Dear Blogger,
Hi, I’m the PR rep that is always called out by viral Dear PR posts. The one who sends you gazillions of press releases, and the one who invites you to events and hopes that you write about my clients. Like you, I really want us to “click.”
You see, I’m the PR rep who needs to do a balancing act. I want you to like me but my client also hounds me. I’m the PR rep, who handles three to seven brands at a time, juggles blogger relations and takes care of my clients’ campaigns and advertising needs.
I’m overworked, (sometimes) underpaid, and just learning as I go along. What I’m trying to say is that I make mistakes and I appeal for your patience and understanding.
- I know you hate spam, but I have a job to do. If I barrage you with press releases, I really am sorry but I need to tell my clients that I’ve emailed their PR materials. Just ignore my emails if you don’t find these interesting.
- I appreciate it when you share who you think are interesting bloggers. I can’t always do my research (remember: I’m overworked!) so I also rely with the recommendations of bloggers I trust.
- Show some personality. I get turned off with a blog that is full of brand-related materials. Throw in some articles that show who you are, what you do, and what you are passionate about.
- Don’t copy/paste. I don’t like it and Google does not like it. It also tells me that you lack creativity.
- I test you to see how you behave and what kind of articles you can write. If I find our interactions satisfactory, I will regularly recommend to my clients.
- Ask nicely if you can bring a +1 or if you can get another goodie bag. It’s usually okay but don’t bring your entire family or get goodie bags for everyone. Decency is appreciated. And if I have to decline your requests, I’ll tell you nicely. Don’t be offended because it’s likely that my budget is limited, but I’ll try to make it up to you next time we have an event.
- Learn to RSVP. Nobody likes a gatecrasher.
- Please write sensibly and take great photos. I love a blog that is well-written and features great photos. It’s the kind of blog that I recommend to clients because it shows the love and care that you have for your craft. Oh, good grammar is very much appreciated!
- We gossip about bloggers, too. We tell friends from PR and advertising agencies about bloggers, who have bad reputation. We tell our colleagues to watch out for bad practices and we maintain a list of bloggers we will NEVER, EVER invite. And yes, we do not recommend bad bloggers to clients.
- Yes, we have favourite bloggers, too, and it’s not always the most popular ones. Sometimes, we just tolerate the popular bloggers because well, they’re popular. But I would gladly trade them with not-so-popular bloggers, who are kind, friendly and do not have a sense of entitlement. They are the ones I will always include in my clients’ guest lists.
Just like you, I want us to have a good working relationship. Your advice on how to better treat you is very much appreciated. A little patience and understanding help, and don’t hesitate to tell us (nicely) if you think we are treating you badly. Until the next event!
xoxo,
Roche Leonor
Digital Marketer
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This post is in response to the Dear PR article I previously posted. (Thank you for your insights, Roche!) Are you a PR person? Do you have anything to add to this list? Feel free to leave a comment.
Hey there! I’m a mom of two who loves to crochet. Balancing work and motherhood is crazy, but I handle it with love and humor. With my eldest entering her tween years, the chaos just got a whole lot more interesting!
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I love these love letters. 🙂
I know right? I’m still conceptualizing my next “move” LOL
Lol ano naman? Dear Reader?
Whatever it is, I’ll be waiting…. :p
Dear Bully. Hahahahshahah!!!
Dear Troll! 😀
Hahaha!! Both sides of the story!! 🙂
Hi Didi, you want to add something? LOL… Dear Reader? lol
Hi, Di! Yun lang! Just saying hi! 🙂
I dont think we bloggers ever feel SPAMMED by event invitations or good content, this relationship is a two way street … we enjoy covering and you/your clients appreciate being covered.
The only thing I would suggest is allow newer bloggers to get in touch with you more easily, its often difficult to make ourselves more visible to you simply because we don’t have an avenue to do so. Just incase you’d like to see a blog that does in depth coverage, I’d like to introduce myself. I’ve been blogging for the last few months and have covered several events. I invite you to take a glimpse of my page and please feel free to get in touch with me for opportunities.
Hiya!
I wear two hats – dark side and the not so – which is unusual enough, but I need to add something here as a professional who acts on behalf of clients and one who receives the materials from the PR’s..
“I know you hate spam, but I have a job to do. If I barrage you with press releases, I really am sorry but I need to tell my clients that I’ve emailed their PR materials.”
A good PR doesn’t ‘ barrage’ or spam – sent once, then follow up. Fine. some PR’s are known to call within minutes of sending out a PRL. Also – relevance – you lose a *lot* of credibility by blanket mailing irrelevant material, as you are proving you have no knowledge of your targets..
Also..
“I appreciate it when you share who you think are interesting bloggers. I can’t always do my research (remember: I’m overworked!) so I also rely with the recommendations of bloggers I trust.”
But that research and instinct *is* part of your job – it’s a competitive market, and you shouldn’t expect someone else to do that part for you. Good PR’s are instinctive and know their client and market inside out.
The rest of the points – spot on! A lot of bloggers can learn from these,
KW
Hi Kellie, thanks for dropping by!
Hi, Kelly. Thanks for your comment. Spam is relative. A blogger may think that an email is spam as long as it’s unsolicited. Others think spam when there are just too many emails coming in. And there are those who don’t feel spammed at all. It’s all about the perception of the recipient.
To your other point, the caveat is that I take the recommendations of bloggers I trust. Trust is the operative word and I didn’t say that I solely rely on recommendations. I also like to think that a trusted blogger’s recommendation is one way of strengthening our relationship. She knows that she is free to share something with me, and I trust that she will recommend someone worthy. It’s a win-win situation, and everyone is happy. Cheers! 🙂
I hope I am on your list of happy bloggers 🙂