Three reminders about blogger relations

We get knocked off course sometimes, in the course of our outreach, and it’s good to have a reminder about how best to do things. So, since I don’t harp on this topic enough, here are three reminders to keep in mind next time you speak with bloggers:

1. Never, ever, EVER corrupt your influencers! Don’t bribe them, and don’t pay them to write about you. If your little transaction ever becomes public, here’s what happens:
   • Your influencer’s reputation will be destroyed, making them worthless in supporting your company or client
   • You will be recognized as the cheating scum your customers fear/suspect you may be
   • Other bloggers may shun you and your client/firm, further reducing the pool of influencers you have access to
2. Don’t be an ass. I’ve seen pitches to bloggers, from some PR practitioners, that make me cringe because they are, sometimes, cajoling, demanding, aggressive, rude, etc. Folks, most bloggers aren’t businesspeople and they don’t consider themselves that way. When you approach a blogger it has to be at a one-to-one level — personal, friendly, and not expecting anything. Not even coverage.
3. If you want them to write about you, you have to be ready to offer them something. Newsworthiness probably won’t cut it. And, see point number one, cash isn’t good enough. Sponsoring their site publicly