So, a while back I thought to myself: ‘All the cool blogs do giveaways- I should get me some of those!’
But, alas- no one was banging down my door begging for my opinion on ANYTHING, let alone trying to send me free things to review & giveaway. So you know what I did?! I made my own! I remembered what a great response people had to my post about the felt food my sister-in-law hand crafted for my son’s 1st birthday and thought- that’s new! It’s different! People LOVED IT AND I’D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH THEM!
Then, after that I did get a few offers to review some items. And I JUMPED at the chance- even if the product wasn’t something I was passionate about. In fact- I have a new giveaway for every week for the next 4 or 5 weeks. Some, I solicited them for the review. Those are the products I LOVE to review. Others solicited me & I was lucky enough to LOVE the product!
I hate when I get offered a review and before I receive my product- 12 other totally related blogs have the SAME review. That’s lame because we are all pretty different mamas. I don’t WANT the same reviews that are going to be on 12 other blogs that week. I wish PR peeps and companies took the time to READ and find the perfect 1-2 blogs to review their product. Otherwise, it looks spammy.
I have a few GREAT giveaways coming up and a few that I am not so excited about. Don’t worry- all reviews I do will be honest. I am waiting to hear back from companies I have tried to solicit with hopes that they will give my blog a chance and I am lucky enough to already have a few in the works.
All I’m trying to say is: I’ve had a blogging epiphany. Giveaways aren’t cool unless you are spreading the word about something you are totally passionate about (save, cars, houses, appliances & vacations- I’ll review any of those whenever!). In the future, say- 5 weeks from now- will only be choosing to do giveaways and reviews that I am totally passionate about. I don’t want a review with a million entries if people are just visiting to get free stuff. I want to find new readers. I want these contestants to visit AGAIN. I want to share with my readers items I LOVE having in my house and want others who are of similar taste to enjoy as well.
(This isn’t hate on ANY of my upcoming reviews, btw. I just needed to get this off my chest going forward.)
April 2nd, 2010 - 12:04 PM
I so feel you. HOT DAMN I feel you. I wait to respond to PR requests now to see if 10 or 20 other blogs I read will be posting the same thing, because that really rubs me wrong, PR FOLKS. READ THE DAMN BLOGS.
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April 2nd, 2010 - 12:06 PM
I changed my review/giveaway page to link to this post and listed like 10 important facts about m. Hoping they will look and I will get the chance to do some cool shit in the future. Modern Nursery? Are you listening? lol.
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April 2nd, 2010 - 12:20 PM
Amen sister! I wrote one a few weeks ago on why I do giveaways and reviews, but this is great because it shows the other side of doing them – not all of us want to do the same giveaway. I’ve actually started checking with some other mom bloggers after I get an email to see if everyone else got the same one. If so, I usually pass.
I love how you’re going to only do ones you’re passionate about. That’s what I’m thinking – sometimes you get so caught up in, “OMG someone likes me enough to send me their stuff!” that you don’t really think about what product you’re going to be marketing.
Great post!
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April 2nd, 2010 - 2:14 PM
Agreeed a million percent. I’m doing the one we talked about last night and then thats it, unless I totally dig the product! And only if 75 other moms aren’t doing it.
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April 2nd, 2010 - 2:44 PM
AGREED.
In the beginning, I feel like I did anything/everything. Now? I have no shame in saying, “I’m sorry, but NO.” and when it feels spammy? HELL NO.
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April 2nd, 2010 - 3:36 PM
I’ve been blogging forever, but I am new to this whole mombloggers/PR scene, so I definitely don’t have the problem of needing to decline offers, BUT, I applaud you for picking and choosing the opportunities that you feel strongly about.
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April 2nd, 2010 - 6:14 PM
I’m feeling the same way. At first I jumped at every chance when people started asking me b/c I thought I was finally a part of the cool kids club. Then there were a few that I started seeing on a bunch of blogs before I could get mine up. So now if someone emails me about a review/giveaway that I would dig, I ask if they have asked other mommy bloggers. There is only one since then that I said yes to even though other mommy bloggers are doing the same b/c, well, it’s a good cause and I couldn’t say no.
But yeah, I like the way you put it. Doing reviews/giveaways on things you are passionate about. That will help me sift through the requests I get.
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April 2nd, 2010 - 6:35 PM
Couldn’t agree more!
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April 2nd, 2010 - 6:38 PM
I just have to get through the bullshit ones I already commited to. Luckily there is only two more I am not looking fo. The rest I’m into.
but I do plan to be more chosey from now on.
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April 2nd, 2010 - 7:30 PM
word up. a certain one really irritated me…hitting up all the TBB’s top like 25? pretty lame. i’ve reevaluated my review requirements, too. :]
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April 3rd, 2010 - 11:29 PM
I agree. I’ve had a few companies contact me and at first I was excited, but then I saw that more than a few other blogs had the exact same giveaway going on. At that point adding mine to the mix seemed insincere. I wish it wasn’t so, because who doesn’t love free stuff, and from an outsider’s perspective, giveaways seem to somewhat legitimize a blog, but I’ve ultimately decided that saying no to the spammy ones actually helps preserve our reputation in the blog community.
Here’s a question, do you reply to those companies that contact you, or do you just ignore them? I’m considering replying back to them telling them why I’m not participating.
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April 12th, 2010 - 2:39 PM
I’m glad to hear the agreement on this post from you and some of my other favorite bloggers. The thing about it is, as a reader, we don’t come to your blogs to try to win free stuff or read guest blogs. We come here to read what you have to say. So keep writing!
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