Over the past few weeks, I’ve been getting a steady amount of e-mails from PR and advertising agencies about my other blogs. Some of them are doing it very well but some are literally just things waiting to be dumped into the trash folder. I’ve summarized the good points that I found from some of the e-mails for everyone’s perusal. If you’re a blogger, feel free to add with the comments below.
The first thing you should do before sending out the e-mail is to READ THE BLOG of your prospect. If you were just given a list of bloggers by your manager, visit all the blogs one at a time. Read through their posts and try to get a feel of the personality of the blogger. Leave a comment or two on some of his/her posts. If there’s a link to his Twitter and Facebook profiles, follow/add. Try to remember one or two interesting posts that stood out the most so that you have something to talk about when eventually meet the blogger face-to-face.
Let me also stress that as PR companies and agencies, don’t wait for clients to give you lists of bloggers. Build relationships with them as early as now. More and more companies will be giving your blog marketing requirements so it’s better if you find a consultant or a company that does that for you or you train your team to handle those kinds of requirements.
One good idea is to throw a party for the bloggers. Not for a client, but just as a meet-and-greet between your agency and them. This will definitely help you connect with them much faster.
If this is your first e-mail to the blogger, never ever just send a press release. What I would recommend is that you send the bloggers an introductory e-mail first letting them know who you are, your company, and how you stumbled upon their blog. The an ideal world, you should be e-mailing them only to introduce yourself and start a conversation – no press releases or official jobs yet.
After you’ve established a relationship with the bloggers, don’t just send copy-pasted press release material for all of them. Remember, these guys don’t have deadlines and they’re not under any obligation to write about you or your client. Personalize the e-mail a bit and attach the press release. Don’t forget to add pictures, links, or videos that the bloggers can use when making their articles. If they accept the invite for the event or the article to re-post, don’t forget to thank them.
Lastly, don’t forget that blog marketing, like social media, is long term. Don’t just throw them away after they write about you. Send them a thank you note. Let them know that you appreciate them writing about you or your client. Every now and then ask them out for coffee or send them your latest product to keep them within arms length.
Blog Marketing/PR is more like an art than an exact science. It really just boils down to your relationships with them. If you want a successful campaign, build the relationships, invest on the people, and everything else will follow after.
nice post, and nice blog…. im thinking of creating a blog after this project Desktop Power Supply sana matapos ko agad.
For me, i think that you need to mention the purpose or win win situation for bloggers other than just only send the article to bloggers.
Excellent advice, Carlo. I’m a blogger for tmcnet.com, AstraQom, Techistan and also have my own. I like the idea of throwing parties for a group of bloggers whenever you can. I’ll never forget a big party for bloggers set up by a social geo mobile platform provider in Los Angeles during an ITEXPO in 2008. I’m still connected with them and they and we pass opportunities back and forth to each other even now.
I’m going to Chicago next week for 4GWorld. I think I’ll throw a party for the hardworking bloggers attending while there. Hey, connect with me on PinoyKubo (Filipino social network) if you like!