection with you for you to finally mention her product was enlightening to me.

    I've had a similar situation going on for a year myself. I was approached by a web start-up who asked to publish my writing. I submitted content, photos, worked with one editor, worked with another editor who was let go. I was given multitudes of excuses, and a year later my work has still not been featured on the website.

    I have patiently stayed in connection and still maintain good relations with all the staff, but after a year, I'm moving on. They still promise me they are interested.

    Will be interesting to see how this "long and weird" saga wraps up. I'll let you know if my work is ever published. :-)
  • Really helpful piece. I blog and I also do outreach to bloggers. One of the things I make clear to my clients is that there is really no way to assess how many people will write about something. It is not an exact science. If I have a client that wants me to promise something that I know is not possible or even probable, I sadly, sometimes walk away.

    As a person who gets pitched to constantly I really get pissed when I get asked to cover something they KNOW I would never write about if they had actually read my blog (www.womenandhollywood.com), so when I do my outreach I try and be extra sensitive to that.
  • Sean Horrigan
    Great post Chris. This should be standard reading for all PR people. Sending out a blanket press release is old school and often counter productive. The new PR is about creating dialogue. I think David Meerman Scott was right on when he referred to social media as a “cocktail party.” We all need to listen, make friends and play nice. Cheers!
  • tompick
    Excellent points Chris. Even "B list" bloggers typically get half a dozen pitches per day now - I can only imagine how many you must see. Some PR pros are really starting to catch on to what works (relevance, personalization etc.) but many still seem to be clueless.

    "Warm" pitches always work better than cold ones. That is, if the first contact a PR person ever has with a blogger is the pitch, the odds of success are low. But if the PR pro has been following the blogger for a while on Twitter, commented on their blog, maybe asked or answered a question or two, and then sends a pitch - the odds of a pickup greatly improve.
  • I'm glad you covered this, I had a previous experience with marketing a film through well know bloggers with mixed responses, I'm glad that you've shared your preferences along with the best practices regarding networking with bloggers. A far as bloggers go you have to expect that they want to produce quality content for their readership and if they are not feeling the product they shouldn't blog about it untruthfully, that would be blog abuse.
  • Really interesting article Chris! Also, loving the iPhone app, and you seem to have mastered the iPhone template. Something I'm having lots of 'fun' with over at www.mikesel.info.

    I may invest in the app now though!

    Cheers
    Mike
  • Chris,

    This really ties back into what you said during your keynote discussion at this past years Blog World. That being... Give and promote everything and expect nothing in return.

    I also feel that we all owe it to the community to help promote outward to grow beyond just our bands of groupies and get more people excited about how things are changing.
  • partywedo
    Thanks Chris,

    You have exposed the holes and errors in some of our past outreaching efforts. This council and instruction can assist us in improving and learning from our past mistakes.
    Reading blogs like yours is a great value to the person who truly wants to do better and is willing to listen to good advice.
  • Cal
    Thanks for this posting. I need the reminder that one P passion does not make up for the others, especially patience....
  • alexds
    This article is so relevant to what is going on right now in the world of internet marketing. I work for a Boston web design firm and our SEO division has had an on going conversation about how this type of link building and use of social media marketing is likely to become ever more relevant and valuable in 2010.

    I noticed as I looked over some of the comments already posted below, that this blog post has inadvertently become a source for bloggers interested in guest blogging relationships to find each other--

    Another great resource i recently discovered? MyGuestBlog.com
  • jason_justpros
    This is a really good blog post. God information. Thanks.
  • Checking to see if a topic fits seems to be one of the biggest problems with both online and offline writing submissions. This post is a good reminder.
  • Chris,

    First of all, love the book, especially the part about hacking and making your own game. I think that goes well with this post and should be mentioned. Everyone needs to consider that a professional blogger gets pitched so many times per day that they cannot possibly get to all of them, even if they wanted to. So, making your own game or at least modifying the rules of the game to your favor should be implemented here as well.

