DISQUS

Almost Vegetarian: How to talk to a blogger so you get results: Social media tips for fun and profit

  • Lesley · 1 year ago
    Hilarious!

    I have only received one pitch during my short foodblogging career (I got numerous pitches when I had a marketing blog, though). And I would like more. *hint hint* But from relevant products, of course. *bigger hint*
  • Naomi Dunford · 1 year ago
    OK, the post was great, I admit. But the picture? Heaven. Perfection in small town paper form.
  • tamryn · 1 year ago
    As usual, spot on advice! Points well taken....
  • kathleen · 1 year ago
    You need ten? You should only need one from the right person
    If in doubt, don't. Take it down.

    What if the shoe were on the other foot? You'd committed a gaffe against a blogger in your role as a writer. How would you feel if they mentioned your first and last name and said what an idiotic mistake you'd made?

    But yeah, I'm so with you on the whole PR and even, veggie thing ("oh you don't eat meat, do you want chicken or fish?"). It gets really old all around. I work in apparel manufacturing so I get all the fashioney people. PR people in fashion are either really really really really stupid or 99% of the agencies are freshmen working out of their dorm rooms.
  • Jamie · 1 year ago
    First- Do not take down Jillian's name. Mentioning her was fair, and it's not your fault she did something stupid. But then again, sometimes I am spiteful like that so if you want to take her name down I will understand.

    I know you have already made this point, but it really gets on my nerves when people contact our blog with a product or service they're certain our reader's will love that has absolutely no connection to our readers at all (a la meat products on this blog). Basically, what you are asking the blogger to do is give up any and all of their credibility so that you can make a buck. Just don't ask.

    Great post, and I hope the PR people are paying attention. Thanks for letting me get my rant on.
  • zoe · 1 year ago
    ugh....she's asking to remove her name? That's such a big no-no. I would only ask to remove a name if what was written wasn't true. Kudos to her for keeping track but still, she sent you a bad pitch and she needs to live with that.

    I also work in Blogger Relations and realize the risk that that my name may end up on someone's blog when I don't want it there (hasn't happened so far). I know I would never ask to have it taken down, unless the story was completely false.

    Instead, I would see it as an opportunity to build a relationship with that blogger to set things right. Maybe I would write a post on my own blog calling out my mistakes and using it as a great example of something I learned.

    z
  • John · 1 year ago
    An excellent little ad. I've shown that to quite a few of my classes and it never gets old.
  • Elizabeth · 1 year ago
    The request from Jillian is a tricky one. But if she has asked you to remove her name, you probably should. (I'm with Kathleen on this; you don't need ten people agreeing). I'm guessing that because she emailed, she could say that her email should be regarded as private and confidential - ie: you may need her permission to quote any of the email.

    Here's what I might do, if I were in the same situation,: I would be to remove her last name and leave just the first initial of her last name, doing the same with the last names of Leslie G, Lee H and Victoria von B. (And you'd have to go in and edit any comments as well). But that way, Jillian K, Leslie G, Lee H, Victoria von B can still squirm if they see their names (and actually read the post) but by the same token, they'll rest assured that other readers might not know for certain that they are the ones being chastised and mocked.

    Not that I get that much email, but if any that I receive from PR people has nothing at all to do with my site, I simply do not reply. I regard their email as an address net. Why should I confirm for them that my address is correct?
  • beastmomma · 1 year ago
    I do not think you need to take down Jillian's name completely, but it may be good to use her first name and last initial (as suggested by Elizabeth). If her e-mail did not contain a privacy notice at the bottom, then I think you are okay to share the gist of the message on the net. On another note, I am relatively new to your blog and I really enjoy it!