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I’m Purposely Vague

October 24, 2012 By Alison 76 Comments

Today, yes, I am going to be purposely vague.

I’m going to be one of those people who tease you with, “I’ve got news! But I’m not going to tell you what it is!”

I will tell you what it is.

Just not yet.

I can tell you this.

I have three exciting things to tell you.

The first one is sort of huge.

No, I’m not pregnant.

Though it feels like I’m birthing. It’s THAT huge!

Which makes me very, very nervous.

I’ve been working on this thing, this big thing I am dying, DYING, to tell you about, for a while now.

I want to be able to share it with you by early November.

Okay, more like mid-November. I hope. I really, really hope I’ll be ready to tell you then.

Second piece of news – it’s also pretty awesome.

I’ve lost you, haven’t I?

Here, a photo of my boys to distract you for a minute. They’re around the same age here – aren’t they cute?

Okay. Back to my meandering.

You’re pounding your forehead on the keyboard shouting, “Just tell us what it is, for Pete’s sake, woman!”

But I can’t. I’m BURSTING to tell you, which is why I’m writing this, but I can’t, until it happens.

Let’s just say I’ll be involved with a fairly awesome website. Let’s leave it at that for now, okay?

Third piece of news is going to involve cookies.

You’re not surprised, are you?

All this means, I may be asking you to go somewhere else to support me, check me out, that sort of thing. I know it’s a real pain to click here, click there, read yet another thing. I do know that.

But this time? These three big things? I really need your support.

I’ve never called for favors here. But these three big things are so big and so important to me, I’m writing a pre-begging begging post.

Stay tuned, November is going to be a huge month. It’s also going to kick my ass, but at least, it’d be worthwhile.

Thank you for bearing with me.

Admit it, you’re just really thinking about the cookie thing now, aren’t you? Also, what are YOU up to?

Filed Under: Ambitions, Blogging

Are You Judging Me?

October 17, 2012 By Alison 145 Comments

You see me with my tired eyes and eyebags

That concealer cannot hide

You see that it means I can’t be bothered

You don’t know that I stayed up all night with a teething baby

Are you judging me?

You see me with my hair in a ponytail

Sweaty loose hairs on my forehead

You see that it means I can’t be bothered

You don’t know that I’ve just spent two hours playing with the kids

Are you judging me?

You see me in an old tee shirt and yoga pants

Maybe a stain or two on it

You see that it means I can’t be bothered

You don’t know that I haven’t had time to shop for new things and that I have a baby who spits up on me

Are you judging me?

You see me in my most comfortable footwear (hello flip flops)

You see me with no makeup

You see that it means I can’t be bothered

You don’t know that I can’t handle a toddler and a baby while wearing wedges and that I don’t actually want to wear makeup

Are you judging me?

You see a woman who doesn’t look as chic as you

You see a woman who looks like she forgot how to dress

You see a woman who’s allowing her toddler candy in a grocery store

You see a woman who doesn’t wear makeup

Are you judging her?

I see a mother who does get up and showered and throws on what’s comfortable and practical

I see a mother who puts most thought into her children and how to give them the best day possible, every single day

I see a mother who tries to make sure her pantry is stocked, dinner gets cooked and children get out and about, so what if bribery is involved

I see a mother who’s confident in her looks, her looks as a mother

Are you still judging?

It is so very easy to look at someone and pass judgment. Yes, we should hold ourselves to higher standards, we should always try to feel/ look/ do better. Because when we are better people, we are better parents. But to each her own. Allow each other the freedom to come to a parenting path, a self-loving path, at their own pace. Parenting is hard enough without mud slinging.

This here? This is a judgement-free zone. Take your judging elsewhere.

This post is inspired by The Momalog – read her post here about bitchy mommy bloggers.

Galit , Tracy and I will be giving away a Signazon product of your choice in this month’s Memories Captured! Signazon offers decals, window decals, yard signs, car magnet signs, and congratulations banners, so link up here from October 15-19 (closes at 9pm Eastern) and make one of these, yours!

Filed Under: Blogging, Mommy Bloggers, Motherhood, Parenting

How To Pitch To A Blogger

October 1, 2012 By Alison 52 Comments

I worked in public relations and marketing for 10 years.

So I know a good PR pitch when I see one.

It makes the PR girl in me rejoice.

Five weeks ago, I received an email in poetry form from a young entrepreneur and app developer, Ben.

He certainly got my attention.

Which got me thinking about the terrible PR pitches I’ve received and how I wish everyone could be like Ben. Consider this a PSA, PR agencies, marketeers and social media consultants, hoping to target bloggers.

Be Personal

Not only did Ben’s poem address me by name, he referenced my blog name. It wasn’t a “Dear Mommy Blogger” pitch. Good start. He then went on to reference a few of my recent blog posts, which showed me that he’d actually read my blog before writing to me.

Be Original

PR pitch in a personalized poem form? Yes please. To quote Ben,

“If “But why a poem?” is what you thought,
It’s just cause “PR” can be boring and Cobypic is not.”

Be Efficient

Ben replied to my emails quickly (even though I wasn’t always on the ball as he was), and again, he always mentioned something he’d read in my blog (and something recent too). Yes, we bloggers really like it when we know you’ve read our blogs.

Be The Opposite Of Pushy

Ben’s app, Cobypic is a completely new iPhone and iPad app, developed by a very small and dedicated team. They work hard to get this awesome and fun app to work, and clearly need all the help they can get to get them into the market big time. BUT, he was never pushy. We exchanged maybe 10 emails before I even offered to do anything for Cobypic, as I’d recently decided not to do reviews. He never got impatient, he never bugged me about doing a review. Which I really appreciated.

Be Generous But Not In A Bribe-y Fashion

I’ve had pitches from companies, expecting me to give them something for nothing in return. I’m a blogger, doing this on my own coin, not a journalist, working for a newspaper or magazine, looking for content. I don’t write stuff off a press release. I need something to experience before I can write about an experience yes? Ben gave me the app redemption code to download as soon as Cobypic was launched. I stuffed up the download process when my Internet cut out halfway, and I asked him if I could have another code. He happily gave me one, and suggested I check my iPad to see if maybe I just hadn’t installed the app, which is why I couldn’t see it. Turns out, he was right. But he still gave me another code. Even after I’d told him I don’t actually do reviews.

Although I am not reviewing the app (I’ll just say here, it’s fun, it’s innovative and it’s unique), I want Ben and Cobypic to succeed. So I’m going to recommend it to friends with children, I’m going to tweet the fact that my son and I are enjoying it, and I’m writing this. Which I will post to my Facebook page and Twitter.

Making an effort with PR pitches really work. So stop sending us generic “Dear Mommy Blogger” emails. Take a page from Ben’s book. Because we do know better.

People, do go check out Cobypic and try the app out, it’s really fun! It’s like a coloring book, but you get the colors by taking pictures of objects around you. How cool is that? I do have that extra redemption code, so first one to let me know they want it, they can have it.

Have you received any good or bad PR pitches lately? Share!

Filed Under: Blogging, Public Relations Tagged With: This is not a review