    I call it "Acting Like A Celebrity" in my 2010 Social Media Blueprint. Celebrities do things (usually stupid things) all the time to get and keep people talking about them. They do it so that they stand out, we live in a world largely based on popularity and who you know. Of course I'm not suggesting that one should do something they wouldn't mind being known for, but everyone that is serious about utilizing the viral phenomenon that is social media needs to find a way to get noticed.

    We are talking about trying to enter into circles you may not be a part of, and it's not easy. But if you make them notice you, getting your foot in the door will be much easier.
  • Chris

    Being prepared has never really failed anyone except if the advances are not received for other reasons. The more popular people become as bloggers the more pull on them. People think that they have an in or side door to enter because they have had some interaction or have had a brief meeting at an event. We all want to play with the big boys/girls and rub elbows with them but getting there and really being accepted is the part that people forget. Yes, you can just ask someone to meet up or ask them if they would promote your product because it never hurts to ask but if the person you are asking has never even seen or heard of you it suddenly puts more work on the blogger to go and find out who you are, who you are associating with and then they can get down to evaluating what you are trying to pitch them.

    There are many people I would love to build a relationship with. I have a list of these people and in a non-stalker type of way I do read their blogs, comment if I have something to say that will add to the post (whether that be agreeing or disagreeing) and take the slow and necessary steps to show them where I can fit into their circle. I find out if they are speaking in my area and will travel to their seminar if is the right fit. People seeing you around places (whether on or off line) does create a bit of curiosity as to who are you. One of the best compliments you can receive (in a positive way of course) is that I see you popping up everywhere.

    Do your homework and stick to it. None of us know it all and we have no idea what will work to get let's say your attention except to walk in knowing that we are as prepared as we can be. Rejection happens but persistence whether it takes a year or longer really can work.

    Thanks for the reminders and keeping us all on top of our game.

    PS - a turd? You called yourself a turd? Nice.
  • Tnx for the post. Twitter search is a great method
  • rmcmurtrie
    Like this advice. Would add another nuance which may or may not work with all bloggers or projects and is definitely different than the traditional "pitch and pray" model. In certain cases, you should invite the blogger into the process. HBR just wrote a good piece on how Ford did this with the social media community. http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/01/ford_recently_w.... I've done something similar with a client and some blogs with tremendous results.
  • Chris,

    One thing I like to remind people of is that bloggers are not journalists. We don't have to be fair, we don't have to look at both sides, and we damned well have opinions.

    David
  • kevinarthur
    Chris this is excellent advice not only for people approaching bloggers but anyone doing sales/business development.
  • I think the allure of being noticed, mentioned or even recomended by an A-list or Pro-Blogger is great. Getting a few of those means a lot to many, bringing with it loads of traffic. Perhaps not as much as many A-list bloggers think. But to smaller blogs it is a big deal.

    Granted that the request can be a bit overwhelming. But sometimes understandable.

    Also, a product that is mentioned by an A-list blogger can carry a lot of weight. It has a huge audience and often times can bring in a lot of sales.

    Imagine for a moment what a mention of a new and small ebook by a relatively unknown blogger will do for their ebook.

    I definitely think tho that education is the key here. Even though each blogger is different and will approach each pitch or each product or each request differently. People need to know where you stand, and how you approach things. What type of stuff you will consider and what you will not. Is it even worth me trying to connect with your, or am I wasting my time.

    THey key here I think for the smaller blogs is patience and genuineness. Connecting with A-list blogger should be about knowledge, learning from them, adding value. The promotion and mention will come later
  • Polite persistence?...Relationships are not built in one day, you need to invest and nurture relationships with bloggers you fancy...They are not a commodity, they are enthusiasts in their fields...The don't have to do anything...

    I really enjoyed this post...
  • Beautiful tips on reaching out. The problem is that the majority of bloggers have had no sales training and lack the common sense to deliver a good pitch. That combo is deadly for creating partnerships.

    Even something as simple as spelling out the benefit to the other party is often evidently MIA.
  • Chris - the advice you give can also be used for business development. Most people think selling is a one-way event (I'm going to sell you and you are going to give me your money). It's not! Sales is about connecting with people, developing relationships, being a resource and most important - solving real problems. You can't develop a relationship when you're pushing your own agenda first.

