Schadenfreude, blogger relations and a little fiber

I am beyond busy trying to wrap up Professional Blogging for Dummies and prepping for some speaking engagements, including the April 6th Bridging Brands and Bloggers session.

But a few things crossed my desk this week that reminded me how far we STILL have to go in creating authentic relationships with our customers. Normally, I’d pull screenshots and stuff, but we’ll have to do without this week. Chalk it up to my overall exhaustion. And trust me, copies of the pitches referred to here ARE in my inbox.

Schadenfreude
That’s taking pleasure in the misfortune of others, and yes, we all do it to some extent. But seriously, issuing press releases and doing blogger outreach on the back of another company’s recall? Ambulance chasing. Gross. Don’t do it. Build your story on your features, not on another’s shortcomings. The saddest thing? The brand in question has a lot going for it. Good PR counsel? Not so much.

Fiber
If you represent a fiber cereal, or related product, you’ve got a tough road. No one really wants to write about bowel movements, not withstanding the stereotype that mom blogs are about pampers and poop. You’ve got to be far more creative than the average bear.

Alas, the pitch that hit mom bloggers this week wasn’t creative. In fact, it was disingenuous. More than one mom blogger I know was confused. Was the company looking for consulting services? Participation in a focus group? Or, as it turned out, simply looking to ship product and get reviews.

Be upfront. Don’t send a pitch asking for “insights” and advice when what you want is a review. Especially to bloggers who do not do reviews. Target appropriately and communicate clearly.

It’s not enough to know who to send the pitch to.

You’ve got to get to know the person.

These are the issues we are going to discuss in the April 6th Bridging Brands & Bloggers webinar. If you work with pr and marketing reps, tell them about it. If you are a pr or marketing person, tell your boss you want to attend.

We’ll give you the inside scoop on what works, and what doesn’t, when reaching out to bloggers.