Public Relations |

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!

I started this blog as a space for ME. As a space to write, to share, to connect, to rant. Facebook just wasn’t doing it for me .

I did not start this blog to make money, get free products, sponsored trips, or fame. If I talk about a product or service or company, it’s because I choose to, of my own free will, expressing my own opinions.

If anyone has read my blog, they’d know that. They’d have gathered that, just from skimming a few posts.

Especially if you’re a public relations executive. Now, I am particularly hard on practitioners of PR as I used to be one. I like to think I was a damn good one too. Therefore, it really irks me when some people make a mockery of the practice of PR.

I received an email recently from a local (Malaysian) PR agency who shall remain nameless. I’m not that bitchy.

Dear Blogger,

We are pleased to introduce to you [somethingortheother] by [local jeweler} the latest jewellery from their [somethingortheother] Collection.

For both young and young at heart, [somethingortheother] is one product you can’t resist sharing with your readers!

Please find as attached news release and picture for your use. Should you have any enquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you.

Best regards,

PR Executive Muppet

Muppet Communications

M-3-19, Plaza Muppet

Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +603. 1234 5678

Fax: +603. 1234 5679

This was my reply. After I stewed for oh, 2 minutes:

Dear PR Agency (and here, I deliberately do not use your name and you will see why),

You clearly do not read my blog, or pay attention to the email address to which you sent your blatant mass email to.

If you did, you would not have addressed me as ‘Dear Blogger’. You would have at least had the courtesy to address me by name.

Secondly, you did not even take time to get to know me, before pitching your client’s products to me. Do you know what I write about? Who my readers are? How many readers I have? What other social media I am involved in?

And if you had taken the time to know me, you would know that I would NEVER write a blog post about a product I see and read from a press release. I am not media. I am not a newspaper or magazine or website looking for content. I am a blogger, who writes in her own time, working on her own content, engaging with the blogging community on my own. I don’t get paid to do this, I do this because I want to.

If you wish for me to review a product, a product will have to be sent to me for review. Is that not standard PR practice? Especially for bloggers? I don’t get paid to write on my own blog, why would I possibly want to regurgitate your press release using up real estate on my blog?

If you had taken the time to look at my blog at least once, you would have had the opportunity to come to the following conclusions and NOT pitched these ‘[somethingortheotherproduct]‘ to me:

I do not wear jewelry, nor do I have a child I can bestow these things onto (my son is only 18 months old – if you read my blog, you’d know).
I used to work in public relations. I worked in marketing. I know how PR works. How you are doing it? Doesn’t work, and frankly, is disrespectful to me as a blogger and a writer.
I write about motherhood, about my son, about my experiences in blogging, about food, about life, about funny things. I do not post about jewelry that a local jeweler has released because some PR agency sent me a press release and photos.
I am not your typical Malaysian blogger, out to make money. I don’t even have Nuffnang ads on my page. I also do not write reviews. Not that I’m not open to it but it has to be done the proper way.
My readers are made up of Americans and Canadians. I don’t think they’ll be interested in [local jeweler].
You clearly did not read my disclosure policy page.

This is just for your reference, as clearly, after this email, I’m pretty sure your agency will not be sending me any more product pitches. Consider this a free lesson in PR if you will.

Always read the blog you’re considering first. Read the About Me page. Read a few recent posts to get a feel of what the blogger is about, what they are interested in, whether they’re a good match to the product/ service.
Always contact the blogger in question first, before pitching, either via email or phone call. Introduce yourself, explain why you’re calling. Ask for information such as readership, reach, their ‘policy’ about doing product reviews.
Cultivate this relationship. Meet up, text, chat via Messenger, Twitter, Skype, whatever. But have a conversation first. Get a feel for the person who is going to go out there and write about your client and their products/ services.
Remember, bloggers are doing all this in their own time, they’re not paid to blog. When you ask someone to review a product, respect that they are doing this voluntarily. It takes up their time. It takes up space on their blog, which they make way for.

I think I’ve given you much more than you have given me – other than a blog post. I reserve the right to reprint this email and my reply, in my blog. I will however, leave out your agency name and your name.

Regards,

Alison

Tell me, was I too harsh on this agency? Should I just be grateful anyone would consider me for a product ‘review’? Or just tell me I’m fabulous and you think I’m right. Tee hee!