    Thanks for a great post.
  • Many salient points and useful advice, thanks Chris.

    This is the critical human element of social media coming to the fore again. Bloggers have their own individual take on how they approach their writing, often unencumbered by traditional media bias. The pitcher is essentially approaching a person with all the pleasantries of a face-to-face introduction required. In the same way one, upon meeting someone, wouldn't launch straight into a pitch without saying hello and conversing first, nor should PR professionals expect a blogger to respond favorably to this technique.

    Listen, learn, launch, would be my preferred approach as someone on both sides of the fence. Thanks again!
  • whitneyhoffman
    I do love my Eye-fi card- I have two at this point. My only secret wish is that it would work for audio as well as pictures and video. That would rock.
  • Now THAT would be really sexy. I love that idea.
  • great points. thank you for sharing
  • jessicamillermerrell
    Chris,

    Thanks for the great blog post. I have a book coming out in a couple weeks and I am self published so we are working on a press kit specifically for bloggers. As a blogger myself, I have had my share of sleezy emails that didn't do a good job of selling me to review their book, service, or product. I'm a fan of quality or quantity. I would rather send my book to 25 bloggers who I have an established relationship and have worked to learn more about than 300 random strangers who know nothing about me or what makes me different from the rest. Good stuff!

    Jessica

    @blogging4jobs
  • Chris the process that I would recommend is to look for the leads in communities of conversations about topic or to start with bloggers you know and work out from there. Blogging is a world of communities, once you have a blogger that responds positively to your outreach then ask them who they think you should connect with in that community and where the conversations are about your topic.The other thing is to search for bloggers who have written about competitors to your brand.
  • That's really smart, Murray. Silly of me to miss it.
  • Thanks Chris for the Tips...
    I find that if people would just stop and acknowledge me and my business before jumping into them, it works best. Also, most pitches I've experienced are all about their product rather than how it can benefit me or my readers. I want to know how their product or service can benefit my readers rather than all the bells and whistles of the actual product.
  • bkjrecruiter
    Chris- Great article.... Folks do business with people they know, like, and trust, and that for our "entitlement" society is a tough pill to swallow... Like you talk about in your overnight success stories/series.... Building relationship takes hard work... "the path of a thousand miles starts with one step" We just need to keep "chopping wood" and sooner or later you get traction, then hit "critical mass" (which you clearly have), etc.
    Best, Brian....
  • patrickmorrell
    Chris,
    I'll be perfectly frank - I often disagree with you, but this post is spot-on. Very savvy. To Jay Baer's point below, it would seem to make sense that you'd begin engaging lower- to mid-tier blogges, establish a solid reputation there, and then petition heavier hitters. Are bloggers interconnected to the point where that is a reasonable strategy to climb the outreach ranks i.e. if you establish a solid reputation with some, will they become advocates (perhaps indirect) on your behalf to others?
  • I love that you disagree with me. I can't learn if everyone is a chorus of yesses. But make sure you share the URLs to the counter posts and/or to the way you see the world. I'm always happy to see another view. : )
  • Bloggers are people. Listen to their needs and show some love and they will respon
  • michelledamico
    Chris, as a communications consultant, these are my Four "Ps" of Pitching Bloggers and reporters in general.
    1.Persistence -- it really pays. It's easy to get frustrated and think a blogger lacks interest. Most of the time, he/she simply has too many things swirling in their universe. If you know that when you pitch a blogger, you'll be a lot easier on yourself and keep your confidence up.
    2.Patience -- don't expect instant gratification. I agree that you must build a relationship with the blogger. I've gotten a blogger interested in my tech client because we share similar loves of cooking and I've sent her recipes. We started a relationship.
    3.Pushy -- DON'T BE!!! If a blogger or reporter ever interviews my client, I practice the "never be pushy" rule. I don't bother them about when their blog item or story will run. If I do want to follow up, it's usually with a nugget that might be interesting to what they're writing about.
    4. Pressure -- ANOTHER DON'T! In fact, when I make a phone pitch, I don't even ask if they might write about something I sent them. I don't believe in pressuring someone on the spot. Let your information sink in with them, and follow up with something that's valuable to get a sense of their interest. Don't seek a commitment for coverage. Bloggers and reporters work at their own pace and respond to demands of the news (or their editors).

    OK. here's a 5th item, but it's an "R" -- RESEARCH. Don't waste your time pitching a blogger blind. I totally agree with Chris about the value of doing your homework and learning about these folks. They are people, People! They are not targets. Look at them that way, and you'll be successful.
  • 4Ps and an R. I think it's a good one. : )
  • I'd add one more "R" -- Respect! (justa-justa-justa-justa-justa-justa-justa justa -justa lil' bit)
  • Great post Chris. There's no substitute for relationships in the attention economy.

    @jaybaer - you're exactly right about 'being there before the fire.' As a blogger, I still have the strongest connection with the first readers to really reach out and become active on the site. They are still major pillars in the community to this day.

    I recently wrote on the same topic for my community, which is primarily independent musicians and artists. In the music industry there are an enormous number of artists out there vying for the attention of the top 20 or so music bloggers.
  • Great post, and again shows how important building that relationship first is. No matter if it's in social media, blogging or what you talk about here.

    People rather do business with people they know and like. Like anything worth having, it takes time and effort, nothing is a quick fix, especially not in blogging.
  • Reading your post made me think that Peter Shankman's concept for HARO should be started for bloggers. HABO (Help A Blogger Out). He's done an nice job of setting 'pitch' ground rules for it too. I'm in if you are - let me know!

    I pitch and get pitched all week long. Everything you say is so true! If it was easy, everyone would be doing it successfully, right? I think your comment about persistence is key - and for me, I've found that means you have to keep trying new sources. And, that's the great part, there are new blogs you can pitch to every day.

    Like you, I have to turn down 90%+ of the requests we get over at CAREEREALISM.com for the reasons you mentioned. And every time I do, I think, "I hope they understand it's not personal." Being a blogger is hard in that respect, so posts like this are really helpful in terms of getting people to see what it's like on the other side - thanks Chris!
  • Credible bloggers want to know that their posts putting out factual information. Some years ago we launched a life-saving product in an entirely new category. The initial product version had a potential minor drawback that was solved in subsequent versions. However, a competitor had magnified the original flaw and mentions of the 'danger' began turning up in bloggers' coverage of the product. We as the PR group reached out to bloggers who were posting the dated information with product updates -- or in the case of some very authoritative bloggers had our client's CEO do so. The correct info was welcomed by every single blogger and in some cases began relationships that led to ongoing coverage of our client and their subsequent products.
  • Just what I needed, thank you!
    I go URLing! :)
  • As always, wise words Chris. Thank you. The sooner people realise this is about dealing with people and being a 'person' the better. Gone are the days of getting anything from blanket emailing or spamming bloggers and journalists.

    Much of this advice could also be applied to pitching Journalists.
  • I'm so very glad you attacked this topic, Chris. I do have to add however that a lot of the guidelines you listed are applicable when approaching even traditional media. I'm in PR myself, and a lot of journalists I meet complain the most about the "pushing" and the endless emails from PR pros, so being the 3 C's - concise, clear, and courteous should remain as a guiding rule, so thank you for pointing it out.

    But with that said, there are some differences with reaching out to traditional media and with bloggers that I would love discussed. For instance - Is the Social Media Release relevant? SMR's are usually a webpage of a release wherein social media associated with the announcement (such as youtube videos, flickr albums, or podcasts assisting the campaign/news) are included all in one page. SMR's are supposedly geared towards bloggers, but i'm wondering, do they really catch your attention? Would they help distinguish the announcement from any other plain old press release?

    Last question - and this is a little personal to me. I have this long-held ideal that social media could be very beneficial for not only PR clients but PR agencies and pros themselves. PR isn't the most glamorous job, as I've said: we're notorious for certain practices, primarily those you listed above. I think social media could be helpful for PR agencies and professionals to get to know THEIR audience more - journalist and bloggers. Like you said - to make that connection before we need it. I think the best connections and friendships I've made with journalists were very organic, grown because we talked beyond the client, beyond the work - usually about common interests, their favorite online games, or music. I would then begin getting requests from journalists for my clients' news. I also began sending those reporters news or facts that had nothing to do with my client but everything to do with their beat, and they would sometimes write about it, thanking me for the tip.

    So the question -- Would you be more attentive to pr pros you meet who engage in your blog, who may have a genuine blog or podcast of their own? Do you think this ideal that I speak of can exist? Is social media a good way to humanize even the PR biz?

    Thanks in advance for your feedback, and for anyone who jumps into the discussion. Really appreciate it.

    Tallulah
  • Everything I do has more than one audience. : )

    I think SMR's are useful. Not sure if they're a requirement. I prefer them myself, but that might just be because I'm a blogger turd. They don't catch my attention, though (to your second point). PEOPLE catch my attention.

    PR people need to live their stories. See also @tdefren, @missusp, @briansolis, and several amazing examples of PR people who live as people between the stories.

    I'm thinking if more PR pros were already in our space (One of Us in Trust Agents), then yes.
  • Thanks for a direct reply to the SMR question. I prefer writing SMRs myself, so glad to know they please some folks. Although..."blogger turd"? I think you just coined a term some bitter PR folks can use. However, I doubt it would apply to you. : )

    Thanks for the references too. I follow @briansolis, but wasn't familiar with the others. I'll check them out. I was going to add @dmscott, but I see from the comment thread that David Meerman Scott is following YOU. I've been learning loads from him, and I suddenly feel like I'm in esteemed company.

    Lastly, I actually just finished reading Trust Agents, and that "One of Us" concept stuck with me throughout the entire read. I find it such a paradox that PR is based in soliciting trust, and yet a lot of traditional PR is thought to be synonymous with "spin". I think Social Media is changing that, urging PR people to, as Mr. Scott says, "lose control of their own marketing" and render "messaging" obsolete.

    Thanks again for such a great chat. Love getting blogger-related questions answered by actual bloggers.

    Tallulah
  • This is really helpful for someone who is just starting to develop relationship and connectons across the web through blogging. Brought the book from listening on Media Hacks Podcast and now following your blog posts and learning loads. Thanks Chris for being willing to share really helpful information like this.
  • jeffreynewman
    Excellent. This shows real care and 'attention to detail'. Thanks so much.
    Jeffrey Newman Earth Charter UK
  • Excellent Blog. Good to see that the Bloggers are actively participating here in this site. I am a Blogger. By blogging you can collect excellent information around the Globe.
  • Cathy Leahy
    Thank you, Chris. This is important wisdom for PR pros, especially young professionals just entering the field. I’ve shared this post with others.

    - @svcathy
  • I've read tens of posts telling me what to and what not to say when commenting...since I'm not allowed to say what I want (according to the experts) I'll just say - ENOUGH SAID.

    I'm doing my homework and asking the RIGHT questions.

    Great job (even though they told me not to say that).
  • Hah. Amazing how many people stink on you for their perception of what's right. I try to be as positive as possible. We all get there a different way.
  • I just started searching Amazon to get names of book authors who write on topics I care about. Then I look them up on twitter and build a list around that particular topic. For example, authors of books on twitter or google maps.

    Putting that list in Tweetdeck makes it easy to keep up with that segment of people on twitter so I can see who is into the same things as me. The logic is that then I can begin to start a genuine relationship with somebody interesting who I share an interest with.
  • reidklos
    The best part for me, Chris, was the advice to genuinely comment on other blogs and chill out, or at least that's the way I read it. I've had my blog for two months now and all I do is visit other bloggers' sites as well as some of their readers' sites, comment, and keep it moving. I always bookmark so that I can keep up with where I've gone and where I need to follow up. Sometimes it's sights that I would have never visited or subject matter that I've never thought of. I've learned a lot. Thanks for keeping us informed man.
  • Good stuff. I counsel a lot of PR firms on this topic, and you've pretty much nailed it. One component I'd add (along the lines of being there before the sale) is "being there before the fire."

    One of the great truisms of blogging is that bloggers' influence derives from their personal talents and hustle. Journalists' influence is typically derived - at least in part - from the gravitas of the media outlet that employs them.

    Thus, every blogger started with a grand total of zero readers. Chris, I've heard you talk many times about it taking 10 years for you to "break." Consequently, I advise my clients to find bloggers that are producing solid content, but may not have the audience yet. Help connect those bloggers at the AA level to resources in your company, etc. and when they make the major leagues, they'll be eternally grateful.

    It's a lot easier to build relationships with bloggers that aren't getting pitched several times a day.
  • I would extend that even a little bit more Jay and say help those bloggers make it into the Major Leagues and they will be on your team forever. Open doors for them get them things that usually only the A-listers are getting access to and they will be recognized by the top bloggers wanting to know more about the up and comer and which will in turn open a door for the top bloggers to you.

    Wow. I'm not sure that made any grammatical or logical sense but it was how it came out of my head.
  • Excellent point.
  • I like that line, Jay. I like you. But then, you know that.
  • I think you have covered some of the most important factors here though I want to add that sincerity and genuine concern can have a powerful impact in making a connection. :-)
  • maryloutyler
    I feel like I'm in college again. Every day I learn something new. Thanks for this post. I'm inspired to get started instead of being stuck in analysis mode like I've been for the past year.
  • DO YOUR HOMEWORK <-- the number one tip you shared and I couldn't agree more. The days of the old school pitch are over - you have to invest time and tap into what the person your interested in approaching is doing - establish some form of connection and use that to relate and start a conversation.
  • abelniak
    This is one of those pieces that can go into the arsenal of helping move the "1.0" types into the "2.0" world.
  • sisterlisa
    Good info here and I agree. It's in the relationships. I'm a blogger and I'll share with you how I feel about pitches for reviews of any kind. A beginner blogger might jump at the chance to review anything in exchange for the item to review and one for a giveaway. Giveaways increase their blog traffic and they need to increase traffic before larger companies will talk to them. Bloggers with larger audiences can ask for a fee and the item to review and giveaway.

    Companies that approach bloggers should never expect that they'll review for free, even if they don't have a large audience. Don't take advantage of the bloggers.

    Companies definitely should show interest in the blogger by leaving comments and tweeting together, Even if it is just "How's your morning going?" It takes time to build a casual relationship, but so worth it for the companies and the bloggers.

    If a company has been giving items to review and items to give away AND asks them to host their ad for them without offering financial compensation is rude. They are trying to see how much they can get out of you(the bloggers). If the blogger asks for payment, give it. If you drop like them like a hot potato at that point, they'll tell others. That's bad business for you.
  • Love how you blend the step-by-step how-tos with the red flags. One free resource I use a lot when doing my homework on bloggers is Addictomatic: http://addictomatic.com/ . It's a fast, fairly comprehensive snapshot of the blogger's online footprint. With that 360 view, you can be there before the sale easier than just by reading the blogger's posts.

    This is the tool that @kevinjcobb showed you and I last year this time.
  • petermackellar
    Great post, it's really helpful for young pros like myself who are attempting to create relationships with bloggers for the first time. Also, thanks to Todd Defren for the link to Shift's Blogger Relations Bookmark, it will be printed and tacked to my wall from now on.
  • Great post and very helpful Chris!

    I'm in the process of working on our outreach program and I'll definitely incorporate everything you discussed.

    Take care!
    Chris Moody
    @cnmoody
  • cpopenoe
    Great advice. Very insightful. Thanks for sharing. I've retweeted this to spread your wisdom! I particularly like your 2-stage email strategy. When I get a lengthy email pitch, even from someone I know and respect, I tend either to put it aside to 'look at later' (which may never happen) or glance at it and glaze over. But if I already have a heads up to expect it I'm much more likely to pay attention. One thing you didn't mention is a strategy for subject line. I find a crafting something compelling for that harder even than a crafting a tight opening paragraph. Any strategic suggestions there?
  • Wow! Thanks so much for the info! Much appreciated for those of us who are clueless with regards to social media methodology.
  • Jon
    To me, the missing word is usually "because."

    I get several pitches per day at Copyblogger, asking me to promote a post or a product or whatever, but very rarely do any of those people tell me *why* I should promote it. They never say why it's appropriate for the Copyblogger audience, how what they're doing is going to change the world, or tell any sort of compelling stories.

    It's just, "Here, take a look at this, bye." And that doesn't work.

    What works is "Hey Jon, I'm sending you this because [insert compelling reason here]." If there's not a sentence like that in the pitch, then I usually delete it within seconds of seeing it.
  • Chris - thanks for the post. As so many of us now are both bloggers as well as seekers of blogger attention, a client can often assume there is some sort of automatic insiders club and that all doors open immediately. Sometimes the well-written and thoughtful insight of someone of your stature in the field is useful when we need to remind our clients that good relationships may take time to develop. I'll be bookmarking this one!
  • There are also a large number of analysts and bloggers who WANT you to brief them on your company or product. A lot of the same rules apply. I'm curious how the group here views those types differently from bloggers like Brogan who only occasionally review products or books.

    Also, I think that a lot of these rules apply when asking customers to be references for your company to other customers (or to analysts).

    I especially like the point about asking someone to contact you if they have a problem or disagreement about the product. My company learned that lesson the hard way once.
  • juliensmith
    I think I know why you wrote this.
  • Because all these years after Cluetrain people still don't have a clue?

    Have you noticed all my responses to you lately are questions?

    ;-)
  • You can't just post something that tantalizing and not tell us why...haha. :-)
  • orenjacob
    Excellent writeup. Thanks Chris. Well said.
  • Great stuff as ever Chris :)

    Totally wholeheartedly agree with your point about it being an imprecise science"
  • Your example of Christina Pacelli and the Eye Fi resonated with me. In business, I try not to take it personally if someone does not find the same value in me or my product as I do them. I've either not presented myself in an effective manner, or there is just not a need at that time. Since I found value on my end, I will remain politely persistent and interact even if just to say thank you for being a resource for me.
  • Spot on stuff, Chris. Casting the biggest net is no longer the way to go (*cringes at old PR bosses shouting, "Blast! Blast! Blast!"*). Everyone's web persona is out there... taking the time to find out likes, dislikes, interests, books, favorite music, hometowns, anything. can go a long way. Tuck those morsels away because any opportunity to connect with someone (in this case a blogger) can make you less of a pusher and more of a helper... a web friend, really.

    I always try to think, "If someone were stumbling upon blog X for the first time, would a post about ______ hook their interest?" Now, of course, it's tough to be objective (who wouldn't want to read about the idea that they're circulating?). But taking yourself and your vested interest out of the equation can give you a true answer whether or not sweet music will be made.
  • Khan
    Chris, is it the basic fundamental rule that the request for reviewing a product has to go out by email always? I was wondering if a company representative already has a good rapport with the blogger/s he wants to make his pitch to, and the blogger/s have already agreed to review his product over twitter DMs or facebook messages, will it be ok to direct the blogger/s to a link by personal DMs etc, where all the information on the product is listed? It would save time and unnecessary emails on both sides but will it be considered rude and unacceptable? Sending a link via twitter conversation assures the representative that at least his pitch has reached the blogger and has not gone unnoticed or worst, landed in the junk folder directly.
    Secondly if we are talking about a book review, what is the best way to send the book for review? A printable pdf copy on a web page, an online e-book or the final printed version of the book by postal mail? how do you ask for the postal address and not sound rude at the same time!
    I would appreciate all the feedback!
    Thank you for such an informative post.
    Khan
  • Very good points. I like the idea of following bloggers on Twitter. With so many people making Twitter lists, this should be really easy and a no brainer. What I wonder is, are companies going to start 'hiring' bloggers to help with their outreach? If someone wants to know how bloggers approach their PR relationships, wouldn't it make sense to have a blogger available through all the steps of a campaign, not just at the pitch stage? Just thinking out loud. Thanks for the article!

    This is my first visit and first comment, but I'll be back.
  • I agree solid post. A friend on Twitter sent this my way, so timely....since I am reaching out to lots of bloggers presently to get some pick up on our social media tool. Off to hit the blogs and twitter-verse. wish me luck!
    - @GizaMike
blog comments powered by Disqus

Previous post:

Next post: